Marine Calendar 1502
It had been three years since Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, was executed.
After living on Maple Leaf Island for over a year and spending another year at Marine Headquarters, Wood was now eighteen.
According to the results of his second life simulation, in another year or so, he'd be killed by the escaped Shiki the Golden Lion.
Compared to his life in the simulation, he had already mastered Soru and Geppo, two of the Six Styles, and awakened Kenbunshoku Haki. He was far stronger now—by no small margin.
Even so, Wood didn't believe he'd be able to face a big shot like Shiki the Golden Lion and survive in a year or two.
So, if he wanted to change the future, Wood had to change the situation he was in now.
At the Marine Academy, the instructor in charge of basic courses looked at the application Wood had submitted and, without changing his expression, stamped it with a black rejection stamp.
"Instructor, why was it rejected? I was just following the normal process, wasn't I? Based on my performance at the Marine Academy this past year, I shouldn't be good enough to stay and train with the elite!"
Staring at the rejected application in front of him, Wood looked at the Marine captain who'd taught him basic courses for the past year, bewildered.
Since he was determined to be a supporting character, Wood's grades this past year hadn't exactly been the worst, but they'd hovered around the cutoff for elimination.
Under normal circumstances, he should've graduated from the Marine Academy along with most of the other recruits and become an honorable new Marine!
But now, despite his mediocre grades, he'd been told he had to stay at the academy for another year and undergo advanced training for Marine officers.
Had they lowered the passing score this year? But he'd clearly seen the guy ranked ahead of him get sent off as cannon fodder, despite having scores far better than his own.
"I'm just following the normal procedure too. According to the orders I received, Recruit Wood has to undergo another year of training.
"If you have a problem with that, you can submit an appeal to another superior.
"But I advise you not to be ungrateful. Getting to stay for an extra year of training is something many people would give anything for.
"You should know that this is a privilege reserved for elite Marines. You ought to feel honored. Believe me, staying here for another year may be tough, but what you learn will save you ten years of hard work!"
The captain figured Wood didn't understand the benefits of being kept on, but he couldn't come right out and say it, so he could only drop hints.
But how could Wood not understand? The elite Marines who stayed behind were trained to become officers. Compared with ordinary cannon fodder, they really were ten years ahead.
Ordinary Marines could still get promoted and earn better pay by distinguishing themselves, but the elite recruits who stayed were trained as officers from the start. They'd already won at the starting line.
And ordinary cannon fodder didn't even qualify to learn techniques like the Navy Six Forms. Without great strength, how could they hope to distinguish themselves?
Wood wanted to be an inconspicuous supporting character. He didn't care about being an ordinary cannon-fodder Marine; he'd have chances to get promoted later anyway.
As for the Navy Six Forms, he'd already gotten them from Kaji ahead of time. The officer training courses held little appeal for him.
All he wanted now was to change his circumstances and alter the future, so that he wouldn't end up dying at Shiki the Golden Lion's hands a year or two from now.
"Anyway, I'm only following the rules. An officer specifically named you and ordered that you stay for another year of training."
Seeing that Wood remained stubbornly set on graduating and leaving, the Marine captain spread his hands helplessly. There was nothing he could do.
But when Wood heard that, he froze, secretly wondering who this so-called "officer" might be.
The instructor in charge of Wood's basic courses already held the rank of captain at Marine Headquarters. Anyone who could be called a superior had to hold a general's rank.
Wood only knew two people like that: Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Zephyr.
He wasn't very familiar with Garp, so the one who'd insisted on keeping him must have been Admiral Zephyr.
But that didn't make sense. Wood had only seen Admiral Zephyr a handful of times over the past year. He'd even thought the man had forgotten about someone as insignificant as him. Why had he suddenly shown up at such a critical moment?
There was no fighting back against those with more power. Knowing he couldn't change anything, Wood could only leave dejectedly, planning to ask Zephyr why he'd done this the next time they met.
Watching Wood leave, the Marine captain was just as baffled. After a year together, he knew Wood was quite shrewd, but aside from that, he didn't have any other outstanding qualities. Why had he won the favor of both Admiral Zephyr and Vice Admiral Tsuru?
Yes, you heard that right. Not only did Zephyr want to train Wood, but even Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Navy's leading female officer, had spoken up for him.
If Wood knew about this, he'd be just as surprised. Zephyr was one thing, but he and Tsuru had never even met. How did she know him, and why had she spoken up for him?
Back in Wood's old dormitory, the comic-relief recruits who'd lived with him were packing their things.
When they saw Wood come in, they assumed he was there to pack too, and eagerly asked which unit he'd been assigned to report to.
"I can't leave. The captain just told me I have to stay here another year..."
Hearing that, his former comic-relief roommates looked envious. At the same time, they were confused. Wood's scores had been average across the board, yet he was apparently considered one of the so-called elite?
After seeing off the comic-relief roommates he'd lived with for a year, Wood sat on his bed, questioning his life choices. Just then, a timid-looking white-haired kid peeked furtively into the room from the doorway.
"Hello, senior. I'm Smoker, a new Marine recruit reporting here today. Is this Dormitory 404?"
Looking at the young white-haired boy, who seemed barely a year older than a toddler, Wood heard the name he gave and froze. He blurted out, "Smoker? That chain-smoking Smoker?"
"My name is Smoker, but I don't smoke. Do you know someone else named Smoker, sir?"
The white-haired boy was polite and short, even a little shy. Wood just couldn't reconcile him with the rugged old chain-smoker he remembered.
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