Dream? Does Becoming the World's Strongest Count?

Thanks to reader Aleander `Liang Xi for the 88-book-coin reward, and thanks to reader Jue for the 100-book-coin reward. I only found out today that my book could be read on other websites too. Sorry, everyone.

The reorganized recruits set out once more.

In everyone's eyes, Loa was already practically a confirmed member of the Elite Camp, but that did not mean he had taken away anyone else's qualification. As Kuzan had said, the top three had a chance to join the Elite Camp. That chance naturally depended on the strength they displayed during the assessment.

It was not a fixed matter that the top three would pass. Those who needed to work hard still had to work hard.

Loa lay bored on the shore, a foxtail grass stem between his lips and his hands cradling the back of his head as he rested.

After arranging the recruits' supplies, Momonga hesitated for a moment before walking toward Loa.

Hearing the rustling footsteps draw closer, Loa opened his eyes. "Vice Admiral Momonga, I had someone put the photos in a file bag and send them to you. Don't disturb my nap if there's nothing else."

What a joke. Momonga had beaten him for no reason yesterday—twice, at that. Loa was not about to give him a pleasant expression.

Momonga had still been somewhat conflicted, but hearing that immediately made his temper flare. He glared. "We had a deal. I'd plead with Teacher Zephyr for you, and you'd give me the photos. What happened? You only gave me one! Don't think I forgot. There were three when you took them out to threaten me!"

"Tch! Why do you remember that so clearly?"

Loa muttered discontentedly, then hurriedly surrendered before Momonga could explode. "Fine, fine. I'll give you the rest when we get back. Seriously, you're already so old, yet you still love nitpicking."

Momonga: "That's rich coming from you!"

After a pause, Momonga suddenly plopped down beside Loa. Loa gave him a sidelong look and waited for him to speak first.

Once a person had something on their mind, their entire aura changed. The traits that came with the Dragon Body allowed Loa to keenly sense the shift in Momonga's aura.

For a time, the shore was so quiet that only the sound of waves crashing could be heard.

As for the occasional screams coming from the forest behind them, it was best to ignore those.

Perhaps unable to bear the oppressive silence any longer, Momonga finally spoke after holding back for a long while.

"Hey, Loa. Do you have a dream?"

That question was awfully artsy. Loa could practically see Momonga turning around with the air of a mentor.

He shook his head, throwing away that bizarre thought, and looked at him strangely. "A dream? Why ask that?"

"Eh, just chatting. Go on." Momonga did not answer directly and instead urged Loa on.

Loa found it a little strange. Momonga had never acted like some chicken-soup-spouting mentor before. Still, people's hearts were hidden beneath their skin, and he had no idea what had happened.

Yet Momonga's words did stir Loa's sealed memories. He had thought he had forgotten his ordinary life before transmigrating, but Momonga's question brought those mundane days back to him once more.

A trace of sadness appeared in Loa's eyes as he spoke somewhat wistfully.

"Everyone has dreams, don't they? And more than one. But as life goes on, some dreams get closer and closer, while others drift farther and farther away."

A scene vaguely surfaced before Loa's eyes: one stormy afternoon, when he had still been in school, Loa had spent the whole day fooling around outside instead of attending class. When it rained, he could only run home helplessly, where a mixed doubles beating awaited him.

"I want to go home!"

That had been Loa's dream when he was stranded on the deserted island.

Yet that childish, simple dream had been so impossibly out of reach.

After a pause, Loa said, "Back then, my dream was to eat my fill, dress warmly, and have fun. I didn't want to struggle for a living every day or worry where my next meal would come from after filling my stomach this time. I imagined what kind of life I would live once I had money. At the time, I thought that eating steak every meal, living in a big house, and having servants take care of everything I ate, wore, and used would make my life complete."

At that, Loa asked mockingly, "Isn't that pretty pathetic?"

Momonga nodded solemnly. "Yes!"

Loa: "..."

Forget it. Since he had already opened the floodgates, he would just ignore what Momonga had said.

Loa continued on his own, "I never had much of a plan for my life. What I just said really had been my dream once. But life is full of the unknown."

Loa recalled the life of an ordinary city dweller.

Every day was busy and hectic: elementary school, middle school, high school, university. He had been trapped in studying, unable to pull himself free.

In middle school, he had secretly fallen for a girl. After confessing, he got beaten up by her boyfriend. That was the first time the utterly bewildered Loa understood life's uncertainty.

During the college entrance exams, he had aimed for a prestigious university in another province. He fell short by a few points, and because of financial circumstances, he chose not to repeat the year and enrolled in an ordinary local university instead. That was the second time.

Then, despite graduating in civil engineering, he ended up working in marketing after college. That was the third time.

Thinking about it made Loa laugh. Did he have dreams? Of course he did!

He had wanted that girl to become his girlfriend! He had wanted to get into a prestigious university! He had wanted to make a name for himself in the construction industry!

But what did any of it matter?

In the end, every event had seemed prearranged. The heavens just loved playing jokes. What could he do?

Just like this transmigration. What kind of transmigrator gets sent over while playing a game and holding instant noodles? Could anyone have predicted that?

With a smile, Loa continued, "But now, my dream is no longer those things. I have a new goal."

Momonga raised his head at that. "What is it?"

"I want to become the world's strongest!"

Loa raised his fist toward the sky and spread his fingers as if he wanted to grasp the blue heavens in his hand.

"Since I've obtained this power, a mediocre life is behind me. From this day onward, I'll strive for this goal—no, this dream! That is my dream!"

"Become the world's strongest?"

Momonga murmured, repeating Loa's words. Looking at the confident smile on the young man's face, he could not help shaking his head. "That dream of yours really is ambitious. I thought you'd say something about upholding Marine justice."

"Do you really believe the Marines are justice, Vice Admiral Momonga?"

At that moment, Loa's cool voice rang out. Momonga was startled and frowned. "Loa! What do you mean by that? Don't forget that you're a Marine!"

"I know. Of course I know." Loa seemed not to notice Momonga's dark expression. "But Vice Admiral Momonga, what exactly is justice? There's a saying you should know well: justice always prevails."

"But do you know? The so-called justice of this world is the justice of the victor. It's a simple matter of sequence. First comes victory, then comes justice."

"You're saying the Marines are not justice, merely the victors?" Loa's words were somewhat disordered, and Momonga slowly spoke with his brows tightly furrowed.

"Well, who knows? It's like Schrödinger's cat. Before the box is opened, that cat forever remains between life and death. So for now, let us call ourselves Marines of justice. Oh, right—surely you don't know Schrödinger, but you only need to know that he's a cat-abusing maniac. If you meet him, just beat him to death."

With that, Loa stood up, patted the dust from his backside, and went to prepare lunch.

Momonga remained where he was, gazing out over the sea, lost in thought.

Beneath the sleeve of his suit, a black Den Den Mushi clicked softly and fell asleep.

Inside the warship's command room, Zephyr stood up and looked through the window at the sea.

"So you think the same way I do, Loa."

Knock, knock, knock~

The knocking brought Zephyr back to his senses. He sat behind his desk again and said in a deep voice, "Come in!"

Kuzan was the one who entered. He had come to bid Zephyr farewell.

"If I head southeast from here, I'll reach the East Blue, right?" Kuzan sat opposite Zephyr with one leg crossed over the other.

"By the way, Teacher, do you want me to bring back any local specialties?"

"You're not waiting for Loa to finish his assessment? You should know I gave him quite a difficult problem."

"No need. I've already taught him everything I can teach him. I believe he can handle what comes next. He needs to walk his own path, and that isn't something I'm good at."

At that, Kuzan opened his eyes and looked at Zephyr. "Please take good care of him from now on, Teacher."

"Don't worry. I'll train him into a Marine Admiral no less capable than you."

"Ah la la, that would be perfect. Being an Admiral really leaves no time to sleep at all. It's busy as hell."

Thanks to readers Bookworm 759, Reader 194***, Wang 159951, All Things Without Rain P, Reader 1***, Reader 196***, Benefit of the Brave, Bingjie City, Reader 181***, Shisha Night Rain, Reader 176***, Memories of a Melancholy Person, SY Lingfei, Reader 119***, Reader 14***, Reader 14***, Reader 7***, After the Nightfall, Reader 45*, Reader 40***, Reader 17***, Reader 67***, and Reader 8*** for their recommendation support.

The favorites have gone up quite a bit. Why have the recommendations been decreasing every day instead?