"I don't know if the pirates thought I was too badly injured to survive after falling into the sea, but no one came to rescue me. In the end, I drifted to a deserted island and survived."
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, but on that island I accidentally ate Devil Fruit. After recovering from my injuries, I built a raft and went out to sea.
After drifting at sea for some time, I arrived at an island with Marine Base, where I joined the navy.
Every time I think back to what happened that day, I'm filled with unbearable hatred. Those piercing screams keep echoing in my mind, causing me immense pain.
That's why I especially hate pirates who set fire to houses. There might be living people inside those houses, and they might be burned alive.
Can you imagine what it feels like to be burned alive?
Ever since my family was burned alive, I feel as if I can empathize with them. Whenever I think about that day, it's like my body is engulfed in flames, and that searing pain permeates my entire being!
Barnett's body was trembling as he spoke his last few words, and his skin had turned red, like a boiled shrimp, with steam rising from his skin.
Vic knew that the burning sensation Barnett had described had returned; it was the consequence of recalling those memories.
Vic guessed that Barnett witnessed his family being burned alive, felt deep remorse for what happened that day, and developed psychological problems, wanting to empathize with his family.
Vic's current thinking is that the one who tied the knot must untie it; to cure this psychological problem, he must kill the pirate crew that burned Barnett's family to death.
" Wendy, stop standing there, quickly give Barnett some more water!" Vic's words startled Wendy from her frantic state.
Wendy panicked when she saw Barnett's state and frantically started to take off Barnett clothes. His upper body was already naked, revealing his firm muscles, and she was about to take off Barnett pants.
"Huh? Oh! I see." Wendy only realized what Vic was saying after hearing his words, and fed the steaming Barnett the cup of water on the table that was used to make tea.
Barnett gradually recovered after drinking water, and Vic was thinking that if he didn't get better, he would tie him up with a rope and throw him into the sea to cool him down.
Vic was starting to wonder how Barnett, who frequently burned himself like that, hadn't damaged his brain. It seemed a bit illogical!
" Barnett, do you know why those pirates burned down your village?"
Seeing that Barnett had recovered, Vic continued, "To resolve this psychological issue, we must understand those pirates."
" Vic! Barnett's already like this, why are you rubbing salt into his wounds?"
Seeing that Vic was continuing to bring up Barnett's unpleasant memories, Wendy complained, "You really forget how good Vic is once you find someone else."
"Yeah, Vic, what's the point of asking these questions now? We don't want Barnett to catch fire again." Rebecca joined Wendy in criticizing Vic, but her words were a bit too direct, especially since the person involved was still there.
"It's alright! I'm fine now. It was another pirate crew that came to the island to take revenge on the pirate crew that ruled our island. The two sides had a deep-seated feud, the kind that's irreconcilable. Our island was just an innocent victim. I only found out about it later at the Marine Base."
Barnett has recovered and explained the situation, revealing that Vic is planning to destroy both pirate crews.
If those two pirate crews hadn't been wiped out, they should still be in the New World. He planned to take a few people and pull off a heist when he went to the New World. He could ask Barnett for details then. He definitely remembered those two pirate crews.
"The Navy's duty is to catch pirates. When we reach the New World, we'll go and cause trouble for those two pirate crews. They're your enemies, the ones who brought you suffering. I won't let them get away with this!"
Vic reached out and patted Barnett's bare shoulder. A glint flashed in Barnett's eyes, and he nodded. Wendy, on the other hand, gave Vic a deep look.
Barnett's current strength is not enough to deal with those powerful pirates who can occupy territory, but he knows Vic's strength. With Vic around, those people can't cause any trouble.
Moreover, since they can't go to the New World now, he has time to improve his strength. When that day comes, he might be able to do it himself.
"Alright, put your clothes back on now that you're all better. Wendy almost stripped you naked. Boys need to be careful when they're out!"
Vic glanced at Wendy and then said something meaningful. Rebecca burst into laughter, but her laughter quickly turned sour. She then glared at Vic, thinking of herself.
"Come on, Vic! I was just trying to cool him down, I didn't have time to think about anything else! Humph!" Wendy blushed a little at Vic's words and turned her head away to escape reality.
Barnett then noticed that he was shirtless; no wonder the sea breeze felt a bit chilly today!
He immediately picked up his clothes from the ground, intending to put them on, but found that Wendy had already torn them. Feeling somewhat bewildered, he glanced at Wendy, who was pretending to look at the sea, but said nothing and walked directly into the cabin.
"You guys really missed out by not going to the hot spring town today! Rebecca's fight with that male swordsman was amazing, and Barnett's fight with that pirate captain was really fun!"
It's captivating, but what's most astonishing is that Vic punched the pirate captain into nothingness, leaving not even a trace. It's incredibly powerful, truly unimaginable!
"Really? There was a battle like that in the hot spring town today. What a pity, we went to the town on the other side of the mountain."
The rest of the Elite Camp returned to the warship and met at the dock. They were all chatting about what they had seen that day. Several people who had been called to fight the fire and were left behind were recounting the battle they had witnessed, which made the others very envious.
On Vic's side, Barnett had already changed his clothes in the dormitory and returned to the deck. Now the warship was just waiting for all the trainees to return before it could set sail.
This was the time Zephyr; he originally intended to bring these new recruits to this island to relax in the hot springs, but unexpectedly, they ran into a group of pirates.
Although only Rebecca and Barnett participated in the actual combat, their enemies were not weak either, and anyone else who tried to join in would inevitably be seriously injured.
Watching others practice combat is a good way to help them out, especially seeing the Devil Fruit User. Their abilities are quite rare, and it will broaden the recruits' horizons so they can take Devil Fruit users more seriously in the future.