"Sister Rebecca! Did you and Vic used to live in this house?" Ain asked softly when she noticed Rebecca was lost in thought.
"Yes! This is Vic's room, but he rarely sleeps in it; he usually sits on the grass outside."
He said he wanted to understand the universe and nature, and integrate it into his swordsmanship. I never really understood it, and I've only recently started to grasp a little bit of it. I didn't expect his training wasn't over yet!
Rebecca said with a sentimental tone that although she and Vic had only been apart for a few months, it felt like a very long time since she had seen Vic, and she missed Vic very much.
" Rebecca, it's all my fault. If my enemy hadn't been so powerful, Vic wouldn't have had to push himself like this. Now I've dragged you all into this too. I was so selfish!"
Wendy felt extremely guilty seeing Rebecca so obsessed with Vic.
" Wendy! Don't overthink it. It's only been a few months apart, that's nothing. Your situation is the real issue. I think Vic thinks so too, which is why he left the team without hesitation. Don't blame yourself, we'll all be on your side!"
Rebecca naturally wouldn't blame Wendy. Friends should help each other when they're in trouble; this is something Vic has always done, and she naturally inherited it.
"Yeah, Wendy, we all volunteered to help. It's just that we're not strong enough yet. We'll probably still have to rely on Vic. We can only play support!" Barnett chimed in.
" Rebecca and Barnett are right, we should just focus on our training and face the challenges together!" Frodeku chimed in.
Only Ain was unaware of the seriousness of the matter, but seeing the serious expressions on everyone's faces, she remained silent. She was also disappointed not to see Vic, thinking that Vic had already prepared something delicious and was waiting for her to return!
" Rebecca! Vic probably knows it's almost time, and he's probably already on his way back to headquarters. We just need to wait here; Vic will definitely give us a surprise!"
Barnett reassured Rebecca that he had great faith in Vic, and that Vic might have become even stronger in the few months since they last met.
And so, the Elite Camp members returned to headquarters to await their appointments, while Rebecca went to visit Granny Tsuru and Vice Admiral Garp.
They all returned to headquarters, eager to see the reformed Elite Camp, and wouldn't mind bringing any promising talents onto their ship for further training.
Marine Garp the Hero was waiting for Vic to come aboard his ship for his internship, as Aokiji had previously interned on his ship. Granny Tsuru wanted Rebecca to come aboard, but Rebecca refused, insisting on going with Vic.
After witnessing Rebecca's strength, Vice Admiral Tsuru agreed. Initially, she was mainly worried that Rebecca was too weak and wanted to protect her, but Rebecca's strength surprised her. With such growth potential, she didn't need her protection at all. Granny Tsuru was very gratified, but also somewhat lonely. Her relationship with Rebecca was still not as close as her relationship with Vic.
As Rebecca was leaving Mr. Garp's residence, Garp told her that in two days, an appointment and rank-conferring ceremony would be held in the front square for all of their new recruits.
Many senior members will return to headquarters to attend the ceremony and select the outstanding naval personnel to board their respective warships. Rebecca should prepare herself accordingly.
It didn't matter that Vic hadn't returned, since it was already decided that they would board his ship anyway. Rebecca immediately replied that she and the others would follow Vic, going wherever Vic went.
After thinking for a moment, Grandpa Garp realized that these individuals were all top performers in the Elite Camp, and it wouldn't be appropriate for them all to join his unit. Fortunately, they weren't very well-known among others, and only a few high-ranking officers at headquarters knew about them.
These people are all promising talents who can lead teams on their own in the future, so there's no need for them to intern on other people's ships. It's the same with him. He loves mentoring promising newcomers. He said he would put in a good word with Sengoku and told Rebecca to wait for Vic to return without worry.
Rebecca tidied up the cabin briefly after returning, not cleaning it properly because they wouldn't be staying there for more than a few days before leaving headquarters.
There are some things Vic buried here. When Vic returns, he will take them all with him. After that, they will no longer be considered new recruits, and they will not come here again unless necessary. This place will be buried in their memories as a treasure in their lives.
For the next two days, Rebecca and the others were somewhat distracted from their cultivation, their minds preoccupied with Vic. However, the two days passed quickly, and Vic still hadn't returned.
A simple platform was also erected in the square in front of the Marine Headquarters, clearly indicating that the headquarters valued these first batch of Elite Camp soldiers from the reformed battalion.
Their military achievements are truly the highest in history. In the past, the Elite Camp only had some military achievements during the graduation assessment, which were completely insignificant. But this year's Elite Camp has been on the road to eliminating pirates all along. It would be a disservice to them and even more so to Vic's high military achievements not to hold a commendation ceremony.
The headquarters was bustling with activity today. Even the regular staff members who weren't in a hurry came to the square. They had heard that this year's Elite Camp was quite extraordinary, not only for their outstanding military achievements but also for their combat experience and strength, which were among the best in previous years.
It has produced little monsters like Rebecca and Barnett, as well as freakish beings like Vic who transcends monsters, so they all wanted to come and see this conferment ceremony.
At nine o'clock in the morning, the commissioning ceremony officially began. This was not just a solo performance by the Elite Camp, but a grand event for the entire Recruit Camp. Recruits from other departments who did not choose the Elite Camp also officially became members of the Navy today. From today onwards, they have military ranks. After all, they are the best recruits recruited from all over the world. They are talents in any field and will receive military merit awards.
The conferment ceremony was personally presided over by Sengoku and Zephyr. One reported the military achievements, and the other conferred the ranks. There were also several veterans like Garp and Tsuru as guests. The level of the event was quite high. They were all new forces in the Navy and deserved their respect.
"It's that time of year again for the new recruits' commissioning ceremony, and this year it's being hosted by Chief Instructor Zephyr and me."
Military rank and military merit are closely related. Don't be discouraged because of your low rank. You are all still young, and there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Just work hard in the future.
Do not become complacent or arrogant because of your high rank; that may only be a fleeting moment. Maintain composure and focus your energy on the next stage of study and practice.
Do not be obsessed with military achievements. Our primary task is to safeguard the peace of the seas and protect the safety of ordinary people. This is the belief of our navy... Now, the conferment ceremony officially begins!
Sengoku delivered a passionate speech, which ignited the enthusiasm of the new recruits, who were eager to set sail immediately to fight off pirates.
Sengoku was very satisfied with the result. The veterans knew what the navy was for, and their faces showed no emotion. They could only do their job. Not everyone had Garp's prestige as Hero of the Marines and could disobey orders at will. They had all done things against their will to some extent.
After the opening remarks, the conferment ceremony officially began. Zephyr called out names to come up on stage and then announce their military achievements. Sengoku personally awarded medals and naval uniforms. Those who reached the rank of colonel also received a Justice Cloak. Everyone who received the medals was very excited. They were all relatively young and full of enthusiasm.