The blazing sun hung high in the sky, and a gentle sea breeze blew in, carrying a hint of moisture. A massive warship sailed through the choppy seas, quickly leaving Marineford behind.
After having lunch at Tsuru’s place yesterday, Foxy returned to the academy. Although it was supposed to be a rest day, Foxy didn’t take it easy. Instead, he spent the time developing his Devil Fruit abilities.
From what Gion had told him, Zephyr was planning to release them into the wild, specifically in the Calm Belt. The Calm Belt was notorious for being the lair of Sea Kings, the rulers of the ocean, and the islands within it were home to all sorts of bizarre and dangerous creatures. Extinct species, mutated beasts, ferocious predators, poisonous insects, and hazardous plants—there was nothing tame about the place. As Gion had mentioned, the animals weren’t even the most dangerous part; the weather was the real threat. It could hail, rain torrentially, thunderstorm, and be sunny all in one day, with the seasons changing at an alarming rate.
Foxy couldn’t understand how such weather could exist; it defied all logical market rules. But he knew that in this world, not everything could be explained by common sense.
If he wasn’t mistaken, they hadn’t been at the academy for very long. Shouldn’t they have spent more time building a solid foundation? It seemed a bit rushed.
To be honest, Foxy wasn’t ready for this. He had expected to train at the academy for four or five years before being sent out. But here they were, not even three months in, and they were being released into the wild. The speed of it all caught him off guard. Even if it wasn’t as long as a nine-year education, it should have been at least a year.
Standing by the ship’s railing, Foxy looked out at the vast, endless sea, his expression pensive.
“Foxy, come play cards with us!” Drake called from the deck, where several people were having a great time.
“No, thanks. You guys enjoy. I’m going to my room to rest,” Foxy declined, shaking his head before heading to his room.
Once there, he didn’t rest but instead prepared to develop his Devil Fruit abilities. He couldn’t afford to waste any time. Whenever he had a moment, he would either develop his abilities or train his body. Most importantly, he needed to master Soru. It was a lifesaving move, and he had to learn it as soon as possible.
He suspected that Zephyr taught them Soru first, not the other six styles, for this very reason. Soru was also the foundation for Geppo.
Just as Foxy was about to start training, he glanced at the short sword on his bed and smiled. Tsuru had given it to him. While it wasn’t a top-tier weapon, it was much better than an average one. It was about half the length of an adult’s arm.
This wasn’t one of the Supreme Grade Swords, or even a Great Grade Sword, not even a Skillful Grade Sword. There were only 12 Supreme Grade Swords, 21 Great Grade Swords, and 50 Skillful Grade Swords in the world, making them scarce and highly sought after.
Foxy wasn’t yet qualified to wield such fine weapons. Even a Skillful Grade Sword was beyond his reach. But Tsuru’s gesture meant a lot to him, regardless of whether it was genuine or not.
The warship sailed for a day, and by dusk, it reached a fortress and a marine branch base. Everyone disembarked and was assigned quarters, but before they could rest, Zephyr gathered them all together.
“As you all know, you’ll be surviving on your own for the next two months. Life and death are in your hands. Whether you survive depends on your skills. Your destination is the islands at the edge of the Calm Belt, filled with ferocious beasts, deadly weather, poisonous insects, and vapor. Each of you will be randomly assigned to an island. The fact that you’re here means you’re ready for anything, even hell. I’m impressed by your courage.
Tonight, rest well because starting tomorrow, your life won’t be as comfortable as it was at the academy. I hope none of you are missing in two months. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir!” they all shouted.
“Louder!”
“Yes, sir!” they yelled again, even louder.
“Good. Go eat and rest,” Zephyr ordered.
An hour later, after dinner, Foxy lay on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. Gasparde, Drake, and the others were in the same room, except for Hina.
Earlier that morning, Foxy noticed a few more trainees missing. They might have backed out, or their parents might have intervened. The room was heavy with tension, as everyone knew how dangerous the upcoming mission was.
“Don’t you guys die. If I’m left alone at the academy, I’ll be bored to death,” Drake said, breaking the silence.
“Shut up! You’re the one who’s gonna die,” Shuzo retorted.
“Drake, I’d say the same to you guys. I might miss you for a second if you die,” Gasparde said, dropping his usual aloofness.
“A second? That’s it? Gasparde, that’s harsh. I thought we were friends,” Shuen glared at Gasparde.
“Yeah,” Berry Good nodded in agreement.
“Alright, two seconds,” Gasparde relented under their glares.
“Foxy, if we all die, how long would you mourn?” Drake kicked Foxy’s side, breaking him out of his reverie.
“Watch it! That’s my kidney! And don’t kick me with your dirty foot, or I’ll chop it off,” Foxy warned, sitting up.
“Don’t sweat the details,” Drake mimicked one of Foxy’s catchphrases.
“Yeah, Foxy, how long?” Berry is well pressed, clearly interested in the topic.
“You guys have that little faith in yourselves? My friends are all future powerhouses. No way you’ll die on some unknown island,” Foxy said, crossing his arms.
“Haha, right!” Shuzo laughed heartily, liking what he heard.
“Just stay alive. I don’t want to come back in two months and find out you didn’t make it,” Foxy added.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine!” Drake promised, his expression serious.
“Me too,” Shuen assured.
Gasparde and Shuzo echoed similar sentiments.
“Get some sleep. Tomorrow won’t be easy,” Foxy said, lying back down. He didn’t plan to train tonight but instead rested, saving his energy for the hellish days ahead.
Despite his resolve, sleep eluded him as thoughts swirled in his mind, especially about the Calm Belt. He recalled reading on a forum that the Calm Belt was not only the Sea Kings’ lair but also one of the routes to the New World.
Most pirates chose to reach the New World via Fish-Man Island as a midway point, but there were other routes: over the Red Line and through the Calm Belt. The Calm Belt was nearly a death sentence, with no wind and Sea Kings lurking everywhere.
Another possible route to the New World, Foxy speculated, could be through the sky. Though he wasn’t sure, he couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild until he finally drifted off to sleep.
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