Joining the Marines

(Kuzan POV)

"Ugh ... my head.", I groan and open my eyes. I am in a hospital room of some kind. My head hurts. It seems that that last attack from that dragon knocked me out. I didn't know that he was an actual dragon. However, a devil fruit seems more likely. 

The door opens and a man in his fifties walks in. He looks surprised and happy at the same time. 

"Oh, you're up! You sure have a strong body for a child. We thought we'd lost you. But now that you're awake we can breathe in relief. How are you feeling?", the man asked. 

"My head hurts a bit."

"That's normal. I would be surprised if it didn't after what you endured."

"Where am I?"

"You're on Vice Admiral Garp's ship, heading towards Marinefort. As far as I understand it you already joined the Marines, right?"

"Yes."

"I see. I assume that you are to join the academy. You are already very strong for your age. To block those pirates at your age ... very impressive. Now get some more rest, while I get you some food and notify Vice Admiral Garp of your condition.", the man said and then left the room again. 

Ten minutes later, the door opened again and Garp walked in. He looked ... relieved for some reason. I can tell that he is also recovering from that fight in God Valley but his strength is off the charts, so he should be fine. 

"You're awake, brat. You had me worried there. I underestimated your strength and resistance. We're heading to Marinefort to get you to join the Marine Academy. But considering your strengths, I believe the hands-on experience would be better for you. That idiot Kong doesn't allow that though ... eh.", Garp explained and mid-sentence, he started to pick his nose absentmindedly. 

"So I won't stay on your ship?"

"No. Maybe you can come after you finish your training at the Academy. But I doubt that they would let us be on the same ship ... who knows."

"Why not? Can't you be the one to train me? I would like that.", I say to him. I don't know why but he feels like the right person to train me. I believe that I could learn the most if he taught me. I have found out that my strength has risen after this rather 'short' fight against the pirates. 

"No, I like my freedom. Choose someone else.", Garp immediately declines. But he doesn't know me very well. I never give up and I don't tire. 

"Yes. I choose you to train me!"

"Stop bothering me brat, choose someone else!"

"No. It has to be you. I only learn from the strongest. And you seem to be the right one."

"I refuse. Now shut up about that!"

"I refuse your refusal! You will teach me!"

"You brat!!"

*Bonk*

"I won't teach you and that is final.", Garp says and leaves the room. 

"Oho, you will teach me ... you can believe that."

.

It took five days of constant begging and getting hit off the ship until Garp finally relented. The man seriously punched me off the ship. Hahaha, he is a very free-spirited man. And on the sixth day, he had me clean the entire ship and said that he would only train me after I had finished cleaning. 

I did that of course. Who does he think I am? A wuss? Nah, I cleaned that ship from top to bottom and since I didn't sleep, I worked day and night until I was finished. This joy took me three days and nights. When I was finished, Garp looked at me like I was a monster. But he held his part of the deal and told me to do push-ups with weight on it. 

He told me only to stop when he said so. Well, he never told me to stop... I think he was trying to see whether I had a limit to my stamina, and when he realised that I didn't, he got more serious. 

He gave me harder and harder training exercises. They were all basic but had weights that should be illegal for an 11-year-old. Nevertheless, I could feel the improvements in myself. Even though Garp's training could be considered child abuse, they were effective and worked for me. 

The only problem ... two days into the training, we arrived in Marinefort. So that was the end of our training and I had to enter the Marine Academy. I wonder if there are advanced classes taught there. But logically, that is not the main concern in this world. It should be to know how to sail, hunt pirates and maybe some other basic things. 

.

I walked together with Garp towards the office of the Fleet Admiral, Kong. Garp walked in without knocking, he didn't care in the slightest about any sort of order or rules like those. 

"Oi, Kong. We're here. I brought the brat.", Garp says and sits down on the sofa and begins to eat rice crackers. 

"Garp! How many times have I told you to stop entering my office without knocking first?! Now ... you are Kuzan?", Kong asked me and I nodded. 

"I've heard what you did to prevent the pirates from escaping. I must say such determination is rare and you are so young as well. I have applied for you to be transferred to the advanced class of the Academy. Normally you would have to be at least 14 years old to start there, but we will make an exception for you. You would only be bored otherwise."

"I understand."

"Good. Commodore here will bring you to where you need to go. I expect great things from you, Kuzan.", Kong says and gives me somewhat of a smile.

.

The Academy for Special Marine Potentials was located on a separate island in the Grand Line. I was greeted by only a handful of other recruits and of course, Instructor Zephyr who was a former Admiral apparently. I was happy about that. If he was that powerful, he should be a good man to train me. 

After getting introduced to the others, we went right ahead and started to train. Training consisted of running a set number of rounds around the training area. It was rather easy for me and I could run as fast as I possibly could from start to finish. This got the attention of Instructor Zephyr and I noticed that he wanted to see how long I could keep up that performance. 

But I never tire. After running, we had to do all sorts of physical exercises. If I didn't have limitless stamina, I would be suffering like the rest of the recruits. This went on for the rest of the day. We trained for hours and got a break of one hour to eat lunch. 

Then in the evening, we had lessons about survival on random islands and also navigation. After these lessons, we had sparring matches in unarmed combat. I enjoyed this lesson as I could learn a lot and picked up the special skills that I noticed some of them have. 

.

I was supposed to fight a 16-year-old recruit who was already very tall and muscular. I was sure that I would win. There was no way that I would lose against someone as long as he or she couldn't knock me out. 

The fight began. The young man attacked me using normal punches. There was no real technique behind those attacks. I was far more skilled in the use of martial arts than he was. I blocked and dodged all of his attacks. His strength was higher than mine, but that was only in the beginning. 

I saw his surprise and then his conviction. He punched me especially hard and fast. I couldn't block very well and was hit in the face. I felt the blow rattle my brain and I fell to the ground. 

"That's enough! Taht was a good fight Kuzan next ti-", the instructor said but then stopped when he saw me standing up again. 

"Again!", I say and motion for the man to attack again. 

We continue our fight again. His strength and speed made it hard for me to adapt to it in this short time, but I used all of my techniques and managed to do far better in the second round. After another ten minutes, I blocked one of his attacks and used both my arms to block it. He closes the distance between us and delivers a powerful uppercut that puts me on the ground again. 

"Ok, that was impressive Kuzan. To think that you- hm?", the instructor said and once again stopped talking when I stood up yet again. 

"Again!", I say once more and motion for the young man to attack. 

15 minutes later ... I lie on my back and then stand up ... again.

"Again!"

*Bang*

"Again!"

*Bonk*

"Again!"

Again 

Again 

Again 

Again

Agai

Aga

Ag

A

a 

...

2 hours later things changed. I stand up again and see the sweat running down from the young man. He is completely out of breath and his strength doesn't even faze me any more. I dodge his attacks that are now not only much slower but also much weaker than in the beginning. 

I play with him now. He doesn't manage to land a single hit anymore and instead, it is I who is attacking and landing one punch and kick after the other. 

The other few recruits and the instructors as well, all have their mouths wide open as they watch the 11-year-old rookie defeat one of the strongest recruits of the advanced marine academy. I don't look at them though. I am only happy about the progress I achieved. 

I used my entire strength and hit him on the head. Even before his body hits the ground, he is unconscious. I smile when I see this and then look at the instructor. He can't believe what he has seen and takes a moment to come to his senses. Then he looks at me and blinks a few times. 

"Ah ... lessons are over for today. You can all go shower and eat and then do whatever you like.", he says and then leaves. I am sure he will have to tell his superiors about this. I don't have a problem with that. Even if they think that they can clone me or something like that, it won't be possible. My abilities come from these Essences and can't be cloned. 

.

.

(3rd Person POV)

The instructor made his way towards Zephyr's office. What he has seen today makes him question everything he thought he knew about the human body. And he is sure that Kuzan is a human. He didn't give up and always got back up. 

His willpower and his regeneration are impressive and already make him a monster. He is sure that in a few months, he will be bored even in the advanced Academy. He will have to discuss this with Zephyr and see what to do about this. 

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Enter.", Zephyr's voice comes from the office and the instructor enters. 

"Head instructor Zephyr. There is something that I think you should know. It concerns the rookie that was brought to Marinefort by Vice-Admiral Garp."

"Mh? What did he do? Is he similar to Garp's character? Or did he disrespect you?", Zephyr asks. 

"No sir, none of that. It is the opposite.", 

"Explain."

And so, the instructor went and told Zephyr about the entire day. From the beginning how fast Kuzan ran to complete the running exercise, to the physical strength training and then the sparring in the evening. 

"So he seems to never tire and has an increased healing factor."

"Yes sir."

"Hmm ... what is his character like? Is he arrogant?"

"Nothing like that sir. He seemed to enjoy the fight with the recruit and he likes to push himself I believe, but other than that, there was nothing I saw that would give me pause."

"Very well. I will notify Fleet Admiral Kong about this. I think it would be better if someone takes over his training and I think it should be me. Tomorrow I will see what recruit Kuzan is all about.", Zephyr says and then ends the talk. 

This was the beginning of the legend that would be Kuzan the beast that never sleeps. 

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