5. Start of Official Training

(A/N: I rewrote the talent part in the first chapter, if you are interested. Hope it's more clear now, and not so misleading. Also thanks for your support :))

Year 1492

It was a morning like every other. I woke up just as the first light of the day shine into my room.

I was getting ready for my daily morning routine, when suddenly grandma appeared before me.

„It's time, we will start your official training today."

This simple sentence took me to the clouds, I was full of excitement. But this didn't last long.

After granny took  me away she carried me slightly further from our house, to a place I believed was just a normal meadow, but was now something that resembles a training field of my old world. In the middle there was a patch of dirt around 100x50 metres long and wide. On this patch of work stood machines that were for working out on one side, and in the other stood a weapon rack and many wooden puppets that were supported by iron pillars. Surrounding this patch of dirt was a dirt track, that I believe would be used for running.

After seeing this scene I marveled at how this normal meadow was suddenly turned into this over night, but the voice of my grandma soon took me out of my state with a simple command.

„Run."

Simple enough. A bit too simple, I have a bad feeling about it. But whatever, let's get started.

I started to get in the track and ran along ist trajectory.

Soon I knew were my bad feeling came from. Granny only said run, not how long. So I didn't know when I should stop. But as I normally ran without a clear goal anyways, I didn't think about it further.

But I regret that. As even when I was already feeling exhausted and it was already time for breakfast granny still didn't say I could stop. So I continued to run. But it didn't take long for me to reach my limits and I collapsed to the ground.

„30 rounds, for 15 km in around 2 hours, that is no good. The average child back I the clan would run the same at your age Young Master. Seems like even with the genes of your father you still will need to wait for another year to start your training."

Hearing that I was shocked. First after running for so long and I was still only considered average? The One Piece world sure is crazy. Its true that some athletes in my old world were able to run over 20 km in the same time, but I'm 6 for crying out loud. But here I'm only considered average?

And I wouldn't be able to start training with this kind of performance and had to wait another year? Unacceptable!

I stood up and started running again without saying anything.

Sure my body could no more. And every muscle started burning the same as my lungs, but I was never more determined than now. Even if I could only move at half the speed as before. And even though I might walk faster during normal times, I still continued to jogg along the tracks.

I would run until I'm quallifed to start my training. After knowing how deep the waters of one piece are and knowing how turbulent the times will be in 8 years, I know that I needed to get strong, when I want to fullifile my dream of seeing the world and adventure.

As I was really only running cause of my willpower alone, I didn't ave the energy to pay attention to anything around me, if I had I would have been able to see the astonished expression of granny and the glint of approval in her eyes. Or I would have probably been able to hear her say.

„The Young Master is truly a monster in his own league. Not only is his normal stamina already the same as some 10 year old kids back in the clan, but even his will is so strong. His future accomplishments are sure to surpass even the Old Master, and may even rival or surpass the likes of his father or even the Clan Leader. I hope I can bring him to his full potential. Maybe I should visit some old friends? But first let me lay the groundwork, I can at least do that much."

...…

I didn't know how long I lasted, or what really happened, the only thing I know is that I woke up in my bed.

Ugh, where am I? Inside my room? But what about my training? Am I qualified to start my training?

Just as question after question rose inside my head, the door opened and revealed granny with a tray of food.

„Oh you are awake. You slept for half a day already, its time for dinner already. Here I brought your dinner with me."

Granny talked with the same monotone voice as usual, as she left the tray of food by my bedside. It's really hard to read her and know what is on her mind, something I also attribute her depression.

I was a bit nervous about, her descision, if I could start my training.

„So Grandma, about my training…"

Even before I could finish my sentence she interjected.

„Well even though I think your body is not yet ready,.."

I lightly flinched at that.

„…, but considering your will and the tenacity I saw this morning I will start your training from tomorrow onwards, but I don't want to hear any complaints during your training. Also the routine of your will have to change. Now eat and sleep early, I expect you to report to me at the training field before dawn, it will be a long day."

Hearing that I was allowed to start my training got me really exited, even so exited that I ignored the second part of Granny's statement.

Granny left after she said her piece and left me to eat. Which I did, but I was so excited that I couldn't sleep, something I regretted the next morning.

...….

I was really sleepy as I stood in the training yard, it was already past dawn. I didn't make it here before dawn because of how sleepy I am, as I couldn't keep last night cause of excitement.

And I wouldn't even be here right now if grandma hadn't dragged me here, after I failed to show up at the right time.

She was currently coldly glaring at me, something I never saw her doing before.

„I said to be here before dawn, and to meet me here. But what did you do? You had me drag you here past the promised time. Seems like you didn't take to heart what I told you. Very well, it seems a punishment is needed."

She had an evil smirk on her face, that sent a chill down my spine. I never saw this side of Grandma Aria, sure she is normally very silent and to others she may seem cold, but to me she simply is a depressed old lady that lost someone important to her. But now she seemed more like a demon to me than that normally silent but kind old grandma.

„Today running was originally only your warmup but now you will run all day, like yesterday, but unlike yesterday you will be wearing this."

As she spoke she pulled out a black tracksuit, it didn't seem like anything special, well that was until I wore it. It was heavy. At least 30 kg.

„Ah I forgot to mention, that you will be wearing this suit from now on, no matter what you do. And don't wory that it will become too light someday, as I will switch that suit of yours every 2 months with something more heavy, no matter if you can endure the new weight or not. So you better not slack of. And now start running!"

And with this my demon training as I liked to call it began.

On that first day I again ran until I could no longer hold on and passed out, and again I was out of it until dinner, again granny greeted me with dinner, and again she told me to meet her the next day before dawn in the training field.

But this time I made sure to sleep early to wake up early, and I barely made it in time, as I normally slept until after the sun had already risen I nearly overslept.

And that day I had to run again, but only 10 rounds or 5 km, but with the weights I still needed a good hour to finish them. Then after that were, push ups, squats and sit ups, and I was again only told to do them not how many.

I again did more than I would normally be able to through sheer willpower.

37 push ups, 49 squats and 23 sit ups. It may sound little but I was still wearing those weight suits so I like to think that I was indeed impressive.

At least until granny told me that I was only slightly above average in the same age group as mine in the clan. But what I didn't know was that granny was very impressed with me as these results were indeed of above average, but not in my age group but in the age group of 10 year olds.

Following the workout was stretching.

It took me all in all around 2 and a half ours. Just in time for breakfast.

After breakfast, granny dragged me onto the training field again, but this time she had me train my devil fruit ability's and had me even test some of them on her.

That went on for another 3 hours, then came hand to hand combat.

Also I told granny that I wanted to train in the sword, I have such high talent in it after all, but she said that it is still too early for weapon training, and that a solid foundation in hand to hand combat would be helpful later when I train with weapons.

Next was lunch and after lunch, was the same as always, lessons on strategy and navigation, but we didn't play chess or shogi anymore, at least not now, instead we went to the training field for live combat lessons, where granny had me use strategy to try and hit her or trap her. Following by more fruit training.

And the shogi or chess games were changed to the evening just before bed and after dinner. Then was sleep and to repeat everything the next day.

My daily morning practice was upped every week. So I had to run one extra round every week.

As for the work out, I started with 25 push ups, 35 squats and 10 sit ups, but same as with the running it was upped by 5 repeats more every week.

This went on for 2 months, when the first change of my track suit happened. It was then changed from a 30kg one to a 45kg one, and the repetitions of the workout and the laps for my running were reset to the start.

The same happened every two months.

Year 1494

2 years have passed since I started training.

I am currently 257cm tall and one could already see some muscles on my body, but they were not very noticeable, that doesn't mean that my training didn't bore fruit. No my current strength is already strong enough to let me battle most of the beasts on this island. There are less than 10 beasts that I can't beat and only the king of the forest can kill me.

I was currently standing on the training field and were ready for my daily hand to hand combat training.

My hand to hand combat training differs from my strategy combat training in the afternoon, in that I am not allowed  to use anything that hasn't a deeper meaning in the afternoon, and as there is always a review after those lessons, and if I can't explain the reason for any of my moves then I will be punished. As for the hand to hand combat lessons in the morning, they are more relaxing, and more for the polishing of my moves.

So it's more for my training of my moves and techniques in the morning and the practical application of them in combat in the afternoon.

As such I enjoy my hand to hand combat in the morning more, as I don't have to think so much about my every move.

But today was somehow different, as in the middle of my fruit training in the morning, grandma, suddenly said she had somewhere to go and directly teleported away, she also told me to simply continue my trainingnand that she should be back for my hand to hand combat training.