Chapter 36: Life in Marine Academy

"Rear Admiral?!"

"He's so young for such a high rank!"

"I heard there's a new monster in the Marines whose strength surpasses even those three—could it be him?"

"Is he the man who fought the Dark King Rayleigh?"

"That's so cool!"

Both male and female cadets stared at Arashi with eyes full of admiration and awe. 

Respect, reverence, and admiration for the strong are fundamental principles. 

Although it was Arashi's first time at the Marine Academy, his legend had already spread throughout Marine Headquarters, especially among the cadets still in training and seldom ventured outside.

When Arashi took a seat in the last row of the classroom, next to a girl wearing glasses, she immediately started trembling, her cheeks turning pink at an alarming rate. 

Arashi didn't greet his classmates, coming across as aloof and difficult to approach. 

The others, intimidated by the rank insignia on his shoulders, felt an overwhelming pressure and didn't dare to disturb him.

A few moments later, the instructor entered the classroom. Upon seeing Arashi, he too was momentarily stunned, a look of respect flashing in his eyes.

"Rear Admiral Arashi, it's an honor to meet you," the instructor said. Arashi nodded, not saying much. 

The lesson was about how Marine officers should meticulously prepare for naval battles and how to coordinate effectively with comrades to form flanking formations, allowing them to complete missions more swiftly and safely. 

However, Arashi quickly realized that these strategies often become redundant when a powerful leader is present. 

Essentially, the course reiterated the same rule: strength reigns supreme.

He thought to himself that this class had little to offer him. 

After attending classes for three consecutive days, Arashi understood the Marine Academy curriculum well. 

Basic combat formations, the nuances of leading troops, various combat techniques, and the Marine code of justice and moral education. 

With his excellent memory, he quickly mastered the content of the textbooks.

Of course, there were also courses where he could genuinely learn something valuable, such as the latest technological innovations in the Marines and discussions about the structure of their world. 

One notable event during these lessons was when Arashi met an officer during a moral education class. 

Despite looking like a zombie, this officer appeared to be in his mid-twenties and held the rank of Ensign.

"Rear Admiral Arashi, I really admire you," the officer said. "I've been hearing stories about your battles with the Roger Pirates and your fight with the Dark King Rayleigh."

Despite his terrifying appearance, T. Bone was kind-hearted and showed great respect for Arashi, a young superior officer.

"Is that so? It was just a trivial battle," Arashi replied with a faint smile.

"No! It was incredible! I want to become as strong as you!" T. Bone said excitedly. "If I could follow you after graduation, that would be amazing!"

"I would be honored," Arashi replied with a smile, thrilled T. Bone even more.

Life at the Marine Academy was rather dull and monotonous, but Arashi had a lot of freedom. 

He continued his daily training regimen, though he was frustrated and annoyed that he couldn't seem to master the skill of Kami-e (Paper Art), which seemed to be his nemesis, no matter how hard he tried.

Months passed in relative peace for Arashi. His body grew stronger, and the Marine Academy's good food helped him fill his once-slender frame. 

He weighed nearly 90 kg, and his bulging muscles and explosive power were evident with the slightest flex of his arms. 

His menacing scar became even more intimidating.

His muscular physique would have probably intimidated fitness enthusiasts if he were in his previous life. 

His massive pectoral muscles looked like they might burst through his undershirt at any moment, and he was increasingly taking on the build of someone like Garp. 

Female cadets often gazed at him with longing eyes, their hearts conquered by his imposing and muscular figure.

As days passed, Arashi kept an eye on the internal reports from Marine Headquarters.

Arashi quickly learned that the incident involving the massacre of the Celestial Dragons on Sabaody Archipelago had been hastily covered up. 

Vice Admiral Lacroix took the fall, along with a pirate who happened to be present. 

The former was demoted, and the latter was executed with a gag in his mouth.

Shortly after, Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino acquired their Logia-type Devil Fruits and began making their mark in the Marines. 

Meanwhile, news spread that Douglas Bullet had left the Roger Pirates and was making a name for himself as a newcomer. 

As for Arashi's mentor, Garp, he remained elusive, rarely appearing at Marine Headquarters. 

Admiral Zephyr, on the other hand, often visited the academy to offer guidance.

Five months later, Commander Kong gave Arashi a pair of jet-black, highly resilient gloves.

"Turning Seastone into gloves was an incredibly challenging task," Kong sighed as he handed them to Arashi. 

"We had to consult with Dr. Vegapunk from the research division and combine the Seastone with other materials to make it work." 

"Even so, the texture and softness of the gloves can't compare to those made from ordinary materials. But as a weapon, they should suffice."

Kong continued, "Originally, we planned to make them as knuckle dusters since that would have been easier." 

"But Garp insisted on having a pair of gloves crafted for you. Cherish them; they're the first of their kind in the world—truly unique!"

"Thank you, Fleet Admiral!" Arashi responded gratefully.

Kong waved his hand dismissively and left, knowing that his responsibilities were many as Fleet Admiral. 

Arashi watched him go, then tried on the gloves. They were stiff yet had some flexibility, but using them required immense strength. 

Even clenching his fists was difficult, as it felt like trying to compress five incredibly tough springs.

After that day, Arashi continued his studies at the academy. Nearly a year passed. 

The accumulation of time gave Arashi a deeper understanding of this world and a clearer view of the Marine organization. 

Within the Marines were distinct factions—some were ruthless zealots who disregarded civilian lives to uphold the justice of the World Nobles and the government, while others steadfastly clung to their ideals, maintaining their sense of justice. 

There were also those with kind hearts, filled with dreams, who aspired to gain power to protect civilians and uphold true justice. 

There were good and bad people in the Marines, which did not surprise Arashi; every person has two sides.

After another six months, Arashi finally mastered Kami-e (Paper Art), and the skill appeared on his status panel. 

With this, he had fully learned all six Rokushiki techniques. 

Around this time, Garp was at Marine Headquarters, and after thoroughly beating down Arashi's confidence, he taught him the technique of Life Return before swiftly leaving again.

"Kami-e is a threshold," Garp had said. "Life Return is much easier to learn."

Indeed, within just a few days, Arashi had easily mastered Life Return. 

He felt he had gained full control over his body, with each of the six Rokushiki techniques seeming to amplify under this ability.

"Hair, blood, muscles, even organs," Arashi pondered, "can all be controlled through Life Return."

His eyes sparkled with understanding. "I'm even beginning to sense something akin to Haki, though it's still vague." 

"This feeling is different from the control of my internal body, like Tekkai; it seems to be coming from outside."

"Is it Armament Haki?" he wondered.