Chapter 5

"By the way, sir, what's the condition of these patients?"

The ship doctor squinted for a moment, then jabbed the navy's rear with precision. Contempt dripped from his voice, "Heh, a lot of soldiers fell into the water today and caught colds. These two weaklings developed high fevers."

Loya winced internally. The navy's water mishap was partially his fault for not controlling his power. The magic-infused ice he wielded was far colder than regular ice, causing vast sections of water to freeze solid. Even though Mole's sword energy blocked the worst of it, most of the navy still got a cold. Those who didn't could be called elite.

After bidding the ship doctor farewell, Loya returned to his humble cabin.

Lying on his rickety wooden bed, Loya meditated on his golden finger and opened his attribute panel.

Name: Christopher Loya

Energy Stage: Second Order Zero Layer

Energy value: 3/400

Mana: 3500/3500

Mana Recovery Speed: 300/s

Sure enough, at the second stage, the energy from ordinary food was pitiful. The big "3" on his energy value felt like a cruel joke. When he was in the cafeteria, he quietly checked the panel. He wanted to see if outsiders could notice it but was stunned by the "1" he saw.

After eating his fill, Loya saw the "1" turn into a "2". After munching more meat on the way to the medical room, it became "3". If it's this hard at zero level, what about the future?

High-grade ingredients seemed necessary. But this was One Piece, not Food Wars. Where would he find such luxuries?

Closing the panel, Loya rubbed his head in distress.

Two days later, in the afternoon,

Loya had taken his seasickness medicine and was dozing off when sudden noise woke him. He groggily put on his shoes and staggered to the door. As he reached for the handle, the hatch swung open, and he stumbled forward, only to be caught by strong hands.

Loya looked up weakly. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant General Mole."

"Your seasickness is worsening," Mole observed seriously. In his current state, Loya could barely stand, let alone fight.

"Yeah... might need a stationed mission in the future," Loya replied with a strained smile.

"We'll discuss that later. For now, you're free from seasickness. We've arrived... Marineford."

Loya squinted at the horizon, his eyes widening as he spotted the massive fortress with "Navy" emblazoned on it.

'Finally,' he thought, tears welling up. The past few days of seasickness hell seemed to fade away. He'd been so miserable, he'd even fantasized about going back to that deserted island.

Mole, noticing Loya's emotional state, grabbed his arm and pointed excitedly. "Look, we're here!"

Loya side-eyed him. "Uh, Lieutenant General... I'm not dead yet, you know."

As the ship docked amidst cheers, Loya refused help. 'No way I'm getting carried off like some invalid,' he thought stubbornly.

The moment his feet touched solid ground, Loya felt a surge of energy. Without warning, a burst of cold erupted from him.

"I'm back, baby! Hahaha!" he shouted, reveling in his returned strength.

Mole, who had been following closely, jumped back in surprise. 'Crap,' he thought, realizing his mistake as he watched his officers shiver and turn blue.

"Loya!" Mole roared, his eyes blazing. In a flash, he appeared in front of Loya.

Loya blinked in confusion. 'What's Mole doing? Is that... Haki on his fist?'

Before he could react, Boom! Loya found himself airborne, crashing through the ship's armor.

'What the hell?' he thought as he sailed through the air.

The impact rocked the ship, sending waves crashing towards the shore.

Nearby, a tall man in a white vest and dark blue shirt observed impassively. "Well, that's quite a show," he drawled.

Extending his hands towards the waves, he called out, "Freezing Time!"

His hands transformed into ice, shooting out to ensnare the waves. With a series of clicks, the raging water turned into intricate ice sculptures.

As the navy personnel rushed to help their comrades, a burly old man in a purple suit with matching hedgehog hair spoke up. "So, that's the kid Mole mentioned? The one wanting to join?"

This was Black Hand Zephyr, former Admiral and current chief instructor at the Navy's recruit camp.

Kuzan, retracting his icy hands, lazily pulled off his blindfold. "Yeah, heard he had ice powers too. Came to see... Seems nothing special though."

Zephyr shot his disciple a stern look. "Don't let pride cloud your judgment, Kuzan. He's young. With proper training, his potential could be limitless."

Kuzan sighed, "Here comes the lecture. Yes, yes, Teacher Zephyr."

Loya jolted awake, disoriented by the unfamiliar ceiling. He leapt out of bed, ice crystals forming at his lips.

"That bastard! I'll show him! Come fight me for real!" he shouted, arms flailing wildly.

"Pipe down, kid!" a gruff voice cut through his rant.

Loya spun around to see a purple-haired old man sitting on a nearby bed, arms crossed, glaring at him.

'Holy crap,' Loya thought, his eyes widening in recognition. 'Black Hand Zephyr!'

His first instinct was to bolt. 'This is the guy who goes rogue and tries to destroy the New World!'

Outwardly, Loya froze, caught between his knowledge of the future and his current situation. He swallowed hard, trying to calm his racing heart.

"Uh... sir?" he managed to squeak out, suddenly very aware of how outmatched he was.

But he paused. No, Admiral Aokiji is still in the navy, and Zephyr hasn't left to form his new navy yet. I don't need to fear him, right?

Thinking this, Loya smiled at Zephyr. "Uh... Excuse me, are you Mr. Zephyr?"

"Humph!" Zephyr snorted impatiently. "You should call me teacher now, kid Loya."

"Teacher... teacher?" Loya tilted his head. "First Zephyr... Teacher, what's the situation? When did you accept me as your apprentice?" Originally, Loya wanted to keep addressing him as Mr., but Zephyr's glare made him change his words.

"I didn't accept you as a disciple, but you've joined the recruit camp now. According to regulations, you must call me teacher." Zephyr explained briefly. "Of course, if you want to be my disciple, you need to strengthen your physique first. That kid Mole knocked you out with one punch. You're really weak."

However, Zephyr didn't mention that only the best naval recruits, the elite battalion, could call him teacher. Regular recruits referred to him as General Zephyr or Instructor Zephyr.

The next day, Marineford, Navy boot camp.

A sliver of morning light rippled across the sky, a half-red sphere peeking between the clouds.

It was Loya's first day in the navy. He woke up early, munching buns while running. Free food meant he should eat more.

On the way to the playground, hurried recruits couldn't help but glance at him.

"This guy is good!"

"Is he Loya? Heard Lieutenant General Mole brought him back."

"It should be him... Quiet. Yesterday, he was punched into the air by Lieutenant General Mole, smashing through the warship's armor. Seems like another monster."

"Uh-huh."

News of Loya joining the navy had spread. The warship's return to the factory for refurbishment was a noticeable event. Initially, everyone thought Mole faced an attack at sea, but after some inquiries, they learned the truth, and Loya's name spread.

Loya didn't mind their discussions. As a traveler, he still felt like he was watching a 3D movie.

He trotted to the playground where many recruits had gathered.

Nibbling the last bun, Loya glanced around at his colleagues.