Chapter 13: Volume 1 Chapter 13

Every single apprentice had been dispatched. Compulsory on-the-job training was introduced as a means of reinforcing the theory studied in the first part of the term. As for combat students, it was a form of baptism into open sea combat.

Ezra packed his bags; unlike most students, he didn’t have much to carry. He had a well-maintained pair of boots and trousers from his cadet days. A few issued marine t-shirts in addition to his white uniform. After saying farewell to the others, he made his way to the collection point at the harbour with his pole in his hand.

As daylight broke through the darkness of the night, the fresh sea breeze blew and the tides splashed against the barrier of rocks outside the harbour. Gradually more apprentices arrived at the collection point, a familiar face amongst the group was Bellmere. She had a modified rifle on her back with two pistols secured on her waist. 

Ezra quickly counted, there were 23 apprentices including himself waiting for pick up. The group dispatched to Vice-Admiral Aokiji was made up of 2 students from navigation, 20 from combat, and 1 yellow scarf elite.

A huge 4 mast marine ship appeared on the horizon.

“Is it my eyes or has the ship stopped moving?” one of the navigation students cried out in the group!

Bellmere pointed towards the harbour drawing the attention of the group in that direction.

Ezra had previously been looking in that same direction, he also had noticed ten 30-man size lifeboats to the side of the dock. Initially, he could not figure out why they were left there unattended, but now it all made sense. Their field experience had started, they were no longer students but marines. 

“We have to row to the ship,” a muscular combat student said as he rotated his right arm at his shoulder.

The apprentices moved the large boat into the wavy, cold sea. Getting into the wobbly boat was a challenge for the rookies. Ezra chose a seat at the tail end of the boat away from the others. 

Ezra initially was feeling outcast, as no one mixed with the yellow scarf elites. This was not so visible during focused training but on a boat this small, the already established friendships between the other apprentices were noticeable. Everyone got busy rowing, excitedly chatting to one another whilst Ezra remained alone with his thoughts, not knowing how to join the conversations.  Due to Ezra’s relationship with the sea, he could tell that the ship was a day away. ‘This test was a lot more challenging than the apprentices thought’ he noted in his mind.

Bellmere had a natural charm as a leader. After she figured out the use of the lifeboats earlier, the 2 navigation students also joined in under her leadership. She was currently vocalizing the rowing rhythm.

"1… 2… 3… Row"

When someone got tired, he was replaced. In this fashion, the boat made its way out of the harbour into the open seas.

‘This is too slow; everyone will be worn out before reaching the ship’ Ezra thought.

“Everyone stop! Stop rowing. It looks like you all do not understand our current situation. That ship is actually about a day away from here, even with a controlled rowing speed we will be exhausted before reaching the ship. Leave the rest to me, everyone please find something to hold on to.” Ezra said while looking into the sea.

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The rowing stopped. Some held on to the edges of their seats, other linked hands in anticipation of what was to happen. They have heard of the devil fruits and the powers possessed by the yellow scarf.

Ezra immersed his right hand into the sea. Using his devil fruit powers he controlled the sea around the boat, manipulating the flow to increase the current of the sea. The boat shot forward as if fired out of a cannon. Apprentices who wanted to watch a show were now making sure they held on securely to avoid falling into the sea.

What should have taken a day ended up being an hour. Soon what appeared in front of the apprentice was a four-mast Battleship, two-mast had two sails and the others had one. The front and sides housed three distinct triple-barrelled guns, in addition to these guns, battleships possessed two sets of six large cannons on both sides of their hulls.

A rope ladder was lowered from the ship, all blue-faced fear-stricken apprentices made their way onto the deck. This was the very first time the apprentice had been on a ship this size. Some were busy admiring the other seamen racing all over the deck moving cannons, cannonballs, and hoisting the sails.

“Officer on deck” someone yelled.

Everyone stopped to salute.

“Get back to work,” said the slender woman with red bright lipstick, long curly black hair, a mole could be seen on the right side of her face just below her mouth. She wore a marine coat that had pink cuffs and epaulettes on her shoulders, like a cape.

“I am Lieutenant Commander Gion, welcome on board the ship. On here you all will be treated based on your ranks and not students from the academy. Disobedience will not be tolerated, is that understood?” She asked. “Mentors have already been selected for each of you, you will spend the next 6 months with them learning what you can. They have been asked to grade you during these 6 months, so be on your best behaviour.”

One by one apprentice left with different marines, soon only Bellmere and Ezra were left. 

“Bellmere, you are with me. Ezra the Vice Admiral is waiting for you in the captain’s cabin.” After saying that she led Bellmere towards the bow of the ship.

The hustle and bustle on the ship continued, Ezra could hear seamen singing songs on voyages as they performed their chores, cooks busy in the kitchen and officers telling tales of the sea to the apprentices as he made his way to the end of the deck where the Vice-Admiral was.

Before he could knock on the door, he heard a voice call out to him from inside the cabin “Come in”.

Inside the cabin was a tall, tanned man with a black curly hair cut. He wore an indigo colour coat, a dark blue bandanna with a white marine symbol on it, he also had a pair of black round sunglasses which was resting on the bandanna. His eyes were covered with a green and purple sleep mask as he rested on the chair behind the desk.

Ezra could feel the temperature in the room was a lot lower than anywhere else on deck, it felt like he had wandered into a blizzard or a snowstorm.

“Apprentice Ezra reporting for duty,” Ezra said, putting the thoughts of the coldness of the room at the back of his mind.

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