The Marine base in West Blue was ordinary.
That was the first thing Rei understood.
No monumental buildings. Heroic statues. Just solid stone structures, worn training grounds, and docks that never stayed empty for long. Ships came and went on routine patrols, crews rotated, supplies moved without ceremony.
This base existed to work.
Rei was assigned to a standard recruit unit. No special treatment. Questions beyond the necessary ones. He received a uniform, a bunk, and a schedule.
Training began the next morning.
Days quickly formed a pattern.
Rei woke before the signal horn, more from habit than discipline. By the time recruits assembled on the training ground, he was already warm and focused.
The instructors wasted no time.
Running came first. Long distances at controlled pace. Anyone who sprinted burned out early. Anyone who lagged fell behind.
Rei ran steadily.
He did not compete. Did not hold back. His breathing remained calm, regulated, efficient. His body absorbed the strain without complaint.
Strength training followed.
Bodyweight exercises at first, then weighted drills. Repetition mattered more than intensity. Instructors watched posture closely. Sloppy form earned punishment.
Rei adjusted instinctively.
Years of body control guided every movement. He kept his range clean, joints aligned, muscles engaged without waste.
That drew attention.
Not praise.
Curiosity.
Weapons training came later.
Most recruits handled wooden swords awkwardly. Grips shifted. Stances wavered. Cuts lacked direction.
Rei followed instructions precisely.
He did not correct others and not show advanced technique. His movements stayed simple, clean, and consistent.
One instructor stopped behind him.
"You trained before," the man said.
"Yes," Rei answered.
"Where?"
"Alone."
The instructor studied him for a moment, then nodded and moved on.
Weeks passed.
Rei learned Marine structure from the inside. Orders, hierarchy, formations. How squads moved together. How hesitation created gaps. How discipline kept people alive.
This training did not push his limits.
That was not its purpose.
It built a common foundation.
At night, Rei stretched quietly and regulated his breathing. He let the system work silently, stacking effort without interruption. His body adapted steadily. Strength increase. Recovery shortened.
Other recruits noticed his calm more than his performance.
Some respected it.
Rei ignored them
Around the third month, rumors started to circulate.
Not official announcements. Just words passed quietly between instructors and senior recruits.
An elite training camp.
Led by Zephyr.
A place reserved for exceptional talent gathered from across the Marines. Recruits and young officers chosen after strict evaluation. Physical ability mattered. Mental discipline mattered more.
Rei listened carefully.
The camp accepted few.
Those who entered rarely returned unchanged.
He asked no questions.
Instead, he observed.
Noticed how instructors paid attention during certain drills. Reports were written after evaluations. How some recruits were pushed harder than others.
Selection favored potential.
Raw potential.
Rei understood the problem immediately.
Without revealing too much, he could pass standard training easily. Could advance at a steady pace anf reach higher units in time.
Time, however, was the one thing he refused to waste.
The elite camp offered acceleration.
But it demanded something more.
That night, Rei sat alone on his bunk after lights-out.
The barracks were quiet. Others slept or pretended to. Rei reached beneath his bed and pulled out the wrapped bundle.
The Devil Fruit rested inside, unchanged.
Mori Mori no Mi.
He unwrapped it slowly.
The spirals caught the dim light. The fruit felt the same as before. Ordinary. Heavy with meaning.
Rei held it in his hands and thought carefully.
Eating it would change the equation.
Devil Fruit users stood out immediately. Power like that could not remain hidden for long. In an organization like the Marines, that attention could be dangerous.
It could also be useful.
Zephyr recruited talent. Not safe mediocrity.
The 3 admirals were logia type
Exceptional ability.
Rei understood himself well enough to be honest.
Without the fruit, he would reach Zephyr eventually. Years later. Through gradual promotion and transfer.
With the fruit, he could reach him in months.
The fruit did not give skill.
It gave range.
Presence.
And with the system ensuring endless growth, that presence would only deepen.
Rei closed his eyes briefly.
The decision settled fully.
No doubt followed.
Rei bit into the fruit.
The taste was awful. Bitter beyond expectation. He forced himself to chew and swallow without hesitation.
Heat spread through his body slowly, not violently. A strange sensation followed, like awareness extending outward. Not strength. instinct and Potential.
Rei sat still and breathed through it.
The change stabilized.
Nothing dramatic happened.
That reassured him.
Over the following days, Rei tested the ability carefully.
Small movements at first.
A leaf stirred where he focused. Grass responded subtly. Roots shifted beneath soil with effort rather than ease.
Control came through concentration.
It required understanding rather than force.
Perfect.
Rei did not announce the ability.
He waited.
Two weeks later, during a standard evaluation drill, an instructor paused mid-observation.
"Rei," he said, frowning slightly. "Do that again."
Rei repeated the movement.
The ground beneath his foot stabilized unnaturally. A root surfaced slightly, reinforcing balance.
The instructor stared.
"Devil Fruit," he said flatly.
"Yes," Rei replied.
Reports followed.
Eyes turned.
The process began.
Rei stood on the training ground days later as an officer approached him with a sealed document.
"You have been flagged for potential elite evaluation," the man said. "Final selection occurs in six months."
Rei accepted the paper calmly.
"That will be enough time," he said.
The officer raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
That night, Rei lay on his bunk and stared at the ceiling.
The direction was set.
West Blue was foundation.
The elite camp was next.
Zephyr waited beyond that.
The fruit had not replaced training.
It had aligned timing.
Rei closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, training would continue.