The evening was settling over the Tower Rooftop.
So high up, Roya could see Shells Town spread out below him like a crumpled map.
Roya, his chest bare to the cool evening air, snapped his clean Marine shirt, the fabric making a sharp sound. He pinned it to the clothesline, hoping the wind would dry it before morning.
"Whew..."
The hard work of the day was finally done.
I can't wait!
Roya wiped the sweat from his forehead, a happy smile slowly appearing on his face. The day's hard labor had left him tired, but also strangely energized. His muscles ached, but his spirit felt light.
Half an hour until dinner. Just enough time to relax a little. Being too tense wasn't good for anyone; a little downtime was necessary.
If only at a time like this...
As if the sky had heard his thoughts, a perfect, white cigarette appeared in front of him. It looked more tempting than a beautiful woman in a dark alley, promising a quick escape, a moment of pure joy.
(⊙ω⊙)?
Roya blinked, the corners of his mouth turning up. He eagerly grabbed the cigarette, his eyes now fixed on Fullbody.
It felt like reuniting with a long-lost brother. If they were still in college, he might even call him "Godfather"!
"Bro Fullbody, where did you get this?"
"Hmph, Rookie, don't compare me to you."
Fullbody, looking smug, raised his chin, lit his own cigarette, and flipped the lighter to Roya with a flick of his wrist. Then, he casually squatted down in the corner, acting like a seasoned dockworker.
Smoking was strictly forbidden for new recruits, and any forbidden items were quickly taken away. Getting cigarettes was not easy.
But, of course, money talked, even in the strict world of the Marines.
The two of them, without shirts, huddled in the corner, enjoying their forbidden smoke. They looked more like prisoners just released from a labor camp than proud Marines.
"Roya, you actually did a good job today, I must admit."
"All thanks to your teaching, Bro Fullbody!"
Roya waved his hand, pretending to be modest.
But it was true.
Fullbody was obsessed with cleanliness. His need for perfect cleanliness was stronger than a man courting a woman. He would scrub those toilets until you could eat off them!
He must come from a rich family!
Besides, anyone who cared so much about cleanliness must be a good person.
And working with him, Roya thought, was like a hard morning workout. It was tiring, and facing those super-dirty toilets was a test of his mental strength.
His sense of smell almost gave up and ran away.
Fullbody looked at Roya with new respect.
When he first saw the younger recruit at noon and saw his bad table manners, he was disgusted. He wanted a partner with better manners.
But after spending the afternoon working together, his view of Roya completely changed.
Young, driven, brave, and very hardworking.
When he was a new recruit, he also cleaned with his superiors, but their lazy work made him angry.
Roya's dedication was a relief to his particular soul.
"There's still some time before dinner. Come here, and I'll teach you something new."
He put out his cigarette, and Fullbody walked to the middle of the empty rooftop. He acted like he was on a big stage, with the spotlight on him, looking confident.
"Roya, you're a promising kid, but if you want to succeed in high society, good manners are important. They're as important as good handwriting."
Fullbody smiled knowingly. His right hand gripped the brim of his sailor cap, legs slightly bent, balancing on his toes.
"And dancing, my boy, is the best way to develop your character."
Crotch grab!
Leg kick!
Arm swing!
Whirl!
Difficult moves happened quickly.
Roya's eyes widened in amazement.
The smooth, almost perfect transitions, the captivating rhythm… for a moment, Roya thought he was watching a professional performance.
Elegant!
Completely elegant!
He was now sure that this guy's dancing was world-class. It was a waste of his talent for him to be a Marine.
Fullbody finished a dazzling spin, striking a pose facing Roya.
He beckoned him forward.
"Roya, come, join me!"
"I..."
Roya was about to refuse. He liked watching pretty young women dance, but he knew nothing about dancing himself. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't know where to start.
However, his body began to sway to Fullbody's captivating rhythm.
Whirl!
Crap!
I'm under some sort of spell!
----
Night covered the island.
The island's power was limited and couldn't provide constant lighting for the Branch. Also, the Branch's training was relatively relaxed, so nighttime was for rest.
The Marine soldiers trudged back to their Dormitory.
Specifically, the New Recruit Dormitory.
The New Recruits, having finished their evening wash, sprawled comfortably on their bunks.
"Hey, hasn't Roya come back yet?"
"Haven't seen him."
"That arrogant guy was showing off during training earlier today!"
"Hmph, he didn't even finish the training!"
"He's probably doing extra drills at the Training Field."
"Serves him right!"
The New Recruits sneered, exchanging spiteful glances.
During the morning's basic training, Roya had defied convention with his long-distance run, completing twenty laps around the perimeter.
The other drills were also done to a standard that was good even for experienced "veterans." For a rookie, doing that much training in a single morning was unheard of, if not impossible.
Because of his extra training, Roya only completed a little more than half of the required drills, making him the only one of the six New Recruits who failed to meet the training requirements.
According to the Branch's strict rules, if a recruit failed to complete the training task during the day, they had to do extra exercises at night.
Serves him right, indeed.
"Hey, anyone want to play cards?"
"Yeah, yeah, count me in!"
"Hey, where did you get the cards?"
"Hehe, I was smart enough to hide them in my..."
Meanwhile, at the New Recruit Training Field…
In the dim, sandy area, a lone figure could be seen, rising and falling in a rhythmic motion.
"156... 157... 158..."
Roya, without a shirt and hands clasped behind his head, did sit-ups with determination, his sweat-soaked back covered in sand.
After finishing dinner, he didn't go back to the Dormitory to rest, but went to the Training Field, intending to make up for the training he hadn't finished during the day.
He decided to train himself to the standards expected of a formal Marine soldier. If he couldn't finish during the morning session, he would put in extra hours at night until he had successfully completed all the required exercises.
This was the standard he had set for himself.
No phone, no computer, no distractions.
Back in the Dormitory, all he could do was brag or go to sleep.
Sleeping so early? What kind of lifestyle was that - embracing bland, boring health?
He might as well sweat a little more and push his limits!
Hard work doesn't guarantee success, but the sweat you put into your efforts will never betray you, especially in this dangerous Pirate World.
"199... 200!"
Roya relaxed, collapsing onto the sand, momentarily exhausted.
Another drill conquered!
"Time to catch my breath!"
Five minutes later, Roya rose and trudged towards the rope climbing area.
Rope Climbing was a core training exercise, essential for any aspiring seaman.
In naval battles, when warships clashed, ropes were one of the most reliable methods for boarding an enemy vessel.
And if a sailor was unlucky enough to fall into the churning waters during battle, he would have to rely on ropes to climb back onto the safety of the ship.
If you wanted to save your skin, you had better practice.
----
Late into the night…
Roya dragged his tired body, limping, back to the Dormitory. He had fallen several times while trying to climb the rope, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
"Doolu doolu~~"
Inside the Dormitory, a chorus of loud snores assaulted his ears, mixed with a thick, almost visible cloud of foot odor that made it hard to keep his eyes open.
Damn it, which one of these slobs forgot to wash his feet?!
Roya instinctively covered his mouth and nose and stumbled towards the balcony for a breath of fresh air.
"The World! "
Domain Expansion!
Upon entering "The World " Training Field, his body and mind immediately found peace.
He cherished these quiet moments, as if he was the only person in the world, free from any external pressures.
Like…
---
Two and a half hours later, Roya was sprawled in the center of the Training Field like a discarded lump of clay, his muscles aching, his nerves firing involuntarily.
Then, he noticed someone.
"Bro Fullbody?"
Next to the Training Field, a small stage had appeared sometime in the last few hours. Fullbody stood in the center, balancing on his toes, his right hand poised on his hat.
As if sensing Roya's gaze, Fullbody began to move.
Crotch grab, leg kick, arm swing!
And the Gliding Step~~
Crap, "The World " had even recorded the daytime dance lesson!
Roya silently got to his feet and pulled on his pants.
When you're alone, it's almost impossible to resist showing your true self. Cough, cough. I was afraid I'd ruin my clothes while training...
[T/N: 👀 If you all noticed, MC did all that intense training in The World...Naked!]
"No need to worry, it's just an illusion!"
Roya reassured himself. He then frowned thoughtfully as he watched Fullbody dancing.
As everyone knows, in the Pirate World, it might be possible to exist without possessions, but it's impossible to live without some kind of gimmick. Singing, dancing, and rapping are essential skills for survival.
Besides, there's no one else around…
No, this is flexibility training.
Crotch grab!
Gliding Step!
Whirl!