However, what left Ren a bit annoyed was that… he had been put on academic probation again.
The reason? "Damaging public property, severely disruptive conduct."
Of course, he knew full well this was just a scheme cooked up by those two old foxes — Zephyr and Garp.
They simply wanted him to keep building a stronger foundation. Only with solid fundamentals could he go further in the future.
Ren understood their intentions, so he didn't say much.
He just treated it like a period of free meals and lodging at the academy.
"Heh heh! Brats, you're in luck!"
Zephyr walked in with a wide grin, interrupting everyone's training.
"In order to test your strength, I pulled some strings at Marine Headquarters and got us a warship. Over the past four years, your growth has been rapid. It's about time I take you all out for some real-world experience — hunting pirates. Assemble at the docks by 7 AM tomorrow. No one's allowed to be late!"
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone cheered in excitement.
But Ren was quietly concerned.
In the original timeline, during Ain's cohort's training voyage, they encountered a terrifying individual.
Aside from Ain and Binz, every other cadet was slaughtered. Even Zephyr lost an arm.
Although this training cruise had been delayed by three years due to Ren's interference, who knew what might happen this time?
He had no intention of dying here.
And that person who cut off Zephyr's arm would eventually become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
By Ren's own estimation, his current strength was at the peak level among the Warlords.
As long as he didn't run into a Yonko-level monster, he should be fine.
The next morning, before the sun had risen, everyone had already assembled.
The warship left port, and everyone was visibly excited — even Ain was dashing around happily.
Ren chuckled. It was clear the Navy Academy's closed training had left everyone a bit stir-crazy.
"Zephyr-sensei, where are we headed?"
Ren gazed out at the endless sea before him, feeling his chest open up with clarity.
"Aside from you, these brats aren't ready yet."
Zephyr grinned. "You're staying right here. I'm not about to take you kids to the New World. This training voyage will just cruise through the early stretch of the Grand Line. If we're lucky, we'll run into some small-time pirates for them to get some hands-on experience."
"Awesome! We get to fight pirates!"
Binz said with bright eyes.
"Zephyr-sensei, give the order — what's our next move?"
"What's next? All of you, go scrub the deck! And don't slack off — I want it spotless!"
"…"
Everyone's hearts instantly dropped. They turned to glare daggers at Binz.
Damn it, if only he'd kept his mouth shut…
"First lesson for every Marine on board — no slacking!"
Life at sea wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Storms hit occasionally.
Aside from a few people who weren't affected, most of the cadets struggled to adjust.
Fortunately, by the second week, most had acclimated.
And by the end of the first month — they encountered their first band of pirates.
Ren was fine. He'd captured a few pirates before for bounties.
But the others didn't handle it well. Many puked at the sight of blood and their first real kill.
"You brats were all bragging about being the best under heaven, huh? Looks like you forgot every bit of training! Move! Show me what you've got!"
Zephyr stood atop the ship's prow, barking down at the cadets as they charged toward a ragtag group of pirates.
Most of the rookies were facing their first kill. Vomit was flying everywhere.
Training and real combat — worlds apart.
When confronted with ferocious pirates wielding deadly weapons, many cadets froze. Their minds went blank. Every technique they'd learned vanished from memory.
"What a bunch of useless brats…"
Zephyr sighed, shaking his head. Then his gaze shifted to Ren.
That kid had a strong heart. He was Admiral material.
Even compared to Ain and the others, he was miles ahead.
This was the true difference between Elite Division cadets and regular trainees — not just talent, but also mental resilience.
"Sensei, they've almost got it under control. Should we wrap it up?"
Binz said excitedly, practically buzzing with eagerness — like he was born to wreak havoc.
Zephyr gave a small nod.
This kind of rookie reaction was expected. Give them some time and they'd adjust. Next time, they'd be better prepared.
"Heh heh, my turn!"
With Zephyr's approval, Daal was thrilled. His massive frame leapt forward.
He used Shave to instantly appear beside three pirates, then unleashed a dazzling barrage of iron punches.
"Check out my Iron Fist!"
"And me too!"
Binz flashed forward and intercepted two pirates.
"Here comes my Tempest Kick — Kick! Kick! Kick!"
"Damn it! You two showoffs — save some for the rest of us!"
"Don't hog them all! There won't be enough left!"
Simba and the others rushed in one after another, trying to grab pirate takedowns.
Their strength far surpassed the regular cadets, and these small-time pirates were no match at all.
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