There was no end of year assessments scheduled for first-year cadets, you either made it to the end of the year or dropped out along the way. The rowdy bunch of cadets that had started a year ago were no longer present, their childish disposition had been lost to the hellish training. Now what stood in front of the instructor, were a bunch of 800 well-disciplined marines.

“At the beginning of the year, 1100 Cadets were recruited, yet today 800 of you stand before me. The training you endured pushed each one of you past your limits daily.

Some Cadets could not complete the training due to injuries, some of those will be given a chance to retake the first year. Others will be sent to various marine divisions for odd jobs.

Those who quit during the training had given up all hope to remain as marines. They will be blacklisted from reapplying,” the training instructor mentioned.

A minute of silence was observed for the 5 cadets who pushed through the training but unfortunately lost their lives in the process. They each received the “Eternal Marine” rank. This was the highest rank awarded by the academy to marines who showed absolute dedication to their training. But unlike every rank, no one wanted this because you had to be dead to receive it.

“Congratulations Cadets, this is the last time 800 of you will be referred to as cadets. According to the rules set by HQ, you will be promoted to Seaman Apprentice.” The instructor said with a smile on his face. This was the first time apprentices had seen him smile.

Everyone could not help rejoicing.

“Apprentices Attention!”

The training ground returned to its previous quietness.

“When your name is called, step forward, you will receive your new identification number and your second-year uniform.

Dalmatian 001, Class: Yellow Scarf.

Warhead 002, Class: Yellow Scarf.

Hothead 003, Class: Yellow Scarf.

Poseidon 004, Class: Yellow Scarf.”

Ezra stepped out of the line and received the identification plaque and his new uniform pack. The pack contained navy blue trousers similar to those issued to cadets. A white coloured shirt, a new yellow scarf, a new pair of waterproof boots and a white hat with the word Marine embroidered in blue.

“White Smoke 005, Class: Yellow Scarf.

…

Apprentice 800, Class: Navigation.

The next academic year begins in 3 months; the focus will be on the classes you have been allocated to. But never forget your foundation as soldiers built in this year, you are all soldiers first within the marines.”

After announcing all he had to, the instructor dismissed the 800 newly promoted apprentices.

Ezra met up with the other yellow scarves as they made their way back to the residential area.

“Hey Poseidon, you really are still carrying that flask around, isn’t it too tiresome?” Hothead asked.

“Don’t worry about it Hothead, it is actually a form of training for me. What are your plans guys? The majority of the apprentices will be heading out of the academy during this 3 months break. I, on the other hand, will be staying in the academy, I have a bed to sleep on, 3 meals a day and can train wholeheartedly here.”

Dalmatian impatiently replied, “I will be leaving for a month or so. I need to understand the scale of things back home. What about you Hothead?”

“Me, I also have nowhere to return to. I am currently trying to contact Captain Bloodshot. I am thinking of working on his ship during the break. I am indebted to him for saving my life even if it was his duty. Smokes?” Hothead replied.

“Not staying, I will be back in 3 months” Smokes replied in his usual style.

Knowing White Smokes had finished saying all he had to say, Warhead replied “I will be heading back to marine division here in west blue, I need to report back to HQ on things from the academy before going back home. I also will be back in 3 months.”

The next following days were uneventful, each apprentice had to move into the new residential area.

When the departure day finally arrived; a long line of apprentices could be seen boarding a marine ship in an orderly manner. 4 yellow scarves were among the crowd, luckily Hothead managed to contact Captain Bloodshot, he would be away for 3 months also.

After everyone had left, the residential area felt deserted. Only a handful of recuperating cadets or newly promoted apprentices remained. Ezra made his way to the empty training ground with the parchment containing his goals in his hand.

1. The last information recorded on Umi Umi no Mi (Sea Sea Fruit) was 100 years ago, I must rely on myself in developing this power.

Year 1: Image training plays a big part in using fruit's power.

2. If seawater is a weakness of devil fruit users, how come Poseidon was sculpted riding the waves. Does this restriction not apply to this power? This is something to investigate.

Year 1: No update on this yet.

'This will be the best time to carry out the seawater experiment' Ezra thought to himself.

3. Need to develop a counter for the land restriction of the power.

Year 1: Discovered problems of water absorption on land. Two options to mitigate this, one method is to create seawater, and another is to carry seawater. What level do I have to be at to create seawater?

4. Body transformation

Year 1: Achieved partial body transformation.

5. Control

Year 1: Detailed control of seawater in a barrel achieved, increase in the amount of water had not been tested.

6. Pole training

Year 1: Increase in strength, speed, and endurance from training this year has improved my efficiency with the pole.

That same night, Ezra made his way to the harbour; He wore his new apprentice uniform but instead of the yellow scarf identifying him as a devil fruit user, he was wearing a blue scarf given to a normal apprentice. This was the location where marines’ frogmen trained and was the only access to the sea present in the academy. Since the academy was on holiday, Ezra did not have to wait too long before he received permission to allow him to use this place for training.

‘So far I have been able to immerse my body without difficulty into seawater. I do believe that I should be able to swim in the sea for a short time before the devil fruit weakness becomes too strong. Poseidon I’m trusting you on this one, sink or swim here we go.’ He thought as he leapt off the pier into the sea with his eyes closed.

Splash!

Ezra remained close to the surface, even though he believed the relationship between his power and the sea, it was another thing to put his life on the line because of it.

‘I can breathe, and I can move just fine’ he thought. This must not be made known to anyone for now until I have the power or position to not be a pawn’ he thought to himself.

He was excited, this changed everything. If other devil fruit powers make them vulnerable to seawater, he can just sink their ship. Just dreaming about this was sending him into ecstasy.

‘I need to go deeper; I need to see if there is a limitation to the time in the water.’

A few minutes later he was at the depths of the diving hole, there were all types of colourful fishes that all scrambled away quickly as he approached them.

He felt all his accumulated stress from the previous academic year wash away as he experienced true freedom swimming in the depths of the sea.

‘Since I have no issue in staying underwater, I can move on to the next stage of my experiment.’

He closed his eyes as he kept himself afloat in the sea. He imagined himself to have a body of water from head to toe. This was not an easy task he had to imagine exactly what he wanted to look like all the way to the finest details.

No one had a clue, but in the depths of the diving hole, a giant made entirely of water had formed before its body quickly merged into the sea as if it were never there. There was no giant and no Ezra to be found.