One Piece Devouring Fruit - Chapter 18

Meanwhile.

After disembarking from the ship, Aokiji went to Sengoku’s office to report on the mission’s completion and the surprise regarding Aburahamu Michion.

“So, did Yujimura find the kid he mentioned?”

Sengoku asked casually, flipping through documents with one hand and munching on rice crackers with the other.

He didn’t inquire about whether the pirates were eliminated; failure was not an option with Aokiji on the job. This was a testament to his confidence in the future Admiral’s capabilities.

In Sengoku’s eyes, dealing with those pirate scum was a minor task, less important than the status of a single child.

“Yes, we found him, and he’s a promising talent. Using the training methods he saw on the ship, he trained rigorously on Boing Archipelago to avoid getting fat and being eaten. He’s already mastered the basic foundation for Soru,” Aokiji said lazily, reclining on a nearby sofa.

“Oh? That wouldn’t make you come here to report immediately, would it?” Sengoku’s eyes gleamed as he deduced Aokiji’s valid reason for coming.

“Well, it’s hard to hide anything from you, Sengoku-san.” Aokiji yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Besides mastering the basics of Rokushiki on the island, he also accidentally consumed a Devil Fruit,” Aokiji added, his mood visibly improving.

“Really? Sounds like a pleasant surprise. What did he gain?” The change in Aokiji’s tone piqued Sengoku’s interest.

“Indeed.”

…

Having completed his mission, Yujimura was now back at headquarters for a break, acting as Aburahamu Michion’s guide.

First, he helped Aburahamu Michion settle into his accommodation. The training facility had plenty of empty rooms, and Aburahamu Michion chose an unoccupied one, finishing the task quickly.

Everything seemed convenient, with no luggage and the training camp providing meals and lodging. Having lived on Stomach Baron with nothing, Aburahamu Michion was quite content with having a bed.

After a good night’s sleep, Aburahamu Michion woke up feeling a bit disoriented the next day.

He had left that deserted island.

With a faint smile at the surreal feeling, he had breakfast with Yujimura and followed him to the training ground.

Entering the training camp, Aburahamu Michion saw two familiar faces: Tashigi and X Drake.

He didn’t see the rebellious Smoker.

At this time, Smoker was probably around nine or ten years old and still in Loguetown. He likely joined the navy after witnessing Gol D. Roger’s execution.

Only Tashigi and X Drake were among the known characters on the training ground. Since they were about the same age, Aburahamu Michion was grouped with them.

Although the sudden arrival of a new companion piqued the curiosity of the other kids on the field, the instructor’s shouts kept them running hard, leaving no time to pay attention to the newcomer.

After parting with Yujimura and receiving brief instructions from the instructor, Aburahamu Michion quickly joined the running group.

To him, this simple running was just a warm-up. On Boing Archipelago, he had run with all his might to escape the ferocious, fat sea beasts chasing him.

The day’s activities included physical training, shooting practice, and kendo lessons.

In addition to training courses, there were cultural lessons on language, navigation theory, and even survival techniques for shipwrecks.

While these cultural lessons might seem dull to other kids, offering a break from physical training, Aburahamu Michion took them seriously.

As someone who had lived through the perils of an uninhabited island, he understood the importance of this knowledge in the vast, dangerous sea.

Although he might not become a professional navigator, at least he wouldn’t be clueless in an emergency.

As a literate adult from a peaceful world, the idea of becoming culturally illiterate in this new world was laughable. Although this body had some learning, it wasn’t comprehensive.

Meanwhile, the other kids, mostly recovering from physical training, were too engrossed in their sleep to pay attention to the cultural lessons.

However, this had a silver lining for Aburahamu Michion, sparing him the effort of selecting companions.

Those who still had energy for lessons or entertained themselves lively during breaks were more adept at training.

This superior talent indicated they would likely achieve significant roles within the Navy, at least reaching mid-to-high ranks.

These individuals were Aburahamu Michion’s targets for surpassing and befriending.

Despite having lived in a peaceful world for over twenty years, nurturing a benevolent mindset,

Aburahamu Michion craved the excitement of battle, believing it was the essence of life.

He sought to bring peace while enjoying the journey of getting stronger, ultimately gaining autonomy over his destiny.

But he was determined not to violate his principles, such as fulfilling morally conflicting orders from the World Government or Celestial Dragons.

From what he knew of them through anime, the Celestial Dragons were like a blight.

The advent of the Great Pirate Era could be attributed to the Celestial Dragons, who contributed significantly.

Though dreamers and adventurers drove the Great Pirate Era, many pirates came from impoverished backgrounds, turning to piracy for survival, eventually becoming scum through constant battles.

Aburahamu Michion would not compromise his will to control his destiny.

Having internalized values like prosperity, democracy, civilization, harmony, and equality, he found innate superiority absurd.

The belief that nobility was not predetermined was ingrained in his bones and soul, a legacy of over two millennia.

This was the one gift Aburahamu Michion carried into this world.

Though everything seemed peaceful now, Aburahamu Michion understood that his values would eventually lead to conflicts.

Going solo would be the worst scenario.

The sea was boundless, and one person’s strength was limited. Achieving anything significant requires companions.

Nami’s words were wise, and Aburahamu Michion knew he needed to forge alliances. These future navy elites would be his most vital support.

However, he understood the need for personal strength first. Without it, all ambitions were merely castles in the air.

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