One Piece: Son-in-Law King, That's My Destiny!

Morning, just before sunrise.

"Tweet~~"

The shrill sound of the whistle jolted the recruits out of their sleep.

Including Loya, the branch only managed to recruit six new soldiers yesterday, less than half the number from the last recruitment drive. The following days were expected to yield even fewer.

The residents of Shells Town were too spooked.

With the small number of recruits, everything was kept simple. Welcome ceremonies were scrapped, and most details were explained the day before. The priority now was catching up on training, so they could become official marines and bolster the branch's forces as soon as possible.

The East Blue wasn't peaceful. The 153rd Branch's patrol waters were always under threat of pirate raids, like the chaos caused by the Black Cat Pirates.

A strong force was vital to protect civilians.

Outside the dormitory, Loya stood alert at the edge of the lineup, awaiting orders while the others were still scrambling to assemble.

"Hey, it's that guy," whispered one of the recruits.

"How's he even standing?"

"His build is impressive, though."

"Odd. Doesn't he look thinner than yesterday?"

During training, Loya's performance had left an impression. What stuck out most was his unwillingness to fall behind. By all rights, he should've been flat on his back with sore muscles today. But there he stood, rigid, with the fierce gaze of a predator.

"Grumble~~"

Loya's stomach growled loudly.

Last night, he had pushed himself an extra three hours in his mysterious "World," leaving him utterly drained. Yet, upon leaving the "World," his fatigue and pain vanished, his body restored to peak condition—a peculiar side effect of this ability.

However, the recovery came at a cost: it burned through his body's reserves, leaving him three pounds lighter and ravenously hungry.

Soon, the other recruits joined the lineup under the instructor's barking orders. Together, they marched to the training grounds.

The first drill of the day was simple: military stances.

For 30 minutes, Loya stood straight-backed and focused, sweat forming on his brow in under five minutes. His muscles ached, and an itch crawled under his skin. Standing still wasn't hard, but doing it perfectly required endurance and willpower.

The instructor scanned the group. Most recruits were fidgeting, sneaking glances, and slacking off. Familiar with these antics, the instructor turned a blind eye—for now. He knew they'd learn the importance of training once they encountered real pirates.

But Loya's stance caught his attention. The sweat pouring down his face was proof of his effort.

"Good posture!" Smack!

The instructor's palm landed sharply on Loya's rear.

"..."

Loya's whole body stiffened.

Enough with the butt slaps already!

After the drill, the group headed to the mess hall for breakfast. The spread was generous, featuring bread, roasted meat, fish, seafood fried rice, salads, mashed potatoes, and a variety of drinks.

No one skimps on feeding marines. Good food kept morale high and ensured they had the energy for combat.

"Finally!"

Loya's eyes gleamed as he loaded his plate with three times the usual amount of food and dug in. By the time he was done, his stomach bulged, and he leaned back with a satisfied belch.

Back at the training grounds, the recruits began the next phase: running 10 laps (5 kilometers), followed by 100 push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and rope climbs.

While the others paced themselves, Loya surged ahead. He wanted to surpass the basic requirements and prove himself.

"Five years until Luffy sets sail," Loya thought.

To survive the chaos of the coming era and the Summit War, he needed at least vice-admiral strength—and preferably admiral-level power. Mediocrity wasn't an option.

By the time Loya finished 10 laps, he had left the others far behind. Without stopping, he kept running.

"Is he... doing extra laps?"

"That maniac!"

Motivated by Loya's relentless drive, the recruits pushed themselves harder, unwilling to be outdone. Yet deep down, they were starting to regret joining this madman's squad.

Day one, and he's already this intense. Where will it end?