Chapter 17: Chapter 17: A Girl Named Gion
Dressed in the white-and-blue uniform, Wood stood in formation, enduring the relentless heat of the sun alongside his fellow recruits.
Upon entering the Navy Academy at "Marineford," Wood had initially believed he would immediately begin training in the "Six Powers."
However, reality quickly proved otherwise.
To even begin training in the "Six Powers," one's physical abilities had to meet superhuman standards. Wood, thanks to the skills he had gained from his first life simulation, had developed considerable swordsmanship. But swordsmanship and physical endurance were two entirely different things.
Although his year of physical training on Red Leaf Island had given him a physique stronger than most, it was still far from sufficient for the rigorous demands of training in the "Six Powers."
Moreover, the Navy's training curriculum extended far beyond just the "Six Powers," which was, in fact, a course reserved for near-graduates.
The basics of swordsmanship, marksmanship, artillery, ship navigation, and foundational maritime knowledge were all essential courses that every Navy recruit had to master.
In combat at sea, a ship is your primary mode of transportation, so learning how to steer it is crucial.
Similarly, proficiency in firearms and cannons is indispensable for any Navy soldier, given that these are the primary weapons used in naval combat.
What? You think Navy officers don't need to know how to fire a cannon themselves? Well, no matter who you are, when you first graduate, you start as a rookie.
Even Admirals like Akainu and Aokiji had gone through the phase where they had to charge into battle with a rifle in hand.
Recruits were divided into different classes based on their abilities. Those who excelled could graduate earlier.
Wood was fortunate; he excelled in cold weaponry training, and his instructor permitted him to skip further classes in that area, requiring only the daily drills.
Meanwhile, some unfortunate recruits who couldn't swim found themselves essentially drinking water for their meals, as they kept failing the swimming lessons.
To become a Navy soldier, you could be forgiven for not mastering all skills, but swimming was non-negotiable.
After all, a Navy soldier who can't swim is practically a joke!
"Keep pushing! Is this all it takes to break you?
Whether you're firing a rifle or aiming a cannon, maintaining your composure and adapting to your environment are crucial!
You never know when your ship might get hit first—will you give up just because things get tough?"
The commanding voice of a Navy colonel rang out as he addressed the recruits, including Wood, who were all standing under the scorching sun.
The reason Wood and the others were enduring this punishment was to train them to withstand harsh environments, as the colonel explained.
Extended exposure to intense sunlight could erode a person's willpower and have a significant impact on their mental state.
After standing in the heat for several hours, a few weaker recruits had already collapsed and were carried away.
Sensing that the time was right, the colonel finally had targets set up and instructed the recruits to step forward in turns to shoot.
They had already learned basic firearm usage in the previous days, and Wood had a decent grasp of it.
However, Wood wasn't overly impressed with the firearms in this world. Due to their outdated design, he found them impractical for combat.
The cumbersome process of reloading alone made him uneasy; it was no wonder cold weapons hadn't been phased out yet.
By the time you finished reloading and cocking the gun, your enemy could already be upon you, ready to strike with a blade.
"Raise your weapons, and fire!"
At the colonel's command, a series of uneven gunshots rang out across the training ground.
Out of ten recruits, only half managed to fire their rifles on time; the other five were still struggling to load their guns with powder and bullets.
As for the five who did fire, their results left the colonel shaking his head in dismay.
Each recruit had fired three shots, yet none of them managed to hit the target with all three. Three recruits hit the edge of the target with just one shot.
Of the remaining two, one missed all three shots, and the other hit the target twice—but on someone else's target.
And the one who managed to hit another person's target? That was Wood himself.
It might have been fine if it were just a matter of poor accuracy, but among the ten, Wood had actually managed to secure fourth place.
"Wood, successful firing, three shots missed, rank: lower-middle."
"Gion, successful firing, three shots missed, rank: lower."
When the colonel announced the results, Wood ended up with a respectable fourth place, right behind the two recruits who had actually hit the target.
As for the other recruit who missed all three shots, she was a rare sight—a female recruit, and she came in fifth.
"Sir, I have a question. If we both missed all three shots, why did he rank higher than me?"
The girl, named Gion, was slightly older than Wood, but in this world where early development was common, she had already grown into a tall, curvaceous young woman.
With a figure that seemed to be all legs below the neck and a strikingly beautiful face, Gion wasn't pleased with the results and questioned the colonel's judgment.
Upon hearing someone challenge his decision, the colonel was about to launch into a harsh reprimand. But when he glanced at Gion's file, he restrained himself and provided an explanation.
As it turned out, Gion had been recommended to the academy by Vice Admiral Tsuru, and her scores in both theoretical and practical exams were exceptionally high.
Leaving aside her potential strong connections, it was clear that instructors generally treated top students differently from the rest.
"Even though you both missed all three shots, Wood at least hit your target, whereas your bullets missed by a wide margin.
Moreover, Wood was slightly faster in pulling the trigger. Based on these factors, his rank is higher than yours, and there's nothing wrong with that."
According to the colonel, if pirates were charging at them in droves, Wood, while not accurate, could at least hit some of the unlucky ones nearby.
Gion, on the other hand, would have simply wasted ammunition.
The colonel's reasoning was sound, and Gion couldn't find any grounds to argue.
However, this incident made Gion remember Wood because she believed that if Wood hadn't hit her target, she might have scored a hit herself.
The logic was almost nonexistent, but one has to admit, a proud young woman like Gion could be quite unreasonable at times...
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