Chapter 2: Treasure of the Sea
"If I can become Zephyr's apprentice."
A spark flickered in John's eyes. Although he has been training hard for over a decade, there is a big difference between training with and without a teacher. Although his father can also advise, he is not a teacher at all.
So, when he heard this news from his father, he was very excited.
Even if the principle he has always adhered to is that he must be quiet before he is strong enough, now that he has such a good opportunity in front of him, how can he do nothing?
"Dad, I want to go to Marineford, what requirements do I have to meet?"
John understands very well that this time Marineford wants to recruit talent, not waste space, and there must be certain criteria.
Watson replied, "One chapter can only apply for one seat, the candidate must be under 30 years of age, and the final score of the candidate will also be related to the work of the chapter. If the talent of the elite recruits (that's what I'll call those who entered the Marineford academy) is too low, the branch to which they belong will be subject to certain restrictions."
"Such a criterion is reasonable."
John is not surprised by such criteria. The first 30 years is the most important period for a person to grow up. A strong person must train from a young age to build a solid foundation for their future strength. After thirty, building a foundation is very difficult.
The work of an elite rookie is related to the branch to which he belongs, as well as to prevent some people from using their power for personal gain and randomly choosing people.
From this, it can be seen that Marineford this time should call on geniuses, and not ordinary soldiers.
"Dad, this time I'm going to Marineford."
John did not hesitate but directly stated his decision.
Watson nodded in satisfaction and said, "Of course, this time I will choose you from our division. Although there are several candidates in the branches, you are my son, no matter how much I have to pay, this place will be yours. It should be yours."
This opportunity is something that happens once in a lifetime, which is why many people want to use this opportunity, but for the sake of his son, Watson will absolutely not conduct internal selection in branches.
At this time, he thinks about his son, no matter how much he pays, he will do it.
John can understand his father's thoughts, so he doesn't talk in vain. No matter how good friends they are, how can they compare to his own son?
"Daddy, then I'll bother you. You can tell others that as long as I stand firm in Marineford, I won't treat them badly in the future."
Watson laughed heartily: "I'll warn them, don't think about it so much."
A month later!
The recruit ship sent by Marineford would arrive at the 47th Branch base tomorrow, and Watson called John into his office the night before.
"John, tomorrow you are going to board the ship and leave for Marineford. Before that, I have something for you."
I saw Watson go to the corner of the office, knock on the wall several times, and then gently push it. There was a secret compartment in the wall, and inside there was a small safe.
Opening the safe, Watson carefully took out a wooden box and placed it in front of John.
Seeing the wary and nervous look of his father, John realized that there must be an important thing in this wooden box.
"Three years ago, during an operation to encircle and destroy pirates, I got a large treasure of a sea turtle. At that time, I could not contain my greed, so I hid it and kept it until now. Now I want to give it to you."
Watson's expression was serious, making John nervous, "What is this?"
"Devil Fruit"
Devil Fruit?
When John heard these words, he was surprised and looked at his father in disbelief.
The Devil Fruit is a special fruit in the One Piece anime. By eating it, you can get superpowers. Although the fruit is called the devil, for many people it is also the secret treasure of the sea.
There are three types of Devil Fruits: Paramecia, Logia, and Zoan; Even the worst Devil Fruits like Zoan have a market price of at least 100 million Bailey.
The Devil Fruit can instantly turn an ordinary person into a strong person. Its value is indeed immeasurable, but as a price the one who eats will be rejected by the sea and will become a land duck, losing strength in the sea and unable to swim.
For many people, getting a Devil Fruit is the shortest path to becoming a strong man, but John never thought that his father still had a Devil Fruit.
Watson opened the wooden box and inside was a green fruit, somewhat like an enlarged version of a peach, with the only difference being that the surface of the fruit was covered in a spiral pattern similar to Tarn grass, giving it an extra rough appearance.
Is this a devil fruit?
John, who saw the Devil Fruit for the first time, looked at this green fruit with all his eyes.
"Yes, it's a devil fruit, only a devil fruit can be stored for several years without spoiling," Watson said.
Looking at this devil fruit, John somehow did not have greed in his heart, he curiously asked: "Dad, since you got it three years ago, why didn't you eat it? In that case, you can get some kind of super ability and greatly improve your strength.
Watson said solemnly: "You're right, you have to take risks when you eat it. Let's not talk about what abilities you will get, but you will forget how to swim. It is dangerous for me, who fought at sea all year round."
John nodded, and it was true; many people recognized the strength of the Devil Fruit and instinctively ignored its weaknesses.
But in fact, the weakness of not being able to swim is sometimes really fatal: if you fight in the sea, if you accidentally fall into the sea and no one saves you, you just have to wait for death.
Not all of us can have reliable nakamas whom we can trust with our lives.
"Moreover, I am too old, even if I eat it and gain a certain ability, it is difficult for me to develop its strength. So I saved it and am going to pass it on later. Hold on, it's up to you what to do with it. "
Watson looked at John with burning eyes: "John, you are different from me, your talent is much stronger than mine, and you have a great future. What you're missing is a simple opportunity. Perhaps you can take advantage of this opportunity."
- Do you want me to eat it? John asked.
Watson shook his head and said, "No, I have been looking for a long time, but I have not found what the ability of this fruit is. I don't have the courage to eat it myself, and naturally, I never recognized its ability. I'm not forcing you, I'm just giving it to you, you make your own choice."
"Every choice has two sides. Whether it will be an unknown ability that will give you a fatal weakness, or give it up, only you can decide.
Patting John on the shoulder and handing the wooden box to John, Watson said, "I've done my best and now it's up to you."
"What to do with this devil fruit? Before you get to Marineford, you must make a decision. If you decide to eat it, then that's it, and if you don't want to eat it, then after you arrive at the headquarters, donate it to the headquarters. In Marineford, this is an important strategic material, if you donate it, you will definitely receive some kind of bonus (money, rank, famous swords, etc.), and this will be very useful for you in the future."
John was holding this Devil Fruit, but he felt it was extremely heavy. It was not just a Devil Fruit, but also the dreams and aspirations of his father. He loved his father, and had already made plans for his trip to Marineford, his father had paid too much to give him this chance.
"Dad, don't worry, I won't let you down."
I won't lose anything. A father who is looking forward to his son's results will definitely be selected for this selection.
"I believe in you!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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