"I am sorry, Joe, but I only like stronger people than me..." said the long-legged beauty with pink hair with a bit of spite.
Joe, this man, had tried to flirt with her even when she told him otherwise, and finally, on the first day of Marine Academy.
He had the gall to confess to her with one singular yellow flower he found on the street. Joe, looking up, had tears in his eyes. "Why? Is it because I am average?" asked Joe, looking down in sadness.
"I...yes."
Feeling the eyes of the other marine trainees, Hina walked away, breathing out a sigh of annoyance. Clenching his fist, Joe dropped his yellow flower and walked away from the Marine Academy's entrance where the scene occurred.
Rain began to fall as he walked back home. He lived in the residential apartments made for marine soldiers. His parents were ordinary soldiers, but once they saved Tsuru Vice Admiral's life, she gave them benefits and prestige.
Joe was an average-looking marine; he looked older than he was. At this moment, he was 15 but looked like he was 30 with a mustache. His talents are even more average; his father tried to teach him how to fight and was greatly disappointed in his instincts and IQ.
Wiping his tears, Joe sighed heavily and looked up. He saw someone at the entrance of his apartment, it was an old woman who was very familiar. Sucking up his tears, he smiled and waved. "Grandma Tsuru, what are you doing here?"
Tsuru looked up and spoke softly, "My dear boy...I have some news."
Joe stopped in front of Tsuru, who wouldn't look in his eyes but instead were looking up. Feeling his stomach turn, Joe hesitantly asked, "What...happened?"
A few seconds of silence permeated before Tsuru finally revealed, "Your parents fell in a battle with some pirates."
The world began to spin heavily; he felt his breathing shorten as if a cobra was gripping his neck, and tears began to fall heavily without constraint. "Are you joking with me?" Staying silent, Tsuru gave Joe time to grieve, "You...didn't you promise me to protect them?"
Feeling his legs wobble, Joe fell onto his back, holding his eyes as rain began to fall heavily as if to sympathize with his loss. Flashes of memories went through his brain: the burnt rice his dad used to cook, the ripped laundry his mom had to fix when he tried to sew his clothes, and many more.
Tsuru watched as Joe, the always cheerful boy, became a sobbing mess. Letting out a wail of pain, he began to punch the ground, letting out his anger and sadness bleed into the ground.
Walking away, Tsuru knew she had to let Joe sort out his emotions before saying anymore. Feeling his hands crack and bleed, he didn't care, he just wanted his mom and dad back.
Joe remembered a sentence his dad used to say, "We will never die because we are the heroes of the seas."
"You liars..."
Feeling his body grow weak, he looked up at the sky as blood and tears mixed with the puddle around him. Clenching his weak fist, he finally realized something. Only strength can protect, only strength can bring hope, and only strength can bring revenge...
Getting up, he walked into his empty house, filled with memories of the past he wished he cherished. He plopped onto his bed without caring about a shower, dreaming about a vacation to Windmill Village that his parents had told him about.
Soaking his bed with tears and blood, he fell asleep deeply, but before he did, a voice was heard in his head. "Template System is activated!"
Not caring about the voice, he just slept until he woke up to his alarm blaring. Feeling his head, he was a bit groggy until he remembered yesterday and had a wave of sadness hit him.
Then, the voice came again, "Would you like to draw a template from the multiverse?"
Jumping up, he almost hit the roof with his head, he looked around in vigilance until he looked in front of him. A blue panel reading: Would you like to draw a template from the multiverse? Y/N
Feeling a bit weird, he clicked yes on accident without thinking about it and the panel began to spin. Looking at the clock, he remembered, he skipped the first day of Marine Academy and is now late, so he rushed out of his house in his unkempt uniform that wasn't ironed nor washed.
Ignoring the spinning panel, he reached the Marine Academy and saw a stern marine in front of the entrance. As soon as the stern marine saw him, he remembered him from the first day, the person who confessed his love to Hina.
"Boy, you are late," spoke the stern marine looking at the unkempt Joe.
Fixing his hair, he smiled weakly and walked into the Marine Academy. "I won't do it again, Sir."
Sighing, the stern marine could have guessed why he was late, so he was a bit lenient because he once too confessed and got rejected, it took him a long time to recover, so he relates to the pain Joe is going through.
He made his way to the only class in the Marine Academy. As soon as he opened the door, it creaked very loudly, making everyone turn their heads to the door. Stopping their training, they all watched silently as Joe walked in, looking down.
A marine officer who was leading the training looked at Joe and frowned, but before he could do anything, Teacher Zephyr said, "Don't bother him, his parents died yesterday."
Feeling a pang of sadness for Joe, the marine officer stood and waited for Joe. Walking towards the marine officer, he saluted and smiled weakly. "I am sorry for being late, I will take any punishment."
Hina, after hearing what happened to Joe's parents, was a bit sad for him, but that was all. A man with a cigar in his mouth next to Hina asked her, "Is this the Joe who confessed to you?"
Clearing her throat a little, Hina nodded, "Yeah, and I heard his parents died yesterday, so don't say anything, Smoker."
Smoker nodded and silently watched Joe as the marine officer scratched his head and didn't know what to do. Looking at Teacher Zephyr for guidance, Teacher Zephyr said, "Just wall sit for an hour."
Nodding, Joe went to the wall, placed his back on the wall, and positioned his legs like a chair in front of him. "Ding! You have gained the template of Ayanokoji from COTE!"
Shaking his head, he suddenly felt a warm current enter his body. Closing his eyes, he felt his whole body operate smoothly as if under the control of his mind. He felt every limb and muscle and how they worked.
His body began to change; nobody noticed except Teacher Zephyr, but he didn't pay too much attention to an average person. He opened his eyes, and his eyes suddenly gained enlightenment.
He understood what he needed to do and how he would do it. Walking towards the weight placements, he grabbed 50 pounds and wall sat with it. His body felt lighter and stronger, so he grabbed another 50 pounds.
Maximizing the oxygen he was intaking, the oxygen filled his muscles, giving them strength. Memories of breathing exercises came to his mind as if he did them a million times, as he was entering a zone of intense training.
Little did he know, everyone was staring at him, and one hour went by in the blink of an eye. Dropping the weights on the ground, Joe was breathing heavily but under control as he slumped on the ground, feeling his muscles tear. He heard a whoosh and caught something in his hands.
It was a water bottle. He looked around and saw Teacher Zephyr nod in acceptance as he went back to silently watching the marine trainees work out. Gulping down half of the water bottle, Joe got up and followed the marine trainees in their workouts.