[OPTAM] Chapter : 5

At the beginning of their training, Jack and Yamakaji were unclear about the specific regimen of the elite camp, having just joined. However, the weight of their gear was substantial, making their movements noticeably sluggish.

Jack managed without much trouble. Back at the Navarone Fortress, a group known as the Hot Blooded Special Unit of Navarone specialized in muscle training, earning a notable reputation in other branches as well. Jack, having grown up and trained in the branch, was accustomed to wearing weights. Though slightly unaccustomed at first to this specific type, his body withstood the pressure admirably, which left Jack satisfied and impressed by the physical capabilities of people in this world.

The weighted clothing and gear totaled over four hundred pounds. An ordinary person would likely be crushed under such a weight, yet Jack handled it with relative ease. By the end of the day’s training, though tired, he felt completely relaxed after removing the equipment. On the other hand, Yamakaji struggled and was exhausted. Despite his talent, his strength lagged behind, and he needed to push himself harder.

“Do we really have to train like this every day?” Yamakaji asked.

It was the end of their first day of training. They had just taken a bath and eaten dinner, and it was almost half past ten.

“It’s manageable,” Jack replied, removing his shirt to reveal his scarred upper body as he lay on the bed. He was also tired, as such high-intensity training was rare even at Navarone. There, soldiers typically entered a resting state after dark, aside from patrol duties.

“I definitely can’t compare to you in strength, but thanks for waking me up. Otherwise, I would have missed it,” Yamakaji said with relief.

“You would have woken up on your own if I hadn’t. You had an eye open when I got up,” Jack noted.

“You noticed that, huh?” Yamakaji grinned.

After turning off the lights, they went to sleep. The next day, Jack did not need to assemble but went directly to report to the elite camp, still waking up at five in the morning.

At the elite camp base, almost everyone had already gathered. Their training focused on physical conditioning to enhance strength and endurance, primarily through carrying weights, without yet teaching combat skills.

This routine continued for half a month. Jack became familiar with most of the trainees, who were either elites from various branches or headquarters or had unique abilities like Sakazuki and Borsalino. The majority were in their twenties, with very few in their teens.

Sakazuki and Borsalino were particularly notable. Both had Logia devil fruit abilities and were not initially naval recruits. They were promoted after the elite camp was established, and Borsalino even came from a distinguished family background.

After half a month of physical training, Jack and Yamakaji, under special guidance, managed to keep up with the group. Their power values reached one hundred doriki, far surpassing those of ordinary soldiers. This remarkable improvement was likely due to the targeted nature of the training and their exceptional physiques.

One day, Zephyr, who rarely appeared, stood before them. The elite camp had less than a hundred soldiers, while the total number of recruits trained there annually reached about 10,000. The training duration at the elite camp was set for two years, meaning Jack and the others had to stay a year longer than ordinary recruits, being groomed as elites.

“It’s well known that this island has eight different climatic terrains, encompassing nearly all extreme environments,” Zephyr began, taking a drag from his cigar. Previously not fond of cigars, Zephyr had changed over the past few months. News of his activities had been scarce, suggesting he had indeed stepped down, leaving only one admiral at the naval headquarters.

Recently, there has been an attack on the Celestial Dragons. The world destroyer Byrnndy World attacked a Celestial Dragon’s ship, leading Admiral Sengoku to join forces and send World to Impel Down. The only active admiral, Sengoku, was heavily burdened, balancing duties in the New World and dealing with the Celestial Dragons. Thankfully, it wasn’t a time of widespread pirate outbreaks. The most notorious pirates were concentrated in the New World, which was chaotic with figures like Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin, all vying for power after the disintegration of the Rocks Pirates. Meanwhile, the Roger Pirates were being pursued worldwide by Garp.

Jack had a deep understanding of the world. Although pirates were numerous at present, their numbers paled compared to the Great Pirate Era. Knowledge of the Grand Line remained limited on the seas. The legend of the One Piece treasure hadn’t been confirmed, and most pirates sought reputation, wealth, and power rather than the legendary treasure. Only those in the New World knew of the One Piece and pursued it, though not many genuinely aimed to find it until Roger became the Pirate King, sparking a broader pursuit of his title.

Standing before Zephyr, Jack and the others understood the implications. Recruits typically faced eight different climatic terrains, and they would be no exception, likely subjected to more severe training. As expected, Zephyr quickly announced their first training mission: a month-long survival challenge in the rainforest.

For this training, they would have to survive in the rainforest environment for a month, equipped only with a knife. They would handle all other needs, including food, on their own. Forming groups was forbidden, meaning each individual had to navigate and survive the rainforest alone for a month.

One person, one knife—it reminded Jack of a certain survival series, except this time, he was the protagonist.

Without warning and with no time to prepare, they were taken to the rainforest area. The island was vast, comparable to Alabasta, and if not for the naval training camps, it could have supported a powerful kingdom.

Outside the camp, their location was far more dangerous. Besides the climate, the island was home to many fierce beasts and other hazards, including venomous insects. The rainforest was teeming with insects, some of which carried toxins potent enough to kill a person if not treated immediately. Failure to handle these threats meant an end to their training.

"Surviving alone, huh? It seems things won't be so easy," Yamakaji complained on the way.

"What's the matter? Losing faith already?" Jack laughed.

"Of course not. Although I'm not very familiar with rainforest weather, I think surviving for a month is doable," Yamakaji replied confidently with a smile.

"See you in a month," Jack said, waving his hand as they parted ways and entered the rainforest.

"Yeah, see you in a month," Yamakaji responded.

Entering the rainforest, Jack immediately noticed the difference from the outside world. The humidity was palpable, and his clothes became damp shortly after walking.

'Survival hinges on fire' Jack thought, recalling the first point in the survival manual. "Fire is essential for both internal and external needs."

However, obtaining fire in the rainforest was no simple task. Unlike Sakazuki and Borsalino, who could generate flames with his logia abilities, Jack had to find another way. Sakazuki's training would be the simplest and least challenging; as long as he avoided venomous insects, it would be like a leisurely autumn trip.

'Forget it; there is no point in envying him. Let's find a dry spot first.' Jack thought, glancing at the sky. "It's going to rain!"

Rain was frequent in the rainforest, with rain occurring nearly 300 days a year. This meant not only high humidity but also constant rain, a significant challenge.

"hissssss!"

Jack stopped abruptly, placing his hand on the hilt of his knife and staring ahead.

"Ugh!"

A vine nearby moved, and a black shadow flew toward Jack.

Jack quickly drew the long knife at his waist and slashed at the black shadow. The sharp blade flashed, slicing the shadow cleanly in two.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a green snake with a triangular head—clearly highly venomous. It blended perfectly with the environment, making it difficult to spot.

"Phew!" Jack exhaled in relief. He had reacted just in time; otherwise, he would have been forced to abandon the rainforest training early.

After killing the viper, Jack grabbed one of the severed sections and tucked it inside his clothes. Though it wasn't much meat, it was better than nothing, and he could cook it when he made a fire.

Shortly after, rain began to pour, drenching Jack. He now needed a place to shelter from the rain in addition to a way to make fire.

"It's all about survival," Jack muttered, wiping his face. He soon spotted a thick tree and smiled.

"That'll do." Using the long knife, Jack fashioned a rope from a vine and climbed into the tree's middle.

Looking down at the mist, he realized how damp the ground was. Sleeping in the tree would keep him dry. He then carved out a large hole in the tree—big enough for him to lie down and sleep in. What initially seemed challenging turned out to be simple, thanks to his impressive physical fitness and the peculiarities of this world.

In his previous life, he might never have encountered such thick trees or had the strength to carve out shelter from them. With shelter secured, Jack started making a fire. Although it was difficult to find dry wood in the rainforest, he eventually gathered enough materials to start a fire.

By the end of the day, Jack had secured a foothold in the rainforest: fire and shelter. The next challenge was finding food.

The instructors had anticipated that finding a place to sleep and making a fire wouldn't be too difficult. The real test was survival, which involved competing with the animals for food.

The snake meat was barely a snack. Accustomed to ample meals at the training camp, Jack was already feeling the pangs of hunger. He needed food urgently.

However, it was now dark, and the rainforest was teeming with insects and mosquitoes. Jack lit a fire at the entrance of his tree hole and lay down to sleep, waiting for dawn.

Meanwhile, outside the rainforest, a group of instructors were meeting in a row of tents.

"Basically, no problems yet," reported the Commodore.

"If there were any, they could all leave," Zephyr sneered.

"Except for Sakazuki and Borusalino, the rest haven't been able to eat yet, but they've all found shelter. Tomorrow is when the real challenge begins," the Commodore instructor continued.

"Two Devil Fruit users, both logias," Zephyr remarked, smiling. He hadn't expected to attract two individuals with such rare powers when he became the chief instructor.

"The next phase should be interesting," Zephyr added with a smile.