The Celestial Dragons' Admirer

As an institution that upheld "justice," the Marines G2 Branch naturally could not be located within any country, as that would cause their absolute neutrality to become biased.

What appeared before Longinus was an independent ring-shaped island. The Seagull Flag, symbolizing peace, fluttered in the wind, while warships surrounded the island and giant cannons stood at attention. The streets ahead were bustling with traffic and people, and the Marine base, which should have been solemn and dignified, had gained considerable vitality thanks to the month-long World Military Draft.

There were only nine Marine bases on the Grand Line. Unlike the Four Blues branches, whose rank structure was three levels below that of Marine Headquarters and whose highest rank was only colonel—that is, captain at Headquarters—the Marine bases on the Grand Line were directly subordinate to Headquarters, and their rank system was on the same level as Headquarters'.

In terms of scale, the Marines G2 Branch was far beyond what those small branches in the Four Blues could compare with. According to the information Longinus had learned, this single branch possessed formidable forces comprising one Marine Vice Admiral, five Marine Rear Admirals, and twenty Marine Commodores, suppressing a vast sea area that included dozens of nearby countries and more.

Therefore, when Louis's fleet ostentatiously delivered Longinus to G2 Branch, it miraculously failed to attract many onlookers. Even the Marine soldiers on duty did not spare him a glance, treating Longinus as just another second-generation heir who had come to the Marines to gild his résumé.

Besides, those good-for-nothings without any real ability would most likely be fleeing back home crying for their parents before long. The soldiers had seen such things too often, so there was no need to pay them much attention.

What was more, the so-called noble heirs and royal backgrounds were nothing worth mentioning here. What national power could compare with the Marines, the strongest force that suppressed the Grand Line?

The only thing worth paying a little attention to was that the youth who had disembarked from the flagship seemed far too young. Could it be that some country belonging to this fleet had suffered a rebellion and sent the offspring of its big shots here for political asylum?

After watching Longinus disappear into the sea of people, Louis let out a long sigh. "There's a reason the Marines can grow so powerful. Their ideals of justice attract countless rising stars like Brother Longinus to join them. But... will the World Government really feel at ease letting the Marines continue to grow? How long can peace and stability on these seas last?"

Immediately afterward, Louis shook his head. "Hah! Why should a small fry like me worry about all that? I'd better return to the kingdom and deal with Azka's threat first. I haven't settled the score with them yet for breaking the rules and contacting pirates this time!"

Standing beside him, Hina was not overly discouraged. She merely gazed hopefully into the depths of the crowd and silently made up her mind: Powerful strength and the determination to protect justice? Hina will definitely follow Big Brother Longinus's footsteps and join the Marines too!

Longinus looked around at everything with fresh curiosity. In the three years since he had come to this world, this was the first time he had seen such a lively crowd and such a prosperous town. It was as if he had suddenly stepped from the tribal era into a feudal dynasty.

Before long, Longinus found an inn and settled in.

"Excuse me, could you tell me about the procedures for the World Military Draft?" Longinus asked as he took two bills worth 1,000 each from his breast pocket and handed them over.

The attendant who had been tidying Longinus's room had initially been somewhat impatient. Seeing how understanding Longinus was, however, he immediately broke into a broad smile. "Listen to you, sir. If there's something you want to ask, how could I refuse?"

Though he said that, his hands had already honestly accepted the tip and tucked it into his pocket, while his slightly impatient face had filled with smiles.

"The World Military Draft will last for a month, with a new round of recruitment beginning every three days. That's mainly to accommodate people from more remote regions. Only ten days have passed, so there's still plenty of time. Just wait for the fourth round of recruitment two days from now, sir."

"Besides, selecting Marines mainly means screening out those whose physical fitness is inadequate. With a sturdy physique like yours, sir, it'll basically just be a formality."

As he said this, the attendant glanced at Longinus with concealed fear. He could not understand why this seemingly immature face gave him a sense of intimidation from someone of higher standing.

Longinus nodded slightly. That was only natural. The Marines were neither Cipher Pol nor a pirate crew. Aside from Top Combat Power like the Marine Admirals, their greatest reliance in suppressing the Grand Line was their elite soldiers spread across the seas. Naturally, they could not set the bar as high as an elite selection process.

Moreover, every round of Marine recruitment consumed a great deal of time. If they conducted tests of strength, speed, and physique, or even individual combat and group warfare tests, a whole year might not be enough.

Therefore, despite the World Military Draft's enormous spectacle, its selection process was actually very simple. As long as a person had no physical deformities or serious physical deficiencies, they could basically pass the selection quickly.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, waves of shouting and commotion came from the street outside, causing Longinus to frown and look out the window. The already congested street was now packed with people. Clearly, the desire to watch the excitement was in demand no matter what world one was in.

"People dare to cause trouble even inside a Marine base?" Longinus asked.

"There are idiots everywhere on these seas. Especially recently, after quite a few self-important idiots slipped in, scenes that were usually rare have gradually become more common."

The attendant spoke disdainfully. "Just treat it as a joke, sir. Before long, patrol guards will throw the troublemaker out. Then you can also enjoy the ugly sight of those usually lofty nobles wetting their pants in fear."

"Is that so?" Longinus's gaze drifted, but his sharp eyes pierced through the crowd and took in the situation at the center.

A nobleman with a pale face and unsteady steps stood arrogantly upright, but his body, hollowed out by wine and lust, made the pose look strangely comical.

Before him stood a tall, muscular man. At this moment, he braced himself against the ground with his broad back shielding the small figure in his arms. He allowed several lackeys to kick and punch him, yet remained silent, as if those blows were merely raindrops drifting harmlessly down.

"Why would a lowly commoner like you dare resist me? Saint Tomas said that lowly inferior people like you only need to obey!" Rex bellowed furiously.

Ever since he had once happened to witness the "might" of the Celestial Dragons, Rex had been filled with envy toward them. He believed that was the treatment a superior person ought to enjoy, and he constantly acted as though he were a Celestial Dragon from the lower world.

Unfortunately, he had the Celestial Dragons' sickness but not their fate. His noble status could barely work on his own turf, but after leaving that small patch of land, he had repeatedly run into obstacles. Now, he had finally unleashed all the rage he had been suppressing.