The Dead Weight

Marineford, the harbor.

Steel behemoths stood in neat rows across the sea. Even from far away, they inspired awe and reverence.

Solemn and imposing.

Morito was just one of the fifty thousand elite Marines. Standing amid the crowd, he was as tiny as a grain of rice in a rice jar.

At the bow of the warship stood a short, dark-skinned man with a well-proportioned build.

Vice Admiral Akita was the ship's highest-ranking commander and strongest fighter. A sword hung at his waist, and his muscular frame and steady stance gave off a sharp Sword Momentum.

He seemed to be a swordsman of some skill.

Morito and Kazan wore Reserve Navy uniforms. Only Vice Admiral Akita and his adjutant knew their true identities.

On this warship, the two were mere grunts—the kind who ranked even below third-class soldiers.

Yet Akita hadn't assigned them the duties of grunts. Instead, he treated them as combatants, even giving them the accommodations of personal guards.

The Marines aboard the warship looked surprised. Quite a few even wondered whether the two were somehow connected to Vice Admiral Akita.

Morito was an old hand. He was used to drawing stares wherever he went.

But Kazan was still too self-conscious, and he looked a little uncomfortable.

Back at the Training Camp, he'd been one of the three strongest. But after leaving the camp and entering the Elite Class in the Reserve Navy, Kazan had become the worst student in the class.

Kazan had plenty of talent. What he lacked was time and experience.

"Reserve Navy recruits Morito and Kazan reporting for duty."

The two stepped up to Vice Admiral Akita, saluted, and announced themselves.

Vice Admiral Akita nodded. As a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, he knew a little about the Naval Academy, unlike the ordinary Marine soldiers.

And by a strong fighter's instincts, he could sense the strength hidden within Morito and Kazan. It was definitely on par with the elite Marines under his command.

Besides, Akita, as a Headquarters Vice Admiral, knew what had sparked the Navy's battle against the Flying Pirates.

Wasn't it because Kuzan had taken out Vulture, one of Golden Lion's top men?

Those two had been aboard that warship, too.

They'd survived a battle against the Vulture Pirates. That alone was enough to prove Morito and Kazan's strength.

"You two should get some rest first. Anything can happen on a battlefield. I can only promise to do my best to carry out Admiral Zephyr's orders."

Akita's meaning was clear enough.

A battlefield meant life and death. Even he couldn't guarantee Morito and Kazan's safety.

He could do his best, but he couldn't make promises.

"Yes, sir!"

Morito and Kazan answered in unison.

Once you stepped onto a battlefield, you had to be prepared to kill and be killed. Otherwise, why become a Marine? Wouldn't it be better to go home, farm, and raise children?

Why risk your life on the edge of a blade?

Akita nodded and said no more.

He immediately called over a Marine and told him to take Morito and Kazan to a room to rest.

The warship still had some distance to cover before reaching its destination. There was no need for everyone to stand watch on deck.

Morito and Kazan followed the Marine.

The other Marines glanced their way. None of them said anything, but their eyes plainly showed their deep resentment.

Grunts who didn't do grunt work, but got treated like personal guards.

Who wouldn't be annoyed by that?

"Why do I get the feeling they really don't like us?" Kazan wasn't stupid. Even a blind man could have sensed such obvious hostility.

"Don't ask it like a question. Be confident: they don't like us."

Morito paused, then added, "Well, they probably dislike me more. Whatever. I'm used to it."

Let them stare. It wasn't like he'd lose a limb.

Kazan: "..."

Could you have at least a little shame?

At the harbor of Marineford, more than twenty warships sailed out one after another.

Their mission was to swiftly wipe out the Flying Pirates' forces in Paradise.

The moment the warships left the harbor, they split up and headed in every direction.

Morito and Kazan entered a double room. Only after the door closed did the low murmurs on deck begin to rise.

"Hey, what's going on? Why would the higher-ups put two Reserve Navy recruits on our ship?"

"This time, we've assembled the Marine Headquarters' most elite forces to take on Golden Lion!"

"Those two brats don't even look twenty!"

They hadn't even grown all their hair, and they thought they could fight Golden Lion's Flying Pirates?

The weakest Marines taking part in this operation were first-class soldiers. Above them were noncommissioned officers, junior officers, senior officers, and flag officers.

A battle against a Great Pirate like Golden Lion was no place for second-class soldiers, let alone Reserve Navy recruits who ranked below third-class soldiers.

Reserve Navy recruits were just another name for grunts.

Those two grunts in Reserve Navy uniforms had not only been given a double room, they hadn't even been assigned to stand watch. They'd been sent straight to rest!

"Vice Admiral Akita, just who are those two...?"

A major furrowed his brow. He couldn't hold back any longer and finally asked.

Even if they'd pulled strings to earn some combat credit, shouldn't they have picked another time?

This was a war against Golden Lion. The slightest mistake could send everyone on their ship to the bottom of the sea.

And in such a dangerous battle, they still had to bring along two deadweights!

Wasn't that going too far?

The major had voiced what most of them were thinking. Everyone stopped talking and turned to Akita, hoping he'd give them a convincing answer.

But Akita couldn't reveal Morito and Kazan's identities in public.

He kept their identities secret so the Elite Class students wouldn't be treated differently, letting them fight alongside the other Marines as ordinary soldiers.

He'd only informed the vice admirals and adjutants aboard each warship to minimize the risk of something going wrong.

After all, every student in the Elite Class was a genius with the potential to become a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral. They were the Navy's future.

They needed the baptism of blood, but couldn't be allowed to fall too easily.

Akita fixed his gaze on the major and gave a vague reply. "I know what you're thinking, but things aren't the way you imagine."

The major was unwilling to let it go and wanted to press further, but the adjutant beside him stopped him.

The adjutant reprimanded him sternly. "We'll talk after the battle. For now, stay at your post and do your job!"

At that, everyone turned away.

They'd already steeled themselves to go to the battlefield and fight pirates. Then, out of nowhere, they'd been saddled with two deadweights. Anyone would have lost their nerve.

One deadweight wasn't enough.

They had to bring two!

Honestly...

There was nothing they could do. With two extra deadweight grunts aboard, they had to be twice as vigilant and take things even more seriously.

This wasn't happening aboard every warship.

Morito and Kazan were newcomers.

The warships carrying people like Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Dragon were a completely different story. The Marines aboard them weren't resentful at all. Instead, they looked at the newcomers with respect.

The strong were respected wherever they went!