Private Leon

Since the day he landed that solid punch on old man Garp a few days ago, Leon had rarely seen Garp around.

When they did cross paths, Garp was always in a hurry. His adjutant, Bogard, had spent the past few days filling Leon in on basic Navy knowledge.

Bogard had been at Garp's side since the Roger era—a stoic swordsman of unknown strength.

Even during the fierce battle on Hachinosu, he never made a move. Maybe Oda just forgot about him...

The Silver Fiber Bandage Leon had commissioned from Kuzan was finally finished, and Kuzan personally delivered it.

Leon felt the heavy weight of the Silver Fiber Bandage in his hands. With this, he could block most of the radiation his body emitted and join the Navy without worry.

Kuzan was reliable enough, but the Pure Gold Jewelry Leon had given him? Not a single piece was left...

With a decent grasp of Navy basics and his worries resolved, Leon decided to first visit the Navy's renowned instructor—Admiral Zephyr.

Zephyr's house was right next to Garp's. Like Garp, Zephyr lived alone, so there wasn't much formality.

Leon hopped over the wall and landed directly in Zephyr's courtyard.

Zephyr happened to be there, and in front of him stood a tall, blond-haired youth.

"Leon! You ill-mannered brat! How many times have I told you!"

"Use the front door!"

Before Leon could even steady himself, Zephyr's roar came crashing down.

Leon nodded nonchalantly.

"Mr. Zephyr, you actually have visitors? That's rare."

After these past few days, Zephyr had figured out Leon's character.

Another bastard with a rotten personality and no regard for rules, just like Garp. No wonder Garp thought so highly of him.

Leon walked up to Zephyr. The blond youth beside him was tall but thin, looking like an easy target.

"Hi, I'm Leon."

Leon extended his hand, wrapped in Silver Fiber Bandage. The blond youth smiled warmly and reached out his right hand.

"You..."

The blond youth suddenly flopped to the ground.

"Sigh..."

Zephyr rubbed his forehead.

"His name is Rosinante. He's Sengoku's adopted son. He'll be joining the Navy with you."

Rosinante, huh...

The blond youth's face gradually overlapped with that of the Donquixote Family's second-generation "Heart," with his exaggerated makeup.

That gentle man...

Leon grasped Rosinante's stubbornly outstretched right hand as he lay on the ground.

"Pleasure to meet you."

Leon used the momentum to help Rosinante up.

Rosinante said sheepishly, "Sorry, I've been like this since I was a kid—always clumsy..."

Zephyr watched the two of them getting along surprisingly well despite just meeting, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Since you've both decided to join the Navy, go register at the recruitment office together."

"Let me give you one last warning: Navy training is brutally harsh. Don't come crying regret later!"

Leon nodded. Rosinante immediately started loudly vowing.

"Mr. Zephyr! I've been ready for a long time! Please believe that no matter how tough the training..."

Rosinante rambled on. Leon sighed and turned to leave.

When Rosinante finally ran out of breath and turned his head, Leon's figure was almost out of sight.

"Hey! Leon! Wait for me!"

Rosinante took off running.

"Watch..."

Before Zephyr could finish, Rosinante tripped over the doorstep and slammed hard into the ground.

"...your step."

"Sigh..."

At the Navy recruitment office, the clerk looked over the forms the two had filled out.

"Name: Rosinante."

"Age: 15."

"Place of birth: Unknown."

"Relatives: Sengoku."

"..."

Staring at the glaring name in the relatives column, the Marine fell silent, then picked up another file.

"Name: Leon."

"Age: 16?"

"Place of birth: Skull Island."

"Relatives: None."

"..."

Though his supervisor had already warned him that the two before him were well-connected insiders, the young Marine still couldn't help clenching his hand, gripping the files tightly.

Let alone the son of Fleet Admiral Sengoku...

This kid named Leon—a simple registration form, half of it left blank...

That, he could tolerate.

But what he couldn't figure out was—why the hell did you put a question mark after your own age!?

He looked at Leon, whose body was wrapped in bandages, only a pair of eyes visible, staring at him without a word. Then he glanced at Rosinante beside him, who was pointing at the Marine recruitment office and chattering nonstop.

For the first time, the young Marine felt the darkness lurking within Marine Headquarters.

Damn nepotism hires!

Too bad he had no authority and even less courage to challenge his superiors. He could only grab the stamp and slam it viciously onto both registration forms.

"Alright, congratulations—you are now proud Marine soldiers..."

"Thanks!"

Leon sighed in admiration. As expected of Marine Headquarters—efficient!

The two changed into their newly issued Marine uniforms. As third-class privates, regulations forbade them from wearing their own clothes.