Heading to Marine Headquarters

Ten days had passed since Wood parted ways with the people of Maple Leaf Island, and he had already spent that time aboard a Marine warship.

The so-called "hundred-day rule for broken bones" clearly didn't apply in this world.

Whether it was due to Wood's own excellent constitution or the ship doctor's remarkable skill, after just ten days, Wood was already able to get out of bed and move around.

During those ten days, their small fleet of warships had toured most of the first half of the Grand Line.

Perhaps because he had found Wood quite satisfactory, Zephyr was uncharacteristically less picky about the rest of the recruitment. By the time they returned to Marine Headquarters, they had barely met the minimum quota, much to Rear Admiral Kadaru's relief.

Since he had recovered his mobility, Wood had no desire for special treatment and requested to move out of the private cabin.

However, rumors had spread like wildfire aboard the ship over the past few days, and Wood had clearly become ostracized by the new recruits. He didn't seem to care much about it, nor did he bother to explain himself.

Because Marine warships could use the special route through the Gates of Justice, their return trip didn't waste much time, and they soon arrived at Marine Headquarters, "Marineford."

At the massive harbor, warships followed instructions and docked at their designated spots.

Unlike most islands, Marineford was also an island, but it had been fully developed into the Marine's main stronghold.

As soon as Wood and the other rookies stepped off the ship, they were drawn to a massive building before them.

On the sturdy square walls stood a multi-story tower-like structure, with the large word "Marine" emblazoned on the walls, alongside a seagull emblem holding a set of scales in its beak.

There were many countries in the Grand Line, but few could rival the scale of Marine Headquarters.

And along with the building's grandeur, the thick cannon barrels lining the walls and the guards stationed every ten paces seemed to declare that this sea fortress was no mere showpiece.

Steel, uniforms, and guns—these were the dreams of most men. As the newly recruited soldiers gazed at the imposing Marine Headquarters and the Marines training in the yard, many couldn't help but feel their hearts surge with excitement.

Most of them had joined the Marine simply to put food on the table.

But now, seeing the elite Marines passing by and the dashing officers commanding drills, many couldn't help but look on with admiration, imagining themselves becoming one of them one day.

Just as Zephyr and his group disembarked, another warship pulled up to the dock. A large man in a white Marine uniform, with a dog-head-shaped hat on his head and a muscular, towering frame, spotted Zephyr from a distance and let out a hearty laugh as he strode over.

He appeared to be about Zephyr's age and wore the same suit-and-vest Marine uniform, with a "Justice" cloak draped over his shoulders. From his attire, it was clear he was also a "flag officer"-rank Marine.

"I was wondering why the port was so much livelier than usual today—turns out it's you old-timer bringing back the new recruits.

Look at all these cannons, polished to a shine. I've never seen them fired once, but today they're all rolled out.

Last time, Sengoku was complaining to me about the recent budget shortfall, but today, just to impress these rookies, they've clearly blown a fortune on this military drill."

The man walking toward Zephyr shoved a rice cracker into his mouth with one hand while holding the bag in the other, all while shamelessly exposing his old boss's tricks, leaving the Marines beside him speechless.

On a normal day, Marine Headquarters was heavily guarded, but that was only relative. After all, this was "Marineford," home to the Marine's strongest forces—the Marine Admirals and the Fleet Admiral. No pirate would be foolish enough to attack the Marine Headquarters directly.

So the military displays and drills that Wood and the other rookies were seeing now were clearly arranged on purpose.

Even Zephyr, who knew the inner workings of the Marine well, didn't need to think twice to know who was behind the planning and execution.

At the same time, Zephyr understood that the Marine Headquarters' purpose for this display was not only to showcase their strength but also to inspire the new recruits and foster a sense of belonging.

But knowing that didn't stop someone from bluntly calling it out.

As expected, because of this man's remarks, the effect of the Marine Headquarters' grand show would undoubtedly be diminished.

Not to mention the manpower costs, but the expenses for the shells fired in the drill—without achieving the desired effect—would likely lead a certain Marine Admiral to come looking for trouble with this loudmouth tomorrow.

"Karp, if you keep running your mouth like that, Sengoku will be coming after you soon enough."

Seeing the man approaching, Zephyr's stern face cracked into a rare smile.

And from that address, the rookies present realized that this old man with the dog-head hat was none other than the legendary Marine Hero, Monkey D. Karp!

Among the Marine Headquarters' officers, if anyone had the best relationships, it was undoubtedly Zephyr, since most of the officers were his students, and he was always dedicated to them.

But when it came to fame, it wasn't Zephyr or even the Fleet Admiral—it was the Marine Hero standing before them, Monkey D. Karp!

This great man wasn't just a hero of the entire Marine; he was also well-known among ordinary people, given that he had repeatedly made the Pirate King eat his words.

"By the usual rules, I probably shouldn't have said that out loud... But since it's already out, there's no helping it.

To keep Sengoku from coming after me, just pretend you didn't hear any of that, hahahaha."

Hearing Zephyr's words, Karp seemed to realize belatedly that he had "accidentally" thrown his buddy Sengoku under the bus again.

Admitting fault was out of the question—Karp had his pride. So he could only laugh heartily and tell Wood and the other rookies to forget what they'd just heard.

"You've been in the Marine for decades and hold a high rank—can't you think about the consequences before you act?"

Seeing Karp laughing without a shred of guilt, Zephyr covered his face in exasperation. Age-wise, Karp was actually a few years older than him, but his personality was sometimes as childish as a kid's, and he was utterly reckless...

As Zephyr complained about Karp, Rear Admiral Kadaru wore a pained expression. He really wanted to say, "Compared to Vice Admiral Karp's willfulness, Admiral Zephyr is hardly any better..."