Navy and Pirates

Marineford, Third Training Ground, Gate 2 passageway.

"During non-wartime, this training ground is open all day for Marineford residents to use for recreation or training."

As the three of them walked down the central path, Bling Bling said excitedly, "The area on the right is for leisure, where the elderly and children can stroll and play. The left side is for training facilities, divided into tracks, target posts, and swimming pools of varying depths."

A Marine flag, featuring a seagull clutching a pair of scales, stood tall on the central flagpole.

Drake listened to the shouts on one side and watched children running with balloons on the other, his eyes filled with longing. "My father told me he grew up here, but he was later assigned to a North Blue branch."

Bling Bling looked up at the great Marine flag and said matter-of-factly, "There are only so many spots at Headquarters. Elite Marines from the four seas all want to get in, so naturally, those who can't keep up get weeded out."

He paused, then turned and waved his hand apologetically. "Of course! I'm sure your father worked very hard! He must have wanted to give you a better starting point, but the results just weren't great. The competitive pressure is just too high, after all."

Drake's expression turned awkward. He regretted being so sentimental; it was better to just stay silent.

Conrad: "His father defected to the pirates."

Bling Bling's eyebrows twitched, his braided pigtails flicking. After two seconds of awkward silence, he let out a loud, forced laugh. "Haha! Who doesn't have a relative who turned pirate? Times are tough, it's normal, totally normal..."

Drake looked at him as if he'd found a kindred spirit, exclaiming, "Your dad is a pirate too?"

"Uh... no, he's just an ordinary Marine in the East Blue." Bling Bling's eyes darted left and right. "But my grandmother's cousin's eldest grandson became a pirate, though he was killed by a mountain bandit before he'd even been at it for two years."

Drake nodded, feeling much more relaxed. "You have mountain bandits there too?"

"You bet! They're a huge nuisance, several gangs of them!" Bling Bling clenched his fists unconsciously. He was the pride of his family; having risen to the rank of Petty Officer at such a young age, he had already surpassed his father's entire career.

He had even been scouted by the Colonel of the 77th Branch and recommended to come to Marineford for the elite selection.

He could not let his parents, his younger brother, or the Colonel down!

Thinking of this, he started doing high-knees on the spot. "Let's start running! I can't wait!"

Just then, a shout rang out from the circular stands.

"Hey~ Conrad! I guessed you'd come here!"

The voice was incredibly familiar. Drake's hair stood on end, and he began doing high-knees at lightning speed. "I can't wait either! Let's run first!"

"Right! Charge!" Bling Bling zoomed off, vaulted over the railing with one hand, and landed on the track.

Drake showed off his jumping ability, clearing the barrier in a single leap, and the two began to run side by side.

At the edge of the stands, Kujaku leaned over the wall with her whip coiled around her arm, smiling as she beckoned with her finger. "Come up."

Who did she think Conrad was? Would he really come and go at her beck and call?

"No." He waved her off and moved to head onto the track.

"Hm? You're not coming?" Kujaku's emerald eyes curved into crescents. She pulled a girl in a red dress from behind the wall by her bow. "Baby-5, he doesn't want to see you."

Baby-5 bit her lower lip, memories of those "forever and ever" words flashing through her mind. She shook her head vigorously. "He wouldn't not see me, Con..."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Conrad moved like a startled rabbit, sprinting up the stairs to the stands and throwing himself at Baby-5 for a hug. "Are you getting used to the food and lodging? I missed you."

She was soft and delicate, her black hair smelling of shampoo.

Baby-5 felt as if she were being pulled into Conrad's body; it was warm and comfortable.

Her small hands reached naturally inside Conrad's coat, clutching the bandages on his back. "Does it hurt?"

"It's fine! It's already healed; I'm taking them off in a couple of days." Conrad pulled back and took her hands. They were smooth and smelled of soap and laundry detergent—she had clearly been doing chores.

"Where are your old clothes?" Conrad asked.

Kujaku, standing to the side with her arms crossed, interjected, "Obviously I washed them and changed her. Those were winter clothes; how could she wear them in this weather?"

Baby-5 nodded, her face flushing red. "This is one of Kujaku's old dresses. It fits me perfectly. Does it look good?"

"Yeah." Even though they were old clothes, Conrad could see they were clean and new; they probably hadn't been worn many times.

"Are you worried I'm mistreating her?" Kujaku twirled her whip, raised it high, and smiled with narrowed eyes.

"This is a Combat Whip, reinforced with steel. If you're scared, well... I could let you take a few lashes to discipline you! Then you won't be able to take your temper out on her!"

"Then go ahead." Conrad had always been straightforward; he spread his arms and bared his chest.

Kujaku was stunned. She hadn't expected him to agree so readily. She scrutinized him, but couldn't find a hint of enjoyment on his face.

"No! Kujaku never hit me!" Baby-5 hurriedly blocked the space between them.

"No fun!" Kujaku suddenly pressed down on her hat, pulling it over her bangs and eyebrows. "I wanted you to beg me to hit you!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dense gunfire suddenly erupted in the center of the training ground, followed by heart-wrenching wails.

"Spare us! Please, let us go!"

Conrad followed the sound and saw seven or eight teenage Marines holding rifles, surrounding a group of terrified pirates.

"Why didn't you think of this day when you were burning and looting?" a young Marine with a round hairstyle and a cross-shaped scar on his right forehead shouted. "Tie them all up!"

There were many die-hard Marine loyalists, but one could tell at a glance that this youth was among the most fanatical—he had the word "MARINE" tattooed directly across his broad chin.

Conrad closed his eyes, searching his memory, and recalled the young man's name.

Very Good, a user of the Berry-Berry Fruit, was one of the colonels conscripted by the Buster Call during the war at Enies Lobby in the original story.

The marines were seen tying the pirates to wooden posts used for sword-slashing practice.

They then excitedly paced out a two-hundred-meter distance, drew their own bows and arrows, and began shooting at the living targets to compare scores.

Very Good drew his bow first, and with a whoosh, an arrow struck a pirate—who was streaming tears and snot—right between the eyes, piercing his skull and pinning him to the wooden post.

"Hahaha! Ten points!"

Another marine hurriedly followed up with a shot, hitting the pirate in the eye socket as he slumped forward, shouting excitedly, "I got ten points too!"

But those who followed were not as accurate, hitting the pirates in their torsos and thighs, then walking up to pull out their arrows, leaving the men covered in bloody holes and wailing in agony.

"So annoying, it's filthy; these people make a mess everywhere every time they come." Kujaku looked on with utter disdain, turned around, and said, "Let's go, come back tomorrow once it's been cleaned up."

Conrad frowned and asked, "Are these pirates sentenced to death?"

"Some are, some aren't, I suppose." Kujaku rested her face in her hands and said, "I'm signing up to be a marine this year too, so I'm your rival."

She waited a few seconds without hearing a reply, then turned her head.

She saw that Conrad was already leading Baby-5 down the stairs, heading toward the archery range.

Kujaku hurried to catch up, "Hey, hey! She's under my supervision right now! You can't take her away!"

As Conrad walked, Bling Bling and Drake happened to stop their run and came to his side.

This was because Drake could no longer bear to watch and felt nauseous, just as he had when he watched pirates plunder civilians and slaughter each other back in his pirate crew.