At G3 Fortress in the New World, a cold young man stood in the center of the training ground. He wore black leather from head to toe, with a black coat draped over it, thick fur covering both shoulders.
"Anyone else want to come up?"
Hands in his pockets and sunglasses on his face, he radiated an air of calculated cool. The other Marines found it irritating, but none dared talk back.
The Marines sprawled around him were proof enough of his strength.
The young Marine, Krizalid, had joined G3 Fortress only six months ago. Every day, he either trained or fought.
At just eighteen, he had defeated Marine after Marine who challenged him through his mastery of Body Techniques.
He had dominated the selection for a spot in the Elite Training Camp, too.
In truth, no one had doubted that Krizalid would win.
Young as he was, Krizalid had already survived countless battles and awakened the Color of Two Haki.
Watching him, the commander of G3 Fortress, Marine Vice Admiral Sivori, looked on with admiration.
Krizalid was an outstanding fighter.
But he also gave Sivori a headache.
Krizalid showed no mercy even to his comrades. Against pirates, he was harsher still.
Sivori recalled asking him six months earlier why he wanted to join the Marines.
"I want somewhere I can grow stronger safely. The Marines seem like a good choice."
Sivori had not known what to say to that.
According to Krizalid, he came from an island in the New World that a pirate crew had massacred.
He wanted revenge, but he lacked the strength, so he had kept training.
He had also spent two years fighting in the Sky Arena.
The island really had been massacred, and the pirate crew did exist.
There was no need to dig