August 1519, the New World, Marine Branch G-14.
The branch had sturdy walls and a castle with tall, domed towers. Its colors and architecture called to mind the era of Tsarist Russia on Blue Star.
Atop the walls, the dark muzzles of heavy cannons pointed toward the distant horizon as soldiers patrolled back and forth.
Inside the walls, dust rose from the training grounds beneath the blazing sun, mingling with the sweat of rough-and-ready men.
After all, this was a special branch in the New World, and it was very close to the Marine Science Unit's Eighth Research Institute.
Compared with ordinary Marine branches, its training had already been far more intense.
Ever since Vegapunk had moved to the Eighth Research Institute last year, both personnel reinforcements and training intensity at G-14 had gone up another notch.
Some of the Science Unit's combat personnel had also begun to be stationed here.
This was to prevent all their combat personnel from being wiped out at once if the Eighth Research Institute encountered an extreme emergency.
"Iron Body doesn't mean you stand there like a wooden post! If you haven't reached the level of Warrior Body, don't blindly trust Iron Body!"
An instructor barked the warning.
Bare-chested petty officers flexed their muscles, practicing Iron Body over and over. Dull thuds of blows striking hard surfaces rang out from time to time.
Petty officers in the New World had to know a couple of the Six Powers, too. Commissioned junior officers were required to know at least Armament Haki.
As the Marines trained, some conspicuous figures passed by. They couldn't help taking a look, but after a reprimand from their instructor, they returned their attention to training.
Conspicuous or not, the visitors were essentially on their side. This wasn't their first time seeing