After the turtle-shaped Sea King attack, no more Sea Kings attacked during the voyage, and the rest of the journey passed smoothly.
A few days later...
The passenger ship finally arrived at the docks of the Carlha Archipelago, home to the East Blue Marine 44th Branch.
After stepping off the ship, Ages looked up at the blue sky and took a deep breath of air.
"Hmm... Today is a really good day. Hopefully, I can make it through Marine recruitment."
Ages then headed straight for the Marine recruitment office...
"Everyone signing up, get in line! One at a time, no pushing! Anyone who breaks the rules will be disqualified on the spot!"
A Marine corporal shouted at the crowded throng at the top of his lungs.
The Marine recruitment office was packed with people and filled with the roar of voices. The whole scene was exceptionally lively.
Ages stared at the seemingly endless line, his mouth hanging open in surprise.
"My god! There are so many people? How long will I have to wait?"
Although Ages complained about the long line, he obediently joined the queue and waited.
Ages had no intention of cutting in line or anything like that. It would have been far too unwise.
Just as Ages joined the line and waited to sign up,
A burly young man who didn't know what was good for him cut straight to the front to sign up sooner. He grabbed a scrawny young man at the front and said,
"You! Get lost. I'm taking this spot."
The scrawny young man looked at the burly youth, who was taller and bigger than him, and stammered,
"Y-you... what are you doing? If you cut in line... y-you'll... be disqualified... from signing up."
The burly young man smiled contemptuously.
"That rule is for weaklings like you. I'm going to become an Admiral someday. Hmph, besides, with so many people here, that Marine corporal might not even see me cutting in line."
"Why am I wasting my breath on you? Damn it, get the hell out of my way..."
Before the burly young man could finish, a cold voice came from behind him.
"Who did you say couldn't see you cutting in line?"
The burly young man trembled at the sound of the voice and hurriedly turned to look at the speaker.
The man who had spoken coldly was the Marine corporal who had shouted at the crowd earlier.
The corporal looked coldly at the burly young man and said indifferently,
"Who did you say couldn't see you cutting in line? Didn't you hear what I said?"
The burly young man looked at the corporal, who was even bigger than he was. The corporal's words left him deeply embarrassed and at a loss for what to say. He stammered,
"Sir... I... I... well... I just... I only wanted... to sign up... a little faster... I..."
"Hmph!"
The corporal snorted and shouted to the people around him,
"I'll say it again. The Marines don't need people who can't follow the rules. Anyone who dares to break them will be disqualified."
The corporal's repeated warning made the burly young man's heart tighten, and he said in a panic,
"Sir... sir, I was wrong. I was just in a hurry for a moment, I..."
The corporal ignored him and spoke to the Marines following behind him.
"Men, take this rule-breaker away and disqualify him!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Marine soldiers answered, then walked over to the burly young man and seized him to take him out of the recruitment office.
"Sir! Sir! I was wrong! I was wrong! Give me a chance! Give me one more chance!"
The burly young man pleaded desperately as the soldiers dragged him away.
Unfortunately, the corporal paid him no mind. After giving the soldiers their orders, he walked away without looking back...
With that example made, those who had been itching to try something hurriedly lined up and waited obediently.
Watching the scene, Ages found himself recalling his time in the navy on Earth, and remarked,
"Heh, it feels like I'm back on Earth, joining the navy."
Registration proceeded in an orderly fashion...
Under the blazing sun, everyone waiting to sign up was drenched in sweat.
The young man behind Ages lowered his head to wipe away his sweat and complained,
"This damn weather is so hot."
"Huh?"
When the young man lowered his head, he finally noticed Ages in front of him. Looking at Ages's small frame (Ages was only ten, so he wasn't very tall yet), he asked in confusion,
"Hey, kid, what are you doing here?"
Ages turned around and said, "I'm obviously here to enlist in the Marines."
The young man looked at Ages in surprise and doubt, then smiled.
"Kid, this isn't a place for you to play. Hurry home, or that Marine will throw you out just like he did that man."
Ages was speechless. Clearly, the young man thought Ages was a curious child who had come here to play at joining the Marines.
Ages couldn't be bothered to explain the misunderstanding and said,
"Can't a ten-year-old join the Marines?"
"Heh, of course not. In all my life, I've never heard of a ten-year-old getting into the Marines. Hurry home, kid, or you'll get scolded later," the young man reminded him kindly.
Ages pursed his lips and said softly,
"You've never seen a ten-year-old accepted into the Marines?"
"That's right."
"Then you'll see it soon, because I'll definitely be accepted. I believe it!"
Seeing the determination in Ages's eyes, unlike that of others his age, the young man felt a strange sensation and thought,
Could this kid really make it through Marine recruitment?
After saying that, Ages paid the young man no further attention and continued waiting quietly.
In fact, just because the young man had never seen a ten-year-old Marine didn't mean there were no ten-year-olds in the Marines. The Marines had an orphan division that took in orphans.
If they found promising talent among the orphans, they would take them into the Marines and train them from a young age. It was simply that such things didn't happen at a Marine recruitment office.