City of Dreams! Major Naito (continued)

The city was not particularly large, roughly the size of a small county town in his previous life.

Its architectural style was much the same as the prevailing style across the seas. The difference was that this city had no residential districts, only all kinds of entertainment facilities.

Taverns, restaurants, casinos, amusement parks, red-light districts, arenas...

Since entering the Dream World was itself a form of rest, people who came here only needed to enjoy themselves to their hearts' content.

This was the City of Dreams.

Naito had divided the current Dream World into three layers.

The first layer was the planet where the City of Dreams stood. Ordinary people who entered the Dream World would all live here, though at present, everything outside the city was still wilderness.

The second layer was where officers like Buckingham, who had higher levels of authority, lived.

Each had an independent little world, isolated from the others. Every officer's little world was a manifestation of what they truly desired deep down. The little worlds were connected to the City of Dreams, and the officers could travel freely between them and bring ordinary people from the city inside.

The third layer was the true Dream World, where Naito usually spent his time. It had no fixed form or bounds and changed according to his wishes. It was his playground.

Naito sensed what was happening.

There were eighty-seven fugitives in the City of Dreams now. Most of them had come in, and there would probably have been even more if they weren't still sailing through the deep sea and in need of enough hands to control the ship.

Nine were drinking heartily in a tavern.

Four were stuffing themselves at a restaurant, taking advantage of the fact that they couldn't get too full.

Seventeen were cleaning up at the casino.

Twenty-six were indulging themselves in the red-light district. A few didn't even care whether their partners were men or women, and even Naito found it an eyesore.

The rest were cheering and shouting in the arena.

The next instant, Naito appeared in an empty seat in the arena. No one noticed his arrival, or rather, no one was qualified to know he had come.

The arena, built after the great arena in Dressrosa, was now packed with noise and almost every seat was taken. Countless spectators shouted in excitement.

Of course, these spectators were all NPCs there to liven up the atmosphere, just like President Kaiba.

There weren't many real spectators, but they were much the same as the NPCs, just as fervent.

After all, the people fighting in the arena were real.

"Hahaha! Salt, is all you know how to do run?"

Giant Bear Anthony laughed. Every time his enormous, Haki-clad bear claws came crashing down, the ground shook.

"Catch up to me first!"

Salt turned into a blur, darting back and forth around the giant bear and leaving wound after wound on Anthony.

"Then try this! Earthquake!!"

The giant bear raised both paws high and slammed them into the ground.

The arena floor shattered at once. Stones of every size flew through the air, killing a group of spectators on the spot.

But Salt stepped on the stones and closed in like the wind, driving his sword fiercely into Anthony's chest.

"Aah!"

Anthony immediately let out a scream.

Although the pain was greatly reduced in the arena, it still hurt.

Then.

A sly look appeared on Anthony's bear face. "Fell for it, didn't you, idiot!"

Salt's expression changed slightly. He couldn't pull his sword free. This guy's muscles were so hard. Was this the strength of a bear?

A huge bear paw was already swiping toward him.

"Ohhh!!"

Cheers immediately rang out to the skies.

Naito fell into thought.

Satisfying physical desires alone wasn't enough. Even he often got bored.

Spiritual culture needed to keep up too.

Fighting, hunting, and even war could all be arranged.

There was also music, theater, literature, and film and television. He could pass off works from his previous life as his own, but wouldn't it be better to wait until there were more people and let those who entered this world become the creators?

As he pondered, a figure appeared out of thin air in the aisle beside him.

"Lord Naito."

Luna bowed slightly to Naito.

As the person with the second-highest authority in the Dream World, she naturally knew he had arrived.

"How is it? Have we reached the New World?"

Naito asked casually.

"Not yet. We just passed Fish-Man Island."

Luna answered.

They had never planned to land on Fish-Man Island in the first place. Jinbe was a Shichibukai, after all, and if they rashly landed and a conflict broke out, Naito didn't think fighting a group of Fish-Men ten thousand meters under the sea was a good idea at this stage.

"Once we reach the New World, don't rush to act. Kizaru is still there,"

Naito said. "Lie low for a while. We'll make our move after Kizaru's rotation ends and he returns to Marineford."

Luna wasn't strong enough yet.

Her defense was certainly maxed out, but her attack power was far too lacking.

It was difficult to make a great leap in strength in a short time through physical training and honing Haki alone.

So, they needed a Devil Fruit.

Nika and the Black Dragon Fruit already had their owners, and there was no telling which corner the Dark-Dark Fruit was in.

That fruit was the only powerful Devil Fruit they could get their hands on most easily.

It was on Punk Hazard.

"Yes."

Luna nodded respectfully.

After watching the fight for a while, Naito stretched, somewhat bored.

"Come on, Luna. Play a game with me."

"Yes."

PVP was what made it fun. Time for a round.

The next morning.

After the usual morning training and breakfast, the commission ceremony officially began.

All the recruits assembled on the training ground. From today onward, they were officially graduates.

First came the flag-raising ceremony.

As the flag bearers sent by headquarters slowly raised the Marine flag, Zephyr stood beneath the flagpole and led the recruits in singing the military song.

"The sea is watching, the beginning of this world."

"The sea is watching, the end of this world..."

Perhaps because they knew this was likely the last time they would sing the military song together, many of the recruits were shouting at the top of their lungs, even though it wasn't a particularly rousing song.

Standing beside Naito and still leaning on a crutch, Binz even had a slight redness around his eyes.

Even Naito felt a little emotional for some reason.

Nearly all of the year since he had transmigrated had been spent here.

After today, it would be time to say goodbye.

When the flag-raising ended, Zephyr began reading out headquarters' military orders. They were the orders for the commissions, issued by Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Then the commissions formally began.

"Rock!"

Zephyr called out the first name.

"Here!"

Rock, the recruit who had helped Binz retreat from the battlefield yesterday, answered loudly.

Zephyr announced, "Recruit Rock, you performed outstandingly and showed excellent conduct during your year of training. You are hereby awarded the rank of sergeant! Step forward!"

"Yes, sir!"

Rock strode up to the platform.

A commodore sent by headquarters to witness the ceremony solemnly picked up a tray from beside him and presented it to Zephyr.

Zephyr took the epaulets from the tray and put them on Rock, followed by a cap, a neckerchief, and finally a new standard-issue musket.

Zephyr personally straightened Rock's uniform, then saluted him. "I hope you never forget why you started, and fight for justice!"

"Yes, sir!"

Rock roared and returned the salute.

One recruit after another went up to the platform, and one after another came down.

Most were sergeants. A few who had performed more outstandingly became staff sergeants, while those who had fallen a little behind became corporals.

Then came Ain.

"Recruit Ain, you performed exceptionally during training and worked well with your fellow recruits. You are hereby awarded the rank of ensign!"

"Yes, sir!"

Ain looked a little excited as she strode up to the platform.

At the rank of ensign, one could wear a Justice Coat.

So Zephyr personally draped the coat over Ain's shoulders.

Beside Naito, Binz couldn't help muttering to himself, "An ensign? It's one thing if I can't measure up to Naito, but I won't lose to Ain too, will I?"

Naito pondered as well. If Ain was an ensign, what about him?

Binz came after Ain. As it turned out, he had worried for nothing. He was an ensign too.

When he returned to the ranks wearing his Justice Coat, Binz turned his head slightly and raised his chin at Naito, looking rather pleased with himself.

Naito wasn't surprised.

Although Binz was indeed a little weaker than Ain and had performed worse in training, the gap wasn't large. Besides, he had, after all, made a contribution yesterday.