Marineford, the Marine Headquarters.
The warship slowly sailed into the harbor of the Marines's main base.
Even from a distance, the massive complex of buildings stood tall and majestic. At the heart of the fortress, an enormous wall towered into the sky, its full height impossible to gauge from afar.
Carved into this colossal wall were two bold, commanding characters: "海軍", standing proud and solemn for all to see.
Above the wall rose layers of traditional, imposing structures. The architecture blended with the sheer scale of the fortress, exuding an awe-inspiring, regal aura.
Surrounding the area were four towering watchtowers, each flying the Marines' flag high and strong, standing as guardians of the base.
Beyond the fortress, a vast expanse of town-like buildings stretched endlessly. While lacking the grand authority of the main structures, they added a touch of life and warmth to the otherwise solemn, disciplined headquarters.
This formed the one-of-a-kind Marine Headquarters.
"So this is Marineford?!"
The recruits from the Four Blues stared in awe as they took in the full view of the Marine Headquarters.
Compared to this place, their branch bases felt like nothing more than small courtyards.
Rear Admiral Wells noticed their reactions and smiled faintly. He, too, had risen from a Four Blues branch. He remembered having the same expression when he first laid eyes on Marineford.
As the warship docked, Rear Admiral Wells spoke up.
"Everyone, gather your belongings and prepare to disembark."
Sakazuki followed the others off the ship.
Along the way, they passed by countless marines. Despite the sheer number of people, everything remained orderly and disciplined.
They eventually arrived at a vast, open plaza, surrounded by towering structures and filled with more trainees and officers, all waiting for what came next.
The plaza was massive, large enough to accommodate tens of thousands training at once, divided into many sections.
In several areas, marines were already in the middle of rigorous drills.
Sakazuki and the others were led to one particular section where many people had already gathered. Most wore standard marine uniforms, but a few were dressed in their own casual clothes.
According to Marine regulations, officers above the lieutenant rank were permitted to wear the iconic "Justice" coat over their standard uniform.
For more senior officers and admirals, they could pair the Justice coat with their personal attire instead.
Sakazuki had been promoted to lieutenant commander a year ago, but he had grown accustomed to his uniform and never bothered to change.
The gathered marines were clearly outstanding recruits from all over the world.
Wells stepped forward to meet a group of fellow rear admirals, each one draped in their Justice coats.
One of the officers grinned at Wells and said, "Looks like you've brought quite the batch this time."
"Wells, you're way too slow—we've been waiting for a while now!" said another officer.
"...."
"...."
"...."
...
On the other side, not long after Sakazuki and the others finished lining up, a group of people approached.
Leading them were two towering, burly men in white suits, both draped with "Justice" coats.
One had a head of vibrant purple hair, the other jet-black hair, both laughing heartily.
"Vice Admiral Zephyr! Vice Admiral Garp!"
The moment they appeared, Wells and the other officers, along with the surrounding Marines immediately straightened up, saluting with utmost respect.
'Zephyr and Garp, huh?'
Sakazuki's pupils contracted as he stared at the two men, a wave of shock hitting him.
Even though he'd mentally prepared for this, standing before them in person made the gap in strength overwhelmingly clear.
'So this is what the world's strongest truly looks like,' Sakazuki thought to himself.
Though impressed by their power, Sakazuki didn't agree with their ideals or methods.
One embodied "idealistic justice"—a man who once held noble beliefs, only to watch those ideals crumble when his family was slaughtered by pirates. That tragedy twisted him, leaving behind a shell filled with hatred and a relentless pursuit of absolute justice. The massacre of his students, coupled with the higher-ups' decisions, pushed him further into a spiral of obsession and destruction.
The other stood for "carefree justice"—hailed as a Marine hero but acting on his own whims. His attitude toward Roger, treating him as a friend despite his atrocities, was nothing less than enabling evil in Sakazuki's eyes.
Roger had wiped out an entire nation's military simply because someone spoke ill of his crewmate. Garp himself recalled Roger as a monster, a demon of unmatched brutality, yet still, he called him a friend.
And after Roger's death, Garp's ideals shifted. He began to believe that so long as no blood was spilled, it counted as peace, a dangerously passive mindset.
To Sakazuki, it was foolishness. In an avalanche, no snowflake is innocent.
As these thoughts burned within him, Zephyr stepped forward and spoke with a commanding voice.
"For the next week, Garp and I will personally oversee your training and evaluations.
"One week from now, we will select the best among you for an intensive three-year training program. Your performance will be monitored and recorded daily. Only those with the highest overall capabilities will be chosen.
"You are the future of the Marines. But how far you go, that's up to you.
"Do you understand?"
The gathered Marines, faces burning with excitement, shouted in unison.
"Understood!!!"
Sometimes, a little fiery motivation worked wonders...
Zephyr nodded, his expression stern.
"I haven't looked at your files. It doesn't matter what you were before, whether you were born with extraordinary talent or earned great merit.
"None of that matters now. From this point forward, you all have only one identity: Marine recruits.
"Myself, Garp, and the officers behind us, we are your instructors. Your duty is simple: start from scratch and obey orders without question.
"Do you understand?"
"Understood!!!" the recruits shouted in perfect unison again.
Discipline and obedience, the most basic expectations of a marine. For them, this was no obstacle.
"Excellent." Zephyr nodded, satisfaction flickering in his stern gaze.
"Your first lesson today is this: Justice.
"Justice—just one simple word. But it's the belief every Marine carries in their heart.
"Many people join the Marines for their own reasons, but no matter what those reasons were, before you act, before you make any decision, you must ask yourselves this, 'Is this the justice I believe in?'
"Do you understand?"
"Understood!!!" the recruits roared, their voices filled with conviction.
Justice was the core belief of the Marines, though each person's interpretation of it might differ. Still, the majority of Marines held unwavering faith in their version of justice.
Zephyr nodded approvingly. "Very good. Next, the captains behind me will conduct your tests."
"Firth."
"Here!"
"Feynman."
"Here!"
"...."
"...."
"...."
"Ten of you, step forward and begin the test."
Swish!
Boom!
The square erupted with the clash of blades, fists colliding, and bodies moving in a blur of raw strength and skill.
Before long, a figure was sent flying, landing hard on the ground.
"Next, Lino!"
"Here!"
....
Time passed, one match after another. Finally:
"Sakazuki."
"Here."
The moment the name was mentioned, it drew countless eyes. Even without considering Sakazuki's Magma Fruit abilities, his towering, muscular frame alone radiated an oppressive aura.
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