As the Marines' forward stronghold in the New World, the G-1 Branch's facilities ranked second only to Headquarters among all branches.
Aside from his previous trip to Punk Hazard aboard the Yellow Monkey Flying Ship, this was Griffin's first time setting foot in the New World.
...
"The New World is different from the paradise of the first half. Its storms, pirates, and weather make the earlier seas seem like children playing in puddles."
The officer in charge here was a seasoned Marine Vice Admiral codenamed Camellia.
He was a lean old man with a white goatee reaching his chest, looking more like a scholar than a Marine.
After Momonga completed the handover and departed, it fell to him to brief Griffin on the mission details.
...
Although Griffin considered himself still enrolled in Zephyr's training program, Sengoku recognized his strength and character, unwilling to let such combat prowess remain idle in the training camp.
"It's time to make your mark in the New World," Sengoku had declared, assigning Griffin as acting Deputy Base Commander of the G-1 Branch.
After Momonga returned from his mission, Griffin would immediately assume the permanent position of Deputy Base Commander when it became vacant.
...
...
Vice Admiral Camellia pointed at the churning black clouds in the distance, smiling. "Commodore Griffin, when do you think the rain will start falling there?"
Following his gesture, Griffin saw the heavily overcast sky. After some thought, he replied based on past experience: "Within twenty minutes? It looks like it'll be a heavy downpour."
Camellia smiled without responding, walking back to his desk and offering Griffin a cigarette from an old case.
"Smoke this. You'll understand when you finish."
Though puzzled, Griffin accepted and lit the cigarette.
About five minutes later—
Beneath the thunderous, ink-black clouds, a massive serpent-like waterspout suddenly erupted from the sea surface.
It seemed to come alive, crashing toward the storm clouds above.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM——————
The tremendous impact echoed across the sky, and then...
At the collision point between sea and sky, an intensely bright light erupted, bleaching the world between ocean and heavens to pure white.
Countless lightning dragons roared across the sea surface, dancing wildly in all directions!!
The electric explosions instantly transformed the seawater into a charged silver storm, countless white Sharp Blades slicing through the atmosphere.
The deafening roar pounded against eardrums, making chests feel tight and heavy.
...
Griffin stood at the window, his pupils slightly contracted.
So this was...
The New World weather that even legendary Pirates couldn't oppose!!
Even with strength a million times beyond ordinary humans, they remained so insignificant before nature's power!
...
DONG—DONG—DONG—
Warning bells sounded throughout the base. The next moment, massive iron mesh grids rose, capturing the approaching silver storm.
"Common weather here—overcast turning to thunderstorm."
The white light flickered across Camellia's face as he smiled faintly. "Since the Science Unit invented the Electricity Capture Grid, power generation has become much easier for the base."
"This is nothing. Even before, the base could withstand thunderstorms with external facilities."
"In some extremely harsh regions, it might even rain magma. It wouldn't be strange for mountains to fall from the sky."
"One moment it could be clear skies and unbearably hot, and ten minutes later it could become a blizzard cold enough to freeze a person to death."
"This... is the New World!"
...
Camellia's words took on a different meaning in Griffin's ears.
This was the world of the strong!
No wonder Roger, who reached the final island, was called the Pirate King.
No wonder countless pirate heroes insisted on coming here - only a place like this was worthy of determining the ultimate king!
Before this, Griffin had been wondering.
Roger never defeated Whitebeard, never directly beat Shiki, and was chased around the world by Garp - so what made him worthy of being king?
Now he understood.
He didn't become the Pirate King by defeating everyone, but by conquering this Grand Line - that alone made him the undisputed Pirate King!!
...
After a while, Griffin's surging emotions calmed down as he looked up at the clearing sky.
What a pity - my goal isn't the end of the sea.
But the end of the sky!
——
Vice Admiral Camellia handed him a mission order: "There won't be any extreme weather near the base for about half a month. You need to patrol the Gunehilde Triangle Belt during this time and eliminate any pirates appearing in this area."
"Remember, in the New World, caution is more important than courage."
...
...
Aboard the White Wolf, Griffin looked at the crew assigned by the base and thought of his subordinates from the West Sea Branch, and Doll from the Officer Training Camp.
Even with his careful training, those people were far inferior in quality compared to the Marines of G-1 Branch.
If he continued progressing at this rate, those subordinates were destined to fall behind, including Doll.
No...
Griffin shifted his gaze to the mist-churning sea.
No one could keep up with my pace from the beginning - I'm destined to far surpass everyone.
Loyalty matters more than strength.
Right now, the most urgent matter is finding a reliable navigator...
The navigator assigned by the base could handle ordinary New World weather, but would be completely useless against sudden extreme weather.
For professionals in this field, there was of course Visalia, known as the Small Sky Island.
It was an artificial floating island made of clouds and small land masses, a nation focused on meteorological research where almost all residents were weather scientists.
Griffin had met a meteorologist from Visalia back at Punk Hazard, who was hired at high cost by the Marine Science Unit.
Vegapunk had said that even he couldn't match that scholar's expertise in meteorology.
...
Should I go kidnap that guy next time?
No, that guy's too old - he wouldn't survive the rough handling.
Griffin remembered that among his subordinates, there was someone with talent for charting sea maps, whose dream was to become an excellent navigator.
Hmm... I'll apply for him to receive advanced training. I don't expect much from you in terms of combat power, but at least be somewhat useful in other ways.
Then there's the shipwright... and a cook is necessary too. The current cook's food doesn't suit my taste - I've become quite particular about food now.
...
Having taken over base management from Smoker years ago, Griffin had some experience with personnel arrangements as he contemplated future plans.
Meanwhile, the White Wolf was about to enter the Gunehilde Sea...
The eastern side of Dressrosa's territory bordered this sea area.
——
——
——
Dressrosa.
...
The colosseum was packed to the brim, buzzing with excitement, and even the streets dozens of miles outside the arena were crowded with people.
Commoners from nearby islands had also flocked to the capital, drawn by the event's fame, filling the entire royal city to capacity.
The grand decennial tournament had commenced spectacularly, with the prize being a custom-made weapon of Famous Sword caliber crafted by a renowned artisan, attracting countless participants.
The price of a Famous Sword could range from millions to tens of millions of Berries, but this could not serve as a practical reference for its value.
Like Devil Fruits, Famous Swords were priceless treasures to those who needed them.
Demand determined worth.
For instance, the Paramecia-type Slippery Fruit could transform its eater from an ugly creature into a peerless beauty, with skin as smooth as silk.
Historical records showed that over fifty years ago, this fruit had been auctioned for a staggering four billion Berries—almost rivaling the value of a Logia Type!
But if Griffin were to eat this fruit, it would only weaken him, rendering it utterly worthless in his eyes.
...
...
Famous Swords were exceedingly rare, mostly held by renowned Great Swordsmen, making them nearly impossible to acquire on the secondary market.
An undiscovered Famous Sword had even drawn the attention of celestial beings.
...
"King Riku! Your palace is so dilapidated! I am a distinguished World Noble! How dare you make me tread on such an old, worn-out red carpet!!"
A voice filled with disgust and arrogance echoed through the palace corridor.