"Little Seraphina, how did things go with Vice Admiral Garp's grandsons?"
Hina looked at Saint Roselith Seraphina with concern as she returned from the East Blue, her expression slightly weary after the long journey.
Seraphina had spent considerable time dealing with Ace and Luffy, and although neither boy had managed to seriously injure her, the experience had left her more mentally exhausted than physically tired.
"I don't want to get involved anymore."
"Let Vice Admiral Garp deal with his grandsons himself."
Seraphina's tone was calm, but there was a faint trace of helplessness in her voice.
Those two brats were simply too stubborn.
No matter how she explained the dangers of the sea, neither Ace nor Luffy had any intention of abandoning their dreams.
Hina folded her arms.
"But what if they really become pirates?"
The beginning of the Great Pirate Era had already placed enormous pressure on the Marines.
Pirates were appearing throughout the seas, and every new pirate crew added another burden to the already overstretched Marine forces.
If the grandsons of Vice Admiral Garp eventually became pirates, the matter would be even more troublesome.
Seraphina fell silent for a moment.
"If that day comes and Vice Admiral Garp still refuses to deal with them himself…"
"I'll capture them."
Her voice was firm.
"For now, however, they haven't committed any crime."
"They're still children dreaming about becoming pirates."
"Until they actually set sail and become criminals, there is no legitimate reason for me to arrest them."
Hina nodded.
"That's true."
"They're Vice Admiral Garp's family, and as long as they haven't become pirates, the situation is complicated."
"If they eventually become wanted pirates, however, they'll be no different from anyone else."
"Exactly."
Seraphina looked toward the sea.
"When that time comes, their relationship with Garp won't matter."
"Justice cannot be based on family ties."
Hina smiled faintly.
"Although I suspect Vice Admiral Garp might have something to say about that."
Seraphina sighed.
"That old man definitely will."
A brief silence followed.
Then Seraphina suddenly remembered something.
"Oh."
"What about the fleet?"
Hina looked at her.
"What about it?"
"Inform Smoker that we're preparing to return to the Grand Line."
Hina blinked.
"Already?"
Seraphina turned toward Bruce.
"How long have we been in the East Blue?"
Bruce paused.
"Almost two months."
Seraphina's expression changed slightly.
"Two months?"
She had originally expected their stay in the East Blue to be much shorter.
Between their Marine duties, the investigation surrounding several incidents, Ace and Luffy, and the various matters that had appeared along the way, their schedule had been delayed considerably.
They had already exceeded their original travel plan.
Seraphina rubbed her forehead.
"We've stayed longer than expected."
Bruce nodded.
"Yes."
"We should return to the Grand Line before the delay becomes even greater."
Hina gave a crisp Marine salute.
"Hina, received!"
"Prepare the ship."
"We'll depart as soon as everything is ready."
…
Marine Branch Recruitment Office"Mr. Turi, why do you want to join the Marines?"
A Marine officer responsible for recruitment looked at the man standing before him.
The man's stubble and mature appearance made it obvious that he was considerably older than the average recruit.
The officer then glanced down at the application form.
His expression became even stranger.
The applicant's occupation was clearly written on the document.
Mayor of Spring Queen Town.
The officer looked up again.
"This…"
"You're the mayor of Spring Queen Town?"
"Yes."
"And you're applying to become a Marine?"
"That's correct."
The recruitment officer exchanged a glance with his colleague.
Neither of them completely understood the situation.
A town mayor voluntarily abandoning his position to join the Marines was certainly unusual.
Turi's expression became solemn.
"I want to protect my hometown."
"My hometown was once attacked by pirates."
"Those pirates burned buildings, killed innocent people, stole whatever they wanted, and left destruction behind them."
His fists tightened.
"I experienced that personally."
"That is why I want to become a Marine."
"I don't want another town to suffer the same fate."
The officer studied him for several seconds.
His explanation sounded convincing.
More importantly, the orders from above had already been issued.
The World Government had apparently taken an interest in Turi's recruitment into the Marines.
As far as the recruitment office was concerned, the procedure was largely a formality.
The two officers exchanged another glance.
Finally, the senior officer picked up the stamp.
"Approved."
The stamp came down firmly.
Turi's application was accepted.
The expression on Turi's face remained calm.
However, beneath that calm exterior, his thoughts were considerably different from those of an ordinary recruit.
He had not joined the Marines simply because he wanted to protect his hometown.
There were other reasons.
And those reasons could not be written on a Marine application form.
After completing the necessary procedures, Turi approached the officers again.
"Sir."
"Yes?"
"Is there a way for a new Marine to become stronger quickly?"
The officer frowned.
"A quick way?"
"That depends on what you mean by quickly."
Turi lowered his voice.
"I mean a method that can significantly accelerate my development."
The senior officer shook his head.
"There are no shortcuts to becoming strong."
"Physical strength comes from training."
"Combat ability comes from experience."
"Discipline, endurance, technique, and talent all play a role."
"In the Marines, the strongest soldiers are usually those who are willing to train harder than everyone else."
Turi listened quietly.
The officer continued.
"If you possess sufficient talent and maintain enough discipline, you can become stronger over time."
"That is the proper path."
Turi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So there really is no other method?"
The second officer, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke.
"Actually…"
The senior officer glanced at him.
"What?"
The second officer hesitated.
"There is another option."
Turi immediately became interested.
"You mean?"
"The Marine special training camp."
The officer's voice lowered slightly.
Turi's expression changed.
"The special training camp?"
"Yes."
"The Marines periodically gather promising young personnel and put them through extremely demanding training."
"It is designed to push recruits and promising officers beyond their normal limits."
"The physical training is brutal."
"The combat drills are even worse."
"Many recruits discover very quickly that their previous training was nothing compared with what awaits them there."
Turi's eyes flashed.
"Then how do I apply?"
The officer looked at him.
"You really want to go?"
"Yes."
"I strongly recommend that you reconsider."
"Why?"
"Because the camp isn't designed for comfort."
"It is meant to break down weaknesses and force the trainees to overcome them."
"You'll be exhausted almost every day."
"You'll be pushed to your physical limits."
"You may even question why you joined the Marines in the first place."
Turi smiled faintly.
"That won't be a problem."
The officer studied him.
There was something strange about this man.
His appearance suggested a middle-aged civilian.
His behavior, however, was completely different.
He possessed the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he wanted.
"Fine."
The officer turned toward the cabinet behind him.
After searching through several documents, he finally pulled out a form.
"This is the application."
"Once you pass the assessment, you'll be eligible for consideration."
Turi accepted the document.
He looked over the information carefully.
"That's all?"
"For the initial application."
"The rest depends on the evaluation."
Turi nodded.
"Understood."
The timing was also convenient.
The next recruitment cycle for the special training program would begin in June.
"Thank you."
Turi took the form.
His eyes lingered on the information for several seconds.
Then his thoughts drifted back to a conversation from several days earlier.
"Zero."
"I've already arranged for someone to replace you."
"I want you to infiltrate the Marines through the normal recruitment process."
"Once inside, observe the target."
"Monitor her movements."
"Do not expose yourself."
"Yes, sir."
The memory disappeared.
Turi's expression remained unchanged.
That official seemed particularly interested in the young lady.
Why would the daughter of a Celestial Dragon willingly involve herself with the Marines?
Turi lowered his eyes.
"This should be interesting."
…
Marine Training Grounds"Kuina!"
Kuina was carefully reading through a newspaper.
Her eyes moved across the pages as she absorbed the latest reports.
She had never expected so many things to happen while she was away.
Most importantly, she had never imagined that her teacher would directly confront Edward Newgate, the man known throughout the world as Whitebeard.
The strongest man in the world.
Just thinking about it made Kuina's expression become serious.
She had grown up training with a sword.
Because of that, she understood better than most people just how terrifying a battle involving monsters of that level could be.
"Zeff-sensei!"
"I'm here!"
Kuina immediately responded when she heard Zeff call her.
Zeff walked toward her.
Although he was already old, the injuries accumulated throughout his life had never completely disappeared.
There were days when the old injuries caused him considerable pain.
Yet Zeff continued working.
He had spent his life on the sea.
He understood discipline.
He understood hunger.
He understood what it meant to survive against overwhelming odds.
And now he had another responsibility.
Saint Roselith Seraphina had entrusted Kuina to him.
He would not betray that trust.
"How is your preparation for entering the special training camp?"
Zeff asked.
Kuina closed the newspaper.
"Don't worry."
"Everything is ready."
Zeff nodded.
"Good."
"Saint Roselith Seraphina specifically asked me to help you adapt before entering."
"The training camp will not be easy."
Kuina's expression became serious.
"I know."
Zeff looked at her.
"You're young."
"Entering the special training camp at seventeen is already considered relatively early."
"Most of the personnel there are older than you."
"They have more battlefield experience."
"They have stronger bodies."
"And many of them have spent years training under Marine instructors."
Kuina calmly answered.
"I won't lose to them simply because they're older."
Zeff smiled.
"That determination is exactly what you need."
He looked at Kuina's sword.
"Your talent is already among the best I've seen."
"You're disciplined."
"You're focused."
"And unlike many talented people, you're willing to repeat the same movement thousands of times until you master it."
Kuina lowered her head respectfully.
"Thank you, Zeff-sensei."
Zeff shook his head.
"I'm not a swordsman."
"So I won't pretend to understand swordsmanship at the level of your teacher."
"But even I can recognize something extraordinary when I see it."
"The swordsmanship Saint Roselith Seraphina has taught you is exceptional."
"It isn't simply about swinging a blade harder."
"Your footwork, balance, timing, distance control, and understanding of openings are all being developed together."
Kuina's hand tightened around her sword.
Zeff continued.
"If you maintain this level of discipline, you'll have a place among the great swordsmen of the future."
Kuina's eyes became determined.
"I will definitely not let her down."
Zeff nodded.
"Then prove it."
"Not to me."
"To yourself."
Kuina stood.
"Yes."
…
On Vice Admiral Garp's Warship"9,986!"
"9,987!"
"9,988!"
Sweat poured down Riva's back.
His arms trembled violently.
Yet he continued.
Push-up after push-up.
The deck beneath him was already soaked with sweat.
"9,989!"
"9,990!"
Riva's breathing was heavy.
His muscles were burning.
But he refused to stop.
"9,991!"
"9,992!"
"9,993!"
Vice Admiral Garp stood nearby, watching him with a satisfied grin.
"Excellent!"
"Your foundation is impressive, kid!"
Riva continued without looking up.
"9,994!"
"9,995!"
"9,996!"
Garp laughed.
"It's not just your strength."
"Your perseverance is frightening."
Riva's movements became slower.
But he refused to give up.
"9,997!"
"9,998!"
"9,999!"
"One more!"
Riva pushed himself upward.
"10,000!"
He finally collapsed onto the deck.
His arms trembled uncontrollably.
Garp laughed loudly.
"Gahahaha!"
"That's the spirit!"
Riva rolled onto his back.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
He was exhausted.
But there was satisfaction in his eyes.
Garp looked toward the horizon.
"However…"
"Sengoku has recently assigned me a mountain of work."
Riva immediately sat up.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"Don't worry!"
"I won't slack off!"
Garp blinked.
"I didn't say you were slacking off."
Riva froze.
"Ah…"
Garp scratched his head.
"I was talking about myself."
Riva stared at him.
"You…"
Garp laughed.
"Gahahaha!"
"Never mind!"
Riva sighed.
Even after all this training, dealing with Vice Admiral Garp could sometimes be more exhausting than the exercises themselves.
Garp's expression then became slightly more serious.
"Sengoku has been giving me more responsibilities lately."
"The Marines are stretched thin."
"The Great Pirate Era has caused trouble everywhere."
"We need more capable officers."
Riva nodded.
"I understand."
"That's why I'll become stronger."
Garp smiled.
"Good."
"Then keep training."
"Strength isn't something that appears because you want it."
"It comes from putting in the work."
Riva clenched his fists.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp!"
The warship continued sailing across the sea.
Far away, Saint Roselith Seraphina was preparing to return to the Grand Line.
Kuina was preparing to enter the Marines' special training camp.
Turi was preparing to infiltrate the Marines under the cover of an ordinary recruitment process.
And on Garp's warship, Riva continued his relentless training.
Unbeknownst to them, the paths of these people were gradually beginning to converge.
The sea was already changing.
The Great Pirate Era was growing more violent with every passing year.
And beneath the surface of the Marines, forces that even the World Government could not openly acknowledge were beginning to move.
For Saint Roselith Seraphina, the next chapter of her journey was about to begin.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 227 ON PATREON.
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