When Vice Admiral Tsuru's graceful warship slowly sailed into the crescent-shaped harbor of Marineford, Seraphilia stood half a step behind Tsuru, her ice-blue eyes reflecting the full view of this Marineford for the first time.
Magnificent, solid, strictly disciplined.
These three words were not enough to describe the shock in her heart.
The towering fortress of justice was like a clenched fist of a giant judging the world, overlooking the ant-like ships and crowds below.
Countless cannon barrels gleamed with a cold metallic luster in the sun, and the seagull flags snapped in the salty sea breeze, the sound like the ceaseless roar of justice.
This was the sharpest spear and the strongest shield of the World Government, the nightmare destination for countless pirates, and the place where she would have to climb, maneuver, and eventually hold the hilt in her palm in the future.
When Vice Admiral Tsuru's figure appeared at the ship's rail, officers on the dock immediately stood at attention, the sound of salutes uniform.
But when the girl with silver hair and blue eyes behind Tsuru, wearing a standard private first class uniform but standing as straight as a cedar, also stepped onto the land of Marineford, countless gazes instantly focused like searchlights, carrying undisguised scrutiny and evaluation.
Curiosity. Scrutiny. Surprise. And... disdain.
"Is that the one Vice Admiral Tsuru brought back from the West Blue?"
"A private first class? What a joke, what kind of backdoor did she take?"
"I heard she's a fruit user who made some contributions in the West Blue... but what does merit in a place like the West Blue count for here?"
"Looking so delicate, she's probably a vase that would shatter at a touch. How did Vice Admiral Tsuru misjudge this time?"
These lowered but still clear discussions were like invisible needles, pricking at Seraphilia.
She seemed unaware, just silently following half a step behind Tsuru, her calm eyes swiftly sweeping over everything before her, engraving the layout of the port, the location of important buildings, and the ranks corresponding to different shoulder straps into her mind like the most precise plotter.
She knew that she was the center of the storm at this moment, and any excess emotion would be interpreted as weakness.
Tsuru seemed to have expected this, her footsteps steady as she walked through the crowd that automatically parted, ignoring the surrounding discussions.
She led Seraphilia straight to a relatively quiet area behind the fortress, where there were several independent buildings and training grounds, the place where Tsuru and her direct subordinates worked and rested.
"You will live here for now." Tsuru pointed to a room on the second floor of a small building. "Rest today and familiarize yourself with the environment. Starting tomorrow, your training will be different from the others." She handed over a schedule and an access card. "You can go to the Marineford library and some training grounds. Remember, watch more, listen more, speak less."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Tsuru." Seraphilia took them and saluted respectfully.
Tsuru glanced at her, a sharpness flashing in those eyes that had seen it all, and added: "Don't worry about other people's opinions. Here, fists and battle achievements are the only way to make everyone shut up."
Seraphilia nodded, understanding clearly in her heart.
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