Marine Headquarters [Marineford], the headquarters of the Marines directly under the World Government, maintained peace across the world’s oceans in the name of Absolute Justice.
Viewed from above, the island was shaped like a crescent moon.
In addition to combat facilities, it also housed residential areas where the families of the Marines lived.
The headquarters’ structures were built into the mountainous terrain, with the central Marine Headquarters building—bearing the word “Marines” across its front—exuding an overwhelming sense of majesty.
In this so-called [Great Pirate Era] where pirates ran rampant, it was the sole hope and pillar of support for ordinary civilians across the world.
Elliot gently pushed up his glasses, gazing at the awe-inspiring island.
In terms of scale alone, the difference between this place and the Marine bases in the East Blue was like night and day.
This was especially true when Elliot looked at the entire row of cannons lined up at the port, and the rows of Marines standing behind them who looked nothing like ordinary soldiers.
As if by design, all the warships in the massive port were docked on the sides, leaving only the center space completely open.
Furthermore, countless Marines stood around the port—or more accurately, just outside a specific perimeter.
On the platform in front of the port stood numerous high-ranking officers, and Elliot even spotted two massive Giant Vice Admirals among them.
“That guy Zephyr…
making such a huge scene,” Garp remarked, standing right beside Elliot with a rice cracker in hand and a nonchalant expression.
Elliot set his mop aside and looked at Garp.
“I assume that is the evaluation you mentioned, Mr.
Garp.”
“Puru puru puru~~ Puru puru puru~~~”
But just as Elliot finished speaking, the Den Den Mushi inside Garp’s coat began to ring.
…
Up on the platform behind the headquarters’ port, several Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals had gathered, with the regular Marines keeping their distance.
“So, what exactly is going on here…”
A tall, yawning, and incredibly lazy-looking man suddenly appeared behind the Vice Admirals, asking a question.
Seeing this man, the stern-faced Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Momonga immediately saluted.
“Admiral Kuzan!”
Hearing this, the other Vice Admirals and officers nearby turned in unison to salute Aokiji Kuzan, one of the [Three Admirals] who represented the Marines’ highest military power.
Kuzan waved a hand casually in greeting, then leaned against the stone railing in front of him.
“Mr.
Garp recommended a Special Recruit to Instructor Zephyr,” Momonga explained to Kuzan.
“A special recruit?” Kuzan, who had been lazily tugging at the sleep mask on his forehead, paused in surprise.
His gaze shifted toward the approaching warship.
“And recommended by Mr.
Garp, no less?”
Momonga nodded.
“He’s said to be from the East Blue.
Instructor Zephyr is taking this very seriously, which is why he requested permission from the Fleet Admiral to use the pier.
He brought the current batch of academy cadets here to evaluate this special recruit.”
Resting his elbows on the railing and propping up his chin, Kuzan looked down at the purple-haired old man standing behind the cadets, whose arm had been replaced by a massive mechanical prosthesis.
“A special recruit, huh?
It’s been over a decade since we last had one of those.”
Momonga nodded in agreement.
“Yes.
There hasn’t been one since you, Admiral Sakazuki, and Admiral Kizaru.”
Boom~~~
Right at that moment, the purple-haired old man’s mechanical arm suddenly let out a deafening roar.
The old man tucked away the Den Den Mushi in his other hand and bellowed, “Listen up, everyone!
Remember the objective of your evaluation!
Use every means necessary to snatch that special recruit’s glasses!
If he makes it to me unscathed within ten minutes, you all fail!
If any of you manage to defeat him during this initial test, you will take his place as the new special recruit!
And anyone who gets defeated by him will lose their qualification to continue the evaluation and go back to face punishment!
The evaluation begins now!”
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!!
The very instant Zephyr—the former Marine Headquarters Admiral and current Chief Instructor of the Marine Academy—finished speaking!
The Marines stationed beside the dense row of cannons on the port lit the fuses in perfect, unhesitating unison.
The pitch-black muzzles fired a synchronized volley of cannonballs straight at the approaching warship!
And in that exact same moment!
The Marine Academy cadets behind him were already primed for action.
Several figures leaped into the air, absurdly landing right on top of the soaring cannonballs.
One of them crouched low, hand resting on the hilt of his blade, staring intently at the warship with a look of eager anticipation.
A young woman with long blonde hair also vaulted high into the sky.
The moment she reached the apex of her jump, she aimed her flintlock directly at Elliot’s position on the ship.
“Instructor Zephyr is as reckless as ever,” Kuzan chuckled lazily.
Momonga stared fixedly at the young man on the warship and muttered, “After all, being a special recruit means possessing the potential to become an Admiral.”
Meanwhile, aboard the warship, the Marines had already learned through the Den Den Mushi broadcast that this was an evaluation meant for Elliot.
Even so, watching a sky full of cannonballs hurtling straight toward them was enough to make their eyes nearly pop out of their skulls in terror.
“Vice Admiral Garp!” some of the Marines cried out as the cannonballs grew larger and clearer.
“Are you—”
But just as the Marines opened their mouths to speak…
They saw Elliot, who had been standing on the deck, leap into the air with his mop in hand, and…
He swung the mop forcefully toward the incoming barrage.
The very next second!
Boom!
The deafening roar of explosions echoed across the sky almost simultaneously!
Thick smoke filled the air.
Whoosh!
A violent gale materialized out of nowhere!
Not only did it instantly blow away the smoke, but the cadets who had been riding the cannonballs toward the ship were swept right out of the sky by the fierce winds.
The sky, which had just been blotted out by artillery fire, was cleared in an instant.
All that remained was the young man with the mop, gently touching back down onto the warship’s deck…
“Huh?”
Everyone on the warship froze in stunned disbelief.
“Wh-what just happened…”
“I think Elliot just swung his mop at them.”
Hearing this, the Marines whipped their heads around to stare at the speaker, their eyes brimming with absolute incredulity!
Swung his mop!?
Of course they saw him swing the mop!
But the problem was, how did swinging a mop make all those cannonballs disappear?!
“I’ll be heading over then, Mr.
Garp.”
Landing on the deck with a soft thud, Elliot set his mop aside and addressed Garp.
“Yeah!” Garp’s lips curled into a grin, his Marine coat fluttering wildly in the shockwave of the explosions.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Elliot leaped into the air.
The man named Zephyr had just broadcasted the rules over the Den Den Mushi, so his objective was crystal clear.
Meanwhile, Garp took another bite of his rice cracker.
He beamed at the utterly dumbfounded Zephyr standing on the distant platform.
“This is the man I recommended, Zephyr!”
…
Back on the base, Zephyr wasn’t the only one caught off guard.
The cadets and the spectating Marines were equally astounded.
The same went for the Vice Admirals and even Admiral Kuzan.
Everyone stared in absolute shock at the black-haired young man rocketing toward the port.