Although most of the base's facilities weren't particularly impressive, the cafeteria was surprisingly well-equipped—far beyond Jake's expectations.
Not only was the variety of food extensive, but the prices were also quite affordable, about a third cheaper than outside restaurants.
And thanks to T-Bone's fondness for his subordinates, he often ventured into the sea to hunt Sea Kings, providing the base's soldiers with ample nutrition.
After all, Sea King meat was incredibly nourishing for ordinary soldiers.
Long-term consumption could even lead to noticeable increases in their stengths.
Due to his intense training regimen, Jake ate a fair amount—though he couldn't compare to the bottomless stomachs of some characters in the original story.
His portion was only about three times that of an average adult, which, in this world, was just enough.
Monet ate even less.
She only ordered a bowl of Sea King meat noodles and a serving of clam chowder, which she didn't even finish, leaving the rest for Jake.
During the meal, nearly every Marine soldier greeted the two with a smile when they saw them.
The reason was simple: two rare Devil Fruit users were almost guaranteed to become their future superiors.
Moreover, whether it was Jake's healing abilities or Monet's power to create fresh water by condensing ice and snow on ships, both were indispensable to the soldiers.
And neither of them carried an air of arrogance.
They treated everyone with politeness and warmth, which not only spared them jealousy but also earned them immense popularity.
However, over these past few days, Jake had indeed noticed some bullying and isolation issues within the Marines.
For now, he could only take mental notes—these were problems he'd have to address once his own standing improved.
As the office door was knocked, Sakazuki's somewhat gruff voice came from behind it.
"Come in."
Upon entering, the strong scent of tobacco filled the air.
Sakazuki had a smoking habit—the ashtray on his desk was proof enough.
Beside him was a stack of reports and documents sent from other Marine branches.
Among vice admirals, aside from the old man Garp, most had an overwhelming workload.
Especially for someone like Sakazuki, who aspired to climb to the rank of Admiral, he had to undertake various additional tasks to secure his future promotion.
These tasks included, but were not limited to:
"Eliminating pirates outside his designated jurisdiction,"
"Providing necessary military aid to World Government-affiliated nations,"
"Conducting routine escort missions along vital trade routes of member nations"...
These duties had little to do with the justice Sakazuki pursued.
Yet, for someone with a personality as unappealing as his, they were indispensable if he wanted to rise to the rank of Marine Admiral.
Among the Admirals, Black Arm Zephyr was technically his mentor.
However, Zephyr was a man of unwavering integrity.
Unless Sakazuki had enough achievements to back his promotion, Zephyr would never bend the rules or support him out of personal favor.
Ironically, this very trait of Zephyr's made Sakazuki feel at ease.
All he needed to do was fulfill the requirements—no need for extra favors or personal connections.
Then there was Garp, whose official rank was "Vice Admiral" but whose actual standing rivaled—if not surpassed—that of an Admiral.
Garp's personality was rather unpredictable and he had his own protégé, Kuzan.
After the Ohara incident, Kuzan's dissatisfaction with Sakazuki had become glaringly obvious.
While it was uncertain whether Garp himself harbored any resentment, this remained an unpredictable factor.
As for Fleet Admiral Sengoku, he was the most meticulous and rational of them all.
According to intel provided by Borsalino, Sakazuki needed to demonstrate significantly more value to Sengoku than the other Vice Admirals to secure his support.
The reason was simple: Kuzan, due to his ties with Garp, was practically a shoo-in for the next Admiral position.
Though it was still too early to consider the Fleet Admiral after Sengoku, thinking ten steps ahead was his second nature.
Thus, when factoring in Garp and the Fleet Admiral succession after Sengoku, it was clear that promoting Kuzan—Garp's disciple—to Fleet Admiral would be the optimal choice.
This however, put Sakazuki in direct conflict with Kuzan.
Their interpretations of justice were fundamentally incompatible.
If one were to lead the other, it was almost certain one would choose to leave the Marines.
For Sengoku, promoting Sakazuki to Admiral would mean introducing a rival faction to Kuzan's camp—a scenario the Fleet Admiral, who detested internal strife, would rather avoid.
This was precisely why Sakazuki needed an overwhelming record of achievements—enough to silence every critic—to secure his promotion.
It also explained why he had been traveling nonstop lately.
This period was the most critical for him, a time when even the slightest misstep could prove disastrous.
Noticing the two kids entering the room, he stubbed out the cigarette between his lips and opened the window behind him, letting the fresh air dilute the lingering smoke.
His voice was slightly hoarse from pulling an all-nighter.
"I called you here not only to discuss the basic follow-up development of your Devil Fruit abilities, but also to inform you about something. In the near future, the Marine Headquarters will launch an elite training program, with the current Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr serving as the chief instructor. Each Vice Admiral has two recommended slots and I want to give these two slots to you. What do you think?"
Listening to Sakazuki's words, Jake first bowed respectfully, then spoke sincerely.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, we're deeply grateful for this opportunity you're giving us. But we also want to do something in return. These days we've not only received your free training but also taken up your valuable recommendation slots—it truly makes us feel somewhat guilty. No matter what, please let us do what we can to repay you."
Hearing Jake's words, a faint smile appeared on Sakazuki's weary face.
He appreciated Jake's quick-witted mind—no need for roundabout conversations and he knew how to handle things properly, unlike most Marine soldiers under his command who seemed to have trained their muscles at the expense of their brains.
"During this Headquarters training, I expect you both to rank among the top three participants, with at least one of you taking first place. After achieving those rankings, you'll have priority in choosing which branch to develop in. And I require both of you to choose the Flevance branch in North Blue!"