Though Roy wore a deckhand's uniform, he still drew stares his appetite was legendary. If the warship hadn't restocked at G-8 Navarone Fortress on the way, feeding Roy alone might have starved the crew. Thankfully, Headquarters wasn't far.
In under a week at sea they reached Navy Headquarters Marineford.
As the ship docked, a seaman hurried to Vice Admiral Burgi and whispered in his ear. Burgi's eyes went wide; he strode for the main building at once.
Roy was assigned to Logistics. Keeping a low profile was intentional. He could have flashed his Rumble–Rumble power and drawn instant attention, but he wasn't ready to stake his future on the Marines.
Like Koby once did under Garp's eye, he pushed brooms and hauled crates.
Only on the second day did Roy learn the bombshell: Admiral Zephyr's wife and child had been murdered by pirates. The "Black Arm" famed for never killing was shattered. Not long ago he had submitted his resignation.
With only two active Admirals left, the Navy's balance would collapse. Fleet Admiral Kong had sat on the resignation, but another confrontation erupted yesterday Zephyr insisted on stepping down.
Headquarters recalled Burgi and others for an emergency summit: allow Zephyr to resign, or force him to remain?
If Zephyr quit, someone had to fill the Admiral's seat. Only one man had the standing Vice Admiral Garp but Garp refused the rank. Even if he accepted, nothing would change; everyone already treated him as the Navy's "third Admiral." A title alone would fix little.
Another proposal: keep Zephyr as an Admiral but pull him off frontline duty. Admirals were the busiest men in Headquarters; the sea would no longer claim his time.
After debate and with World Government approval they decided Zephyr would retain his post but no longer sortie as often.
Zephyr, calmer now, chose to stay. He gave one condition: he would found a new Navy training program.
If an Admiral couldn't sail, he could shape the next generation. Both the World Government and Headquarters agreed. Thus the Elite Camp was born.
An Admiral as chief instructor drew instant attention. If the teacher was Zephyr, the graduates wouldn't be ordinary. Officers across the seas itched to send their nephews and heirs.
Zephyr's first rule killed that thought: candidates would be chosen from ordinary Marines and civilians. No nepotism. Anyone caught cheating would answer for it personally.
During those days at Headquarters, Roy learned more secrets than he'd expected. He had joined the Navy just in time to witness the Elite Camp's founding.
Enrollment was open. Apply anywhere; local bases and Headquarters would screen, then select roughly a hundred soldiers. If corruption surfaced, the responsible officer would bear the blame. No one dared slack.
Roy sought out Vice Admiral Burgi. As a janitor at HQ, he knew the Camp was a fast lane. Tomorrow's pillars of the Navy would come from it future Admirals and Vice Admirals alike.
"You want into the Elite Camp?" Burgi lifted a brow, surprised that Roy was aiming so high.
"Mm." Roy nodded.
"That won't be easy. HQ's slots are limited. Officially they say 'around a hundred,' but the plan is to cut hard." Burgi tapped the table. "I'll recommend you. Whether you stay past the first cull that's on you."
"Thank you, Vice Admiral."
The Elite Camp fever swept the seas. Over a thousand candidates were gathered from every island some not even Marines, some already minor celebrities. On intake day, Roy spotted Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Onigumo men already in their twenties.
The Camp wasn't on base. Zephyr had chosen a barren island near HQ. In a month they had raised barracks and training grounds.
Four warships ferried more than 1,300 recruits to the training island.
For the first time, Roy saw Zephyr in person one of Headquarters' mightiest. Just standing there, he pressed down on them like a mountain.
"This is where you begin," Zephyr said from the platform. "Some of you are Marines. Some enlisted yesterday. Your headcount is already too high. I will train heroes, not dead weight. If you don't meet standard, leave."
Training began on schedule. Roy kept his head down and ground through the regimen. Every day, bodies washed out.
Two drew the most attention monsters among men. Both had Devil Fruits.
Both were Logias.