Year 1499 of the Sea Circle Calendar — Major Personnel Changes within the Marines
In this year, sweeping shifts took place within Marine Headquarters.
Marine Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel "White Rabbit" Lip Hope was successfully promoted to Brigadier General.
In the same month, Marine Headquarters Major "Golden" Gild Tesoro was promoted to Colonel.
Immediately afterward, a far more shocking announcement followed.
Former officer of the Kuja Pirates, a peerless swordswoman, and once a pirate with a bounty as high as 925 million Berries—"Snake Princess" Toritoma—
Under the joint guarantees of the Marine Hero "Iron Fist" Garp, former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr, and "Heaven-Shaker" Gern Reginald Sigmar,the World Government was forced—under extreme reluctance—
To revoke her bounty and allow her to join the Marines, granting her the rank of Rear Admiral at Marine Headquarters,with the special condition that she would accept orders only from Gern directly.
At the same time, through Gern's recommendation, the background-clean Enel was successfully admitted into the Marine Elite Training Camp.
What stunned everyone, however, was that this man needed only one week—
Relying solely on the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and his innate Mantra (Observation Haki),and without using Armament Haki at all—
To utterly crush and sweep through every single trainee of his generation in the elite camp.
His overwhelming performance instantly earned him the title of"The Marines' Strongest Newcomer."
He became yet another rising star to be labeled a "monster,"following Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino, and Gern.
However, Enel's wildly arrogant and unruly personality meant that he lasted only one month in the training camp before being personally taken under Zephyr's wing for special training.
Even more astonishing—
With his naturally top-tier Observation Haki, and the Conqueror's Haki awakened under Gern's pressure,Enel—
Under Zephyr's brutal guidance—
Mastered the fundamentals of Armament Haki in just four months.
He then graduated ahead of schedule and, due to his sheer combat strength, was directly granted the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at Marine Headquarters.
That same year, in June, while the World Government was purging remnants of the Roger Pirates, it successfully uncovered evidence that—
"Pirate King" Gol D. Roger might have left bloodline descendants in the world.
Based on timeline calculations, the World Government immediately organized a joint operation between the Marines and CP0, sealing off all 24 islands in the first half of the Grand Line that Roger might have visited.
All pregnant women and children were screened according to the timeline.
No survivors were permitted.
And the person placed in direct command of this operation—
Was none other than the Marine legend who had personally captured the Pirate King himself:
"Heaven-Shaker" Gern Reginald Sigmar.
...
First Half of the Grand Line — Snyoro Island
Marine warships and World Government vessels completely sealed off every port on the island.
As Marines disembarked, they quickly formed two orderly lines, standing at attention, their faces filled with awe as they stared at the figure about to step ashore.
Moments later, cloaked in Justice, dressed in a black shirt, Bahuang hanging at his waist—
Gern walked calmly down the gangplank.
In his hand was the latest newspaper, and a faint, mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Gecko Moria really lost badly,"Gern clicked his tongue as he read the headline."Wiped out completely by Kaido in Wano, huh?"
"Gern!"
From behind him came a familiar voice.
Still bare-chested, Enel followed along, chewing on an apple and speaking around it.
"I heard you're gonna fight that guy called Kuzan? Is that true or not?"
Despite having joined Marine Headquarters for only half a year, Enel had already become a focal point of attention thanks to his overwhelming strength and insufferably arrogant personality.
Still as obnoxious as ever.Still calling himself "God."
"It seems you're adapting pretty well,"Gern glanced sideways at him, his smile ambiguous.
"Looks like you've taken plenty of beatings from Teacher Zephyr, huh?You actually managed to remember someone else's name."
"Don't look down on me!"Enel snorted, casually tossing the apple core behind him—It arced perfectly into a distant trash bin.
"Right now, those insects are calling me a 'monster'!"
"And what does that mean?""It means a god's growth speed is far beyond your imagination!"
"Then grow properly,"Gern rubbed his temples helplessly.
Lip had been borrowed by Vice Admiral Garp.Tesoro was on leave because of Stella.Snake Princess despised this meaningless task.
And so, somehow—
Only this arrogant, naked idiot was left following him around.
Sigh…
"What's with that face?!"Seeing Gern's look of disdain, Enel immediately bristled."Bastard! Don't you dare look down on a god!"
...
As Gern and Enel's figures gradually disappeared into the distance, the Marines at the port finally relaxed, letting out long breaths of relief.
"Hey… the guy following Vice Admiral Gern—That's the 'god' Enel everyone's been talking about, right?"
A young Marine recruit whispered, eyes full of reverence.
"Who else could it be?"An older Marine squinted toward the distance.
"That guy was personally recommended by Vice Admiral Gern into the elite training camp on his very first day at Headquarters."
"Hah. And after just one week, he single-handedly swept every trainee of his generation."
"That strong?!"
"An absolute next-generation Marine 'monster'."
"I heard he used to rule a Sky Island and called himself 'God'…Until Vice Admiral Gern beat him into submission and dragged him back to the Marines…"
"What?! Seriously? Vice Admiral Gern did it himself?"
"No doubt about it. A friend of mine is stationed at G-62.He said the entire sky that day was swallowed by thunderstorms—Even the warships' communication systems went down…"
Another soldier leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially.
"And there's more! Did you know?Three months ago, Admiral Zephyr personally evaluated the elite camp."
"That guy straight-up used lightning to reshape the entire training island's terrain."
"Even the Admiral said his potential 'rivals Sakazuki's in his prime.'"
"Hiss… another monstrous Logia user…"
"And did you notice?He's only just joined the Marines, yet he's already executing missions alongside Vice Admiral Gern…"
"Obviously! You think just anyone gets Gern's approval?""The last one who got this treatment was Brigadier General Lip!"
"But still… that guy's personality is way too arrogant, isn't it?He calls himself 'God' all day and even dares to talk back to Vice Admiral Sakazuki…"
"Hah. Arrogant, sure—but he's got the qualifications."
"You think there's a reason he was promoted straight to Lieutenant Colonel upon graduation?"
"I heard when Admiral Zephyr took them out for field experience before graduation,they ran into a Big Mom Pirates ship."
"Before the Admiral even gave the order—that guy used a single move, 'Ten Thousand Thunderbolts,' and blew the ship clean under."
"Even the Big Mom Pirates officer on board was—"
The sea breeze carried away the fragments of hushed conversation.
The soldiers' gazes unconsciously drifted toward the distance once more—
To the bare-chested man swaggering arrogantly behind the youngest legendary vice admiral in Marine history,his presence radiating unchecked arrogance and overwhelming power.