A massive fortress stood upon the sea like a slumbering beast.
Though there were still twenty minutes before arrival, the bold, sweeping characters for "Justice" were already visible atop the stronghold.
Steel-forged artillery turrets lined the fortress on all sides, dense and imposing. The dark cannon muzzles exuded silent killing intent. Nowhere else in the world could deliver such overwhelming impact. Only the true hegemon of these seas—the Marines—could construct a headquarters of this magnitude.
"Hahahaha! Kid, what do you think? This is our Marine Headquarters—the Fortress of Justice! Headquarters Marineford! Magnificent, isn't it?"
Dressed in a suit, Zephyr threw an arm around Roldy's shoulders and laughed heartily.
Roldy's eyes were filled with awe as he stared at the colossal base. He nodded slowly, and for the first time in a long while, hope rose in his heart.
After the clash with the Golden Lion, both Sengoku and Zephyr had shifted their attention to him. A boy treated so differently by the Golden Lion had to possess something extraordinary.
The results of their inquiry had left even these two seasoned Vice Admirals utterly stunned.
Eight years old.
Two meters sixty centimeters tall.
Born with Armament Haki.
Defeated two veteran pirates from the New World—one of whom even carried a bounty.
This was a natural-born pillar of the future!
Give this kid ten years—he would absolutely grow into a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral-level powerhouse. With enough time, even becoming an Admiral wasn't impossible.
Considering everything, the two instinctively wanted to recruit Roldy into the Marines.
To their delight, Roldy had refused the Golden Lion's invitation. With the banner of Marine justice extended to him instead, the recruitment process was surprisingly smooth.
Truth be told, Roldy already harbored such thoughts.
He had been raised by commoners. In his heart, the Marines still symbolized justice. Pirates, on the other hand, were the scum of the seas—the villains adults used to frighten children.
With that comparison in mind, along with the generous待遇 offered by Marine Headquarters, he gladly agreed.
Aside from benefits only slightly inferior to what the Golden Lion had promised, Marine Headquarters would provide free food and lodging, standard-issue equipment, and a considerable monthly stipend.
But what Roldy valued most—
Was the opportunity to grow stronger.
He craved power.
Marine Headquarters had a formal Recruit Training Camp program. A slot had already been reserved for Roldy—secured through the joint recommendation of two elite Vice Admirals. It was unlikely the Fleet Admiral would object.
In truth, the current Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters was already advanced in age and nearing retirement. Most affairs were now handled by the Headquarters Admiral, "Steel Bone" Kong. And Sengoku just so happened to be Kong's former student.
When the warship docked, numerous Marines stepped forward to handle the procedures.
Sengoku and Zephyr, meanwhile, brought Roldy directly to Kong's office.
Along the way, every Marine they encountered stopped what they were doing to respectfully greet Sengoku and Zephyr. The soldiers here were in excellent spirits—far better, at least, than pirates who cursed every other sentence.
"Admiral, it's me. We've returned!"
"Sengoku? Come in."
Following Sengoku inside, Roldy walked in with restrained nervousness.
After all, he was about to meet the figure children on the island pretended to be more than anyone else—
A Marine Admiral.
Peeking from behind Sengoku, Roldy took in the office.
It was spacious and bright, minimally decorated. Behind a massive desk sat a man built like a mountain of flesh. He wore a mohawk-style haircut. The muscles in his arms seemed larger than his head. His trapezius muscles bulged high, and his thick neck radiated raw strength.
This was the Headquarters Admiral—
"Steel Bone" Kong.
Behind him hung a bold calligraphy scroll reading:
"Resolute Justice."
"Admiral Kong, our apologies. We failed again this time. We still couldn't capture the Golden Lion."
"No need to dwell on it. We all know his strength. Capturing him was never going to be simple. You did well—prevented him from running rampant in the North Blue and eliminated hundreds of pirates. That is a victory for justice."
Kong offered reassurance, then glanced toward Roldy.
"This must be the child you mentioned in your report. What's your name?"
Despite his rough, almost mob-boss appearance, Kong's voice was unexpectedly gentle.
"Admiral, sir! My name is Roldy—Fett Roldy!"
Roldy's face flushed red with excitement.
"No need to be nervous."
Kong assumed the boy was intimidated by his presence and couldn't help but feel a hint of pride. He picked up his coffee and took a sip.
"Yes, sir! I'm not nervous! It's just my first time seeing a live Marine Admiral!"
Pfft!
A mouthful of scalding coffee sprayed straight out—
Landing squarely on Sengoku's face.
"Admiral…"
Sengoku's eye twitched as he calmly pulled out a cloth to wipe his glasses.
"Ahem. The coffee's too hot. The kid's… interesting. Very well—follow your recommendation. Let him serve as an ordinary Marine soldier at Headquarters for now. Start from the bottom and familiarize himself with everything. When the Recruit Training Camp begins, throw him into it for proper training."
Roldy's talent was astonishing—but he still needed time to grow.
Before he fully revealed his brilliance, it was best not to let him attract too much attention. Kong's decision was also a form of protection. After all, an eight-year-old couldn't possibly begin as an officer at Marine Headquarters.
"Hahahaha! Then leave the kid to me! I like him already!"