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G-5 Branch is a secluded Marine base with a narrow entrance connected by a long bridge leading to the inner areas.
Arashi surveyed his surroundings and noticed the massive gun turrets standing silently, their dark surfaces glistening in the sunlight.
He also observed the Marines patrolling the base—all seasoned veterans standing tall.
What struck him the most was that these Marines were all officers, with ranks of Lieutenant or higher, and many were Commanders or above.
"Lieutenant-level officers are the minimum requirement to enter the New World," Kuzan remarked with a smile. Arashi nodded in agreement.
Compared to the first half of the Grand Line and the Four Seas, the intensity of battles in the New World and the enemies faced are entirely different, naturally demanding higher strength from the Marines.
A moment later, the group entered the fortress.
Garp and the others quickly left, clearly having a meeting to attend. Arashi remained with Kuzan and Bogart.
They were greeted by a voluptuous female Marine officer with blonde, wavy hair and the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
"I've heard so much about you, Commander Kuzan!"
"You're one of the monsters who just graduated from the Marine Academy, just like the two officers currently stationed here," said the female officer, Rista, with a smile.
"A monster? I'm nothing special. This kid here is the real monster!" Kuzan waved his hand and put his arm around the silent Arashi beside him.
Rista curiously glanced at the black-haired youth, realizing she didn't recognize him.
Despite her friendly smile, Arashi remained indifferent, not even nodding in acknowledgment.
Seeing Arashi's indifferent attitude, Kuzan couldn't help but smile wryly and shake his head.
"Sorry, Lieutenant Commander Rista. He's just like Bogart—doesn't talk much."
Rista paused for a moment, then smiled and shook her head. "I can see that."
She then turned her gaze back to Arashi, quickly noticing that he wasn't much of a talker, simply listening to their conversation.
After a while, two tall figures approached. "Scary guys... it's good to see you again after graduation!" a voice called out with a laugh.
Arashi looked up, narrowing his eyes briefly before regaining his calm. Approaching them were the other two future Admirals.
"Long time no see, Borsalino, Sakazuki!" Kuzan waved.
"I heard you've been following Vice Admiral Garp around. I wonder if you've improved your strength recently," Sakazuki said coldly.
"Haha, you'll find out soon enough," Kuzan laughed. The three of them started chatting casually.
Lieutenant Commander Rista, understanding the situation, politely excused herself and left.
She knew these three were famous in the Marine Academy's new generation.
Due to their exceptional talent and overwhelming strength, they were dubbed the "Three Monsters," their future in the Marines was undoubtedly bright.
"Well, well, who is this handsome young fellow? He seems intimidating. Kuzan, aren't you going to introduce him?"
Borsalino noticed Arashi and asked with a smile. Since their arrival, Arashi had been silent and calm, showing no reaction to their presence.
"His name is Arashi, and he's Vice Admiral Garp's disciple," Kuzan replied.
With a smile and a hint of seriousness, he added, "And he's also a monster, just like us."
Hearing this, both Sakazuki and Borsalino were momentarily stunned.
They knew exactly what Kuzan meant by "monster"—not a reference to personality but strength.
"Three Monsters" was their nickname among the Marine Academy's new generation.
"If he's caught the eye of Vice Admiral Garp, then his strength must be formidable," Sakazuki said, the coldness on his face fading as a challenging smile emerged.
Arashi looked up at the young version of Sakazuki, the future Marine Fleet Admiral, and suddenly grinned. "Not that strong," he said. "But beating you shouldn't be a problem."
This statement left Kuzan stunned, surprised at his friend's boldness.
In his memory, Arashi had always been calm and reserved, almost too composed for someone so young.
This was the first time he had seen him express such intense emotion.
Bogart was also taken aback, while Borsalino kept praising with a string of "Another monster, what a terrifying aura!"
Sakazuki remained silent at first but then started to smile.
He could sense that Arashi seemed to harbor some instinctive animosity and disdain towards him.
"Well, I'd love to test your strength," Sakazuki replied.
As soon as these words were spoken, the tension in the room thickened, filling the air with the smell of gunpowder.
Meanwhile, in another office…
"Golden Lion Shiki has almost gathered all his forces at Edd War."
"This unusual behavior has drawn the attention of the entire world," Sengoku said, frowning as he stared at the map on the table.
"We still don't know his true intentions."
"That guy, Shiki, is always causing trouble. He's the world's greatest source of instability!" Garp chuckled.
"But what I'm interested in is Roger. Where is the Roger Pirates right now?"
Sengoku shook his head. "We can confirm that Roger and his crew are in the same sea, but we don't know which island they're on."
"What's certain is that Shiki's sudden move is definitely related to Roger."
A smile appeared on Garp's face, and he suddenly slammed his fist onto the table. "Then what are we waiting for? I can't wait to meet Roger again!"
"Garp, calm down. I believe we're likely about to witness a top-tier battle between pirates."
"The Flying Pirates are probably aiming to take down Roger."
"We've always known about Golden Lion Shiki's ambition," Sengoku said, shaking his head solemnly.
Then, remembering something, he added, "By the way, what made you suddenly decide to take a young man as your disciple?"
"Kuzan idolizes you, yet he never became your student."
Garp grinned, giving a thumbs-up. "Because that kid is really something! In the future, he won't be any weaker than me!"
This statement stunned Sengoku and Zephyr, both Admirals, who were shocked by what Garp had just said.
They knew Garp's strength was terrifying, especially since he was in his prime and had an impressive record.
Though they were Admirals themselves, the strongest in the Marines, aside from the rarely active Kong, was likely the man before them—Marine Hero Garp.
"That kid's talent is the most extraordinary I've ever seen!" Garp boasted. "When I first met him a few days ago, he didn't know anything."
"His physical strength was slightly above normal, about the same as an average Marine."
"But then, he awakened Conqueror's Haki!" Sengoku's face changed, and Zephyr's pupils contracted in disbelief.
"And after just a few days under my guidance, Arashi has already mastered Tekkai, and his physical strength rivals that of Kuzan."
"He's truly a monster among monsters!" Garp continued with a hint of pride in his voice.
He didn't notice the shocked and incredulous expressions on the faces of his old comrades.
"And that's not all," Garp added, "He's also learned to use Conqueror's Haki infusion!" Sengoku and Zephyr's bodies suddenly shuddered at this revelation.
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