Nearby, little Kino finally got to speak up, looking a bit anxious.
“Mosen, big brother, I want to go to the Marine academy with Vincent,” Kino said.
Mosen immediately felt a headache coming on. Why did one call him “big brother” and the other “brother”? The distinction was so clear.
Besides, whether she could attend the Marine Academy wasn’t up to him. He might be able to show off in the East Blue, but at the Marine Headquarters, he would still need to keep a low profile for a while.
If he said he couldn’t do it, wouldn’t it ruin his reputation as the big brother? What a miserable big brother he was.
“Kino, you have to understand, going to the Marine academy means leaving your mom and dad. You might not see them for years. And you’re still too young; you have to wait a few more years before you can join.”
Kino was stunned. Tears rolled down her delicate face like pearls, and she shouted at Mosen in distress, “Liar! I don’t believe you. I don’t want to be separated from you!”
Then she turned and ran off, crying, “I don’t want to talk to you. You don’t want me anymore.”
Both Mosen and Vincent were stunned. Mosen looked at Vincent resentfully, “What are you staring at? Solve your own problems.”
Damn it, I can’t take this blame. I’m not the one going to the Marine Academy; it’s Vincent. If someone’s a liar, it’s him. Why am I getting yelled at? I’m just a 15-year-old kid too.
Seeing Vincent standing there, Mosen got even angrier and snapped, “What are you standing there for? Go after her!”
With a fierce glare, he turned and left as well.
Vincent stood there, a bit bewildered. Who am I? Where am I? Can someone tell me what just happened?
…
Outside East Blue Marine Division Base 77, a massive Marine warship was docked at the port and heading towards the base.
The large Marine warship had several big holes, showing signs of battle, likely from an attack by a giant sea creature.
At the forefront of the deck stood a Marine Captain. Several soldiers stood behind him, all looking somewhat disheveled, many showing signs of injuries.
The Marine Captain had short silver hair and wasn’t wearing the Justice coat. Instead, he wore a short leather jacket with the word “Justice” on it, even more ostentatious.
A row of cigars was lined up on the left sleeve of the leather jacket. He carried a weapon that looked like a straight branch on his back.
The Captain had two cigars in his mouth, his short jacket exposing his muscular chest. He was listening to the report from a nearby soldier.
“Captain Smoker, the Sea King attack on the Pedrol resulted in 28 injuries, 5 serious and 23 minor, with no fatalities. Additionally, the damaged parts of the warship need repair… It’s estimated that we’ll reach the East Blue Marine Division Base 77 in about half an hour. Report complete, awaiting instructions.”
“Report the Sea King attack to Headquarters, and notify Base 77 to prepare repair materials for the ship. Go.”
The two thick cigars in Smoker’s mouth stayed firmly in place as he spoke, a remarkable skill indeed.
Smoker’s face was grim. Initially pursuing pirates, he was abruptly assigned to East Blue Base 77 to pick up an officer heading to Headquarters and a division Ensign who had missed half a year of recruit training.
Picking up a division Captain was one thing, but what was up with this kid missing half a year of training? Even though he had stood out in his training days, he hadn’t gone this far. What a cocky kid.
Worse yet, their warship, equipped with Seastone, had encountered a hunting Sea King in the Calm Belt. Fortunately, Marine warships are incredibly sturdy and heavily armed, enough to fend off the Sea King.
Despite the ship’s strength, it still sustained significant damage. Young Captain Smoker, newly promoted, was assigned this dull task and had such bad luck on top of it. Naturally, his mood wasn’t great.
Half an hour later, at the Marine Base port.
Captain Franca had been waiting at the port with base officers for a while. It had only been five days, but Headquarters personnel had arrived quickly.
He hadn’t expected them to encounter a Sea King, necessitating repairs for the ship. Franca immediately mobilized the base for action.
As the ship neared, Franca and his team greeted them at the port.
Mosen was also in the lineup. He had spent the past days helping Vincent improve his skills so that he would not be overwhelmed at the Marine Academy.
The academy would be full of talented kids or children of Headquarters officers, none of whom Vincent could currently compete with.
He hadn’t expected to be suddenly notified that Headquarters’ people were arriving soon. The ship’s damage might have caused the delay, but they would find out soon.
It highlighted how Headquarters looked down on the divisions.
In the distance, a massive Marine warship appeared.
Despite the damage, the ship moved swiftly and soon docked at the port.
Everyone was stunned by the sight of the massive warship, something they’d only seen in newspapers. Most base Marines had never even left their jurisdiction, let alone seen such a behemoth.
Soon, the gangplank was lowered, and a group of people disembarked.
Seeing the silver-haired Captain with two cigars in his mouth, Mosen was dumbfounded.
Is it you, White Hunter? The most useless Logia user among pirates, always getting beaten up later on.
Currently, Smoker looks full of vigor, just like in Loguetown. He hadn’t faced many setbacks yet.
At this point, he was a rising star in the Marines, far more renowned than Mosen.
In recent years, in the absence of other strong recruits, he stood out as the best among the mediocre.
Smoker was known for his defiance and often clashed with superiors. Despite his rebelliousness, he had a strong sense of justice, making him a respected Marine despite his lack of power.
Would he remain obsessed with weakling squabbles later? Mosen wondered maliciously.
“Captain, I’m Franca, commanding officer of East Blue Base 77,” Franca said, saluting.
Smoker returned the salute and said, “What’s the situation? I instructed you to prepare the dock. The ship needs repairs. Why are we still docked here?”
Franca hadn’t expected the Headquarters Captain to be so direct, momentarily stunned, before replying, “The dock is built to accommodate division-sized ships. The Headquarters warship is too large, requiring temporary adjustments.”
“I see. Time is of the essence. Leave some repair personnel to assist with the repairs. Gather the soldiers; I need to announce Headquarters’ orders.”
The smoker didn’t want to stay longer than necessary. He had recently received intelligence on the whereabouts of the pirates he was pursuing, a task far more critical than this mundane assignment.
Franca was helpless. He had prepared everything for the reception, but this young Captain disrupted all his plans.
Mosen smirked. He was a typical Smoker, always acting on his own will and disregarding others.
Noticing Mosen’s reaction, Smoker zeroed in on him.
“What’s the matter, Ensign? Do you have a problem?”
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