Across the Grand Line, long lines had formed in front of Neo Marine recruitment centers.
Even before the morning mist had fully lifted, crowds from all Four Seas could be seen gathering at the ports through the hazy fog.
Among them were retired veterans, their eyes gleaming with determination.
There were also hot-blooded young men and women, their faces full of youthful passion.
Even parents came with their children, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future.
Everyone clutched their smartphones, screens lit up with the image of Zephyr standing side-by-side with the Neo Marines. That photo, overflowing with a sense of justice, seemed to be calling out to everyone.
"I want to sign up!" a blond-haired youth shouted as he pushed his way to the front. His arm was still wrapped in a bandage—clearly injured during his travels.
His voice trembled with excitement, his eyes full of burning resolve. "After I saw that video, I rushed here overnight from the West Blue!"
His fingers left sweat marks on the application form, as if this was his way of showing his unwavering resolve.
At the recruitment desk,
The Marine clerk in charge of registration stood frozen, staring at the endless stream of applicants. His fingers fumbled as he recorded each name, his expression blank with shock.
He never imagined so many people would respond to the Neo Marines' call.
"I watched that video twenty times!" A boy in a baseball cap was excitedly gesturing, eyes shining with admiration for the Neo Marines. "What Mr. Zephyr said about 'true justice' was so cool!"
Behind him, an old man with a fishing rod slung over his back nodded. The deep wrinkles on his face now seemed to carry a renewed light.
"Yeah, justice... that's what we've been chasing all along," he said, his voice tinged with age and nostalgia.
Not far away, a young mother stood in line holding her child. Her eyes were gentle yet firm.
"I want my child to know there are still people in this world who fight for justice."
Though the child was still small, a glimmer of curiosity and longing had already appeared in their eyes.
In line, a retired veteran patted the shoulder of the young man beside him, his voice filled with relief.
"When I was your age, I was just as passionate. Now, seeing all of you here, I know justice will never be too late."
As time passed, the line kept growing, and the flames in their hearts to join the Neo Marines burned hotter and brighter!
...
Marineford Reserve Training Camp
A heavy silence hung over the early morning training grounds.
The field, usually filled with the shouts of morning drills, was now deserted. A cool breeze swept through, bringing with it a strange chill.
Instructor Blank stepped onto the dew-covered grass. His boots creaked with every step, each sound oddly unsettling.
Suddenly, he threw open the wooden door of the third barracks. What he saw made his pupils shrink in shock.
Twenty beds, perfectly aligned. On each, Marine uniforms were neatly folded.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting sharp lines of light and shadow across the dark blue fabric. It was piercing.
By the bed closest to the door, the blond youth Wattas was carefully folding the last shirt.
His movements were precise, as if performing some sacred ritual.
Blank's voice exploded through the empty barracks. "Wattas! Do you even know what you're doing?!"
There was both anger and confusion in his voice as his fist slammed against the doorframe. The impact made the training schedule on the wall tremble.
Wattas's fingers paused on the collar. The seagull-feather collar pin gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
He looked up, emerald green eyes filled with unwavering determination. "Instructor, I watched that video twenty-seven times."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were resolute.
Blank suddenly noticed the phone on Wattas's bedside table. The screen was still on, frozen on the Neo Marines' founding ceremony.
The comment section on the video was filled to the brim, the texts crawling across the screen like ants. Every comment pulsed with support and anticipation.
"You're deserting! Leaving before finishing your service is desertion!" Blank grabbed Wattas by the shoulder.
But Wattas's muscles didn't move an inch. They were tense, unmoving.
There was a salty scent coming from him, like the breeze in that video. Wattas already smelled like the Neo Marines.
Wattas gently broke free from the instructor's grip and sat down on the bed. The springs creaked under his weight.
He stroked the Marine emblem on the uniform and suddenly gave a relaxed smile. "Then I'll leave after I finish my service in the Marines."
The sunlight danced on his golden lashes. His voice was steady. "But my justice… will eventually go where it belongs."
Blank's lips trembled. He looked around at the empty beds, like silent protests.
At last, he took off his glasses and wiped them. His coat flared slightly as he turned away. "…Suit yourself."
His voice was weary, but his eyes carried a trace of understanding.
Wattas watched his instructor's retreating back, a surge of emotion rising in his chest.
He knew this decision wouldn't just change his own life, it would also make things harder for those around him.
But the flame of justice had already been lit in his heart. And it would never go out.
...
South Blue
In the bedroom of the brown-haired youth Laien, scraps of a Marine application form lay scattered like snowflakes across the floor.
Sunlight streamed through the window, harshly illuminating the mess.
On Laien's phone, the Neo Marines' video had just finished playing for the ninth time.
His eyes were filled with confusion and frustration, as though locked in a struggle with himself.
When the old one-armed veteran smiled while holding the rescued little girl in the video, Laien suddenly slapped himself across the face.
"I'm such an idiot!" he shouted at the mirror, his voice full of anger and self-loathing.
The noise startled his mother, who was cooking downstairs. Her footsteps gradually approached.
In a sudden motion, Laien ripped down the Marine propaganda poster from the wall. The plaster underneath was old and peeling.
As the poster came off, it seemed to take with it the last of his hesitation.
He turned and quickly began packing. He shoved the final shirt into his suitcase.
"Laien?" His mother opened the door and saw her son zipping up the suitcase.
Her hands, still dusted with flour, froze when she saw the shredded Marine application on the floor. She instantly understood.
Her expression shifted, worry overtaking her face.
"I'm going to join the army that can actually protect people!" Laien declared.
(To be continued.)