"Notice: Task issued!"
"Main Mission: Raise your bounty to at least 30 million Berries within seven days!"
"Time Limit: Seven days."
"Failure Condition: Obliteration!"
"Warning: Do not disclose the existence of the Samsara Space to anyone. Violators will be obliterated!"
"Tip: The higher your bounty within the time limit, the better your task evaluation will be!"
As expected, the system's mission notification arrived right on schedule.
Fenric had already anticipated the content, so his expression remained composed.
He quietly followed the honest-looking man who had just completed enlistment and was led into a small room.
"Auntie, I joined the Navy... I can finally leave this godforsaken place!" the man said over a communication snail.
"No need to celebrate with a drink. I'll be shipping out with the main force tonight to Marine Headquarters—Marineford."
"Yes, I heard there's another assessment once we get there, so I won't be coming back for a while. Just send me some extra Berries if you can."
"Take care of yourself, don't worry about me."
"You're so naggy! I'm hanging up now!"
…
An hour later.
The man's body lay buried behind the mountains.
When he died, his eyes were wide open — he couldn't rest in peace.
Fenric calmly buried the body, showing no emotion whatsoever.
Cold-blooded. Ruthless.
He took the man's identity card and naval trainee certificate issued by the recruitment office, then turned and walked away.
Based on the information the man let slip before his death, all new recruits were scheduled to leave town by ship tonight to reach Marineford and participate in the assessment at Navy Headquarters the following day.
Coincidentally, the man's name was also Mundo.
In other words, Fenric didn't even need to change his name.
When he arrived at the recruitment station, he easily blended in with the group.
Thanks to his [Proficient Disguise] skill, he naturally assumed Mundo's identity. His expression, movements, and demeanor were so seamless that not even a hint of suspicion arose.
In such circumstances, who could tell he was a fake?
In the backyard of the recruitment station, dozens of trainee marines had already gathered, chatting animatedly.
Excitement buzzed through the air—many young men proud and thrilled to be joining the Navy.
Fenric quietly found a corner where no one paid attention and rested, waiting in silence.
Nearby, the voices of recruits carried through the crowd:
"Hey, Yamamoto, why do you think the Navy's recruiting so many people this time?"
"I heard it's because of what the Pirate King Roger said before his execution. It inspired loads of people to become pirates, and now the Navy's short-handed."
"Then we should thank that guy. If not for him, we might never have gotten in!"
"Tch. He's just a pirate."
Hearing that, Fenric confirmed his theory—the main storyline hadn't officially started yet.
The man who would later become the Pirate King likely hadn't even set sail.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, a captain-level officer arrived and loudly announced:
"Line up! Collect your uniforms according to size, then assemble at the port!"
Fenric followed the other recruits to the uniform distribution point and received a medium-sized uniform.
Although he now stood at 1.85 meters tall—an imposing height by human standards—in the world of One Piece, humans reaching two to three meters were common, not to mention the existence of giants.
So naturally, a medium uniform was all he rated.
Putting on the crisp navy uniform, Fenric joined the group heading toward the port.
A naval warship had just docked.
From the bow, a booming laugh echoed out as the recruits came into view:
"Bwahahaha! These recruits look full of spirit!"
The speaker was an old man, tall and powerfully built, with a broad chest and a prominent scar across his left eye. His short hair was gray-white, and his piercing eyes radiated energy.
He wore the signature navy "Justice" cloak, shoulder pads marked in black and red, and two silver stars indicating his rank: Vice Admiral.
Fenric's eyes narrowed sharply the moment he saw the man.
He recognized him instantly.
Monkey D. Garp.
The naval hero, a living legend known across the seas as "Iron Fist Garp."
And more importantly—the grandfather of Monkey D. Luffy, the future protagonist.
"That's Hero Garp!"
"It's really him—the legend himself!"
"Can't believe he's the one picking us up! What an honor!"
Excited voices rang out as the recruits recognized the old man.
Fenric immediately lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
He had no chance of defeating Garp in his current state.
If this old monster realized he was actually a pirate, he might not survive the infamous Iron Fist of Love.
The excitement among the recruits grew unruly, prompting a captain to shout:
"Quiet! Line up and board the ship in order!"
Order quickly returned as the recruits obeyed and filed into the ship.
Once everyone had boarded, the warship set sail.
Throughout the journey, Fenric remained inconspicuous, avoiding attention and refraining from even the smallest actions that might raise suspicion.
Even when a nearby recruit grew seasick and vomited violently, Fenric didn't so much as flinch—completely unbothered.
An hour later.
Before full darkness fell, the warship docked at Marineford.
Upon arrival, Fenric noticed several other naval vessels approaching the island, each one filled with recruits like themselves.
It seemed this round of assessments was massive in scale.
The Navy truly must have been understaffed—so this was their way of quickly selecting promising new talents.
Under a captain's direction, the recruits were assigned dormitories.
Fenric was led to a six-person dorm, and appeared to be the first to arrive.
He placed his bedding on a bunk and was just about to sit when the door swung open.
A sturdy young man walked in—two cigars clenched in his mouth.
"Yo, senior! I'm Smoker. Pleased to meet you!"
Fenric blinked in surprise.
He stared at the polite, youthful version of Smoker and couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.
What a coincidence.
"Hello, I'm Mundo. Just a new recruit like you, not a senior," Fenric replied with a smile.