1529, Age of the Sea Calendar
Grand Line — Marineford
Marineford rose from the sea like a fortress built to stare down the age itself.
Its white walls gleamed beneath the afternoon sun, massive and imposing, every tower bearing the symbol of the Marines like a declaration to the world. Ships moved in and out of the harbor in disciplined order, their sails snapping in the breeze, their crews working with the kind of practiced precision that only came from years of command, fear, and routine.
The warship carrying Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Kizaru, Koby, Helmeppo, and Tenjin eased into port with a deep groan of timber and steel.
The moment the gangplank was lowered, the atmosphere around the harbor shifted.
Because Garp stepped off first.
And as always, the effect he had on ordinary Marines was immediate.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"The Hero of the Marines is back!"
"It's really him!"
Some Marines straightened so fast they nearly hurt themselves. Others saluted with sparkling eyes, faces full of open admiration. A few younger recruits stared like children seeing one of the great legends of old step out of a storybook and into the real world.
Garp laughed loudly, waving a hand as if the attention were the most natural thing in the world.
"Hahahaha! Good work, boys!"
Behind him, Koby and Helmeppo followed down the gangplank.
Tenjin came after them, walking at a steady pace, hands in his pockets, eyes roaming quietly over Marineford. He had imagined this place before, many times, in fact but seeing it in person was different.
It was bigger and heavier.
The air itself felt dense with purpose and with history.
Then came Borsalino.
Or, as most knew him—
Kizaru.
He stepped off the ship with his usual loose posture, hands in his pockets, sunglasses catching the light. He glanced around at the way the Marines' attention remained firmly fixed on Garp and let out a soft sigh.
"My, my~," Kizaru drawled, voice slow and unhurried. "Vice Admiral Garp, you're hogging all the spotlight again."
Garp picked at his ear with a pinky and laughed.
"Don't be jealous, Borsalino!"
Kizaru tilted his head slightly, lips curling into a faint pout. "Jealous~? Me~? That's a hurtful thing to say."
Helmeppo blinked, glancing between them. For all the world-shaking status these two men held, they sounded like bickering uncles.
Koby, on the other hand, looked almost painfully tense.
Tenjin noticed.
'He still gets nervous around monsters like these, huh.'
Truthfully, Tenjin wasn't much better. He simply hid it more effectively.
Being brought to Marineford by Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Kizaru at the same time did not exactly make for a relaxing journey.
Not when one of them had beaten him half to death.
And the other had been sent to execute him.
And yet here he was.
Alive.
Walking into Marineford.
Tenjin let out the smallest of sighs.
'The world really does move in stupid ways.'
The group continued through the harbor and into the main body of Marineford.
Everywhere they walked, Marines stopped to salute Garp. Some noticed Kizaru and stiffened even harder, while others stole confused glances at the three younger men walking with them.
Koby and Helmeppo, while not yet famous across the whole base, carried themselves with the stiffness of people who knew they were somewhere far above their current station.
Tenjin, on the other hand, drew attention for a different reason.
Some of the Marines recognized him.
Or rather—
Recognized the face from the newspaper.
Whispers followed in their wake.
'That's him.'
'Captain Tenjin…'
'The one who punched…'
'No way they brought him here alive…'
Tenjin ignored all of it.
He had long since learned that whispers were just noise unless attached to a sword.
Eventually, they reached the main Marine Headquarters building.
Its entrance towered over them, vast stone steps leading into a structure that felt more like a government monument than a mere office.
Kizaru stopped there.
He lifted a hand lazily.
"Well then~," he said. "This is where I leave you boys."
Koby and Helmeppo immediately straightened.
"Thank you for your work, Admiral Kizaru!" Koby said.
Helmeppo bowed as well, though with a bit more awkwardness. "Thank you, sir!"
Tenjin gave a small nod. "Admiral."
Kizaru looked at him through his tinted glasses, then smiled faintly.
"Try not to punch anyone important for at least a few days~," he said.
Tenjin's eye twitched.
"…No promises."
Kizaru chuckled at that.
"Ooooh~. How scary."
And with that, he turned and walked away, hands in his pockets, posture loose as if he had not just escorted one of the most dangerous young Marines on the sea back to headquarters.
Garp snorted.
"Alright. Let's go."
The three boys followed him again.
As they moved deeper into Marineford, the environment began to change. The grand government halls gave way to more practical spaces. Training fields, barracks, equipment depots, and stretches of open ground where the next generation of Marines was forged into shape.
At one intersection, a passing Marine saluted Garp and quickly informed him that Vice Admiral Gion was already waiting for the new trainees at the training ground.
Garp nodded.
"Good. Saves me the trouble."
The Marine led them toward a wide training field set behind a cluster of barracks.
It was enormous.
Rows of obstacle courses stretched across the grounds. Targets lined far walls. Sparring circles had been painted into the earth. Recruits in identical training clothes could be seen running laps, carrying logs, doing drills, and shouting in unison under the eyes of supervising officers.
And standing near the center of it all—
Was Vice Admiral Gion.
Tall, composed, and effortlessly striking, she stood with a sheathed sword at her hip and the posture of someone who didn't need to raise her voice to dominate a room.
When she noticed Garp approaching, her brows rose.
"Vice Admiral Garp?" she said, visibly surprised.
Then, without hesitation, she straightened and gave him the necessary respect.
"It's an honor."
Garp waved a hand.
"Yeah, yeah. I brought your late arrivals."
Gion's gaze shifted past him.
To Koby.
To Helmeppo.
And then—
To Tenjin.
Her eyes lingered there for just a second longer than on the other two.
Amusement flickered behind them.
Tenjin noticed.
'Yeah. Here it comes.'
Garp yawned loudly, then turned away.
"Well, they're your problem now."
He started walking off before anyone could say much else.
Koby panicked for a second. "Vice Admiral Garp!"
Garp didn't turn around.
"Train hard, brats!"
And just like that, he was gone.
The moment he disappeared from the field, the mood changed.
Vice Admiral Gion turned back toward the three of them, and whatever ease had remained in her expression vanished.
When she spoke, her tone had sharpened.
"Listen carefully," she said.
Koby, Helmeppo, and Tenjin all straightened instinctively.
"Training here is not a joke."
No one said a word.
Gion slowly paced in front of them, hands behind her back.
"This is Marineford. The standard here is not the standard of a weak Blue sea branch, nor some comfortable local outpost where a little talent and a clean coat are enough to impress fools."
Her eyes moved from Koby to Helmeppo to Tenjin.
"I expect one hundred percent from all of you. At all times. Not ninety. Not 'good enough.' One hundred."
Koby swallowed and nodded immediately. "Yes, Vice Admiral Gion!"
Helmeppo stiffened. "Understood!"
Tenjin simply nodded once. "Got it."
Gion stopped in front of them.
"And let's be clear about one more thing. You are late."
That landed heavily.
"The trainee program began two days ago," she continued. "While the rest of the recruits were already settling into their routines, the three of you were off doing whatever madness it is that led to this delay."
Her gaze slid to Tenjin.
Specifically to Tenjin.
A small smile formed on her lips.
"And you," she said.
Tenjin knew better than to pretend otherwise.
"Yes, Vice Admiral?"
Gion folded her arms.
"I leave the North Blue alone for a short while, and what do I hear?"
Tenjin remained wisely silent.
"That one of its young Captains went on a little rampage."
Koby and Helmeppo both stiffened.
Tenjin's eye twitched faintly.
Gion's smile widened just a little.
"A very memorable rampage, from the sounds of it."
Tenjin scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I prefer to think of it as… a disagreement."
Gion stared at him for a long second.
Then she sighed.
"You'll fit in here just fine."
Tenjin wasn't sure if that was praise or a threat.
Most likely both.
Without another word, Gion signaled to a nearby Marine, who came forward carrying folded bundles of clothing.
"These are your training uniforms," she said.
The Marine handed one set each to Koby, Helmeppo, and Tenjin.
They were simple and clean. Marine training gear stripped of excess decoration, built for function over appearance.
Koby took his with both hands, looking oddly excited.
Helmeppo accepted his a bit more stiffly, though Tenjin caught the flicker of pride in his eyes.
Tenjin looked down at his own set.
Marineford.
Training uniform.
Trainee program.
A few days ago, execution had been on the table.
Now he was here being handed clothes.
'This world really is stupid.'
Gion noticed the look on his face.
"What?"
Tenjin blinked. "Nothing."
"Hm."
She turned toward the Marine beside her.
"Take them to their rooms."
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
The Marine saluted, then motioned for the three boys to follow.
As they began walking away, Gion called out one last thing.
"At dawn tomorrow, you train with everyone else."
They stopped and turned.
Gion's expression was cool.
"If any of you embarrass me…"
She let the threat hang.
Then smiled.
"I'll make you wish Vice Admiral Garp had finished the job himself."
Koby went pale.
Helmeppo stood ramrod straight.
Tenjin, to his own surprise, felt the corners of his mouth twitch upward.
'Yeah…'
'This definitely isn't going to be boring.'