Among the older generation of high-ranking Marine officers, the most reliable were undoubtedly Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru. As for Admiral Zephyr and Vice Admiral Garp, compared to those two, they were clearly the classic "hard-headed types."
As Garp would put it: Sengoku and Tsuru use their brains to make a living—unlike him and Zephyr, who use their fists.
Those brainy types think too much and live far less freely than guys like them.
With Fleet Admiral Kong likely to be promoted soon due to his role in capturing the Pirate King, the vacant Fleet Admiral seat would most likely go to Sengoku.
Garp and Tsuru, despite their reputation, were only Vice Admirals—far from qualified to leapfrog over the Admiral rank and claim the top job.
And Zephyr? He'd long since lost interest in Marine politics. Were it not for repeated efforts to persuade him to stay, he'd have already left the organization altogether. Competing with Sengoku for the Fleet Admiral position? Out of the question.
Given all this, Kadarou could pretty much figure out who was behind today's grand military display at Marineford.
This latest batch of Marine recruits was to be the first wave under the new Fleet Admiral's command. Sengoku's effort to create a strong opening impression? Completely understandable.
New leaders always come out swinging—but that fire is usually aimed at older officers. For the fresh blood, it's all about pulling them in and building loyalty. After all, they were the future backbone of the Marines.
Having sorted this out in his head, Kadarou understood at least some of Sengoku's strategy—though if there were deeper layers to it, he couldn't say for sure.
Unfortunately, before Sengoku's grand plan could even take off, Garp had already wrecked the opening act.
And the man in question now stood there, still grinning like a fool, pestering Zephyr about whether he'd found any promising rookies during his latest recruitment tour.
Speaking of recruits, Zephyr couldn't help but smile. Before leaving Marineford, Garp had joked that he might find a hidden gem out there.
At the time, Zephyr had taken it as nothing more than a friend's way of cheering him up. But as fate would have it… he'd really found one.
"They're a good bunch. Still rough around the edges, sure—but with some proper training, they'll make fine Marines."
"But there's one in particular… a rather interesting brat. Young, yeah—but with real backbone."
The moment Zephyr said that, Wood felt a creeping sense of doom.
He instinctively tried to slip to the back of the formation—only to find Zephyr's gaze had already locked onto him, and then came the inevitable: he was called out by name.
Heavens above, all Wood ever wanted from joining the Marines was to grow stronger and maybe find some shelter under a big institution. That was it. No grand ambitions.
This was Marineford—the very heart of the Grand Line. Everyone in sight was either a top-tier boss or an elite powerhouse.
Even the so-called "scrub soldiers" standing guard now might be Captains or even Rear Admirals ten years down the line.
Wood had always been crystal-clear about his place in the world: he was just a side character. No protagonist halo. No destiny to become one of the legends of this era.
He had a plan: lie low, get stronger under Marine protection, earn some reputation and medals under Zephyr's wing, and one day—maybe a decade later—apply for a cushy post at Red Maple Island's local Marine base. Retire as a quiet Colonel.
Who said transmigrators had to fight gods, punch emperors, or chase One Piece? What did that treasure have to do with him? He didn't care about the Void Century either.
All he wanted was to grow strong enough to protect himself, bully some rookie pirates, and live a peaceful life.
So before he even set foot in Marineford, Wood had already made up his mind: stay low. Blend in. Avoid getting noticed by any big shots.
He had loved his "useless backdoor connection" persona. In fact, he'd planned to keep playing the role of "mediocre recruit" for years to come.
But alas—fate has a cruel sense of humor.
Out of thousands of new recruits, why was his the only name Zephyr remembered?
And in front of everyone—called out by a freakin' Admiral!
Wood had no choice. Even though he didn't want any part of this spotlight, he still had to step forward obediently under everyone's watchful eyes.
Thanks to Zephyr, every gaze was now fixed on him. He had come to lay low and instead got famous on the very first day.
"This is the kid you were talking about? He doesn't even look old enough for recruitment," Garp said skeptically.
Most Marine recruits were around eighteen. Though Wood had a solid build, his youthful face stood out among the group like a sore thumb.
"That's right," Zephyr replied. "He's only sixteen. But in terms of experience, he's already ahead of most active-duty Marines."
"Can you believe it? This sixteen-year-old took out half a pirate crew on his own—including a Devil Fruit user with a bounty of 20 million Berries."
"But that's not even what impressed me the most. What I really respect is the quality this kid has."
"Garp, you won't believe it—but that kid's eyes scared me. The determination, the willingness to give his life to uphold justice—it was all there, burning in his gaze!"
Garp, who had been mildly curious before, now fell silent. That was high praise coming from Zephyr.
And Garp knew Zephyr better than anyone. If he spoke this highly of someone, the kid was definitely something else.
Now Garp wanted to test Wood's mettle himself.
Meanwhile, the man in question could only stand there stunned, totally dumbfounded.
Who the hell is Zephyr talking about? That guy sounds awesome… wait—it's me?!
Even Wood was baffled. He had no idea he'd left such a strong impression.
And if he was this confused, the other new recruits were even more floored.
Especially those who had come on the same ship. They had all thought he was just some well-connected weakling…
Turns out, this guy had soloed a 20 million–bounty pirate and half a crew?! At sixteen?!
At sixteen, they were out there play-acting pirate games with their friends. Wood was out there ending lives.
Who was the real monster here?