Marineford Military Port, G-3 Berth.
A giant warship with a dog-head figurehead was rising and falling with the waves.
Unlike the standard Marineford warships nearby, which were polished to a shine with ropes coiled meticulously, the first impression this ship gave was one of pure wildness.
The hull was covered in repair marks, looking like a series of medals.
There were no soldiers in neat formations on the deck. Instead, there was a group of shirtless, scar-covered burly men.
When Tatsuki stepped onto the deck of this legendary warship carrying a small luggage bag, he wasn't greeted by neat lines and sharp salutes, but by a wave of "male hormones"—a mixture of cheap rum, the aroma of roasted meat, and the pungent smell of sweat.
"Is this really a Marine warship?"
Tatsuki stopped and raised an eyebrow slightly.
The scene before him was truly eye-opening.
A bonfire was set up in the center of the deck, where several Marines were using their sabers to skewer and roast the thigh meat of some unknown sea beast, which was sizzling with grease.
On the left turret, someone was using the warship's main cannon as a drying rack for their underwear.
On the right, it was even more absurd—a group of people huddled in a circle, shouting with flushed faces, using Berries and even gold teeth as gambling stakes.
[Ding! Detected that the host is in an environment that seriously violates the Marine Discipline and Appearance Regulations!]
[Continuously gaining Violation Points: +1 point per minute!]
Paradise!
This place was simply a paradise tailor-made for him!
"Ahem..."
Bogard, who was responsible for leading Tatsuki, adjusted the brim of his hat. On that poker face, which was usually as cold as iron, a rare trace of embarrassment flashed.
"Tatsuki, Vice Admiral Garp's unit... has a rather unconventional style. After all, they spend the entire year fighting high-level pirates like Roger in the New World, so the pressure is quite high."
"Unconventional? No."
Looking at this group of lawless fellows, Tatsuki's mouth didn't show the slightest hint of disgust. Instead, it gradually curled up until it revealed his signature white teeth.
"This is simply full of vitality." Tatsuki remarked from the bottom of his heart. "This is a man's romance. I love this atmosphere."
Bogard's lips twitched.
Great, another one's gone crazy.
"Kyahahahaha! Brat, why are you just standing there?!"
Accompanied by a thunderous laugh, a large hand slapped Tatsuki hard on the back.
Slam!
With a dull thud, Tatsuki felt his internal organs shift from that single slap. Even with the power of the Storm-Storm Fruit flowing through his body, his blood was sent churning.
Is this the strength of a top-tier powerhouse? Even a slap on the back comes with a built-in armor-piercing effect?
Garp's mouth was stuffed with senbei, crumbs spraying everywhere. With his other hand, he grabbed a giant oak rum barrel from nearby and shoved it into Tatsuki's arms without a word.
"Now that you're on my ship, don't be as lifeless as that old guy Sengoku. Come. Down this barrel first as your initiation drink."
This whole barrel?
Tatsuki looked at the barrel in his arms, which was thicker than his waist and held at least five liters of rum, and his eyes twitched.
The commotion here also caught the attention of the group of "soldier-thugs" on deck.
The Marines who were roasting meat and gambling stopped what they were doing and surrounded him one by one with unfriendly gazes. Their eyes swept over Tatsuki's overly handsome and tender-looking face, filled with scrutiny and rejection.
To these veterans who lived on the edge of a blade, an "elite young master" from headquarters usually meant trouble, weakness, and someone who could only talk about strategy on paper.
"Oh? Is this the rookie the Vice Admiral specifically requested from headquarters? I heard he's some kind of genius?"
The crowd parted, and a burly man with a hideous scar across his face and muscles like granite stepped out.
He was the ship's Boatswain and a veteran soldier-thug.
He toyed with a dagger in his hand, sizing Tatsuki up with a fierce gaze before finally letting out a sneer.
"He looks like a top star from the Pleasure District. With those thin arms and legs, can he handle the storms of the New World? Don't wet your pants when the time comes and expect us to wash them for you."
"Hahahahaha!"
A burst of laughter erupted around them, filled with malicious banter.
"Hey, pretty boy."
The scarred Marine said playfully, pointing at the barrel in Tatsuki's arms. "If you want to stay on Garp-san's ship, looks alone won't cut it. Drink this barrel in one go. If you puke, then crawl back to headquarters and drink milk."
This was an initiation. Almost every newcomer to this ship went through this.
Bogard frowned, his hand moving to his sword hilt to step in and resolve the situation, but Garp stopped him.
Garp chewed his senbei while watching Tatsuki with interest. He wanted to see just how much the kid who dared to blackmail Germa was worth.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Tatsuki smiled. He wasn't angry, nor did he show any cowardice.
"So these are the elites under Vice Admiral Garp? They certainly are hospitable."
Tatsuki lifted the heavy rum barrel with one hand and then stepped onto the ammunition box used for gambling in front of him.
Thud!
This posture was even more arrogant than that of the soldier-thugs.
Tatsuki's gaze swept over every ill-intentioned person, his voice clear yet carrying a sense of pressure.
"Seniors, just drinking is so boring."
"What? Don't dare?" The scarred man provoked.
"It's disdain."
Tatsuki gave a light laugh and pulled out the deck of cards he had polished to a shine in the confinement room, slamming them onto the table with a "snap."
"Purely competing in drinking is too low-level. Since everyone is in high spirits, why don't we play something exciting?"
"Huh?" The Marines were all confused.
Tatsuki's eyes were like those of a cunning fox, staring intensely at the scarred Marine. "The rules are simple. We draw cards to see who's higher. For every loss, you drink a bowl. But I have a bad habit—I don't like playing for small stakes."
"If we're going to play, let's play to the end."
Tatsuki pointed at the barrel in his arms and then at the pile of Berries behind the scarred Marine.
"If I can't drink anymore, I'll give every brother here ten thousand Berries as a greeting gift. But if you lose..."
Tatsuki's lips curled into a "kindly" smile. "These next few months of your allowances, along with your private stashes, will all belong to me."
The entire area went dead silent for a second.
Then, even wilder cheering erupted.
"Holy crap! This kid is arrogant!"
"The wealth-giving boy is here!"
"Interesting! I've never been afraid of anyone when it comes to drinking capacity! Come! I'll play with you!" The scarred Marine's blood was up as he kicked aside a stool.
"If I lose, I'll even pawn my underwear to you."
"I'm in too!"
"Count me in!"
A group of gambling-addicted soldier-thugs immediately had their competitive spirits ignited, surrounding him like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.
Tatsuki looked at this group of "experience babies" who were scrambling to give him points, and his smile grew even wider.