"Bilibili beep~~~Bilibili beep~~~Bilibili beep~~~"
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marine Headquarters, the Den Den Mushi rang incessantly.
Sengoku, reading the newspaper with his usual calm expression, picked it up and responded.
"Hello, this is Admiral Sengoku speaking. What's the situation?"
"Admiral Sengoku, sir! This is Captain Belus from the West Blue Branch!" The voice on the other end was respectful but carried a hint of excitement. "During today's recruitment, we discovered a young man—an eighteen-year-old with a Logia-type Devil Fruit ability, specifically the Ice-Ice Fruit. I'm reporting this immediately!"
"You did the right thing, Captain Belus," Sengoku replied, straightening his glasses. "Keep him stationed at the West Blue branch for now. I'll send someone from Headquarters to pick him up. Also, verify every detail about this recruit and forward the report to me."
"Yes, Admiral Sengoku!" Captain Belus responded crisply before rushing to complete the investigation.
That night, Sengoku reviewed the file that arrived from the West Blue branch.
Name: Kuzan
Gender: Male
Age: Eighteen
Origin: Maple Town, Green Island, West Blue
Background: Both parents were merchants killed by pirates. Became a wanderer at nine, known for sharing stolen food with stray cats.
At ten, he was gravely injured by bandits after a failed theft, then rescued and cared for by Sister Silina of Green Town. Has lived under her care since.
Personality: Hardworking, self-disciplined, compassionate, and deeply values justice. Expresses hatred toward pirates.
Abilities: Possesses the power of the Logia-type Ice-Ice Fruit. Time and degree of mastery unknown.
Weapon: Standard katana. Strength and combat skill level unconfirmed.
Notes: Since the age of eleven, has avoided conflict and has never been observed fighting. Current combat potential unverified.
Sengoku leaned back in his chair, reading every line carefully. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Calm, kind, and righteous… and a Logia user at that," he murmured. "Yes, this one has promise. A real candidate for the Navy's future."
He tapped the report against the desk thoughtfully before picking up the Den Den Mushi again.
"Bilibili~ bilibili~"
"Eh? Sengoku? I'm eating senbei here! If it's nothing urgent, I'm hanging up!"
"Garp! Wait—"
Click.
The line went dead.
Sengoku slammed his hand on the desk. "That idiot! He hung up on me again!"
He sighed, rubbing his temple. With Garp busy chasing Roger across the seas, this wasn't the time to rely on him anyway. He needed someone else.
"Bilibili~ bilibili~"
"This is Tsuru. What do you need, Sengoku?"
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, head to the West Blue Branch. There's a promising recruit there—an Ice-Ice Fruit user named Kuzan. I'll transmit his file to you. Bring him back to Headquarters."
"Understood, Sengoku," Tsuru replied. "I'll depart immediately."
Once the call ended, Sengoku prepared a copy of Kuzan's report for Fleet Admiral Kong and visited him to discuss the matter.
Kong read through the details and gave a low hum. "A Logia user, huh? That's rare in the West Blue."
"I recommend we place him under Zefa's tutelage," Sengoku said firmly. "Zefa trained both Borsalino and Sakazuki. If anyone can shape Kuzan's potential, it's him."
Kong nodded. "Agreed. Let Zefa handle it. We'll evaluate his growth from there."
And with that, Kuzan's future was quietly set into motion.
Meanwhile, back at the West Blue Branch, Kuzan watched the Marine recruits going through their drills on the training grounds. He had wanted to join them, but Captain Belus stopped him.
"Take it easy for now," Belus had said kindly. "Someone from Headquarters will come for you soon."
Kuzan didn't argue. It made sense. Someone with a Logia ability, and a powerful one at that, would never be left to stagnate in a small branch office. The Navy would want him trained properly—at the very heart of its power.
Still, he didn't waste time. Kuzan approached Captain Belus for guidance on the Six Powers (Rokushiki), the Marines' advanced combat techniques.
Belus, despite his gruff demeanor, was happy to oblige. "Hah, I might be getting old, but I can still show you the basics!" he said, demonstrating the forms one by one with the enthusiasm of an uncle teaching a nephew.
He understood perfectly well that Kuzan was a rare find—a young man whose potential could elevate the entire branch's reputation. If the Headquarters recognized his contribution, Belus might even earn a promotion to Rear Admiral.
But Kuzan didn't think much of it. To him, Belus was just another passerby in his long journey. His true path lay beyond this quiet sea, across the endless horizon.
He wanted to chase justice—his own kind of justice—and let his ice cover the world.
After learning the basics of the Six Powers, Kuzan began practicing them alone on the training field, repeating the forms again and again.
His physical strength and stamina made progress quick, but mastery was another matter entirely. No matter how hard he pushed himself, perfection would only come with time.
After all, he was human—not a god.
And so, Kuzan spent the next few days at the West Blue Branch, quietly training, his breath steady and his resolve firm—preparing for the day he would step into the true world of the Marines.