The midday sun hung high in the sky. Bathed in its warm, cozy light, even the Navarone Fortress—renowned for its ironclad defenses—couldn't help but exude an air of laziness.
Having finished their morning training, the Marine soldiers of the G-8 Fortress were walking toward the cafeteria in groups of three and four, chatting animatedly as they went.
"Ah, I'm starving to death! I'm going to stuff my face later!" Recruit A said, lacing his fingers behind his head.
"Haha, exactly, exactly," another recruit, Recruit B, replied with a laugh. "Even though our Navarone is located in the middle of nowhere, when it comes to the food, it can completely rival Marine Headquarters."
A sumptuous lunch replenished the daily nutrients and energy required by the Marine soldiers, and for the recruits who had trained all morning, lunchtime was a rare, precious moment of relaxation.
"Oh right, hearing you say that reminds me of something," Recruit C said, clapping a fist into his palm in a moment of sudden realization. "Word has it that chefs from Marine Headquarters are coming to the G-8 Fortress for an exchange. Counting the days, it seems like today's the day!"
"Eh?!"
The recruits all froze in unison. They knew full well that this so-called "exchange" would likely be a fierce culinary duel.
"Uh... I heard from the guys who already ate lunch that today's food quality has skyrocketed. Apparently, a new chef with incredible skills arrived." Recruit A hesitated before continuing, "Could he be the chef from Headquarters?"
"I wonder who won."
"Don't be stupid! Do you really think Head Chef Jessica would lose? She's Vice Admiral Jonathan's wife!"
"Hey, hey, hey, what does culinary skill have to do with whose wife she is?"
As they spoke, these energetic Marine recruits began a heated debate over the outcome of the cooking competition. Their animated discussion drew frequent glances from the surrounding Marines.
However, just as they were getting carried away by their conversation, a clear, crisp male voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
"Hey, you recruits up ahead."
???
Hearing the voice, the group turned around to look, only to see a Marine officer clad in a Marine officer's coat. They immediately snapped to attention out of pure reflex.
"Sir! What are your orders, Lieutenant Commander!" they shouted in unison.
Saluting with textbook Marine precision, the recruits called out while secretly sizing up the young "officer" before them.
He was an exceptionally handsome man. A few silver streaks were woven into his black hair like highlights, giving him a highly fashionable appearance. His skin was fair and smooth, and among his sharp, refined features, a pair of pitch-black, deep eyes were particularly striking. Under the gaze of those eyes, the Marine recruits felt an immense pressure.
Next to the Lieutenant Commander stood a cute female Marine with short orange hair and a sweet face, though for some reason, her expression was extremely bizarre. At the same time, because the aura of the Lieutenant Commander beside her was so overwhelming, people subconsciously overlooked her—a genuine "rare resource" within the Marines.
(Who is this insanely handsome officer? How come we've never seen him before?) A seed of doubt planted itself in their minds. Reason dictated that they should have some memory of a Marine Lieutenant Commander with such distinctive looks.
To be perfectly honest, this Lieutenant Commander didn't look like a Marine at all. He resembled a young nobleman who had casually thrown on a Marine officer's coat; that bone-deep elegance and nobility could absolutely not be faked.
"You were speaking too loudly just now." The Marine Lieutenant Commander's face was devoid of any emotion, his tone terrifyingly calm.
"While lunchtime is indeed a good opportunity to unwind, it is not proper to disturb others."
"Uh, well..." Embarrassment immediately flushed the faces of the recruits upon hearing this. They then responded at the top of their lungs, "Yes, sir! We will definitely watch ourselves from now on!"
"Good."
The Marine Lieutenant Commander nodded. His eyes swept across the soldiers one by one, finally locking onto the collar of Recruit B.
"Honestly, as a Marine soldier, how can you be so unkempt?"
Reaching out to straighten Recruit B's wrinkled collar, the Lieutenant Commander spoke with deep sincerity. "From the moment you joined the Marines, your every action no longer represents just yourself. You represent the G-8 Fortress, the Marines, and absolute Justice!"
"You must bear your identity in mind at all times. Do you understand?"
The recruits and the nearby Marines were utterly stunned by the Lieutenant Commander's actions. Upon hearing his admonishment, a surge of warmth rushed through their chests, and they couldn't help but puff out their chests with pride. Meanwhile, the expression on the orange-haired female Marine's face grew unbelievably distorted, though no one noticed it at the moment.
(What an approachable, outstanding officer...) Every Marine witnessing this scene felt a massive surge of goodwill toward this unfamiliar Lieutenant Commander, and any lingering doubts about his identity vanished in an instant.
"Your lecture is well taken, sir! I will absolutely mind my image!" Coming to his senses, Recruit B's face flushed with excitement. He bowed deeply to the Lieutenant Commander, his expression brimming with fanatical admiration.
After all, having a Marine Lieutenant Commander personally straighten your collar was a unique honor that ordinary recruits rarely got to experience.
"Very well."
After a brief pause, the Lieutenant Commander looked at Recruit A and asked casually, "By the way, I heard you mention earlier that a new chef arrived at the cafeteria today?"
"Y-Yes, sir!" Recruit A stammered nervously. Swallowing hard, he continued, "And word is his cooking skills are absolutely exquisite."
"Is that so? Then it's certainly something to look forward to." A peculiar gleam flashed through the Marine Lieutenant Commander's dark eyes. Feigning casual indifference, he asked offhandedly, "Oh, right, do you happen to know what this new chef looks like?"
"Well... I'm not really sure about that either." Recruit A shook his head.
"I see." Although he didn't get the answer he wanted, the Lieutenant Commander didn't show the slightest hint of disappointment. He gave a gentle wave of his hand. "Very well, go ahead and have your lunch."
"Yes, sir!" The recruits saluted once more and quickly took their leave, while the onlookers nearby turned their attention back to their own business.
Once the recruits were far out of earshot, the orange-haired female Marine, who had remained tight-lipped until now, let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.
"Whew... That scared the life out of me just now."
Nami patted her already well-developed chest with lingering dread. The Marine uniform she had stolen from the laundry room didn't fit very well, and its tight squeeze made it a bit difficult to breathe.
"And Sherlock," the orange-haired Marine whispered, cautiously glancing left and right before grumbling under her breath to the Lieutenant Commander beside her.
"My god, do you actually think you're a Marine Lieutenant Commander? You seriously walked over with a straight face to lecture other Marine soldiers?! You... you've taken this role way too seriously, hey!"
Pirates disguised as Marines usually did everything they could to lay low and reduce their presence. Instead, he was drawing attention with a grand display. Someone like this was either completely out of his mind or insanely bold.
"Too deep in character? What nonsense are you spouting, Sergeant Nami?"
Dressed in officer garb, the Sorcerer instinctively reached up to push up his glasses, only to find the bridge of his nose completely bare. He could only pull his hand back awkwardly.
"When you want to successfully deceive others, you must first successfully deceive yourself. Only then will you leave absolutely no flaws exposed, right?"
"Well..."
For a moment, Nami was at a complete loss for words. She then offered a mock salute. "Fine, your lecture is well taken, Lieutenant Commander Sherlock. Usopp really needs to learn a thing or two from you."
"But weren't you afraid of being recognized by those Marine soldiers just now? You're a wanted criminal by the Marines, you know."
"You can rest easy on that front, Sergeant Nami."
Sherlock pointed a finger toward his eyes and smiled faintly. "In fact, to prevent being easily recognized, I purposely took off my glasses."
(O_O)!
The orange-haired Marine stared in utter外 bewilderment.
(Is he... is he indirectly admitting that his glasses are actually his main body?)
Nami thought to herself, completely exasperated.
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