“You brat… you’re way too mature for your age…”
Looking at Shyarly’s expression, as though everything was already under her control, Arlong felt more and more that something was off.
He had clearly come because he was worried Shyarly would get bullied after he left for military service. So how had it somehow turned into her worrying about him getting bullied instead?
Usually, a nation’s own people understood their military best. Different countries’ armies had different characteristics, and outsiders also viewed them differently.
For example, the Marines’ reputation on Fishman Island had always been that of accomplices to the World Government, and that perception still hadn’t improved to this day. Most people still held considerable hostility toward the Marines.
And in many militaries, there truly were situations where veterans bullied new recruits. Or rather, some armies had already developed a culture of bullying.
The bullied recruits would become even worse once they turned into veterans themselves, bullying the next generation of recruits and forming a vicious cycle, to the point where military service became something young people feared.
But the Neptune Army of Fishman Island was one of the groups Nereus controlled most strictly. It currently enjoyed the nation’s highest-tier benefits, and becoming a royal guard had become a dream goal for many people.
Because certain military branches had special requirements regarding Fish-Type abilities, it had even indirectly stimulated domestic birth policies, causing the population to continue rising.
At present, there had not been any negative news surrounding the Neptune Army on Fishman Island. Otherwise, joining it would never have become the top choice for so many young people.
On the contrary, the orphanage was far more complicated due to the generally younger ages there. Rules were harder to establish, and many incidents were easily misjudged as mere childish quarrels.
Shyarly abruptly reversed their positions while wearing an expression of “just as expected,” and that was what made Arlong feel something was wrong.
But very quickly, his gaze shifted toward the crystal ball Shyarly had just put away.
“You… saw another prophecy?”
“Yeah. This isn’t a good time to join the Neptune Army. The most turbulent era is about to arrive, and the Neptune Army will also have to face even harsher battles…”
“Oh? You’re wrong, Shyarly.”
Hearing Shyarly describe the coming new era and the battles ahead, Arlong not only felt no fear, but instead looked eager to try it out.
“My divination… does not make mistakes. I saw the color of battle…”
Seemingly dissatisfied by Arlong’s doubt, Shyarly took out her crystal ball again and performed another divination.
As for what exactly the principles behind divination were, even the fortune tellers of Fishman Island themselves might not necessarily be able to explain it clearly.
People with talent could learn it with only a little guidance, while those without talent would never grasp it no matter how much they studied. It was a profession that depended entirely on innate talent.
The larger and more abstract the event being foretold, the blurrier their predictions became, and sometimes they could even interpret them incorrectly.
The reason Shyarly was so popular was because, despite her young age, she had already predicted several major events, and so far she had never once been wrong.
“No, no, no, I’m not saying your prediction was wrong. I’m saying your way of thinking is wrong. A little girl like you could never understand how men think. It’s precisely an era like this that makes joining the Neptune Army the best choice!
Turmoil and challenges? Under His Majesty Nereus’s leadership, those things will only become stepping stones for our further rise! Achievements for the Neptune Army!
Shahahaha!”
Fishman Island truly had entered its most peaceful era in over a hundred years. The last comparable period dated back to the superficial peace brought about by the previous generation’s Mermaid Princess.
Although small conflicts occasionally broke out, and from time to time pirates still refused to give up and tried to challenge Fishman Island’s status, conflicts on that scale were nothing significant.
Up until now, the largest conflict had only required the deployment of a single corp.
Growing up in such an environment, the new generation of citizens possessed far greater confidence, as well as a thirst for military achievements.
The conflicts Shyarly spoke of did not look like crises in Arlong’s eyes at all; they were opportunities to distinguish himself.
In times of peace, joining the Neptune Army, aside from the salary and benefits, leaves only duties such as patrolling and garrisoning.
According to information Arlong had gathered from upperclassmen who had already graduated and joined the Neptune Army, such as Jinbe, the Neptune Army units responsible for deep-sea patrols even hoped to encounter some reckless pirates during their patrols.
Only then would they have the chance to fight and earn achievements of their own.
“Forget it, why am I even telling you all this? A brat like you probably doesn’t need me looking after you anyway. In that case, I’ll report in early.”
The seven days were vacation time reserved for them. If they failed to report by the deadline without filing a request, they would be considered deserters.
After all, this was the military. During the review period, there had been plenty of chances to regret the decision, but once all the evaluations were complete, it was not something they could simply refuse anymore.
If they were sick, they could take medical leave and get treatment first. But disappearing without a word was unacceptable.
Although reporting late was not allowed, reporting early was.
There were quite a few people who made the same choice as Arlong. However, even though reporting times varied slightly, the training schedule itself was unified.
Reporting early did not mean starting training ahead of time. They would simply be led around by several veterans to familiarize themselves with the place.
And not long after Arlong arrived, he became someone who attracted considerable attention.
“Arlong? You’re Shyarly’s older brother, right?”
“So you’re that big brother Shyarly mentioned before.”
Due to the change in circumstances, the relationship between Arlong and Shyarly seems to have improved significantly compared to the original timeline. Just as Shyarly had said, she really had put in a good word for him.
The only problem was that the effect was a bit too strong. Arlong’s identity was gradually shifting from simply “Arlong” into “Shyarly’s brother,” giving Arlong an extremely strange feeling.
And a few days later, that reputation even began to backfire excessively.
Since the two were siblings, then their talents should be similar too, right?
Shyarly’s talent in fortune-telling was rare even in the history of Fishman Island. Fortune-telling on Fishman Island was generally passed from woman to woman rather than to men, and those with talent were almost always female. So as Shyarly’s older brother, his talent should naturally lie elsewhere.
Under that line of thinking, Arlong ended up experiencing the highest-level treatment the military had to offer—the kind of brutal high-intensity training reserved only for geniuses recognized as monsters.
Back in the regular classes, Arlong had been considered one of the top students, but after suddenly being thrown into this environment, he instantly became one of the worst performers.
In a sense, excessive care was not necessarily a good thing. However, Arlong did not become overly discouraged either. Theoretically, as long as he endured this period, his strength would improve significantly.
Meanwhile, inside Ryugu Palace, a similar test was also taking place. This time the subject was Chloe, while the comparison target was Nanamo from many years ago.
“In terms of raw strength, the old you was still stronger. Their defense is about equal, while Chloe is faster. However, Chloe still can’t skillfully control Lunarians’ flame mode.
Once she fully masters them, both her defense and speed should surpass yours…”
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