Chapter 22 - 22: The Foothold of the New World

It had been a week since Yoriichi paused his Haki training, and by now, the supplies on Garp's warship had been partially depleted. Since departing from the open sea, Garp hadn't received any new intel on the whereabouts of the Roger Pirates. He knew, deep down, that this expedition was shaping up to be yet another long-term pursuit—just like the ones before. So when they passed a small nation called the Kingdom of Neill, Garp ordered the ship to dock at its harbor and told his crew to restock on supplies. It was also a good opportunity to gather information on the Roger Pirates. The Kingdom of Neill was a minor power nestled in the chaos of the New World. Though styled as a kingdom, it was really just a large island—smaller in landmass than even the Sabaody Archipelago. Its permanent population barely numbered in the tens of thousands. Small and politically insignificant, the Kingdom of Neill had little in the way of military force—its royal army totaled barely a thousand troops. Yet, located in the volatile New World, the kingdom sought protection by becoming an affiliate of the World Government. Because of this status, a Marine base had been established here, making it one of the Navy's strategic footholds in the region. But under the table, the Kingdom of Neill had long been involved with the underworld. With the Whitebeard Pirates backing them in secret, they offered discreet aid to many pirates entering the New World—providing shelter and supplies with a wink and a nod. Straddling both light and shadow, the Kingdom of Neill had carved out a precarious niche for itself. Its murky political climate turned it into a magnet for all kinds of unsavory elements. The Marines stationed here operated with extreme discretion, acting more like intelligence gatherers than peacekeepers. Rarely did they confront pirates head-on. When something truly vicious occurred, it was usually the royal army that responded. Most of the time, the kingdom turned a blind eye to pirate infighting. But when innocent civilians were harmed, the royal army would then involve the Marines. And when pirates targeted the local nobility or officials, those same nobles would unfurl the Whitebeard flag, using it like a protective shield. At times like that, appealing to the Marines was utterly useless. After all, what pirate who made it into the New World didn't already have a bounty on their head? With so many criminals out there, and the Marines' influence stretched thin, it was impossible to chase them all down. A pirate could slaughter someone, stash their loot on board, and sail off into the horizon. No way the Marines were going to chase a small fry across the world for that. But if someone dared insult Whitebeard's name? Then yes—his crew would pursue that man to the ends of the earth. In the New World, Whitebeard's name carried far more weight than the Marines'. These days, the Navy's role in the New World was largely about maintaining a semblance of order. Whether a pirate got arrested often depended on how much of a threat they posed. When all was said and done, the Navy simply didn't have enough strength in this lawless sea. That's why, in the near future, the World Government would push for a new initiative: the Shichibukai system. State-sanctioned pirates—what a ridiculous joke. And yet, in chaotic places like the Kingdom of Neill, intel circulated faster and more accurately than anywhere else. That was Garp's true reason for docking here: to gather intel on the Roger Pirates. Clang—splash! The anchor of the dog-head warship plunged into the water at the Kingdom of Neill's naval harbor. A wooden gangplank extended from the ship, clunking into place on the dock. Creak... creak... Garp, draped in his long "Justice" coat, descended the plank with steady steps. Right behind him were his two subordinates—Kuzan and Bogard. And at their side walked a red-haired youth with a long sword at his waist and an eye mask covering his face: Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Yoriichi had borrowed the eye mask from Kuzan. The black cloth he had used previously was too troublesome—always coming loose. Kuzan's sleeping mask was much more convenient. To accelerate his Observation Haki training, Yoriichi kept the mask on most of the time during the day. After days of focused practice, he had finally achieved the basics—he could now move freely even with his vision blocked. His rapid progress astonished everyone on board. As for Armament Haki… well, that was a different story. Though he could now apply it proficiently in attacks, his Haki was still too weak. During spars with Garp, he couldn't even break through the Vice Admiral's defense—not even close to someone like "Axe-Hand" Morgan. Waiting for them at the dock was the commander of the Marine G-10 branch stationed in Neill: Rear Admiral Loka. It seemed he'd known in advance that Garp was coming and had arrived early to greet him. Rear Admiral Loka looked to be well into his seventies. Long, snow-white eyebrows drooped past his temples, and though he stood tall and sturdy, the wrinkles, age spots, and full head of white hair gave away his years. He stood at the harbor with his eyes closed, nodding slightly like he was dozing off. The sounds of the gangplank hitting the dock seemed to stir him. He opened his eyes just a sliver, and when he saw Garp, a warm smile spread across his weathered face. His gravelly voice rumbled out: "So quick to arrive. You haven't changed a bit, Garp." Though Loka was only a Rear Admiral, he addressed Garp by name. None of the Navy officers behind Garp were surprised; instead, they greeted the old man with familiarity. "Rear Admiral Loka!" Loka waved a hand toward the officers. "Go about your duties," he said, then turned his gaze to Garp and added bluntly, "No new sightings of Roger lately." "Hahaha! Uncle Loka, I came mainly to visit you this time!" Garp chuckled in reply. Loka merely shook his head and said calmly, "Come on in. Let's get you settled first." With that, the two veterans walked side by side toward the nearby Marine base. Yoriichi, having removed his eye mask, stared curiously at the elderly man ahead. He gave Kuzan a nudge on the thigh and asked softly: "Kuzan, who is that Rear Admiral Loka? He seems pretty close with Vice Admiral Garp." Kuzan smiled and lowered his head to respond, "Oh, Loka? He's the most famous intelligence officer in the entire Navy." "Back when Vice Admiral Garp was younger, he trained under Rear Admiral Loka. So did Vice Admiral Tsuru, and even Fleet Admiral Sengoku. They all spent time under him." Yoriichi blinked, puzzled. "The most famous intelligence officer? With all that experience and ability, why is he still just a Rear Admiral?" He lowered his voice out of politeness, genuinely confused. But the person who answered wasn't Kuzan—it was Loka himself, walking several meters ahead. "That's because this old man here," Loka said without turning around, "got tired of life at sea." "A man ought to live with his feet on solid ground. That's how you live a few years longer." Yoriichi's eyes widened, then his gaze dropped in mild embarrassment. He hadn't expected the old Rear Admiral to hear his hushed question so clearly. Eavesdropping on someone only to get caught was… not exactly polite. "My apologies, Rear Admiral Loka," Yoriichi said sincerely after a short pause. Loka had stopped walking and was waiting for them to catch up. At Yoriichi's apology, he waved his hand casually, unbothered. He gave the young man a closer look, then turned to Garp and asked: "This kid—who is he? Doesn't look familiar." Garp nodded toward Yoriichi, silently prompting him to speak for himself. "Rear Admiral Loka, my name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi." At that, Loka gave a small nod. A faint look of nostalgia crossed his face. "Such a young Marine... It's been a long time since I've seen one like you." He grinned. "Let me guess—you're wondering how I heard what you said just now?" "Heh. This old man ate the Hear-Hear Fruit. I'm a Listening Human. If I want to, I can hear every word spoken on this island." Yoriichi's eyes lit up with understanding. He murmured with a touch of sympathy, "Hearing everyone all the time... That must be exhausting." Loka paused, slightly stunned. Then, after a beat, he burst into laughter. "HAHAHAHAHA!" "What an interesting boy!" He turned and strode off, chatting with Garp as they made their way into the base. ********* Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 250 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch! 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