Chapter 49 - 49: Duty Report

The matter of setting out to sea for field training had already been settled. Ordinarily, cadets from the Navy Academy would carry out their practical training either in the Grand Line or the New World. During these voyages, the officer-in-charge would typically be a Rear Admiral or Vice Admiral from Navy Headquarters. Occasionally, the legendary former Admiral Zephyr himself would personally lead the expedition. But this time, there were two rare exceptions: Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kyros. Both had only recently joined the Navy and still held the lowest enlisted rank of Seaman Third Class. Yet both were extraordinarily gifted. Kyros, within just three months of entering the Academy, had already mastered "Soru," one of the Rokushiki—the Navy's Six Styles. Combined with his swordsmanship honed through years in the colosseum, he could now hold his own in a dead-even fight with Vice Admiral Dalmatian. As for Yoriichi Tsugikuni—his strength was nothing short of terrifying. Despite his youth, he was likely capable of defeating even some Vice Admirals in direct combat. Though their rank was low, their abilities were exceptional and their potential vast. What they lacked was real-world experience at sea. And so, Headquarters opted for a more cautious approach in nurturing these two. It was now September, and the sky stretched wide and high, crisp with early autumn air. Inside the office of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the "Buddha of the Navy," a few old comrades had gathered. "Slam." The door swung open as Garp, clad in a black suit with his Justice cloak draped over his shoulders, strode casually into the room. Without so much as a greeting to Sengoku behind the desk, he entered the Admiral's office as if it were his own living room. He flopped unceremoniously onto the couch, poured himself a cup of tea, then somehow produced a packet of senbei rice crackers from thin air. He tore it open and began munching contentedly. Crunch. Crunch. The sound of vigorous chewing grated against Sengoku's concentration as he tried to review documents, his forehead twitching with dark lines of frustration. He set down his pen, looked up, and stared at Garp on the couch for a moment. Just as he was about to ignore him and resume his work, Garp suddenly mumbled through a mouthful of crackers: "Hey, Sengoku. The folks from the branch—are they here yet?" The question brought Sengoku's hand to a halt. So that was why Garp had shown up today. He glanced at the clock on the wall and replied, "Soon." Garp leaned back into the couch with a grin. "Great. I'll wait here then." No sooner had the words left his mouth than both he and Sengoku seemed to sense something. They turned toward the door. Moments later, a middle-aged Navy officer with purple hair gave a symbolic knock, then entered the room. Upon seeing the man, Garp's face split into a beaming smile. "Yo, Zephyr!" "You came too?! Hahahaha!" "Want a senbei?" Zephyr, upon entering, glanced around the room and saw only Sengoku and Garp. His brows knit slightly as he ignored Garp and addressed Sengoku directly: "The branch officers aren't here yet?" Sengoku, hearing Zephyr echo Garp's question, shook his head and replied, "Soon." Zephyr gave a small nod, made his way to the couch, and sat down beside Garp. Like Garp, he poured himself some tea, leaned back, and waited quietly with the cup in hand. Sengoku glanced at the two of them, said nothing, and returned to his documents. For a time, the only sound in the room was Garp's relentless chewing. Quite a while later, there was a knock at the door, followed by the voice of Sengoku's adjutant: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Captain Cain from Branch 133 of the West Blue is here. He's waiting at the door." At that, all three men looked up toward the entrance. Sengoku set down his pen and called out clearly, "Send him in." Moments later, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man in a Justice cloak entered the room. He looked to be in his early forties. Tall—nearly three meters—and powerfully built, his tailored white suit strained against his muscular frame. He had a square, chiseled face with a high nose bridge, thick brows, and resolute eyes. His brow was slightly furrowed, exuding a quiet, commanding presence. Years of service had etched a deeper gravity into his already striking features. As he entered, all three, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Garp turned their full attention on him, subtly impressed. An unspoken sense of respect rose in their hearts. A Navy man with bold brows and steady eyes, calm, solemn, dependable. Zephyr observed him for a moment, then gave a satisfied nod. Garp grinned even wider. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" "I am Captain Cain, from Branch 133 of the West Blue!" "Reporting in!" Without so much as a glance at the other two men on the couch, Cain marched straight to Sengoku's desk, stopped crisply, and gave a formal salute. His stance was upright, his demeanor serious, textbook military decorum. Sengoku said nothing at first. He observed Cain for a few seconds before raising his hand in a relaxed gesture and smiled. "At ease." "Heh… Captain Cain, I've heard of you." "The West Blue has been turbulent these past few years, many of the pirates plaguing even the New World originate from there." "And yet, the territory under Branch 133's jurisdiction has remained remarkably peaceful. The people live in safety and comfort—and that's largely thanks to you." "This time, we've called you back to Headquarters for one main reason…" "After deliberation at the top-level Navy meeting, we've decided to promote your rank." As he spoke, Sengoku slowly rose from his seat, stepped in front of Cain, and gave his arm a firm pat, smiling as he continued. "This is merely my duty. I'm grateful to the leadership for their continued trust and support." Cain responded with his usual solemn expression. His posture upright, he stepped forward sharply and saluted once more. Despite being informed of his promotion, he showed no signs of excitement. His composure drew a subtle nod of approval from Sengoku. "Captain Cain, your abilities have been widely recognized across Headquarters." "However, the promotion from captain to rear admiral comes with a six-month transitional period. Only after that will you be officially reassigned to Headquarters as a rear admiral." "Cain, once you return to your post, handle the handover of your current responsibilities. Then, recommend a candidate to succeed you. We'll give your opinion due weight in determining whether to assign a new captain or promote someone from within the 133rd Branch." Sengoku's tone remained affable as he circled back behind his desk. He pulled out a document from a drawer and handed it over to Cain. It was a red-stamped promotion order. Cain glanced over it briefly before closing it with care. He saluted Sengoku once again, formally. Back in his chair, Sengoku gestured toward the two men seated on the nearby sofa and addressed Cain: "These two gentlemen, one is Vice Admiral Garp of Navy Headquarters." "And the other, Zephyr. Former admiral, now Chief Instructor of Navy Headquarters. They'll be present to observe and witness your report." "Now, begin your debrief." With only a brief introduction of Zephyr and Garp, Sengoku signaled for Cain to start. "Yes, sir!" "My name is Cain. I'm forty-one years old, born in..." The Navy's debrief process wasn't particularly rigid. In truth, a captain's promotion could have been decided solely by Sengoku. Garp and Zephyr weren't really there for the report. They had come for another purpose. Once Cain finished his debrief and exited, the three men in the office began to talk. "Zephyr, Garp, what do you think? Captain Cain's not bad, right?" "I chose him carefully. Letting Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kyros train under his command at the 133rd Branch should benefit them greatly." "Under Cain's leadership, the 133rd Branch is formidable. The region they oversee lies in the West Blue—not exactly swarming with pirates. It's a peaceful place, calm and stable." "A perfect environment for hands-on sailing and combat practice." "If they venture beyond the jurisdiction, the West Blue still has its fair share of pirate-infested waters. Real-world experience won't be lacking. And with the presence of the 133rd Branch's officers and men, their safety is assured." Zephyr gave a small nod of agreement as Sengoku spoke. Garp, meanwhile, nonchalantly picked at his nose and said lazily: "If you ask me, training Yoriichi and Kyros is simple. Just take them out to sea a few times with me and they'll toughen up quick." "But since you two think this is the better route, I don't really have any objections." "Right then, I'm off." Garp stood up, gave his rear a few brisk pats, and walked straight out of the office. Sengoku could only shake his head in exasperation at the sight. Zephyr, seeing Garp leave, also rose and said to Sengoku: "Thanks for taking care of all this, Sengoku." "Come now, what are you saying? Let's not even talk about our friendship—this is just part of the job." Compared to Garp, Zephyr was a picture of politeness. The next day, the 133rd Branch's warship was ready to set sail. But before they could depart, Admiral Sengoku handed two new recruits over to Cain. He didn't elaborate, just said they were fresh Navy conscripts assigned to the 133rd Branch in the West Blue, and asked Cain to take them back. Cain didn't overthink it. Once Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kyros boarded, he casually arranged quarters for the two third-class seamen. Then the crew weighed anchor, hoisted the sails, and prepared for departure. As the warship slowly pulled away from the dock, Zephyr appeared on the pier. He stood there in silence for a long time, watching the ship disappear into the horizon. ********* Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 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! For advance chapters, please do visit and consider joining me on Patreon, it really helps me out and I'd love to have you along for the journey! p(a)treon.com/Lnee *remove () to open it