Meanwhile.
Holy Land Mary Geoise, Room of Authority.
A CP0 agent knelt on one knee, reporting the newly received intelligence.
"...Rear Admiral Tatsuki has been transferred to G-5 Branch, by the direct order of Fleet Admiral Kong."
"G-5?"
Nusjuro slowly opened his eyes.
A playful smile curled on the lips of Peter. "The New World, huh... It seems he's been sidelined."
"That's fine too." Warcury, the Warrior God of Justice, lightly tapped the floor with his cane.
"A pawn hungry for power is only more valuable after suffering grievances."
"Our control in the New World is insufficient, let him build his own power on the chaotic front line to seize greater interests for us."
"Pass down the order for the CP department to fully cooperate with his actions. Whatever 'achievements' he needs, we will manufacture them for him." Nusjuro sheathed his blade, settling the matter.
"We need this nail to gain a firm foothold in the New World as quickly as possible."
—
The shadow of the Marine Headquarters building was left behind.
Tatsuki didn't go straight back to his office. First, he paid a visit to the high-ranking officer special supply store at HQ.
Feeling the check in his pocket, Tatsuki gave a cold laugh. He didn't use that "selling price" money. Instead, he used the Berries he had secretly stashed from the Germa treasury.
'Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If I don't part with some Berries, I won't be able to land these free high-level thugs.'
A few minutes later, carrying three beautifully wrapped gift boxes and humming a little tune, he walked toward the special grade officer dormitory.
Living there were the three "monsters" from his same year in Zephyr's Elite Training Camp. They were also the Marine Dream Team he had designated to dominate the New World in the future.
Click.
He pushed open the heavy oak door.
A complex scent, a mixture of cigars, tea, and a faint chill, wafted toward him.
Inside the spacious four-person luxury suite, the atmosphere was as fragmented as ever.
By the window, Borsalino was wearing his flashy yellow and white striped shirt and sunglasses. He was sitting with his legs crossed, trimming his nails. He hummed an unknown tune, looking left and right in the mirror at his wrinkle-filled face.
In the corner of the room, Kuzan was wearing that eye mask with the silly, cute seagull pattern. He was sprawled out on the bed, his snoring shaking the room. The snot bubble hanging from his nostril grew and shrank with his breathing, teetering on the edge of bursting.
On the floor in the center of the room, Sakazuki was shirtless, revealing rock-hard muscle lines. He was performing high-difficulty one-handed handstand pushups, sweat dripping down his resolute chin. A small puddle of liquid had already accumulated on the floor.
"Yo, are you all here?"
Tatsuki closed the door behind him and locked it.
Hearing the noise, Borsalino lazily lifted his eyelids, while Sakazuki didn't stop his movement. Kuzan... Kuzan was still blowing bubbles.
"I brought you some local specialties."
With a harmless smile on his face, Tatsuki flicked his wrist, and the three gift boxes flew accurately toward the three men.
Snap.
Borsalino reached out and caught the dark red wooden box, raising an eyebrow.
He opened it slowly and an extremely mellow tea fragrance instantly wafted out.
"Oh?"
Borsalino's eyes lit up behind his sunglasses, and his usual sleazy aura diminished slightly.
"Is this first-class black tea from the East Blue? Tatsuki, this is stuff for nobles. Did you strike it rich?"
"As long as it's for my brothers, it's worth any price." Tatsuki said with deep emotion.
On the other side.
Sakazuki supported himself with one hand and steadily caught the flying iron box with the other.
Upon opening it, he saw two neat rows of top-tier cigars. They were from the private estate of a West Blue Godfather, impossible to buy on the open market.
Sakazuki stopped his workout and flipped back onto his feet. He picked one up and sniffed it. The pungent, strong tobacco scent made his furrowed brow relax.
"Thoughtful of you." He said in a deep voice, his tone still stiff, but clearly pleased.
As for Kuzan...
Smack!
A hard card accurately hit and popped his snot bubble, landing on his face.
Kuzan woke up, groggily grabbing the thing on his face. "Huh? Who's attacking me..."
When he saw that the item in his hand was a voucher for a "Polar Walker: Limited Edition Off-road Bicycle," his sleepiness vanished instantly.
"Whoa! Is this that limited edition I couldn't buy?!"
Kuzan scrambled up, clutching the voucher like it was his dream lover.
"Tatsuki! You're my real big brother!"
Seeing the satisfied expressions of the three, the smile on Tatsuki's face grew even wider.
He pulled over a chair and sat down with a commanding air in the center of the room. He lit a cigarette and took a deep breath. His originally cheerful expression gradually became serious, even carrying a hint of loneliness.
"The gifts are good, but brothers, don't you think... this kind of life is a bit too boring?"
The atmosphere in the room froze slightly.
"Boring?" Borsalino blew on his nails.
"Yeah, drinking tea and reading the newspaper every day, clocking out on time, and occasionally catching a few minor pirates worth over a hundred million... this kind of life is what I dream of."
"Stop pretending, Borsalino."
Tatsuki flicked his ash, his gaze sharp as a torch, piercing right through Kizaru's disguise.
"In a place like HQ, with Admiral Sengoku watching from above and Zephyr-sensei keeping an eye on you, and having to deal with all that red tape, can you really spread your wings?"
Borsalino's hand clipping his nails paused slightly. Though he didn't speak, the reflection in his sunglasses clearly flickered.
Tatsuki didn't give him a chance to breathe and suddenly turned his head to look at Sakazuki, who was wiping away sweat. "And you, Sakazuki, punching a dead target every day—how much have your abilities improved?"
Sakazuki looked up sharply, suppressed anger burning in his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"