Bartholomew and Drake locked eyes.
Both saw shock reflected in each other's gaze, which instantly morphed into hostility the next second.
Months ago, the two had crossed paths in Paradise.
Back then, Bartholomew had just left the East Blue, while Drake was still a Naval Headquarters Rear Admiral.
Leading a fleet to hunt down his ship, Drake had nearly sent him to a watery grave.
"Drake!"
Barto gritted his teeth. "Hey! You bastard, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Hmph, that's my line," Drake replied coldly, his right hand already resting on the hilt of his sword. "A thug who attacked civilian districts dares to shamelessly come crawling to Lord Xiano?"
"Civilians?"
Barto froze, then flew into a rage, grabbing Drake by the collar. "What kind of bullshit is that?! Those were damn slave traders! I was just following Lord Xiano's example, drawing my sword to help—what's wrong with that?!"
He gave Drake a once-over, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
"Meanwhile, you—a perfectly good Rear Admiral—suddenly turn traitor for no reason and specifically join the Curtain Closers? Don't tell me this is all an act and you're actually a spy?!"
"Spy?"
A glint of frost flashed in Drake's eyes. "Stop slandering people with your nonsense. Seems like I'll have to teach you a lesson today..."
Just as the two were about to come to blows, a sharp, youthful voice cut through the tension.
"Stop it, both of you!"
Footsteps followed as a figure strode down the stairs from the second floor. A young woman with striking blue hair, well-defined muscles, and an air of martial vigor in her expression.
Barto and Drake both stiffened, freezing mid-motion.
Who was this?
Drake's pupils contracted slightly. She wore the Curtain Closers' signature pure-black uniform, yet it bore no insignia—meaning she wasn't part of any of the Four Legions...
Did that mean she was from the Curtain Closers' main force?
Barto, meanwhile, rubbed his eyes, and once confirming he wasn't hallucinating, his face lit up with ecstasy, tears of excitement nearly spilling out.
—Hey! It's Nojiko-senpai!
Lord Xiano's own little sister!
A founding member of the Curtain Closers since their early days in the East Blue, a living legend who ranked firmly in his top five idols!
"Causing trouble the moment you arrive," Nojiko's gaze swept coldly over the two. "Daring to act so recklessly in the administrative hall—what, do you two think being Supernovas means you can ignore the Curtain Closers' ru—"
"Nojiko-senpai!"
Barto couldn't hold back any longer. Tears streaming, he shoved Drake aside, scrambled forward in three quick steps, and dropped to his knees before Nojiko with a loud thud. "I'm your most devoted admirer! Waaah, I finally get to meet you in person... Just as I thought, you're way more beautiful than your wanted poster!!"
Nojiko stared down in stunned silence.
Looking at the sniveling, teary-eyed man at her feet—who seemed moments away from hugging her legs—her face darkened, a vein throbbing at her temple.
"Hey, you..."
"Not only do you interrupt me, but you're way too close!"
This is disgusting!
Thud!
She delivered a heavy punch straight to Barto's face, sending him flying with a scream, several teeth scattering in the air. He crashed into the wall and slid to the ground, unconscious with his eyes rolled back.
"Boss Barto!" His club underlings cried out in shock as they rushed to his side.
Such terrifying strength...
Drake swallowed hard, his heart pounding in awe.
Is this the standard of the Marine Headquarters' Curtain Closers? Even the most obscure officer among them can effortlessly crush Supernovas like us who've just entered the New World...
However.
The next moment, something even more shocking happened.
Barto wobbled to his feet, vomiting a mouthful of blood, his face swollen on one side. Yet, instead of anger, he wore a blissful smile as he cradled his jaw:
"So... so amazing! This is Nojiko-senpai's fist?! Just as bold and powerful as the rumors say! Aaaaaah, to be punched by senpai—what an honor! I'm so happy!"
He danced and wriggled as if he'd received the greatest reward.
"Damn it!"
His underlings wailed in envy, "How unfair, Boss Barto! Don't hog all the glory—we want to be punched by Nojiko-senpai too!"
Nojiko: "..."
Drake: "..."
Everyone else present: "..."
Where did these idiots even crawl out from? Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
"Fanatics, huh? What a headache."
Nojiko rubbed her temples, took a deep breath, and suppressed the urge to pummel Barto again. She turned to Drake:
"And you? What's your deal?"
Drake immediately straightened and saluted respectfully:
"Reporting, ma'am! Former Naval Headquarters Rear Admiral Drake, at your service. I've come to pledge my allegiance to Lord Xiano due to my dissatisfaction with the current World Government."
"Oh? A Marine deserter?"
Nojiko glanced at Barto. "So what's your beef with this snot-green-haired freak?"
Snot-green-haired freak?!
Crack! Barto collapsed as if struck by lightning, tears of grievance streaming down his face.
"We clashed in Paradise," Drake replied after a brief pause. "I was still with the Marines then, tasked with capturing this criminal."
"Bullshit!"
Barto scrambled up, pointing accusingly at Drake. "Nojiko-senpai! Don't believe him—he's shady! When he chased me as a Rear Admiral, he was relentless. A young guy like him rising so fast in the Marines? Probably a spy! Be careful!"
Nojiko narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Drake.
Drake met her gaze steadily, unflinching.
"Enough!" Nojiko snapped. "Both of you, follow me."
She strode toward the depths of the castle. Drake followed without hesitation.
Barto hurried after them, fussing with his collar despite his battered state.
The three entered a spacious, empty meeting room.
Nojiko took the head seat and gestured for them to sit.
"Drake, elaborate on your reasons for defecting," Nojiko demanded bluntly.
"Yes, ma'am."
Drake sat upright on the sofa and answered solemnly, "I joined the Marines at a very young age to uphold the justice in my heart. But during my service, I witnessed too much darkness within the World Government and Marine Headquarters..."
"Especially after the Sabaody incident, I began to realize that Lord Xiano is the one truly fighting for justice—someone worthy of my allegiance."
"Darkness... Be more specific."
Nojiko seemed unsurprised, remaining unmoved.
"Three months ago, I was ordered to escort a shipment to Mariejois."
Drake let out a long sigh. "Later, I discovered it wasn't cargo at all. They were all slaves—young, beautiful girls, even some who couldn't even be called girls yet—offered by nobles from an allied nation to curry favor with the Celestial Dragons."
He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching unconsciously. "I protested to my superiors but was warned not to interfere. From that moment, I began questioning who I was serving and considered leaving the Marines."
"Reasonable. Exactly the kind of thing Celestial Dragons would do."
Nojiko nodded thoughtfully. "I've reviewed the registration materials you submitted earlier. No issues there. After defecting from the Marines, you haven't committed any wrongdoing either. Take your subordinates and report to the Combat Corps."
"The position of Third Division Captain has been vacant. It's yours now. Oh, by the way, another Supernova who recently joined, Trafalgar Law, is now the Second Division Captain. Seems he's from the same hometown as you. You two should exchange notes."
Hearing this, a flicker of delight flashed in Drake's eyes. He immediately stood and saluted.
"Yes! Thank you for your trust, senior!"
He pushed the door open and left.
Suppressing his excitement, he remained silent until he reached the stairwell. Glancing back at the closed conference room door, he finally paused and exhaled deeply.
Previously, he'd heard that the Curtain Closer was establishing their own intelligence division and that the vetting process for high-ranking newcomers was quite strict. It had left him uneasy.
He feared being exposed the moment he stepped inside.
Sacrifice didn't scare him, but dying without providing any useful intel—that was something no Marine could accept.
But now, it seemed...
All it took was filling out a form and answering a few questions to earn their trust—even securing a leadership position outright.
Hmph.
If they couldn't even handle basic vetting, they were nothing more than a ragtag group.
Drake sneered inwardly. His earlier words had been half-truths. His resentment toward the World Government was real, but the Curtain Closer...
What could they possibly achieve, mingling with such vermin?
———
Inside the conference room.
"That one's settled. As for you, another Supernova..."
Nojiko turned to Bartolomeo, who immediately straightened up, his face full of anticipation.
"You'll undergo strict vetting, as per protocol."
Nojiko said coolly.
"Eh?" Barto pouted. "Why, Senior Nojiko? That's not fair! Drake's way more suspicious, so why does he get to—"
"That guy? He's a special case personally requested by my brother to recruit. No review needed, including his position assignment—all arranged by my brother himself. I'm just going through the motions here."
Nojiko raised her eyes. "Any objections?"
"None!" Barto shook his head decisively.
"Seems like invoking my brother's name works best on you."
Nojiko chuckled wryly, then took out a vial and gently placed it in front of Barto.
"What's this?"
"Truth Serum."
Nojiko smiled faintly. "Something that makes you tell the truth. It's a really useful tool for reviews—exposes anyone with ill intentions. Unfortunately, it's too rare to mass-produce. Even diluted, there's not much to go around, so we can only use it on promising newcomers like you, who have the strength to be officers."
There's actually something this amazing?!
Barto stared at the Truth Serum, then suddenly grinned and grabbed it without hesitation, tilting his head back as he gulped it down.
"Eh?"
Nojiko was taken aback by his decisiveness. Normally, people would hesitate a little.
"So that's why Drake got to skip this step—he's more trusted by Lord Xiano than I am!"
Barto wiped his mouth and laughed heartily. "Senior, that guy really makes me jealous! But because of this, I can use this chance to prove with my own words that I'm the most loyal follower in the whole world!"
"..."
Nojiko was momentarily speechless. It did seem to make sense.
The serum quickly took effect. Nojiko waited a moment, as per experience, then flipped open her notebook to begin the registration. "First question: Why did you join the Curtain Closers? And when did you first have this idea?"
"Because Lord Xiano is just too cool!"
Barto immediately flailed his arms excitedly. "From the moment he executed Vice Admiral Onigumo on the execution platform in Loguetown and split the sky with his Conqueror's Haki, I decided I'd follow him for life! I want to be his most loyal dog! Woof woof!"
The second half was way too honest, damn it!
Nojiko's eye twitched. "Next question: What are your thoughts on the World Government and the Celestial Dragons?"
"To hell with them! They're all scum!"
Barto spat. "Those pigs don't deserve to rule the seas! Lord Xiano did right by killing them! Killed them good! Killed them brilliantly! I want to be his most loyal dog!"
"Your reputation isn't great. There seem to be multiple records of you attacking civilians. Are these true or false?"
"Complete lies! From that day in Loguetown, I've walked the same path as all of you seniors, only to be slandered and smeared! It's only made me understand Lord Xiano even more! I want to be his most loyal dog!"
Enough already, you damn idiot!
"Seems like there's no need to ask you more. Let's skip to the final question."
Nojiko sighed and closed her notebook. "This one's just for you, since you're way too fanatical—it's honestly a little scary. If one day, your Lord Xiano ordered you to die, what would you do?"
Barto suddenly fell silent.
He slowly stood up, his expression unprecedentedly solemn.
"I would die immediately."
Barto said in a low voice, "But before that, I'll first confirm why this is happening and whether it truly is Senior Xiano's order. Because I know the Xiano I'm familiar with would never send his followers to die without reason!"
Nojiko was slightly taken aback, then smiled in satisfaction.
"Fanatic, but not blindly so. Congratulations, you've passed the review."
She stood up and extended her hand. "In the past half month, you're the most sincere follower I've met. Welcome to the Curtain Closers, Bartolomeo, Captain of the Fourth Division of the Combat Corps."
Barto trembled with excitement and was about to shake her hand.
"Ugh—"
He suddenly bent over and vomited all over the floor.
"Ah, s-sorry!" Barto panicked. "Senior, I was just too excited! I'll clean it up right away!"
Can it really get to this point?
Nojiko facepalmed again.
...
Crescent Island, Central Castle.
As the core of the Galaxy Sea and the largest island, Crescent Island's prosperity far surpassed that of the other six satellite islands. The towering white castle stood at the island's center, overlooking the entire sea.
In the top-floor office of the castle, Xiano, draped in a black cloak, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of bitter coffee as he gazed at the distant horizon.
Sunlight streamed through the glass, outlining his tall and slender figure.
"Being the leader of a major faction is really no easy task."
The former boy, who had just turned nineteen and could barely be called a "young man," sighed for the simple muscle man days that were gone forever.
Back when he only had one ship, he could easily be a hands-off leader, leaving all trivial matters to his crew.
He could focus on training and only step up to shoulder the responsibilities of a Captain when major events demanded it.
But now, renowned across the world and ruling over vast territories with millions of people, such carefree days were naturally impossible.
Especially recently, as the repercussions of the Sabaody Incident continued to unfold, hordes of followers flocked to him daily.
The territories thrived, bustling with vitality and expanding rapidly, but this also brought many matters that required his personal decision-making.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be this busy.
After all, he wasn't the type to hoard power. With proper personnel arrangements, the talented subordinates below him had clear divisions of labor and responsibilities, handling the vast majority of affairs long ago.
It was just that certain key decisions—such as the formation of the Four Legions, the appointment of important officers, and adjustments to external strategies—still required his final approval.
For economic matters, Xiano had recently appointed a director personally recommended by Fujitora.
His name was Gil Fain.
A nearly fifty-year-old man who usually wore thick round glasses, the epitome of a meticulous old scholar.
He had known Fujitora for years and had served as an auditor for over two decades in a South Blue kingdom. He was eventually beaten and exiled for standing his ground against corrupt nobles over treasury deficits.
His professional skills were impeccable, and his experience was profound.
But his upright, unyielding demeanor and stubborn personality tended to rub people the wrong way.
To Xiano, however, these were precisely the qualities an ambitious new faction like the Curtain Closers needed most.
In fact, it made him all the more appealing.
The other party lived up to expectations. After taking office, they worked diligently day and night, organizing all economic activities within the territory in an orderly manner.
"After these two days, things should finally ease up. I don't know how someone like Akainu could stand it—after becoming Fleet Admiral, he just buries himself in his office all day."
Xiano stretched lazily, downed the bitter coffee in one gulp, and mustered enough energy to return to his desk, where he finished reviewing the last few documents.
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