As the commotion surrounding "Golden Lion" Shiki gradually settled, life aboard the ship grew increasingly comfortable for Yahn.
At the very least, cruising on a Navy warship meant that most pirates wouldn't dare approach, let alone provoke. They'd rather steer far clear.
In contrast, sailing under a pirate flag meant being constantly hunted by patrolling Navy ships and having to watch out for betrayal from other pirates.
Peaceful. Pleasant…
That pretty much summed up Yahn's current mood.
The only real annoyance was the Grand Line's bizarre weather. One moment it was calm and sunny; the next, storms, hail, or even snow would strike.
This kind of chaotic, unpredictable weather left no room for planning. Aside from a few exceptional navigators, most couldn't foresee the changes at all.
"That's why… Nami is amazing!"
After experiencing it firsthand, Yahn couldn't help but sincerely appreciate Nami's value.
If he had Nami aboard, he wouldn't be stuck scrambling for shelter whenever the weather went wild while trying to enjoy some sunshine.
Unfortunately, it was only the year 1502. By Yahn's estimate, Nami probably hadn't even been conceived yet.
So, during this era, Yahn had no intention of wandering around aimlessly. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally disrupt fate and prevent the birth of such an exceptional navigator.
If that happened, it wouldn't just be his loss—it might be a loss for the entire sea.
With that thought, Yahn pulled out his memo pad and wrote a reminder to himself: "Pick tangerines in East Blue in a few decades."
Adjutant Hope, who was bringing snacks, happened to glance at the note and noticed the word "tangerine." Curious, he asked:
"Lord Yahn, do you like tangerines?"
Yahn replied casually, "Who could possibly say no to a sweet, juicy tangerine?"
Hope seemed to have an epiphany and declared, "I understand, Lord Yahn! I'll go peel some tangerines for you right away!"
Yahn: "?!"
"No need. The kind of tangerine I like… you couldn't handle it. I'll take care of it myself."
Hope frowned in confusion, scratching the back of his head and flexing his biceps subconsciously.
A tangerine's just a fruit… why would Lord Yahn say I can't handle it?
Still, thinking back on Yahn's brilliance—how he'd even proposed reforms to improve the Navy's promotion system—Hope figured it couldn't be that simple.
Wait… was Lord Yahn hinting at something deeper?
I can't handle it…?
Is he suggesting my arm strength is insufficient? That I need to train harder?!
Before he could spiral further, Hope snapped back to the matter at hand.
"Lord Yahn, we're about to enter the North Blue waters. Which Navy base shall we inspect first?"
"Inspect Navy bases? What are you talking about?" Yahn asked with a baffled tone.
"Uh…"
Hope looked puzzled. "But… Lord Yahn, you're the Inspector of the North Blue. Isn't it your duty to inspect each base one by one?"
"What nonsense is that? You want me to arrive openly and give those base commanders time to waste manpower just to put on a show for me?" Yahn replied, eyebrow raised.
"Then… what should we do?" Hope asked.
Yahn, who had no intention of working too hard and was planning to quietly spend a decade or two growing stronger in the North Blue, answered without much thought:
"Just wander. The North Blue is huge. Roll a dice—whatever direction it lands on, we go that way."
"Yes, sir."
Hope saluted and hurried off to make arrangements.
While the ship was well-stocked with supplies, it didn't have a dice lying around. So Hope forged one himself from steel, carving the six faces with: East, South, West, North, Roll Again, Roll Again.
A Navy helmsman watched with confusion as Hope solemnly shook the dice.
"Adjutant Hope, uh… what exactly are you doing?" (Hope's rank is Ensign but in Yahn's ship, he needs to be called Adjutant as he is Yahn's Adjutant.)
"This is Lord Yahn's directive. We'll sail in whichever direction the dice indicates," Hope replied.
"Isn't that… a bit too random?" The skilled helmsman laughed awkwardly. He had never heard of such a bizarre order.
"Random…?"
Hope froze, then muttered the word again as if in a trance. Suddenly, enlightenment
"I get it now!"
"What do you mean?" the helmsman asked.
"Lord Yahn wants randomness! This way, the other Navy bases won't be able to predict our inspection route. By using dice, our movements are completely unpredictable, allowing us to conduct surprise inspections and see their true conditions!"
"This dice… is like a sword hanging over the heads of every corrupt Navy officer in the North Blue. They'll never know when it will fall!"
Hope couldn't help but praise aloud, "As expected of Lord Yahn. Brilliant!"
Around them, the other sailors, after a moment's thought, couldn't help but nod in admiration.
Clearly, Lord Yahn was a commander who truly wanted to get things done—one who sincerely cared about the integrity of the North Blue Navy.
And considering his past actions during the Ohara Incident—defying the powerful and protecting civilians—many sailors now saw him in an even more admirable light.
For a moment, even Yahn, who was a bit dazed by all the enthusiasm, could sense that morale on the warship had suddenly skyrocketed. The way everyone looked at him had changed too—full of awe and respect.
But reality hit faster than Yahn expected.
Just as their ship crossed into North Blue territory—and before Hope could even use the steel dice—eight North Blue Navy warships suddenly appeared ahead, blocking their path.
"…What are they trying to do?"
Yahn lifted his sunglasses and peered at the ships in the distance, muttering,
"Don't tell me… these North Blue Navy guys are planning to ambush me, the Inspector, and take me out?"
"NANI?!"
Hope's jaw dropped. He immediately barked orders to prepare the crew for potential combat.
After a moment of thought, Yahn said, "Keep your distance. Send someone over to ask what's going on."
Soon, under Hope's command, several sailors rowed a small boat over to the other fleet.
Not long after, the boat returned—stuffed full of people.
Thump, thump, thump…
Hurried footsteps echoed as several officers, mostly lieutenant commanders and colonels, rushed up to the deck. Before they even arrived, their voices rang out:
"Warmest welcome to Lord Yahn for visiting and inspecting the North Blue!"
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