On the other side, inside the 315th Branch.
Captain Enchi, who had also hung up the Den Den Mushi, was smiling as he looked at it in his hand.
To be honest, after all these years, he still felt a bit emotional and reluctant.
No matter what, he had personally witnessed that kid, Ian, grow stronger step by step.
Although those last few steps were a bit exaggerated, he had still been watching him.
A guy who longed to enter Marine Headquarters, who got up to train every day before dawn, step by step, reached where he was.
Now, he has become a father and a powerhouse who has shocked the seas.
Don't be fooled just because that kid wakes up late after retiring; back then, his training was extremely serious.
As for waking up late... Well, he's hitting middle age. His energy is falling behind a bit. Waking up late is normal, right?
What?
That kid's built like a monster?
But that still doesn't hide the fact that he's already stepping into middle age.
And as for the previous base commander, he had long investigated clearly how that man died, but he didn't report it to the higher-ups.
Just a corrupt official who exploited subordinates, died in a mafia turf war, so why bother caring so much?
Enchi flicked the ash from his cigarette with his right hand, pulled out a file from the drawer, and said with a smile: "Egoistic Justice, huh? That kid sure has a big mouth! No, hasn't that kid always had a big mouth? Back when he was in the 315th Branch, he was already thinking about taking down one of the Four Emperors and an Admiral!"
Who could have imagined that the man who now chose family once had such outrageous dreams?
And it even seems like he's actually going to accomplish them.
"I originally thought this thing would be used once you entered Marine Headquarters. Although that guy really did plenty of bad things, he was still a branch base commander. Killing him arbitrarily is quite troublesome. But now..."
After muttering a few words, Captain Enchi took the cigarette from the corner of his mouth and flicked off the ash, revealing that faint flame. "It looks like none of this matters anymore."
As his words fell, he lowered the cigarette in his left hand onto the file.
In the blink of an eye, a spark appeared on the document, spreading rapidly until it became a blazing flame that engulfed the entire file.
Watching the fire, Captain Enchi still did not let go. He just watched the flames burn and burn, until they reached the document's title, an investigation report on the former 315 base commander, and nearly reached the fingers holding it.
Only then did he expressionlessly toss the last burning scrap into the ashtray, calmly watching until it burned to ashes.
At this moment… There was a knock on the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Retracting his gaze back from the astray, Captain Enchi said flatly: "Come in."
As the words fell, the door opened, and a marine walked in.
"Captain Enchi..."
Looking at the smoke-filled office, the marine remarked, "Huh? Why is there so much smoke here?"
"I smoked a few extra cigarettes, what of it?"
Captain Enchi lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, released a smoke ring, then flicked the ash impatiently. "What is it?"
"Oh, right, I almost forgot because of the smoke."
Hearing him, the marine snapped back to attention and hurriedly said, "The colleagues guarding the dock spotted a warship from the Marine Headquarters. The new base commander must have arrived!"
"Hahaha, he's here? Let him come, what's there to panic about?"
Captain Enchi laughed loudly and stood up. "Let's go! Come with me to welcome my junior!"
...
"Captain Smoker, the 315th Branch is just ahead. Should we notify them first that we're arriving?"
"No need."
The man called Smoker, with sporting slicked-back white hair and biting two cigars, removed one cigar from his mouth and exhaled a ring of smoke. "We're entering so openly. How could they not see us? Look, haven't they already noticed?"
"...?!"
Hearing this, the bespectacled female aide beside him froze for a moment, then also looked toward the dock of the 315th Branch.
Sure enough, Marines were already gathering there.
But the female aide seemed to notice something strange; her eyes showed a surprised look. "So many people in the 315th Branch use axes? Didn't Marine Headquarters intelligence say most of them were swordsmen?"
"They probably learned it recently."
Smoker snorted coldly while biting down on his two cigars again. "After all, their 315th Branch produced someone who shocked the entire sea. How could that bunch of idiots not imitate him?"
"You mean the rebel Ian?"
Hearing Smoker, the aide remembered something, her eyes filled with emotion and curiosity. "I heard he applied to train at Marine Headquarters back then, but was rejected every time. I never imagined that after retiring, he could reach this level on his own, even sending a group of marines to the military court."
"They still haven't been released and are still appealing. Truly legendary! Many new recruits in the headquarters are very curious about him!"
"Those bastards, what else can they do besides take bribes? They still even have the face to appeal?"
Smoker snorted disdainfully, but at the mention of it, his eyes also held a trace of emotion and curiosity.
He had heard about that guy even inside Marine Headquarters. For the new recruits, that guy was indeed a legend. If he had entered headquarters, he might really have brought change.
Just look, so many people in the 315th Branch are practicing with axes now.
If that guy had really joined Marine Headquarters, he definitely would have gained a massive amount of followers among the Marines, maybe even forming a faction no weaker than the current admirals.
"Egoistic Justice, huh? Better not let me see you becoming a pirate."
Smoker removed a cigar, exhaled a thick puff of smoke, then bit it back into place. "What are you standing around for? Tashigi, guide the warship into port. Let's see what kind of reception my senior has prepared for me. I hope he doesn't disappoint me."
"Yes! Captain Smoker!"
Tashigi snapped to attention, then asked: "Should we report the situation of 315th Branch to Marine Headquarters?"
"Report? Report what?"
"Well... the ones learning axe-style... Marine Headquarters said the influence of the rebel Ian and Zephyr-sensei, the, uh, rebel Zephyr must be eliminated."
"What? Are you gonna stop people from choosing what weapons they want? If they say they learned axe-style from some old lumberjack in their village, what are you gonna say?"
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