"Fleet Admiral, here's the latest intel..."
Ain stepped into the office, a stack of reports in hand.
All confidential intelligence for the Marine Headquarters is delivered directly to Fleet Admiral Wright. However, general reports are first sorted and screened by Rear Admiral Ain before being forwarded to Wright.
That's right—after the Donquixote incident, Ain, who single-handedly defeated two of the Donquixote Family's top officers, was promoted to Rear Admiral.
The twin named swords of the Golden Lion had been completely mastered by her. Her Return-Return Fruit powers had evolved to the point where she could channel them into her blades—boosting their destructive power to an astonishing level.
Similarly, Cavendish—who had also taken on two Donquixote Family officers solo—was finally promoted to Commodore, alongside Tashigi.
As for Marine Headquarters today...
"Hmm. That old bastard Redfield's finally resurfaced?"
Patrick Redfield—known as the legendary pirate "Red the Aloof." For now, news about him was still considered "standard intel."
"That old guy's been wandering all over the world. At first, his movements seemed random, but lately he's been heading toward places rumored to hold ancient ruins or eerie legends."
Though he hadn't stirred up anything major recently, Redfield's mere presence was enough for the Marines to keep constant tabs on him.
Wright nodded. He had an idea of what the old man was up to—but according to current assessments from the Marine strategy division, Redfield still wasn't deemed more dangerous than a Four Emperors-level threat.
After all, no matter how powerful, he was just one man.
"This time, the analysts misjudged him."
Wright gave a small smile and pointed at a seemingly innocuous line buried deep in the report.
"Here, take a look."
Ain blinked in confusion. Fleet Admiral Wright's insight and foresight were legendary across Marine Headquarters. She had reviewed this intel herself and hadn't noticed anything off—what had he picked up on?
"Redfield took in a pet tanuki, never leaving its side…"
Ain read the line Wright pointed to and frowned.
"A… tanuki pet? What about it?"
"A tanuki? That little thing's not nearly as simple as it seems…"
"And Redfield, who has always been a staunch lone wolf, suddenly keeping a pet? I doubt it's because he's grown sentimental in his old age."
"Besides… we've already seen one creature that looks like a tanuki—he's anything but ordinary."
A pet… huh. Chopper was dismissed as a pet too—worth only 50 berries. But he's an exceptional doctor and a powerful Devil Fruit user.
Then there's Bepo, also treated like a pet. Worth 500 Berries, but he's Law's navigator and a formidable Mink warrior.
And Redfield's so-called 'pet'... is on a whole different level of absurd.
Wright shook his head, sighing.
What was wrong with the intelligence division? Just because something looks cute doesn't mean it's a harmless pet. These guys had combat power off the charts!
"Ain, from now on, update Redfield's threat level to 'just below the Four Emperors.' Track his every move—and that 'pet tanuki' of his!"
Wright's expression turned serious.
In recent years, there had been increasing incidents of objects "eating" Devil Fruits. It wasn't due to leaks from Vegapunk's research, but rather a string of bizarre coincidences.
Take Wano, for example—the tea kettle owned by Tenguyama Hitetsu ate the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Tanuki, and became a seemingly innocuous little pet. And now Redfield's tanuki...
Pardon. It wasn't even an animal—it was originally a fountain pen that had eaten the Dog-Dog Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Bake-danuki.
Not only did it gain human-like intelligence and speech, it also possessed the ability to craft Transformation Leaves—magical items that could transform into whatever was written on them.
Including transforming into Devil Fruit users. While not as strong as the original, the copies retained the same powers, knowledge, and combat skills!
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
Ain understood immediately—if Wright was taking it seriously, then this was no small matter. The number of personnel assigned to monitor Redfield would have to increase significantly.
Redfield's Observation Haki was razor-sharp. His speed and unpredictability made tailing him even harder than monitoring the massive crews of the Four Emperors.
"Now, onto the next matter. The so-called 'Worst Generation' from two years ago has been making waves again. Here's the latest summary."
Ain produced another folder—this one clearly thicker—and handed it over.
"It's been over a year since Whitebeard's death. With the position of the fourth Emperor still vacant, those troublesome Supernovas have all set their sights on claiming the title."
"Some are targeting the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. But 'Phoenix' Marco has shown remarkable progress this past year—his frequent battles have elevated his strength. The Strategy Division now believes he's nearing Four Emperors-level."
Wright nodded thoughtfully.
"Maybe… he's still blaming himself for failing to stop Blackbeard—feeling like he indirectly caused Whitebeard's death."
"For twenty years, they grew too complacent under Whitebeard's shadow. But Marco… someone with his talent, won't be broken by grief. Pain will only make him stronger."
"The same goes for the rest of Whitebeard's commanders. If they complete their transformation… they're still the ones most likely to reclaim the title of Emperor."
Ain sighed softly.
"It's natural for young pirates to chase after strong opponents. The fall of Doflamingo seems to have accelerated their moves."
"And then there's Bartolomeo—the 'Cannibal,' captain of the Barto Club. Even among last year's new pirates, his conduct was so vile, even other pirates found it unbearable. Looks like he's getting ready to make a move too."
"Is the Navy really still not enough of a deterrent against these kinds of people?"
"People who chase dreams… always find a path," Wright replied. "Unfortunately, most of them choose to walk the path of piracy."
He tapped the desk.
Bartolomeo was a prime example—a result of the unintended consequences of famous pirate flags.
A diehard fan of the Straw Hat Pirates, sure—but his behavior was that of a true scoundrel. Every crime he committed would be blamed on the Straw Hats.
Back during the Summit War, Wright had told Whitebeard about his original fate, and about the hopeful future that could be built if he made the ultimate sacrifice. That moment had led Whitebeard to die with a smile, saying he had "no regrets."
Without Whitebeard's earth-shaking declaration—"One Piece is real!"—the seas now were far calmer than they were in the same time period of the original story.
The Navy's overwhelming power, combined with the severe weakening of pirate forces, had drastically reduced the number of people setting sail for glory, power, or wealth.
Yet… there was no denying it.
As Blackbeard famously said: "People's dreams… never end!"
There would always be those who sailed forth, driven by dreams—shaped by their journeys across the seas into new threats to the world.
"That's why… the Navy must become stronger. Strong enough… to redefine what it means to be a 'pirate.'"
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