Chapter 35: The Future Pillars of the Navy
"Ughhh, I'm so bored! I want to go on a mission, but Uncle Sengoku just won't approve anything!"
As soon as he returned to the residential quarters, Sakazuki was greeted by Dragon's dramatic wailing.
Not that it was unexpected—after all, Dragon rarely got to leave the base. Most of his time outside was spent tagging along with the Navy's "F4" on patrols. It was only natural for him to vent now and then.
And now that Zephyr had officially taken Sakazuki under his wing, Dragon's opportunities to go out had become even more limited.
"Alright, Dragon-chan, Sister Tsuru already explained it to you, didn't she? The New World is way too dangerous right now. Who in their right mind would assign you a mission there?"
"Exactly, exactly! Gion's totally right!"
Two kids were hanging around Dragon—one boy and one girl.
The girl seemed unusually mature, moving and speaking with the composure of a grown woman. There was none of the playfulness or cuteness one might expect from someone her age.
As for the boy… well, it was hard to say. Despite his young age, he already had the unmistakable look of a future pirate. He stood quietly behind the girl, looking a little shy and obediently following her lead.
"Dragon, I'm back. I heard from Vice Admiral Zephyr that we've got a newcomer. I'm guessing it's the one standing next to Gion?"
Sakazuki offered a polite smile—which, given his naturally stern face, still looked a bit intimidating. He knew first impressions mattered, so he did his best.
Approaching the new boy, he extended a hand courteously.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sakazuki."
"Hello! I'm Tokikake!"
Tokikake beamed as he eagerly shook Sakazuki's hand. He immediately took a liking to this gentle-looking big brother.
Unlike Dragon—who had felt unreliable from the moment they first met.
And the facts had proven him right.
"Sakazuki-chan, you're back early today?" Gion asked curiously. For the past two months, Sakazuki had been returning late every day.
Not like Dragon-chan, the so-called Navy slacker, who always found excuses to sneak away while helping Sister Tsuru—yet somehow always got away with it thanks to her indulgence and smiles.
Tsuru's favoritism toward Dragon truly made one worry about the Navy's future. Relying on Sakazuki alone just wasn't going to be enough…
Holding her forehead in mild exasperation, Tsuru sighed as the four young ones bustled about their small living quarters, each showing their unique personalities.
"Vice Admiral Zephyr showed me something interesting today. Some good news," Sakazuki said, pulling out a folded newspaper. "He didn't let me bring the full report back, but I managed to sneak out this paper."
He handed it to Gion, then added, "I think he just wanted to cheer me up, so he took care of the rest of the paperwork himself. With nothing left to do, I came home early."
"The World Economic News? Never heard of this one before!" Gion exclaimed.
"Really? Really? Let me see!" Tokikake chirped.
"I want to read it too!" Dragon added, stepping closer.
Gion's shout had piqued their curiosity. Tokikake leaned in close beside her, tilting his head for a better view, while Dragon, taller than the others, simply peered down from behind them.
"Whoa, this guy named 'Roel' is insane!"
Tokikake's eyes sparkled as he got drawn into the front-page headline. The thrilling and reckless exploits of Roel had him completely captivated.
Two big stars gleamed in his eyes.
It wasn't that Tokikake had become a fan of Roel—he was just naturally drawn to fame. Anything that made the front page was bound to capture his attention!
"So dangerous, Roel-chan… but as a Marine, that kind of selfless spirit and disregard for personal safety is something truly admirable."
Gion, on the other hand, saw something else entirely. As Tsuru's recognized adoptive sister, she not only had impressive talent but also a sharp mind to match.
She quickly picked up on all the valuable propaganda angles buried in the article. With a little editing and the World Government's media backing, this story could become a powerful recruiting tool for next year's enlistment drive!
"This is so cool! Now this is what life should be like! Staying cooped up at HQ all day—what's the point of that?! See you all later, I'm heading straight to my dad to request a mission to the New World! Wish me luck!"
Dragon was fired up by the thrilling report and, without another word, dashed off toward Marine HQ, determined to earn permission to enter the New World.
Watching him go, Sakazuki couldn't help but smile from the heart. To see his own family receive such widespread recognition—it made him genuinely proud.
Still, pride didn't mean a lack of worry. He'd have to schedule a proper talk with Roel at some point. With the way that kid operated, he was bound to push things too far eventually.
And Sakazuki had high hopes for the future—he couldn't afford to lose a subordinate as promising as Roel.
---
Meanwhile, the seas were growing ever more restless.
And those responsible for stirring the waves... were silently waiting for the curtain to rise.
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New World – Hachinosu (Pirate Island)
This was paradise for pirates. An island that truly lived up to the name—Pirate Island.
Countless infamous pirates had carved out turf here, but now, one man had unified them all under a single banner: Rocks D. Xebec. A titan of the seas, now the undisputed, though unofficial, king of the island.
Inside a tavern on Hachinosu, two notorious pirates sat face-to-face.
"Gehahaha! Take a look at this, Newgate! Look what I snagged from the first half of the Grand Line—you have to see this!"
Shiki had just returned from a trip across the Four Blues and Paradise. Grinning maniacally, he slid two newspapers across the counter to Whitebeard, who was sipping quietly at the bar.
"Didn't you always say you wanted to try that family nonsense? You and this guy named 'Ross' might have a lot in common."
"And I gotta admit—this brat he's got working under him? Even I was tempted! The kid's got all the makings of a top-tier pirate. Shame he ended up joining the Navy."
Whitebeard didn't respond to Shiki's loud, in-your-face enthusiasm.
They'd been shipmates long enough. Everyone knew what Whitebeard dreamed of—and plenty of pirates mocked him behind his back for it.
But confronting him directly? Only Shiki was bold (or dumb) enough to do that.
"Gurararara… To think someone like that popped up in the Blues… That floating island stunt was pretty damn impressive."
He raised an eyebrow at Shiki, smirking.
"So, Shiki… you're really not planning to meet him face-to-face? Seems like your Devil Fruit abilities could give you two something to talk about."
Whitebeard recognized and respected Ross's daring. He even admired it a little—but he'd never show that in front of Shiki. He wasn't about to give the man more ammunition for teasing.
"Tch."
Seeing that his expected reaction didn't come, Shiki clicked his tongue in disappointment, raising a glass of malt beer instead.
"Rocks warned me not to make any moves right now. Says we can't afford any surprises at this stage. I don't want to get smacked around for no reason."
"As for that guy? I'll pay him a visit after this operation's over."
Whitebeard gave a slight nod.
Still, inwardly, he felt uneasy. Rocks's plans were… extreme.
Just because the World Government had raided his base, was that really enough reason to pick a fight with the Celestial Dragons? It felt like overkill. He might end up losing more than he gained.
But what had the World Government really stolen from Rocks to provoke such a response? What was so important that it led him to gather all these monsters of the sea in just a few short years?
Shiki. Charlotte Linlin. Even Whitebeard himself.
Each had been invited aboard by Rocks—through brute force, no less.
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Author's Note:
After checking, it seems Tokikake and Gion (the younger version) are fan-created characters that were later acknowledged and integrated by Oda. Their detailed backstories are unclear.
If you spot any factual errors in the story, feel free to point them out—I'll revise the text and remove the comment after the fix. It's all about keeping the flow smooth, after all. Gotta eat, right? Hope you understand.
Regarding the God Valley leak: that takes place two weeks before the official start of the events.
As for what the World Government stole from Hachinosu Island—the author admits that part was improvised. Personally, I think it was the most powerful Mythical Zoan fruit Rocks had prepped for himself. That would be the only thing worthy of triggering such a retaliation.
I've read some of the manga and watched bits of the anime, but not all of it—my memory's not perfect.