"Everyone stand still!"
"This is a Navy anti-smut operation. Men to the left, women to the right, and transvestites in the middle... wait, there's actually someone standing in the middle!?"
With a loud shout from Rosinante, the gamblers in the casino began grumbling as they started to move.
Though they were clearly displeased, none of them were dumb enough to provoke the Navy.
Still, plenty of them couldn't keep their mouths clean.
Then T Bone stepped forward, swept his angry gaze across the room...
And silence fell.
Only one bold gambler dared to tremble out a sentence:
"Dear lord, why is the Navy bringing zombies out to enforce the law these days?"
(T/N: T Bone looks like a zombie)
Upon hearing this, the members of the secret SWORD unit mentally reviewed all the tragic events in their lives just to suppress the twitching at the corners of their mouths.
"Ahem, ahem."
Michael coughed lightly to hide his laughter, then looked again toward the middle-aged man sitting motionless at the gambling table.
"Dear Navy officer, I have a feeling I'm going to win this round."
The man shook his head, a look of regret on his face.
"What a shame…"
"Honestly, for a blind man, your hobby is... pretty niche."
Michael looked curiously at the man who, in the future, would become a Navy Admiral.
"Issho-san, are you truly unable to see?"
"Not being able to see is a kind of blessing. The world is full of filth and depravity too vile for the eyes."
Issho gave a helpless smile upon hearing Michael's question.
"Besides... I was the one who closed this window myself."
"I see... Issho-san, your sense of justice is unlike anything I've ever seen!"
Michael clapped as he stood up.
"May I ask… have you ever thought of joining the Navy?"
"Joining the Navy?"
Issho was clearly stunned for a moment, then calmly shook his head.
"Even if I joined the Navy, that wouldn't necessarily allow me to uphold true justice…"
Issho didn't speak the next part aloud to this young Navy officer...
Those filthy and depraved souls he spoke of—many of them were part of the Navy itself.
He had roamed the seas since his youth, witnessing too much evil and corruption.
Whether it was the Navy accepting bribes and colluding with local gangs or even pirates...
Or those who upheld "regional justice," treating non-affiliated nations as subhuman...
At first, he may have drawn his cane-sword in the name of justice.
But one day, he realized—
No matter how strong he was alone, he could only punish a small handful of people. He could only save a small handful.
Unless...
He gained the power that came with high rank in the Navy.
Issho—a man whose life had been spent drifting between gambling tables and vigilante acts—had finally realized the importance of authority.
Otherwise, given his personality, he wouldn't have joined the World Military Draft in the original story and become a new Navy Admiral.
"I understand."
Michael slowly let out those few words, but they left Issho frozen in place.
Just a few simple words, yet they held a soothing power.
And in fact... it was true.
Behind Michael, a pair of pure white wings gently unfurled. The gentle Holy Light spread throughout the entire casino in an instant.
And with his Observation Haki, which could perceive emotions and movements, Issho "saw" something remarkable—Michael's entire being was burning with a blazing white light.
It was a color Issho had never seen before.
What kind of emotion could this represent?
Even he... couldn't help but feel curious.
"If one does not stand at the top, one cannot carry out true justice to its fullest extent… That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"
"...Navy officer, can you read minds?"
"No. My Observation Haki has only just reached the Beginner level... I'm simply good at reading people."
Michael shook his head, though the smile on his lips grew even wider.
He then stepped up to Issho's side and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, said:
"Issho-san, this is where I should formally introduce myself."
"My name is Michael, a Rear Admiral of Navy Headquarters."
"But I also hold another identity..."
Issho paused. Another identity?
"Are you a pirate? Or an undercover agent from the Self-Defense Force?"
"No, no, Issho-san, aren't you guessing a bit too far off!"
Michael was a little thrown—Issho really could guess!
Could it be that his behavior made him seem completely out of step with the World Government!?
"In addition to being a Rear Admiral, I'm also the commander of the SWORD Secret Special Force unit directly under Navy Headquarters' top brass."
"And this unit was created... to monitor the entire Navy, while also conducting independent operations with full autonomy beneath the highest leadership."
"Tell me, is this power enough to help you change this sea that has grown so terribly murky?"
Once Michael finished speaking, he didn't wait for Issho's reply.
Instead, he turned and began seriously directing the newly recruited SWORD members to start properly recording the gamblers and the women from Pleasure Street who were accompanying them.
Did they really think he wasn't here for anti-smut enforcement?
Sure, Issho was the main objective—but he didn't mind poking the World Government and the Celestial Dragons in the eye while he was at it.
Especially since his actions were making such a stir...
Surely the so-called Queen of Pleasure Street was starting to feel the pressure?
With a creak, the door slowly opened.
And the long-awaited Stussy finally walked into the casino.
Despite being the ruler of the world's largest red-light district, her appearance resembled a lovestruck young girl.
A white floral hat, a white shawl over a pink dress.
Blue high heels with little bows.
Her fingernails and toenails painted in bright, eye-catching colors.
And so, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman, elegant and stunning, appeared before everyone.
But… everyone fell silent without even realizing it.
Such a beautiful woman had the exact same silencing effect as T Bone.
No—stronger.
Because not a single gambler dared to talk back in front of one of the underground world's emperors: Stussy.
"My dear Navy officer, what brings you to Pleasure Street? Don't you know that everything here is perfectly legal...? We're excellent taxpayers, after all."
Stussy's sultry voice echoed through the casino—until Michael turned around.
Then she suddenly fell silent.
"Wh-What? It's you… Rear Admiral Michael, what an honor."
"Oh? Stussy-san, your intel really is top-notch. I just had my commissioning ceremony today in Admiral Sengoku's office, and you already knew?"
Michael thought for a moment, then gave her a warm smile:
"So Stussy-san is actually an informant leaking Navy intelligence, huh?"
"Then I'm afraid I'll have to place you under arrest."
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