Half a month later, at the ungodly hour of 5:30 in the morning, the training ground of Marine Branch 186 was already full of activity.
Groups of bare-chested soldiers, drenched in sweat, ran in perfect formation, their powerful strides pounding the earth.
Each step was filled with an unwavering resolve that was almost terrifying to behold.
"Train harder!"
"Follow the Captain's example!"
"To Headquarters!"
Their shouts thundered like a storm, brimming with a passion and fervor that could shake the heavens.
It was at this exact moment that the newly appointed Captain of Branch 186 arrived, a full two weeks ahead of schedule thanks to favorable ocean currents.
He stood at the edge of the training field, watching the spirited soldiers with a look of utter confusion.
'Wasn't Branch 186 supposed to be the most notoriously slacking branch in the entire East Blue?' he wondered, his brow furrowed.
'This... this doesn't look like slacking at all!'
With this level of intensity, Branch 186 wasn't just competent; they were on track to snatch the title of 'Strongest Branch in the East Blue' from Loguetown.
His gaze lingered on the young, handsome soldier leading the pack, his face etched with determination, his every movement purposeful.
'That must be Captain Mike,' the new Captain thought to himself, a flicker of deep admiration in his eyes.
"No wonder Headquarters took notice of him. The world's misunderstanding of this branch is far too great. To think they called these men the 'Navy's Disgrace'... how much slander have they endured in silence?"
Feeling a sense of camaraderie, he stepped forward and extended his hand politely.
"Captain Mike, a pleasure to meet you. I'm the new Captain taking over Branch 186."
The moment the words left his mouth, the young soldier snapped to attention.
He threw a salute so sharp it could cut glass and replied firmly.
"Sir, reporting! Captain Mike is most likely still asleep right now, sir!"
"..."
The new Captain froze, his hand still extended in the air.
His smile faltered.
'What? Still asleep?'
.....
At a eleven o'clock, sunlight filtered through the curtains of the branch office, filling the air with a lazy, comfortable atmosphere.
Mike sat behind his desk, his eyes still heavy with sleep, as he watched the newly assigned Captain walk in.
The new Captain paused, his gaze lingering on the handsome, laid-back man before him.
'So this is the real Captain Mike?'
"Ah, my apologies," Mike yawned, stretching his arms high above his head, his expression dazed.
"Since I'm about to leave, I've had a lot on my plate lately. Been staying up late handling things, so I've been waking up a bit later than usual."
He then glanced at his system panel.
The past half-month had been way too comfortable.
His soldiers were all training like madmen, and nothing he said could persuade them to stop.
They had even taken over all his official duties with a shocking level of enthusiasm.
Since he couldn't talk them out of it, he was more than happy to enjoy the newfound leisure.
'But damn it, there was a downside!'
During work hours, no one was free to play mahjong or poker with him anymore.
After hours, no one wanted to go out and raise hell.
They were all obsessed with training.
It was a tragedy.
And speaking of after-hours... since the ladies in the Red-Light District knew he was leaving soon, they had been practically lining up outside his door to give him a 'farewell'.
It had become a nightly battle of attrition.
If not for his superhuman stamina, he would have surrendered long ago.
'Ah, such fiery passion... it's exhausting!'
"Understood, completely understood!" the new Captain nodded with a compassionate smile, his earlier confusion vanishing.
"There's always so much to handle during a transfer."
He now realized his mistake.
He had thought Mike was just lazy, but it turned out he had been working late into the night on official duties!
He was a true role model for all Marines!
Mike gave a slight nod, accepting the praise he absolutely did not deserve.
He was, however, already preparing mentally for the move to Headquarters.
Being Kizaru's adjutant meant his workload wouldn't be too heavy, but this was still Marine HQ.
The stakes were higher.
Combat? Avoid it if possible.
If he couldn't win? Just call in Kizaru.
The Admiral was one of the Navy's top fighters; he was perfect for taking the hits.
The real problem was mental labor.
Thinking was genuinely exhausting.
And since his new boss, Admiral Kizaru, was even lazier than he was, they would be a black hole of productivity.
Therefore, Mike needed a solution.
He needed a strategist, a human-shaped Pal with exceptional work capabilities, to prevent tedious matters from interfering with his grand slacking-off plan.
He already had a few candidates in mind.
His eyes flickered as he began to scheme.
First, for pure, cunning intelligence, there was 'Thousand Plans' Kuro, a pirate with a bounty of 16 million.
The man was a verified genius, second only to Benn Beckman in Oda's own ranking.
Cunning, sharp, and ruthless—he would make a perfect chief of staff.
For administration and civil projects, there was the mayor of Water 7, Iceburg.
The man was a brilliant leader and engineer.
With his future position as Kizaru's adjutant, "requisitioning" Iceburg's services would be a piece of cake.
Lastly, for muscle and covert operations, there were the members of CP9 who would soon be defeated by Luffy.
Rob Lucci was a combat monster, a perfect enforcer.
Kalifa was a capable secretary.
After their defeat, they'd be on the run from Spandam.
He could intercept them, offer them protection under Kizaru's banner, and secure their loyalty.
Of course, for such cunning individuals, he would need both a carrot and a stick.
He was already prepared.
[Demon God Conduit]
[Tier: Blue | Star Rating: 3 (Max: 3)]
[Effect: Consumes the user's vitality for a chance to break their innate talent limit. Affects those with talent below a Vice Admiral's potential, with the possibility of reaching Elite Vice Admiral level.]
[Ceiling Upgrade (100,000 Happy Points): Upgrades item to Purple. Breakthrough chance becomes 100%, and user's talent can reach the potential of a Headquarters Admiral.]
Mike had been saving his Happy Points just for this.
He would offer one of his new recruits this chance at unbelievable power.
The "stick" was that it drained their life force.
They would be bound to him for the "carrot."
[Senzu Bean]
[Tier: Blue | Star Rating: 2 (Max: 3)]
[Effect: Can restore vitality and heal injuries. Higher star levels yield better effects.]
[Upgrade Cost (2 -> 3 Stars): 10,000 Happy Points]
He would first give them a low-level Senzu Bean to restore some vitality, giving them a taste of the benefits and keeping them hooked.
Once they were loyal, he'd provide a steady supply, completely eliminating the side effects of the Conduit.
They would gain immense power, and he would gain a hyper-competent subordinate who was fiercely loyal out of self-preservation.
'Old Man Kizaru,' Mike thought with a wicked grin.
'you said I could slack off once my duties were done. You never said I couldn't delegate the work, right?'
His plan was flawless.
He'd collect a Headquarters salary while his underlings handled all the tedious work.
He'd only need to step out occasionally to cut someone down.
This was an absolute win!
The feeling of having powerful backing was truly wonderful.
Thinking of this, Mike couldn't help but reveal an expectant smile.
*****
Meanwhile, far away in the East Blue, in a place called Windmill Village.
The morning sun bathed the land in golden light.
A simple wooden boat slowly departed from the village's harbor, its hull swaying gently with the waves.
Onboard, a young man stood at the bow, an iconic straw hat perched on his head.
Facing the vast, endless ocean, he threw his arms wide and shouted at the top of his lungs, a cry filled with boundless freedom and an unbreakable dream.
"I'M GONNA BE THE KING OF THE PIRATES!"