Several days later, the G-7 Marine Base handover was completed. The original base commander returned to Headquarters, and Finn officially assumed command.
Now he sat in the base commander's office, reviewing detailed documentation about G-7's current status. The information was comprehensive and, he had to admit, not bad overall.
G-7 currently had seven thousand Marines in active service, none of them elderly, infirm, or otherwise unsuitable for duty. Finn had already inspected them personally. They weren't elite by any means, just ordinary Marines. But in terms of military bearing and discipline, they were all qualified. Not excellent, but not embarrassing either.
Overall, G-7 was... average. The previous base commander had apparently been competent at maintaining the status quo but lacked aggressive initiative.
Finn wasn't surprised.
As he continued reviewing files, the office door opened and Gion entered without ceremony.
"How is it? Do the funds match the accounts?" Finn asked without looking up.
Gion nodded with satisfaction. "With your Admiral Candidate title, nobody wants to offend you now. Vice Admiral Salier's handover was completely clean. G-7's current funds perfectly match the documented balance. I've counted everything personally: one billion three hundred million Berries in reserve. Based on current operational scale, that's sufficient to maintain the base through this year. However..." She paused meaningfully. "If you want large-scale construction, base expansion, building a new military town, population relocation, et cetera? Completely insufficient. Want to try wheedling more military funds from Admiral Sengoku?"
Over one billion Berries sounded like substantial wealth, but in practice it really wasn't. Food, water, sanitation, and daily necessities for seven thousand Marines all came from these funds. Daily base maintenance, artillery ammunition replenishment, warship repairs and construction, everything cost money.
Just barely enough for normal operations. Any additional projects would blow the budget immediately.
Finn nodded, satisfied that handover accounts matched reality. He hadn't expected any surprises there.
"Do you have suggestions?" Finn asked.
Gion smiled and settled onto the sofa, pouring herself tea. "I'm free anyway. The pirate wave hasn't reached us yet. Since we're close to the southern Calm Belt and adjacent to Impel Down, one of the Three Great Powers, the local waters are relatively calm. Few pirates. I think we should organize our troops for construction work. Including the ones we brought, that's over seven thousand people. They're strong laborers, after all."
"What about material costs? I want to expand, but I can't expand from thin air," Finn said with amusement.
"There's plenty of timber on the island, we can harvest it directly. For stone and metal materials... stone can be quarried on-site. If that doesn't work, you could just pull down a meteorite from orbit." Gion grinned mischievously. "As for metals, we'd need to purchase those. Though if you're lucky and pull down a meteorite with high metal content, that could save considerable funds. There are always methods."
"Hahaha! Good thinking. But seven thousand people still isn't enough. We need more laborers, preferably ones who don't require salaries," Finn laughed.
"You mean... slaves?" Gion asked after a moment's surprise.
Before Finn could respond, she shook her head firmly. "Although slavery exists worldwide with booming trade, it's still illegal. As Marines, we can't engage in it. Would damage your reputation severely. Besides, acquiring slaves requires significant capital, and slave traders won't give you inventory for free just because you're an Admiral Candidate."
Finn smiled enigmatically. "We don't need slaves. We'll do labor reform instead. Prepare a ship. We're visiting our neighbor."
"Neighbor?" Gion looked curious, then realization dawned. Her eyes widened. "You're going to Impel Down?"
"Hurry up and prepare the ship," Finn waved dismissively without confirming directly.
Gion smiled, shook her head at his audacity, and went to arrange transportation.
After Finn secured the documents and instructed Doberman to maintain command at G-7, two warships departed toward Impel Down.
The distance was remarkably short. In less than half a day at warship speed, they'd arrived near the prison fortress.
Currently, Impel Down's Warden wasn't the future poison-master Magellan. That young man served as Deputy Warden, tall as he'd be twenty years hence but considerably younger. The current Warden was an elderly man with white hair and two horns protruding from his head, clearly not standard human. To be honest, most Impel Down personnel didn't look quite normal. Some special race, perhaps, like the Long-Arm Tribe or another variant.
Finn had no intention of inquiring about genetic details.
The Warden wasn't particularly surprised hearing that G-7's new Commander wanted to visit Impel Down. The facilities were geographically close with long histories of cooperation. A courtesy call from a new neighbor made perfect sense.
The warship's paddle wheels gradually ceased rotation, bringing the massive vessel smoothly alongside Impel Down's port.
Finn and Gion, both smiling and appearing quite cheerful, disembarked toward the harbor.
This wasn't Finn's first visit to Impel Down. He'd been here several times previously, though always in transit, using the incredibly swift Current from Impel Down to reach Marineford at breakneck speed.
Thinking about it now, G-7 truly was well-positioned. Half a day to reach the Calm Belt where Impel Down sat, less than half a day from Impel Down to Marineford. Simply put, even if something critical happened at Headquarters, Finn could make the journey in one day if he pushed hard.
"Hahahaha! Vice Admiral Finn, it's been too long!" Upon seeing Finn disembark, the Warden laughed heartily and came to greet him personally.
Times change, circumstances shift.
When Finn had visited previously, he'd still been a Rear Admiral. Only his good relationships with Headquarters leadership had granted him passage through Impel Down.
But now? The Warden didn't dare underestimate the young man before him.
Because Finn held Admiral Candidate honors. Logically, given the current Admiral vacancies, he could assume that rank immediately. For unknown reasons, he hadn't yet. But even so, he was currently the Marine's only official Admiral Candidate.
If nothing unexpected occurred, he'd definitely become a Marine Admiral eventually.
In terms of organizational hierarchy, Impel Down was a subordinate institution of Marine Headquarters, under direct Headquarters management. Though the Grand Warden held dominant authority within Impel Down, he still had to obey orders from Admirals and the Fleet Admiral.
Twenty years in the future, when Magellan would want to commit suicide after a prison break, the first superior he'd report to would be then-Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Sengoku would severely scold Magellan against doing anything foolish.
That demonstrated Impel Down's subordinate position clearly.
Now Finn was an Admiral Candidate who might become an Admiral at any moment. As a Marine Admiral, he'd answer only to the Fleet Admiral directly. That was no joke.
Therefore, the Warden understood perfectly that the young man before him might become his superior at any time. Better treat him well, serve him properly.
I'm old now, the Warden thought pragmatically. Just want to retire peacefully someday. If I offend a future superior and he makes things difficult later, I'd have nowhere to complain.
"Hahahaha! Warden Mescas, it's been a while indeed. You seem in excellent health. I think you'll have to work another ten years at least, right?" Finn walked forward, grabbed the old Warden's shoulder, patted it twice familiarly, and spoke with remarkable intimacy.
After all, he was here requesting assistance. Had to give proper face.
Old Warden Mescas felt somewhat surprised. Vice Admiral Finn arrived acting as though they were old friends, which struck him as rather odd. He knew perfectly well they barely had any relationship at all, having met only a few times in passing.
But Mescas was experienced and wise. Since Finn, who might become his superior eventually, was giving him such tremendous face, Mescas certainly wouldn't offend him.
He immediately became more enthusiastic, grabbing Finn's hand and shaking vigorously. "I'm old, so old! Seeing you, Vice Admiral, makes me realize how aged I've truly become. Can't compare to your generation anymore. Oh, by the way, I haven't congratulated you yet! You've become the first Admiral Candidate in the past twenty years. I think with your talents, the Admiral position is inevitable."
Everyone carries the sedan chair in mutual flattery. Saying nice things is always correct.
Finn and Mescas proceeded to compliment each other while standing at the harbor, chatting for over ten minutes as if they genuinely hit it off splendidly.
This completely confused Deputy Warden Magellan standing nearby. Does our Warden have such an extensive network? I haven't heard anything about him having such good relations with Headquarters' Admiral Candidate...
After sufficient pleasantries, Mescas said, "Vice Admiral Finn, you've traveled from afar. It's inappropriate keeping you standing at the entrance. Would you like to come inside and sit?"
Finn waved his hand graciously. "I know Impel Down's regulations. It's already quite generous that you're speaking with me at the port. Mustn't push boundaries. Without direct orders from Headquarters, even I can't enter Impel Down proper. Borrowing the Current passage and such falls within acceptable unspoken rules, not excessive overreach."
But entering Impel Down's prison without cause? That would genuinely violate regulations. If something happened inside during that period, he'd have to take blame. Unless he held Admiral rank, which granted authority to enter and exit Impel Down freely.
Mescas had merely been polite. If Finn had actually accepted, he'd have been obligated to invite him inside reluctantly. He hadn't expected Finn to be so considerate of proper boundaries.
After a brief pause, Finn continued, "To be honest, I came to Impel Down today because I wanted to request your assistance, Brother Mescas."
Mescas looked momentarily surprised, then smiled knowingly. "Vice Admiral, please speak freely. Are there relatives or friends who've been misunderstood and imprisoned in Impel Down? If you want someone from the fourth floor or above, I can definitely arrange their release!"
Ah, so that's why this Vice Admiral was so enthusiastic. He came seeking backdoor favors.
But it didn't matter. Not a particularly serious issue. As Mescas said, he could still help with prisoners from the fourth floor upward.
So-called mutual protection among officials worked exactly like this. Whether Marines or Impel Down personnel, though both justice organizations, they still had connected people pulling strings.
This question had no answer throughout history's ages.
Finn had no intention of resolving systemic corruption, so he adhered to the practical belief: if you can't beat them, join them. If you join their system, wouldn't refusing to participate just put you at a disadvantage?
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