Its been half a year since Finn assignment in G-7, the base's expansion project reached completion.
Sea Circle Calendar Year 1501. The fortress that had once struggled to house seven thousand Marines now sprawled across its island like a small city, capable of supporting tens of thousands of personnel. What remained was fortification work: installing artillery batteries, establishing defensive positions, stocking ammunition reserves. All of that had been planned during the initial expansion phase, making it straightforward implementation rather than complex engineering.
Finn had discovered unexpected talent in Doberman during this process. The man possessed an almost supernatural ability to manage Impel Down prisoners, extracting maximum productivity through a combination of brutal efficiency and strategic incentives. He'd officially become G-7's engineering captain, and seemed to genuinely enjoy the work. Give Doberman a labor force of criminals and a construction project, and he was happy as a clam.
In his office, Finn bent over his desk, surrounded by maps and geological surveys of the southern Calm Belt. Planning the development strategy required meticulous attention to detail: which islands to target first, what resources to prioritize, how to establish supply chains that wouldn't attract attention from either headquarters or the World Government.
All recruitment matters had been delegated to Gion. The three World Government member nations under G-7's protection were cooperating enthusiastically. After all, the Great Pirate Era's chaos hadn't yet reached this region, but everyone understood the storm was coming. A stronger Marine presence meant better protection. Enlightened self-interest made for smooth negotiations.
Gion had departed with substantial funding and clear recruitment targets. By all reports, operations were proceeding without complications.
"Buru buru buru..."
The Den Den Mushi on Finn's desk began ringing, its mechanical eyes blinking open. He glanced up from his Calm Belt charts and saw the snail's features had morphed into Admiral Sengoku's distinctive expression.
Finn set down his pen and picked up the receiver, smiling as he answered. "Admiral Sengoku? Do you have a mission for G-7?"
"Finn." Sengoku's voice came through with barely controlled disbelief. "You've ordered seventy warships? Two thousand heavy artillery pieces? Two hundred thousand rounds of ammunition?"
"Yes, but Admiral, you're still handling all these logistical matters personally?" Finn's tone carried gentle amusement. "You really aren't afraid of exhaustion..."
Sengoku made a strangled sound that might have been attempted speech.
Logistics matters were handled by people specifically assigned to such work. But because G-7 was Finn's territory, and because Fleet Admiral Kong, Admiral Sengoku, and Chief of Staff Tsuru were all waiting for updates on his grand Calm Belt development plan, Sengoku occasionally checked on developments in that sector.
Half a year had passed with no movement from Finn. Then today, during a routine inquiry, Sengoku discovered this Vice Admiral had casually ordered seventy warships from Marine Headquarters, plus massive reserves of artillery and ammunition.
The warships alone cost fourteen billion berries. Adding the two thousand heavy artillery pieces and enormous ammunition stockpile brought the total to nearly forty billion berries.
Sengoku had been genuinely stunned.
"Where did you get so much money?" The Admiral's voice sharpened with suspicion. "I remember when G-7 transferred to your command, the base had military reserves of maybe one billion berries. But our headquarters has already received gold worth nearly thirty billion berries that you shipped. Have you developed a gold mine in the Calm Belt?" A pause, then with forced casualness, "You should report such discoveries to me promptly. It's not a good habit to keep everything to yourself, Finn."
Finn leaned back in his chair, suppressing a grin at Sengoku's transparent fishing expedition. "I'm still writing my comprehensive plan for Calm Belt development. Nothing's been actually implemented yet. A few days ago, I sent three warships into the southern belt to investigate suitable islands nearby. I'll build a transit station first, then I plan to find geological exploration professionals to accompany warships deeper in, see what resources or minerals exist on the nearby islands."
"It hasn't been implemented yet?" Sengoku's tone suggested he didn't quite believe this.
"No, how could I possibly hide such matters from you, Admiral?" Finn maintained his innocent tone, though his expression suggested otherwise.
"It hasn't been confirmed yet. Where did you acquire so much gold?" Sengoku pressed, curiosity winning over skepticism.
"I went to Sky Island earlier and found the legendary Golden Land." Finn delivered this information as casually as if discussing the weather. "Shandora. I brought the entire city to G-7, positioned it right beside the base. Seven thousand Marines are guarding it. That's an entire city's worth of gold. I roughly estimate it's worth more than one trillion berries. To put it simply, G-7 won't be short of money for the next ten years. A mere tens of billions in gold is nothing."
The silence on the other end stretched.
"What did you say?" Sengoku's voice came out strained, almost dazed. "The Golden Land?"
"Yes!" Finn confirmed cheerfully.
The legend of the Golden Land remained popular throughout the seas. Four hundred years ago, a man named Mont Blanc Noland had claimed to discover a city of gold, but after the king's expedition found nothing, Noland had been executed as a liar. The story persisted as folklore, though few believed it anymore.
And now Finn had just announced he'd found this legendary treasure, harvested an entire city's worth of gold, and transformed G-7 from a impoverished backwater into one of the wealthiest installations in the Marines.
"Are you joking?" Sengoku asked again, his voice carrying genuine disbelief mixed with something that might have been despair.
How could this guy be so lucky? Just go out for a walk and stumble across the Golden Land?
"Am I joking? If you want to see the splendor of the Golden City, Admiral, you're welcome to visit G-7." Finn's smile came through clearly in his voice.
"How did you even know about the Golden Land?" Sengoku demanded.
"Huh?" Finn paused, as if surprised by the question. "I reported this matter to headquarters two years ago?"
"What? I don't recall any such report." Confusion colored Sengoku's response.
"How is that possible? I wrote a specific report for you, Admiral. Don't you remember?" Finn's tone suggested wounded feelings. "Regarding the matter of the nonexistent organization, you asked me to raise funds independently. I submitted two reports to you. One was about the Jewel Ice Sheet, the treasure of Don Chinjao's Happo Marine in the Kingdom of Flowers. The other was about secret intelligence on Sky Island's Golden Land."
He continued before Sengoku could interrupt. "But later, Vice Admiral Garp and I opened the Jewel Ice Sheet vault, and funds for the nonexistent organization were sufficient. I also handed over a large sum of wealth to headquarters. So we didn't pursue the Golden Land at that time. When I came to G-7, I found myself desperately short of money. Then I remembered this legendary treasure and personally took people to Sky Island."
More silence.
Sengoku's mind raced back through memories. He vaguely recalled Finn submitting such reports. But at the time, Sengoku had treated the Golden Land information as legend and fairy tale, not taking it seriously. After all, who would actually believe that Finn could just decide to find the Golden Land and actually succeed?
I thought you were being fanciful! Making jokes!
So you were serious?
For a long moment, Admiral Sengoku felt his heart break into pieces. Damn it. Just because of slight negligence, because he hadn't taken the report seriously, Marine Headquarters had lost at least one trillion berries worth of gold.
That was the gold of an entire city.
It might even be worth two or three trillion. Perhaps even more. And the Golden Land was famous, a legend from four hundred years ago. If calculated as historical artifacts and cultural treasures, the value could increase exponentially.
"Ahem." Sengoku cleared his throat, and when he spoke again, his tone had shifted dramatically, becoming noticeably gentler. "Finn, our headquarters did receive your report on this matter. To be honest, I was actually preparing to form a fleet to go to Sky Island for investigation these past few days, but I didn't expect you would get there first..."
Finn's eyes narrowed with immediate suspicion. You old schemer. I don't trust you at all.
"Really? That's a pity, Admiral Sengoku." Finn deliberately kept his tone innocent, pretending not to understand the subtext. "You should have told me earlier."
Sengoku made a choked sound, clearly caught off guard by Finn's refusal to play along. Then he tried a different approach. "Well, as the saying goes, those who see treasure should share it. Our headquarters is also facing tight financial constraints. I think it would be better to divide this Golden Land between us..."
"Admiral Sengoku." Finn interrupted quickly, his voice taking on a formal quality. "According to our regulations and the New Base Law of 1497, Marine bases have financial autonomy. Seized funds can be retained for military use at the base level. I didn't use a single berry for personal purposes, so I haven't violated the New Base Law at all. According to regulations, headquarters can't..."
"I've read your planning report." Sengoku cut through Finn's recitation of regulations with the ease of someone who'd been doing this for decades. "G-7's current plan is to increase military strength to 24,000 personnel. You've already built most of your fortifications and other infrastructure. With the Golden Land in your possession, a 24,000-man force should last you at least twenty years. Why so much? You can't even spend it all. Why not give some to our headquarters? I'll allow you to keep two hundred billion berries as development funds for G-7, okay? That should be enough for several years of spending!"
Finn's expression shifted, a muscle twitching in his jaw. Two hundred billion? Admiral, my Golden Land is valued at minimum one trillion berries. Probably closer to two trillion. You want to take away nine-tenths, or even more, and leave me two hundred billion? Is this appropriate?
But he also recognized Sengoku's position. The Admiral wouldn't push this hard without serious need.
After a calculated pause, Finn spoke carefully. "Well, I, Finn, am not a person without filial piety toward my organization. Headquarters is my home. I rely on everyone's support and care. Therefore..." He took a breath, as if making a difficult decision. "I have decided to donate three hundred billion berries worth of gold to headquarters in G-7 Base's name, as a token of appreciation. Is that acceptable?"
Although he hadn't yet determined exactly how to spend the Golden Land's wealth, and it might actually take more than ten years to exhaust the funds, the thought of giving it away made him deeply reluctant.
Through the Den Den Mushi, Finn could practically hear Sengoku's beard being tugged in frustration.
"Finn." The Admiral's voice dropped to something dangerous. "Do you want to resign? Do you believe that I won't transfer you back to headquarters from G-7 right this instant? I'm telling you, this Golden Land, today, you're going to share it whether you want to or not! If you make me, Sengoku, truly angry, I won't even leave you ten billion!"
So you're just going to rob me openly?
"Admiral, you are an Admiral of the Marines!" Finn put genuine outrage into his voice. "You should be the embodiment of justice, maintaining fairness and righteousness on the seas. Now you're going to rob your own subordinates? When did our Marines become such an organization? Is there still law? Is there still justice? Don't you care about your reputation, Admiral Sengoku? Decades of honor, gone!"
"What reputation?" Sengoku's voice came back shameless and unrepentant. "Hand over the Golden Land, and you can ruin my reputation as much as you want. I don't need this old face anymore! As for our Marines and what we've become? You dragged prisoners out of Impel Down and worked them as slave labor. What are you talking about, law? Even if you broadcast this conversation to the entire world, you still have to give me a substantial share of the Golden Land!"
Finn stared at the Den Den Mushi, genuinely shocked.
Is this the demeanor of a Marine Admiral?
But he also understood the underlying truth. As long as it benefited the Marines as a whole, reputation and face could be sacrificed. Sengoku had always operated by that principle.
"So you're just going to rob it?" Finn asked flatly.
"That's right. I'm robbing you." Sengoku said it with complete righteousness.
After a brief pause, his voice softened slightly, becoming almost wheedling. "Finn, you're not going to spend your whole life at G-7. Sooner or later, you'll become an Admiral. When that happens, won't you return to headquarters? If headquarters is strong, you'll be strong in the future. Trust me. Leave this money with me. Think of it as saving it for you. When you become an Admiral, you can spend it freely... Okay?"
Finn's expression went flat. This is the exact same trick parents use when asking children for New Year's money. They say they'll return it when you grow up, but it never comes back.
But Sengoku did have a point. Finn couldn't stay at G-7 forever. His future lay at Marine Headquarters, eventually as an Admiral, possibly even Fleet Admiral. In that context, strengthening headquarters meant strengthening his own future position.
And honestly? One trillion berries was more than G-7 could reasonably spend in a decade. Better to invest some of it in overall Marine capabilities, which would ultimately benefit him anyway.
Still, the principle of the thing rankled. He'd found the treasure. Secured it. Transported an entire ancient city. And now Sengoku was swooping in to claim the lion's share.
Time to negotiate seriously.
"Four hundred billion." Finn spoke firmly. "I want to keep four hundred billion."
He could see that Sengoku had been driven to shamelessness. The Golden Land couldn't remain entirely in G-7's hands. And truthfully, Finn had been somewhat mentally prepared for this. He'd known that keeping all of it would be impossible. If it stayed with him, most would just sit unused, gold gathering dust. If it went to headquarters, it would quickly transform into enhanced Marine capabilities, benefiting the entire organization.
But he hadn't expected Admiral Sengoku to have such talent for highway robbery.
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