Surrounded by the branch marines, Tsugikuni Yoriichi stood with perfect calm, not paying the dozens of raised rifles the slightest attention. His voice carried clearly across the dock.
"A major from Headquarters?"
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi? Never heard of him!"
"He's here to investigate our officers? Why? What did the 133rd Branch do wrong?"
His declaration left the surrounding marines stunned. Their rifles, which had been leveled at Yoriichi, wavered and lowered slightly as murmurs rippled through the group.
A Marine Headquarters Major—for branch soldiers, that rank alone carried considerable weight. It wasn't overwhelming authority, but it was enough to command respect.
"Nonsense!"
"There's no such major in Headquarters with your name!"
"Don't be fooled—attack! Kill him before he confuses you!"
The lieutenant colonel leading the branch forces roared, pointing his sword straight at Yoriichi as he issued the order.
But the marines hesitated. None of them could determine whether Yoriichi's claim was true or not. A Headquarters major might not outrank a branch lieutenant colonel, but everyone knew a Headquarters officer's future—and backing—was far more significant.
Moreover, they couldn't ignore the young man standing calmly under hundreds of gun barrels, unshaken. That kind of composure… it wasn't something an ordinary soldier could fake. His words were likely true.
"—Shhp!!"
Yoriichi's gaze sharpened as he turned toward the lieutenant colonel. Without wasting another word, his figure vanished.
The officer sensed something and tried to react, but he was far too slow. Yoriichi was already in front of him. His hand closed around the officer's face.
"Bang!!"
With no hesitation, Yoriichi slammed the lieutenant colonel's head into the ground. A dull thud rang out, and the officer went limp—completely unconscious.
Yoriichi had held back. He remembered Zephyr's words: avoid killing whenever possible.
And Yoriichi agreed. These men might not all be guilty—some could simply have been coerced or manipulated. The investigation would be handled once people from Headquarters arrived. His current job was simply to restrain all officers of warrant rank and above.
Anything beyond that could wait. He had already pushed the limits of what a major should be doing. If he started killing fellow marines, he'd only make trouble for himself. Yoriichi still intended to build a proper career within the Marines.
What he had done so far was enough.
Seeing their commanding officer taken down with a single blow, the surrounding marines jolted in shock. Their momentary slackness vanished, and they raised their rifles again, aiming nervously at Yoriichi.
He slowly straightened his back and addressed them:
"I will repeat myself. Everyone—put down your weapons."
"All officers of warrant rank and above—step forward."
His tone had hardened, and a silent pressure rippled outward from him. Several soldiers with weaker resolve dropped their rifles instinctively, dazed as they stared at the man standing in the center of their formation.
Meanwhile, the remaining officers exchanged uneasy glances. After brief hesitation, they stepped forward one by one.
A Marine branch didn't have that many senior officers. In the 133rd Branch, the total count of warrant rank and above was under forty—and only about a dozen were present at the harbor.
Once they stepped out, Yoriichi moved instantly. Using Soru, he flickered from one officer to the next, knocking each of them unconscious with surgical precision. Not one managed to withstand even a single exchange.
With all the officers restrained, Yoriichi glanced at the stunned marines and issued his next order:
"Bind them and take them to the cells."
"All sergeants—return to the branch headquarters. Use the transponder snail to contact Marine Headquarters and verify my identity."
"Once confirmed, follow my instructions."
"An official inspector from Headquarters is already en route. Until they arrive, I am assuming command of this branch."
"Stop staring. Get moving."
At his command, the marines snapped out of their stupor. Though still unsure of his identity, they couldn't ignore his restraint—he hadn't killed anyone—and his orders were entirely reasonable. The sergeants hurried back to the base to make the call.
Once Headquarters confirmed everything, the sergeants exhaled in relief—only to tense up again.
Headquarters was launching a full investigation of the 133rd Branch.
Had something serious happened?
Would the inquiry affect them as well?
Unease spread among them, but there was nothing they could do. The sensible ones quietly continued their duties, refusing to speculate about the investigation or what would happen to the detained officers. The anxious ones contacted friends at Headquarters, trying to learn more about Yoriichi and why an inspector had been dispatched—but no one had answers.
Despite the officers being detained, the 133rd Branch continued functioning smoothly. Under Yoriichi's guidance, he gathered all noncommissioned officers and temporarily assigned them to fill their superiors' roles—managing patrols, guard shifts, and daily operations.
It turned out that the backbone of Marine operations truly was the NCO corps. Even without the warrant officers, the branch ran efficiently under Yoriichi's direction.
Though the branch continued to function, the absence of officers above warrant rank inevitably weakened its overall combat power. During the days they waited for the inspector from Headquarters, several patrol ships spotted pirate activity. After engaging the enemy, the Marines suffered minor losses.
Seeing this situation, Yoriichi ordered Kyros to lead the pursuit and elimination of the pirates. Kyros may have had no real rank—"just an ordinary third-class seaman"—but his actual strength was exceptional. In a place like the West Blue, he faced almost no real difficulties.
After taking command in several successful sorties, Kyros's reputation quickly solidified. He was still technically a third-class seaman, but he had already accumulated notable merit.
Ten days after Tsugikuni Yoriichi assumed leadership of the 133rd Branch, the warship from Marine Headquarters finally arrived at the port. Yoriichi gathered Kyros along with all the sergeants of the branch to welcome the arriving inspector.
But the moment Yoriichi saw the face of the man stepping off the ship, he couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
"Kuzan… why is it you?!"
"You can serve as an inspector now?"
(End of Chapter)