The inspector sent by Marine Headquarters to the 133rd Branch was none other than Kuzan—now a Rear Admiral.
Along with the Headquarters personnel, Yoriichi also spotted another familiar face.
"Oh? Instructor Victor, you came as well."
The two leading the Headquarters marines were Kuzan, the Rear Admiral, and Victor, an instructor from the Marine Academy. Both were familiar to Tsugikuni Yoriichi and Kyros.
"Yoriichi, what kind of person do you think I am? Why wouldn't I be able to serve as an inspector?"
"You—of all people—got promoted to Major. So what's wrong with me being an inspector?"
"You were only supposed to be doing field training in the West Blue, yet you stirred up such a huge mess."
"Do you have any idea how much criticism Zephyr-sensei has taken because of you?!"
Kuzan stepped off the ship wearing a white suit and a justice cloak. Catching sight of the energetic Yoriichi, a faint smile appeared on his face—but it vanished just as quickly, replaced by endless complaints.
Victor followed silently behind Kuzan, giving Yoriichi and Kyros a small nod, but saying nothing.
"Criticism, huh… Because I was promoted to Major?"
"It's true—such a promotion must be unprecedented."
The Navy had not yet begun the "Great Military Draft" of the future. Promotions were supposed to be earned one rank at a time—no leaping from civilian to admiral in one go.
A jump from Third-Class Seaman to Major was already astonishing. Even if Yoriichi had killed a pirate worth 200 million on the Niel Kingdom incident, and even if he had protected royalty of a World Government member nation, leaping ten ranks at once was unheard of.
During Kuzan's sail to the West Blue, the news of Yoriichi's sudden promotion had already spread throughout Headquarters.
Although the order came from Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself, everyone also knew Zephyr was Yoriichi's instructor—and currently acting as his guardian. It was difficult not to associate this rocket-like promotion with Zephyr's influence.
Of course, Zephyr had intervened.
"If it were only your promotion, the criticism wouldn't have been this bad."
"The real issue is what you did in the 133rd Branch."
"Arresting every officer above warrant rank just because you were suspicious—honestly, no one has ever done anything like that."
"This incident has caused a massive uproar. For some reason, news has already spread to other branches, and their reactions have been extreme."
"People at Headquarters are saying Zephyr-sensei spoils you too much. Stuff like, 'The Navy belongs to everyone—not to a few high-ranking individuals.'"
"If this isn't handled properly, it's going to blow up."
"Yoriichi… is there really something wrong with the 133rd Branch? Did you uncover anything?"
As Kuzan spoke, he lowered his voice. Hearing this, Yoriichi could imagine the pressure Zephyr was facing.
Zephyr wouldn't suffer real damage to his position—but if this case ended poorly, his prestige would definitely take a hit.
Realizing the weight of the situation, Yoriichi's expression hardened.
In the future, Roger's final words alone would plunge the world into the Great Pirate Era. Yoriichi had never underestimated the power of public sentiment—it was a blade that killed without form.
"Come. Let's go to the base. I'll explain everything. Before you arrived, I've been busy keeping the branch under control."
"I had no trustworthy people here, and pirates near the Mia Kingdom's waters were active. Kyros had to lead sorties constantly."
"To be honest, I haven't even started the actual investigation."
"But Kuzan—there's one thing I'm absolutely certain of: the 133rd Branch has a serious issue."
The group headed toward the base's conference room. Victor followed quietly, his eyes occasionally drifting across the assembled sergeants—as though evaluating them.
Once Kuzan's forces fully took over the branch, all local patrol and guard duties were replaced by Headquarters marines.
Yoriichi brought Kuzan and Victor into the conference room. After they sat, he began recounting everything—from the moment he and Kyros boarded Kane's returning warship in disguise, to the strange absence of "servants," to the ambush at sea.
He left nothing out.
To support his explanation, he brought them aboard the patrol ship he had left untouched since the incident.
A thick stench of blood and decay hit them as soon as they boarded.
After more than ten days, the corpses had begun to rot badly.
But the fatal wounds—whether sword slashes or gunshots—were still distinguishable. The firearms used remained untouched on deck. It was not difficult to piece together what had happened.
After their inspection, Kuzan's tense expression finally eased. He now understood that the 133rd Branch truly had deep problems.
Zephyr had mentioned some suspicions before Kuzan departed, but actually seeing the scene dispelled the lingering worry that Yoriichi might have simply been reckless due to youth.
Instead, while rough around the edges, Yoriichi's actions had been methodical. With the present evidence, an investigation could proceed smoothly.
Kuzan quickly assumed command of the branch's affairs, beginning the examination of all officers.
Only then was Yoriichi finally free to pursue a different lead:
the Lolo Chamber of Commerce—those whose influence stretched across the entire Mia Kingdom.
He had not forgotten:
The pirates he slaughtered earlier had been carrying out an order directly from the "Chairman."
—
"Next, we have an extraordinary item!"
"Please focus—don't miss it!"
"Now, take a look at our next auction piece!"
Inside a grand auction hall run by the Lolo Chamber of Commerce, the host raised a microphone, stirring the crowd's anticipation.
The lights dimmed. A spotlight illuminated the center stage.
A seam split open in the floor. Slowly, an elevator platform rose, lifting a massive iron cage into view.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
"Lot Number Six!"
"Five powerful, muscular slaves!"
"Our Chamber went through tremendous effort to acquire these—premium quality goods! Every one of them is a wanted pirate!"
"To maintain peace in the waters of the Mia Kingdom, we risked our lives to capture them!"
"Lot Six—five pirate slaves who terrorized the West Blue!"
"Starting bid: five million Berries!"
"That's right! For just five million Berries, you can take all five with you!"
"Now—let the bidding begin!"
Following the host's announcement, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the hall.
Even though live human trafficking was unfolding on the stage, the bidders were brimming with enthusiasm, their cheers loud enough to shake the auction house's ceiling.
"The earlier items were still normal enough… but now they've started auctioning off slaves?"
"In the end, the Mia Kingdom is a member nation of the World Government, right? Does this mean slave auctions are legal in all affiliated countries?"
In a dim corner of the venue, Tsugikuni Yoriichi—dressed in civilian clothing—sat with his arms folded, leaning slightly back in his chair as he watched the cage marked "Lot 6." He asked the companion beside him calmly.
"More or less," Kyros replied. "Nearly every nation keeps a slave system. Once you become a slave, you're no longer a person—just merchandise. Showing up in auctions isn't anything unusual."
"There are slaves in Dressrosa as well. Many of the gladiators in the colosseum are slaves forced into combat."
Kyros frowned slightly, as though recalling something unpleasant.
"What about the sources?" Yoriichi asked. He'd never formed a deep understanding of this world's slave systems, and since Kyros seemed knowledgeable, he pressed further.
But this time, the one who replied wasn't Kyros.
"There are plenty of ways to get slaves," Kuzan said, slouched lazily in his seat, his gaze cold as it lingered on the stage. "Some are sold by their own families. Some are born into slavery. Some are pirates captured by slave-hunting crews. And some are just bought and resold."
"Why? Yoriichi—you interested in buying a slave?"
Kuzan followed the doctrine of "Burning Justice" these days. He wouldn't interfere with a legal auction, but even so, the sight of human beings being sold disgusted him. Ever since Lot 6 appeared, his expression had darkened considerably.
"Of course not. I just want to know which slaves are legally obtained… and which ones aren't."
"Take a look at those 'honest, obedient' 'pirates' in that cage. No matter how I look at them, they don't resemble pirates at all."
Both Kuzan and Kyros froze for a moment. Only after Yoriichi pointed it out did they scrutinize the five men more closely.
And immediately—they saw the problem.
There was no killing intent.
What qualifies one to be called a pirate?
Someone who sails for freedom? Someone who loves adventure? That would be far too romanticized. If that was enough, then even explorers like Rolande would count as pirates.
Real pirates—true sea marauders—obtained their resources through plunder and slaughter. A "great pirate" would have lived through countless battles. Regardless of strength, their killing intent should be unmistakable.
But these five "great pirates" had no killing aura at all.
Worse yet—their muscular bodies bore almost no scars. Their bare torsos looked almost untouched by combat.
"Yoriichi… you mean—" Kuzan stroked his chin, now taking this seriously.
"The breakthrough to the Lolo Chamber of Commerce might be right here," Yoriichi said. "Let's seize them. I have a feeling these five can give us exactly the information we need."
Kyros rose instantly, sword already in hand—only to notice Yoriichi and Kuzan staring at him strangely.
He blinked. "Aren't we going to make our move? What are we waiting for?"
Kuzan inhaled sharply, eyes widening like he'd discovered a rare new species. Seeing Kyros's earnest expression, Kuzan finally sighed.
"We are going to strike—but not now."
"There are too many people here. The impact would be enormous. I know you're anxious, but calm down first."
"Once the auction ends and the crowd clears out, we'll act. Don't worry—they're not going anywhere."
"And we may as well watch the rest of the auction. They might have more of these 'pirates' up for sale."
He tugged Kyros back into his seat by the collar.
By now, the bidding for Lot 6 had begun.
Typically, a normal male human slave had a base price of 500,000 Berries. These five shouldn't have exceeded three million total.
But thanks to the label of "great pirates," the final price climbed to seven million Berries.
Once the buyer was confirmed, the platform lowered beneath the stage.
The host glanced down at the next entry on his auction sheet—and his face lit up with excitement.
"Everyone, pay close attention!"
"What's coming up next… is one of the finest items in today's auction!"
"Now—presenting Lot Number Seven!"
The spotlight snapped on, illuminating the center of the stage. The platform that had just descended slowly rose again.
This time, atop it was a delicate pink cage.
And within that cage—sat a young woman.
She wore a flowing black gown, her snow-white hair cascading loosely over her shoulders.
Her eyes were bright, deep onyx brimming with intelligence.
Her features were striking, and she carried an unmistakable air of independence. Her beauty was not seductive but intellectual—an elegance that remained unshaken even inside a cage.
Her appearance sent the auction house into a frenzy.
The atmosphere instantly surged to its peak, cheers shaking the hall.
"Why does she look… familiar?"
Yoriichi frowned, staring intently at the woman. A strong sense of familiarity welled up inside him—yet he could not recall from where.
At the center of the hall, the host began his introduction.
"This woman is not only beautiful—she's a scholar!"
"She's nothing like the worthless goods you've seen so far. A top-grade slave like her is exceedingly rare!"
"I won't waste your time with more details. Once you bring her home, you can… appreciate her at your leisure."
"Starting bid—ten million Berries!"
(End of Chapter)