"Colonel Addkin! Colonel Addkin—!"
A Marine ensign dashed toward the meeting room, anxious and out of breath.
Sitting alone at the table, the Marine colonel lifted his head from the sea chart, expression stern.
"Ensign Fillman, watch your conduct. As a Marine officer, you must present yourself as calm and composed before the people."
"Yes, sir!"
Fillman saluted awkwardly, shamefaced, before continuing in a more formal tone:
"Colonel Addkin, we've spotted traces of the Giant Rhino Pirates on a nearby island. All their ships are anchored along the coast."
"Is the island inhabited?"
"There is a small settlement—Falling Leaves Town—on that island."
Addkin's expression sharpened instantly.
"Can you see any fires? Any smoke carried by the sea breeze?"
Fillman flinched under the sudden force of the colonel's voice.
"N-no… sir, we didn't observe anything suspicious."
"Giant Rhino Alex is ruthless and paranoid. If he had finished slaughtering them, he wouldn't remain on the island for long. The lack of cannon smoke suggests he may have only recently landed… or he's taken hostages to negotiate."
Addkin exhaled slowly.
"Whatever the case, it's better than another tragedy."
"Ensign Fillman!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Pass my order—raise all sails. Full speed to the island!"
Back in the town, villagers were carrying the spoils of their "naval battle" home one load at a time.
Suddenly several snot-nosed kids rushed over, waving their arms frantically.
"Bad news! Really bad! More big ships are coming!"
The crowd instantly panicked.
"What? More pirates?"
"Damn it! Are they after our loot?"
"Let them come! We all have muskets now—and we even dismantled a few cannons! Pirates won't take advantage of us without paying in blood!"
Years of fending off pirates had hardened them.
As long as it wasn't a notorious large crew like the Giant Rhino Pirates, they weren't afraid to fight.
"What did you say?
The Giant Rhino Pirates were completely wiped out?
Even Giant Rhino Alex was killed… by you?"
Colonel Addkin's eyes widened.
For a moment, he suspected the kind old village chief might be an undercover pirate trying to deceive them.
The Marine officers behind him were equally stunned.
A pirate crew that had escaped Marine pursuit multiple times…
destroyed by a tiny village?
It sounded more absurd than a fairytale.
"No, no, you misunderstand!"
The chief waved his hands nervously—this was his first time facing a high-ranking Marine officer.
"It was mostly thanks to Longinus! We only—"
"AAAHHH! Damn pirates—I'll fight you all—!!"
Before the chief could finish, a mob of villagers charged forward, muskets raised high.
Seeing Marines instead of pirates, they froze mid-charge, dumbfounded.
"Wicked pirates! Release the Chief—!"
Several small children, clueless, screamed and rushed forward heroically.
"You brats! Those aren't pirates—they're Marines!"
A quick-thinking villager grabbed the children and awkwardly explained.
"Eh? Are they from the same Marines that Brother Longinus went to join?
Then they're our allies?"
"And also—we only said there were lots of big ships coming!
You were the ones who said they were pirates!"
The adults blinked.
…That was actually true.
Their faces flushed with embarrassment.
They smacked the kids on the butt.
"Kids shouldn't stir up trouble!"
"But Brother Longinus said violence can't solve—"
Smack.
Smack.
Smack.
"Justice will always stand… on the side of the dictators…"
the kids whimpered while rubbing their backsides.
Addkin chuckled at the chaotic scene.
His curiosity about this mysterious Longinus grew.
A child who could slay Giant Rhino Alex
AND possessed a strong sense of justice?
Such a person was extremely rare.
"So the one who defeated Giant Rhino Alex is this… Longinus?
Tell me about him."
Hearing the name, the junior recruits instantly lost their fear and pushed forward excitedly.
"I'll go first! Brother Longinus washed ashore here three years ago after a shipwreck! Since then, he protected us from dozens of pirate raids!"
"Yeah! Yesterday that big bald demon wasn't even his match! Brother Longinus is the guardian of Falling Leaves Town!"
All their stories aligned—so Addkin, though shocked, forced himself to accept it.
A pirate crew that repeatedly escaped Marines…
defeated by a boy who hadn't even set sail before yesterday.
"Is Longinus… a Devil Fruit user?"
The townsfolk exchanged confused looks.
Seeing their reactions, Addkin understood at once.
On such an isolated island, they knew little of Devil Fruits.
So he asked differently:
"Can Longinus… swim?"
"Of course!"
The villagers looked at him strangely.
What kind of seaside man can't swim?
they thought silently.
The children chimed in loudly:
"Brother Longinus dives into the deep sea every day to train!
Sometimes he catches a Sea King to feed us!"
"…Catching a Sea King 'by the way'?"
A Marine lieutenant's mouth twitched.
Surface-level Sea Kings were manageable for some officers…
Deep-sea Sea Kings? Even a Marine brigadier general wouldn't dare try that casually.
The Marines also noticed the villagers' muscular, healthy builds—and felt a stabbing jealousy.
Sea King meat.
Delicious, packed with life energy.
Eating it regularly strengthened the body.
Even Addkin only ate it once or twice a year at Marine Headquarters…
Yet these villagers?
"Every day."
Addkin nearly cried blood.
"The meat is great," one villager sighed.
"But after eating it for three years straight, even the best food gets boring."
"Yeah," Buggy added casually.
"Now that Brother Longinus left, we can finally change flavors."
The Marines:
…We will kill this child.
Addkin steadied his heart.
"So he left to join the Marines?"
"Yeah! Brother Longinus said he's going to the Marine 'Ji Er' Branch' for the global recruitment!"
"G-2 Branch," Addkin corrected automatically.
His eyes gleamed.
"With physical strength alone he defeated Alex…
His power is comparable to a Marine field officer.
If he trains at Headquarters… he could become a Rear Admiral, maybe even a Vice Admiral.
No— I must return to G-2 immediately and recruit him before someone else does!"
Seeing Addkin preparing to leave, the chief quickly asked:
"General—could we exchange Giant Rhino Alex's head for the bounty?"
Addkin froze.
"That boy… left a 37 million berry bounty head… for all of you?"
"Yes! Brother Longinus said he isn't interested in money. He never touched a single coin."
"…This Longinus…
has a heart of pure gold."