The Conomi Islands.
Cocoyasi Town Conference Room.
As the fastest-growing hub in the Conomi Islands, this conference room had been specifically constructed to facilitate meetings regarding the archipelago's future development.
It was spacious, bright, and modern—a stark contrast to the rustic village Cocoyasi had once been.
Dande scanned the room, his gaze settling on the people gathered around the table. It was an impromptu meeting, so the attendance was small, consisting primarily of trusted locals from the town.
Since the former Base Commander of Loguetown... well, the previous one now... had been promoted and reassigned to Marine Headquarters, things had felt slightly off.
That man, Captain Sean, had recently moved up the ladder, headed for either the Grand Line, the New World, or a cushy desk job at Marine HQ.
To be honest, Dande missed him. They had shared a very "harmonious" and profitable working relationship.
Just as Dande was preparing to expand his influence in the East Blue, his best partner had been whisked away. As for the replacement at Loguetown, Dande already knew who it was.
The Marine prodigy—Captain Smoker.
Dande didn't need his memories from the anime to know about his "senior." Even the internal rumors at Headquarters painted a clear picture of the man's stubbornness. It was safe to assume that the secret cooperation with Loguetown was officially on hiatus.
Yes, Dande was a transmigrator.
He was currently a Marine Captain stationed in the sticks. To be precise: Captain Dande.
When he first arrived in this world, he had been utterly bewildered—especially upon realizing he was a Marine. During his very first mission, he had accidentally offended a Celestial Dragon's personal bodyguard and was promptly hauled before a military tribunal.
At that moment, his desire to curse the heavens reached its peak.
Ever since the "Egghead Incident" in the original story, the concept of Marine Justice had become a punchline, the Garp family looked like tragic figures, and the entire world was rapidly turning into a cesspool.
Beyond the politics, even the pirates were complicated. Someone like "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate—who protected poor islands, never interfered with their lives, and secretly donated his loot to his impoverished hometown until he barely had money for booze—could be considered one of the most virtuous figures on the sea.
He was certainly more "just" than many who screamed about "Absolute Justice" or "Sovereign Justice."
While many rank-and-file Marines truly believed in protecting the peace and were unaware of the World Government's filth, there was no denying that the "head" was rotten. When the top is putrid, the efforts of those at the bottom rarely matter.
Of course, none of that was Dande's problem.
Ultimately, because his "offense" against the Celestial Dragon's guard hadn't caused permanent damage, he was spared extreme punishment thanks to the protection of Instructor Zephyr.
He was granted a "demotion" to the East Blue to serve as the Base Commander of the 16th Branch.
Originally, he was supposed to be sent to the desolate 315th Branch. However, after Captain Nezumi was removed for corruption and bribery, Dande—backed by Captain Sean's recommendation—stepped in to take over the 16th. As for the disgraced Nezumi? He had merely become the stepping stone for Sean's promotion.
"...Nothing major has happened in Cocoyasi Town lately," Nojiko, the Town Mayor, said with a helpless shake of her head. "The tangerine jam factory is running at steady capacity, but even with overtime, we can't keep up with customer demand."
Technically, as a young woman from the village, Nojiko shouldn't have been the Mayor. But with Dande's backing, her position was unshakable. She didn't actually care about the title; her only real wish was to protect the tangerine groves Bell-mère had left behind. But...
Looking at Dande, Nojiko's heart swelled with gratitude and respect.
He had saved the village. He had saved her sister, Nami. He had fulfilled Bell-mère's dream by leading the village toward prosperity. To the people here, he was a savior. Consequently, Nojiko did everything in her power to ensure Dande's directives were met.
She sighed, her tone a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. "Everyone expanded their tangerine groves as you suggested, but it takes time for trees to grow.
We can't increase yield overnight. And also..." she paused. "Everyone is working incredibly hard, but the factory—and the town itself—is still desperately short-handed!"
The others around the table nodded in somber agreement. While Cocoyasi was now a "town," its infrastructure and population were still catching up to its rapid economic growth. Dande understood this completely. He gave a satisfied nod; he was very pleased with Nojiko's performance.
Since arriving in the East Blue, he had no intention of returning to Marine Headquarters. Having the title of "Captain" simply made things easier to manage.
He didn't want to be a puppet Marine, and he had zero interest in being a hunted pirate. His plan was simple: stay right here and become a powerful warlord.
This world was far too dangerous—especially considering the later "Egghead" events where the Five Elders started tossing around attacks comparable to Tailed Beast Bombs. Thinking about it gave him a serious lack of security.
Fortunately, as a transmigrator, he had a "Golden Finger."
Dande glanced at his mental interface: [Transmigrator Alliance Performance Settlement System].
He wasn't just a random soul dropped into a body; he was a legal, compliant transmigrator with insurance. To put it simply, he was an employee sent by a "Company" to various worlds to complete specific quotas—such as rewriting plots or advancing social development.
If he died in an "accident" during his duties, his beneficiaries would receive a massive insurance payout. It was a very professional enterprise.
Naturally, like many others, his first thought had been to commit insurance fraud to get a one-way ticket home.
Unfortunately...
Apparently, there had been a surge in "accidental deaths" lately. To prevent fraud, the Company had tightened its regulations.
If a transmigrator was caught faking an accident to trigger a payout, the punishment was horrific. After reading the Intern's Travel Manual and seeing the "disposal" methods for fraudsters, Dande had pivotally decided that insurance fraud was for losers. He was a dedicated worker now.
Besides, because of the fraud crackdown, the higher-ups had implemented "Hard Targets." Only by hitting these performance metrics could he earn a proper death benefit, compensation, and eventually become a permanent senior staff member.
This system served as his power source.
[Name: Dande]
[Rank: Level 4 Staff Officer]
[Performance Points: 1,500] (Note: Upon reaching 10,000 points, you will be promoted to Level 3 Staff Officer and receive an Employee Benefit.)
Every time he completed a task—altering the story or improving society—he gained points. Major events and character shifts provided the biggest payouts.
The Cocoyasi incident, for example, had bumped him from a Level 2 Junior to a Level 1 Junior. Subsequent development of the islands had seen him rise to his current rank of Level 4 Staff Officer.
At this rate, the peak of the transmigrator career path was within reach. He didn't care about that measly "death insurance" anymore.
Dande pondered for a moment, then looked at the woman sitting beside him, elegantly taking notes.
Nico Robin.
She wore a crisp white blouse and a professional pencil skirt, her long black hair pulled back into a sleek bun. Occasionally, she would push up her sophisticated glasses.
She looked every bit the refined, capable executive—perfectly fitting her role as a warlord's personal secretary.
Dande had encountered Robin even before the Cocoyasi incident, shortly after his arrival in the East Blue. At his invitation, she had become his secret assistant.
It was a partnership of mutual benefit. Recruiting her had been a massive performance boost, instantly promoting him from a "Temp" to a "Permanent Level 2 Junior." To Dande, Miss Robin was essentially a high-yield walking promotion.
"Leave the labor shortage issue to Old Mo," Dande said.
"Old Mo" was Moke, the Captain of the Moke Pirates. Anything Dande couldn't do officially as a Marine, he delegated to Moke. As a subordinate, Dande had "refined," Moke knew exactly what was expected of him. Even in a world this messy, Dande maintained his own bottom line.
"Understood," Robin replied, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She crossed her legs and smiled. "I'll notify him later this evening."
Dande was extremely satisfied with Robin. She was efficient, understood the nuances of their work, and never overstepped.
Seeing that the arrangements were in place, Dande summarized the meeting and reiterated their long-term goal for the Conomi Islands:
Build high walls, store ample grain, and delay the claim to the throne.
In short: Develop in secret.
As the attendees murmured their agreement, Dande prepared to adjourn the meeting.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
"It's over! We're doomed!"
Nami came sprinting in, her face pale with panic. She ignored the confused looks of the townspeople and rushed straight to Dande.
Before he could even ask what was wrong, she gasped out, "The Marine Headquarters Inspectorate is here! Word just came from the base—Dande, you've been caught! The bribery, the embezzlement, the collusion with pirates... they know everything!"
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