"That woman is the governor's wife—from the Kingdom of Yadis!!"
As the words left Gion's mouth, a flush of shame and fury colored her cheeks.
Darren—this damn degenerate—had done something so indecent within a Marine base. For Gion, who had grown up at headquarters under the guidance of Staff Officer Tsuru and her teachings of "pure justice," this was utterly intolerable.
Let alone the fact that she was here on official business—as part of a special inspection team from Marineford.
If word of this ever got out, it would deal a severe blow to the reputation of the Marines!
Darren… was a stain on justice.
Yet the man responsible didn't look the least bit guilty. He simply smiled—confident and charming—as he stood up slowly.
"Oh? If it isn't Lieutenant Commander Gion and Lieutenant Commander Tokikake, all the way from Marineford. You've traveled far."
A cigar between his lips, Darren extended a hand with bold casualness.
"Welcome to the North Blue. Welcome to Branch 321."
Gion stared him down icily, making no move to return the handshake.
Darren didn't mind in the slightest. He merely shrugged and plucked another cigar from a nearby case, offering it to Tokikake, who had been peeking around curiously.
"Lieutenant Commander Tokikake, I've heard of you."
Tokikake's eyes lit up when he saw the cigar. The golden-embossed band marked it as an exclusive import from the West Blue—noble-grade.
He instinctively reached for it—but caught Gion's fiery glare and instantly withdrew his hand, chuckling awkwardly.
"Hey, Darren… is that really the governor's wife?"
He asked in a hushed tone.
Darren gave no reply, only smiling.
Tokikake inhaled sharply through his teeth.
Beast.
He cursed silently.
He'd seen Lady Marguerite—mature, graceful, seductively refined—and yet this bastard had somehow scored with her?!
Unbelievable. Tokikake couldn't help but think: I'm better looking—why don't I ever get this lucky?!
And she wasn't just some noblewoman. She was a governor's wife!
The sheer audacity…
Clenching his teeth, Tokikake muttered, "Captain Darren… this kind of conduct… isn't exactly great, you know."
There was more than a little jealousy in his tone.
Gion shot Tokikake a scolding glare before turning toward the bed and bowing deeply to the woman still hiding under the covers.
"My deepest apologies, Lady Marguerite. This is a failing on our part as Marines."
"I am Lieutenant Commander Gion, part of the inspection unit sent from Marine HQ. Please rest assured—we will thoroughly investigate Captain Darren's misconduct and ensure he is held accountable."
Silently, Gion made a vow: she would report this disgrace back to HQ. The Marine Corps must not harbor someone like Darren!
Just then, Lady Marguerite cautiously peeked out from beneath the blanket. Her eyes drifted toward Darren, who stood calmly smoking his cigar. A faint blush lit her cheeks as she said in a soft, sweet voice:
"Um… Lieutenant Commander Gion… actually… I volunteered."
"I… really like Captain Darren."
Gion froze in place.
Tokikake's jaw dropped.
They had assumed Darren had used power or coercion to force Lady Marguerite into this.
But this… this was mutual consent?
Wait a minute.
They both recalled the government ship moored at the port.
This was… was this room-service?
"Well then," Darren said cheerfully. "Our guests from headquarters—let's not disturb this lovely lady's rest any longer."
He slipped on a crisp, clean uniform, threw his cloak over his shoulders, and gestured toward the door.
"Shall we continue this conversation in my office?"
---
Branch 321 – Base Commander's Office
A large plaque hung on the grey wall behind Darren's desk, bearing the boldly brushed word: Justice.
Darren sat at the head seat without hesitation, lighting another cigar as he asked casually:
"So, Lieutenant Commander Gion, Lieutenant Commander Tokikake—do you bring good news? Has my appointment finally come through?"
As he spoke, his sharp gaze swept across the two officers before him.
This was the first time, since transmigrating, that he had met these two future "Admiral candidates."
Gion stood tall and graceful, long legs smooth and strong, her figure lean and toned.
Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and the crisp Marine cloak flowed over her shoulders. Her jet-black eyes shone with righteous fire.
A beauty mark by her lip gave her a subtle, seductive charm.
She looked younger than her anime counterpart—perhaps 18 or 19—but already carried hints of her future allure.
Tokikake, on the other hand… was a mess.
With a cigarette in his mouth and both hands stuffed in his pockets, he stood with a slouch, constantly stealing glances at the cigars on the desk. He looked utterly shady.
Despite being just around twenty, he had the aura of a weathered man in his forties—tired, unkempt, prematurely aged.
Typical sons of high-ranking officers… Darren mused.
Tokikake's background was humble enough.
But Gion? A true "second generation elite."
Her talent was incredible, and her background ridiculous.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Great Staff Officer herself, treated her like a younger sister. Admiral Sengoku personally mentored her. She'd been raised under the wings of Marine legends.
Even "Hero of the Marines" Garp was casually referred to as "Little Garp" in her presence.
What kind of favoritism was that?
Some people are just born lucky…
Darren had clawed his way up from the very bottom for years to reach Captain.
Gion? Her first field assignment—and she started as a Lieutenant Commander.
Worse yet, it was obvious that Gion and Tokikake's trip to the North Blue was more of a formality than anything.
After a few months, they'd go back to HQ, a padded résumé in hand, ready for Zephyr's officer training program—one step away from the core of Marine leadership.
Nothing enviable about it—just reality.
Still, they were young—idealistic, proud, and unseasoned. That much was clear.
As if to prove it, Gion gave a sharp snort and produced an official envelope.
"Congratulations, Captain Darren. As of this moment, you are now the top commanding officer of the North Blue."
Darren opened the document.
---
Official Appointment Letter
Effective immediately,
Captain Rogers Darren, Base Commander of Branch 321, is hereby appointed as
Supreme Commander of the North Blue Marines.
---
He smiled in satisfaction.
The title of Supreme Commander was a formal position unique to the Four Blues outside the Grand Line. It wasn't a military rank—Darren's official rank remained Captain—but the power it conferred was immense.
Each of the Blues—North, South, East, and West—had a single Supreme Commander who held absolute authority over all Marine bases and justice operations within their waters. They reported directly to Marineford and were, without question, the highest power in their seas.
In practice, this piece of paper changed little—Darren already was the North Blue's ruler.
But even so, formal recognition still mattered.
Besides, who but Garp would complain about gaining more power?
With this title, he could act even more freely.
So... Sakazuki kept his promise, Darren thought.
"Thanks for your trouble," he said aloud, flashing a wide grin. "How long will you two be stationed here?"
Gion replied coolly, "Up to six months, as few as three—it depends on the inspection."
"Captain Darren, for the sake of confidentiality, lieutenant commander Tokikake and I will be operating under cover during the inspection. Officially, we're your adjutants."
"No problem," Darren replied. "Then I'll be in your care, Gion."
At this time, the Marine officer training program hadn't yet become the full academy it would later be. It followed a bootcamp model, selecting the most elite from each sea for centralized training.
As such, the screening process for candidates was extremely strict—and Darren was now under it.
If he passed, he'd join the elite corps under former Admiral Black Arm Zephyr, where he would learn Rokushiki, even Haki, and become a true powerhouse.
And with that experience, he'd gather the political capital to soar even higher.
He turned to Tokikake and offered him another cigar.
"Looking forward to working with you too, Tokikake."
Tokikake eyed the gold-labeled cigar—he'd never smoked something this good, not even at HQ. Suddenly, the cheap tobacco in his mouth tasted like ash.
"Hey… Gion…"
He gave her a pitiful glance.
Gion rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Take it."
"Hell yeah."
Tokikake lit the cigar eagerly, puffing with exaggerated delight.
Then Gion's tone abruptly turned icy.
"Captain Darren, you still owe us an explanation for what happened earlier."
"Even if Lady Marguerite was… willing, your actions reflect terribly on the Marines and our internal discipline."
"Given her status as a governor's wife, this could have caused a serious diplomatic incident."
Tokikake perked up at that, watching Darren with interest.
Let's see how you talk your way out of this one…
He'd known Gion for years and understood her well.
Under Tsuru's influence, her view of justice was pristine. Unforgiving.
Let's see you squirm now, Darren.
Also… damn, this cigar is good.
Darren responded with an utterly innocent look.
"Gion, do I even need to explain? Isn't it obvious?"
"I'm just… caring for the people. Civilian–military cooperation, you know?"
"Pffff—"
Tokikake nearly choked on his cigar, coughing violently as his face turned red.
He stared at Darren in shock.
Ca… caring for the people?
Civilian–military cooperation?!
This… this…
This… actually kinda makes sense?!
Why hadn't he ever thought of such a brilliant excuse—no, reason?!
---
To be continued…