In mid-July of the year 1499 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the G-ICE branch of the Navy, located deep within the New World on Lodestar Island, finally completed its initial construction and began full operations.
At the same time, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, stationed in Migo Town hundreds of nautical miles away from Lodestar Island, successfully established a naval base with the full support of the townspeople.
Thanks to his efforts in helping reunite the people of Lodestar Island with their missing children, Yoriichi had earned a high level of trust in Migo Town. As a result, the process of establishing the new naval base progressed smoothly.
The saying "Good deeds are rewarded" truly held weight at times like this.
During the construction of the new base, Yoriichi didn't even need Kuzan to allocate special funds. As soon as the townspeople heard he needed help, they spontaneously organized themselves and offered their support.
Yoriichi didn't need to recruit any craftsmen—people volunteered to help construct the base, and even the timber needed for the buildings was promptly prepared.
Migo Town was a sizable settlement with nearly 100,000 residents, and the naval base established there was equally substantial.
Given its purpose to serve as a counterpart to the G-ICE branch on Lodestar Island, Yoriichi had assessed early on the future manpower and strength needed to safeguard the area.
The layout was designed to support a fully staffed unit of 1,000 personnel.
Once the base was completed, the G-ICE Marines launched a large-scale recruitment drive.
Lodestar Island was to be staffed with 500 new Marines, while Migo Town's new base would take in 200.
With fewer than 1,000 recruits needed, the campaign was completed effortlessly. The trust and prestige Yoriichi had built in Migo Town played a major role.
The young people here had already experienced the harsh realities of the pirate world, and when presented with a chance to grow stronger, everyone was eager to seize it.
Of the 700 ultimately selected, they were chosen from among nearly 4,000 applicants.
Shortly after recruitment was complete, several junior officers appointed by Admiral Sengoku arrived at Lodestar Island.
Kuzan assigned Kyros to Yoriichi's command, while he retained the rest. Once Kyros arrived, Yoriichi handed over all matters regarding new recruit training to him.
Yoriichi largely avoided managing base operations, leaving everything to Kyros, while he returned to a more regular life.
Training and growing stronger—that was what Yoriichi cared about most. His previous conflict with CP0 had taught him the privileges that come with power.
If he wanted to remain "free," then his strength could never be allowed to stagnate.
Time passed, and summer quietly faded.
By October, the golden autumn harvest season had arrived in Migo Town.
As a large agricultural town, Migo produced crops three times a year. With autumn's arrival, the residents became busy with the harvest.
However, just as this season of celebration arrived, the patrol duties of the Navy intensified.
Harvest time also meant it was pirate season. Located deep in the New World, Migo Town had long been a favored target of pirates, who treated it like a fattened sheep. Every year during this time, pirates would come ashore to demand grain.
These pirates were rather coordinated. They didn't usually commit mass slaughter, only occasionally roughing up civilians who didn't comply. Most of the time, they simply took the food and left.
After years of exploitation, the townspeople had barely managed to keep themselves fed.
Still, by New World standards, that was not the worst kind of life. At least they were alive, and they weren't starving.
But this year, with Kuzan's G-ICE branch stationed on Lodestar Island and Yoriichi establishing a base in Migo Town, the yearly extortion was bound to change.
At midday, a green naval warship docked at Migo Town's port. Kuzan led several dozen Marines ashore and headed directly for the base.
When he arrived, Kyros was busy training the new recruits. Over the past few months, Kyros's main task had been building up their physical strength.
Passing by the training grounds, Kuzan saw a scene of high energy and discipline. Kyros spotted the approaching group from afar, gestured for the recruits to continue, then jogged up and greeted Kuzan with a salute and a grin.
"Rear Admiral Kuzan, what brings you here?" he asked.
"Are you here to inspect the branch?"
Having been in the Navy for some time now, Kyros had gotten used to addressing officers formally, even adding a hint of distance to his tone.
"Kyros," Kuzan said, "I'm here to find Yoriichi."
"Every harvest season, pirates show up in Migo Town. We need to prepare in advance."
"This will be the first true battle for our branch in the New World. Whether we can establish our footing depends on whether we can hold this town!"
Kuzan's tone was grim as he explained the situation to Kyros.
Hearing this, Kyros also became serious but quickly shifted to a lighthearted smile as he flattered him.
"Don't worry, Rear Admiral Kuzan. If the pirates know that Migo Town is being guarded by you and Commander Yoriichi, they'll probably give up the idea of attacking altogether."
"Maybe they won't even show up this year!"
His comment earned hearty laughter from the Marines behind Kuzan. Judging from their expressions, they clearly didn't take New World pirates seriously.
Kuzan chuckled and shook his head.
"Don't underestimate pirates," he said. "If the reward is worth it, they'll act—even if it's risky."
"Fear of the Navy might work on the weak ones in the Four Seas, but this is the New World."
"There's no shortage of reckless men here."
"Where's Yoriichi? I need to discuss the defense strategy with him."
As Kuzan spoke, the others toned down their laughter, though they still carried an air of confidence. These young Marines had never truly suffered a major blow. They were brimming with faith in themselves and in the branch's strength.
"Commander Yoriichi's probably training," Kyros said. "At this hour, he should be at the sea cliffs on the west coast. Didn't you see him when you arrived?"
On a cliff along the western shore of Migo Town, Yoriichi Tsugikuni sat cross-legged by the sea. His eyes were lightly closed in meditation, muscles relaxed, with his katana laid flat across his thighs. His breathing was even, and waves of Armament Haki gently radiated outward.
The sea breeze stirred his loose training clothes and sent his long crimson hair dancing freely.
Then, out of nowhere, dozens of masts rose over the horizon.
Soon, nearly a hundred pirate ships of varying sizes and designs appeared on the water. Each flew a different skull-flag atop its mainmast.
Pirate ships. Every one of them. And there were easily eighty or ninety.
Sensing the disturbance, Yoriichi slowly opened his eyes. He stared calmly at the pirate fleet forming on the horizon and rose silently to his feet.
"So many pirate ships…"
"Their goal probably isn't just to plunder Migo Town."
Yoriichi murmured, gripping his sword with his left hand, quietly awaiting the enemy's approach.
"Captain! Migo Town's just ahead! What are your orders? Do we go ashore, or destroy it from here?"
A fierce-faced young pirate walked up to a blond middle-aged man standing at the bow of a massive hundred-meter warship and spoke loudly.
The man—clearly the captain—wore a golden cloak, his blond hair draped over his shoulders, and atop his head sat a ship's helm, lending him a bizarre appearance.
"Destroy it outright?" the blond man said.
"If we do that, how will the Navy know this was the work of me, Golden Lion Shiki?!"
"Go ashore. Let's pay the stationed Marines a proper visit!"
"Heh… hahahahaha!"
Golden Lion Shiki stood at the bow, staring at the approaching island with a twisted grin. His left hand clutched the empty right sleeve of his coat, veins bulging on his face.
He drew a hiltless sword from his waist and barked to his crew, "Strap this blade on me! Time to make some noise!"
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