"That voice... it's the voice of the Fleet Admiral!"
Even though she had only heard it once during boot camp, she could never mistake that voice.
In an instant, she held her breath, not daring to make a sound.
Seeing this, Kael chuckled inwardly.
This is exactly the reaction he wanted to see from Tashigi.
"Yes, it's me, Fleet Admiral!"
Kael responded with a serious tone.
On the other side, Fleet Admiral Sengoku seemed puzzled about why Kael was calling and asked:
"Is something the matter, Kael?"
"Hmm..."
Kael let out a thoughtful hum and replied:
"Yes, there is indeed a problem."
Before Sengoku could inquire further, Kael continued:
"Sir, didn't you previously ask me to investigate the underground arms dealers in the East Blue?"
"I have some things to report regarding that."
"...Go ahead."
Sengoku's calm and steady voice came through.
Kael nodded toward the void and began:
"Are you aware of what happened yesterday in Loguetown in the East Blue?"
"Loguetown!?"
Upon hearing the name of that special city, Sengoku was visibly surprised and said:
"Hmm... the New World has been quite turbulent lately, so I've been busy dealing with matters over there."
"Did something happen in Loguetown?"
As the supreme commander of the global Navy, Sengoku couldn't possibly track every little pirate incident. If he did, he would've been dead from overwork already.
So he genuinely didn't know about Kael's actions yesterday.
"Yes, something did happen."
Kael had already anticipated this reaction.
"Yesterday afternoon, under the name of the Dusk Pirates, I abducted the Vice Officer of the Loguetown Navy base."
"Oh?"
Sengoku let out a mild exclamation, but didn't press further.
He trusted that Kael had a good reason for such an act.
Kael then offered his explanation.
"After arriving in the East Blue, I reflected carefully on the intelligence you provided."
"Especially the part about a single cannonball piercing through a Navy warship—I focused heavily on that."
"In the end, my conclusion is..."
"There may be serious issues within our East Blue Navy!"
"Issues within the Navy?""What makes you think that?"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, the atmosphere instantly turned tense.
Inside the captain's cabin, Kael gathered his thoughts and continued:
"First, according to my investigation, the East Blue hasn't produced a single outstanding Navy soldier in nearly a decade!"
"Although the East Blue is often called the weakest of the seas, a region that gave birth to Pirate King Roger and Vice Admiral Garp—I refuse to believe it's truly weak."
"The weakness of pirate forces here is due to the Navy's aggressive eradication efforts during Roger's execution era."
"Since then, it's been rare to see any notable pirates emerge from the East Blue."
"But!"
Kael's tone abruptly shifted, signaling a significant turning point.
His voice lowered, making it instinctively clear he was about to say something weighty.
"Twenty years ago, the Navy targeted only pirate factions—so why is it now that even excellent Navy talent is hard to come by!?"
"..."
There was silence on the other end.
But if one listened carefully, one could hear the increasingly heavy breathing.
"Continue..."
Even the Den Den Mushi mimicking Sengoku's face became solemn.
Kael had clearly struck a nerve, making Sengoku realize the gravity of the issue.
This problem was far more severe than some secret weapon smuggling ring.
Seeing Sengoku emotionally engaged, Kael got straight to the point and said in a low voice:
"I suspect someone is deliberately cutting off the path for young people who genuinely want to serve the Navy and protect the people!"
"When I arrived here, I began thinking..."
"If cannonballs can be sold in the East Blue's pirate circles, their cost must be fairly low."
"And those who sell them can't be doing charity—they must be profiting."
"So then... how powerful can a cannonball like that really be?"
"The Navy's latest warships, developed by the scientific corps, are built with top-tier materials—even a Sea King's ramming can't scratch them."
"East Blue's warships might not match those in quality, but they shouldn't be as fragile as civilian boats."
"Are we to believe that our scientists' years of work are inferior to some no-name arms dealer in the East Blue?"
"That's clearly impossible!"
"So I believe the problem lies within the intelligence you gave me..."
Kael paused before explaining:
"Of course, I'm not saying your intel was wrong. But the people reporting it clearly didn't investigate thoroughly."
"I believe the powerful cannonball and the damaged warship are both real—but that warship may not have been Navy-standard at all!"
Sengoku mused:
"You mean... someone took the funds meant for Navy warships and bought regular civilian vessels instead, pocketing the difference?"
"Exactly, Admiral."
Kael replied firmly:
"The subsidy for one standard Navy warship is usually three to five times that of a civilian vessel."
"That margin is enough to tempt people into corruption."
"For twenty years, the East Blue Navy hasn't needed to upgrade weapons or build more ships like other regions."
"But their funding hasn't decreased much compared to other seas."
"Over time, people would naturally be tempted to siphon off the excess."
"Human nature is inherently greedy!"
"For twenty years, East Blue pirates have been suppressed—and the Navy has maintained that suppression!"
"But without pirate threats, those with power and authority can themselves become the threat!"
"Given that collusion between officials and criminals has existed throughout history..."
"Some Navy officers might even collaborate with pirates, oppress civilians, deceive superiors, and become local tyrants!"
"To prevent exposure, they might frame or sabotage truly capable and responsible officers."
"After all, the casualty rate among East Blue Navy soldiers is no lower than other regions."
"..."
"..."
After listening, Sengoku fell silent.
He had considered such possibilities before, but never imagined the problem could be so deep-rooted.
This was something that applied to every world, not just theirs.
What surprised him even more was—
Kael, newly arrived in East Blue, was able to deduce so much from so little intelligence.
Originally, Sengoku had only valued Kael for his background and reliability...
But now, he had become a true asset.
Sengoku asked:
"What do you think should be done next?"
Kael deliberately drew out his tone, pretending to ponder.
"For now, I don't have any concrete targets."
"All of this is still just speculation."
"But I plan to use the name of the Dusk Pirates to probe several Navy bases in the East Blue."
"After yesterday's incident in Loguetown, my name should be well known across the East Blue."
"No one will doubt that I'm really a pirate."
"By observing how each base responds to pirate activity, I can identify who is genuinely fulfilling their duty—and who's just coasting."
"I don't think there's a better method than this!"
At Navy HQ, Sengoku nodded decisively in his office chair.
"Yes, that's a good plan."
Then, he slammed his hand on the desk and said into the Den Den Mushi:
"Alright, it's decided!"
"Agent Kael, your previous mission is temporarily suspended. From now on, your task is to investigate corruption and embezzlement within the East Blue Navy!"
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Navy HQ will always be your strongest support!"
"With those words, I'm relieved."
Kael grinned, then hesitated as if uncertain, and added:
"Speaking of support, I do have a small request..."
"Speak freely!"
Sengoku waved his hand generously from his Fleet Admiral's chair.
Now that he saw Kael as a valuable talent, he wasn't going to be stingy.
Kael quickly presented his request:
"I need your special authorization!"
"If I'm going to pose as a pirate, the Dusk Pirates will eventually need to recruit people—some who want to become pirates, or already are pirates..."
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