Chapter 26 – Girlfriend?
Three days after leaving Marine Headquarters, the warship Blue Dragon finally sailed into the waters under the jurisdiction of the G2 Marine Branch.
Tachibana Kyūjō leaned casually on the ship's railing, fishing rod in hand, eyes drifting over the calm surface of the sea. The afternoon was peaceful—perfect for killing time with a bit of fishing.
Beside him, Amos—his chief deputy—stood with a clipboard, reading aloud from a neatly compiled report on G2's territory and assets.
"Vice Admiral Kyūjō, the G2 base is located on [Island Name TBD], in the early stretch of the Grand Line. We currently have six thousand eight hundred and forty-three active soldiers, plus four hundred and seventy-two support personnel.
In terms of fleet strength, we possess thirty-eight standard warships, as well as over two thousand one hundred landing craft of various classes. Our primary duties include maritime patrols, pirate suppression, and safeguarding the World Government's member nations within this sector."
He continued flipping through the pages.
"The G2 jurisdiction spans fifty-six islands, including sixteen large and thirty-two medium-sized ones. Among them are four World Government member nations—most notably the Kingdom of Moris, located on Nira Island…"
Kyūjō's brows rose slightly as he listened.
He hadn't expected the scope of his command to be this vast. The weight of that responsibility—though not yet crushing—was already making its presence known.
— — —
One Week Later
The Blue Dragon eased into the main harbor of G2 Base. From the deck, Kyūjō's gaze swept over the plaza in front of the headquarters… and he nearly whistled in surprise.
The entire square was packed with Marines in crisp uniforms, standing in perfect formation. The atmosphere was formal and heavy—like a parade meant to welcome a great leader.
Kyūjō scratched the back of his head. He'd never received a reception this grand before… but he couldn't deny, it felt pretty good.
— — —
One Month Later
Routine had settled in.
The Blue Dragon was on a standard patrol through G2 waters. Things ran more smoothly now.
Kyūjō still wasn't used to the taste of the mess hall food, but otherwise, adjusting had been easy.
Administrative work? Amos handled it all.
Even the captain's office aboard the ship had basically become Amos' domain.
Operational duties? Left in the capable hands of his second deputy—Hina, the young officer known as "Black Cage," whose Paramecia-type Ori Ori no Mi could trap enemies in black iron bars.
And Kyūjō? His main job these days was simple—patrol the seas with his two right-hand officers and keep G2 waters under control.
— — —
That afternoon, on the sunlit deck—
Kyūjō lounged back in a reclined chair, sunglasses on, one hand holding a glass of orange juice. His gaze wandered—specifically, toward the long, shapely legs of Hina, who stood nearby.
The pink-haired woman glanced down at him, eyes narrowing.
Seriously… if you're going to stare, at least try to hide it.
The two of them had been in the same academy class, so they were already close. Even now, despite being her superior officer, Kyūjō never kept things overly formal between them. Their interactions were somewhere between friendly banter and subtle teasing.
When Hina caught him staring, he didn't even try to look guilty.
Instead, he gave her a small, confident smile that almost made her lose her words.
With a soft sigh, she walked over, arms folded, leaning down slightly as she asked—
"Do you… find me attractive?"
Kyūjō's reply was instant. He met her gaze head-on and nodded.
"Attractive," he said plainly, without a shred of hesitation.
Hina: "…"
They stood there for a few seconds, locked in silent eye contact, before she finally looked away. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she turned toward the open sea.
Kyūjō's lips curved into a small grin.
Hina really was beautiful.
And when a woman like that was constantly around you, how could you not be at least a little interested?
He was a man, after all—even if his strength was far from ordinary.
Still, he wasn't the type to rush such things. Some answers didn't need to be forced. Time would decide.
— — —
A short while later, Amos emerged from the upper deck office.
Kyūjō sat up slightly.
"Good work, Amos. Got all the reports done?"
Amos nodded.
"Almost. Just a minor issue about replacing some outdated flintlock rifles. I'll contact HQ about it later today.
Oh—and there's one more thing. The King of Moris has invited you to a banquet next week. He's requesting your personal attendance."
Kyūjō frowned, waving it off.
"No time. Politely decline. And handle other matters just like Ghost Spider used to."
Amos simply nodded again. After a month together, he understood Kyūjō's leadership style—laid-back, not interested in petty affairs, but uncompromising when it came to things that actually mattered.
Unlike his predecessor, Ghost Spider Onigumo, who valued hunting pirates over the lives of Marines and civilians, Kyūjō's approach had already brought a breath of fresh air to G2.
Naturally, there had been little resistance to his command.
Clearing his throat, Amos continued his briefing.
"According to HQ intelligence, there are sixteen active pirate crews in G2 waters with bounties exceeding fifty million Beli.
But three groups are especially dangerous—their combined bounties total over three hundred million: the Arkham Pirates, the Mensa Pirates, and the Stevenson Pirates."
He began listing them one by one.
"Arkham Pirates—Captain Jack Napier, Paramecia-type Bara Bara no Mi user. Bounty: 250 million. First mate Harley Quinn—60 million.
Mensa Pirates—Captain Elkan Mensa, Zoan-type Black Gorilla. Bounty: 280 million. First mate Elkan Piza, Zoan-type Baboon—80 million.
And lastly—the most dangerous—Stevenson Pirates. Captain Amison Stevenson, a swordsman skilled in both Busoshoku and Kenbunshoku Haki. Bounty: 380 million.
There are rumors he also possesses Haoshoku Haki, but it's unconfirmed. If proven, his bounty will likely skyrocket."
Kyūjō, who had looked half-asleep moments ago, suddenly showed interest.
Mensa? Arkham? Just small fry.
But Stevenson… that was different.
"Where was he last spotted?" Kyūjō asked, his gaze sharpening.
"Maran Island, eastern G2 waters. Three days ago."
Kyūjō didn't hesitate.
"Then that's our next destination. Set course for Maran Island."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 70+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 2 new chapters every day exclusively on Patreon
✅ Be the first to enjoy the new 3rd arc after One Piece before anyone else
Join my Ko-fi here:
🔗 ko-fi.com/faaanzkun
Let's keep this adventure alive, together chapter by chapter! 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —