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Chapter 25 - Clocking Out by Slacking Off—Seriously?

[Chat]

— whoa, he's a Marine captain?!

— East Blue Loguetown's top officer?

— that's gotta be the streamer's future boss, right?

— 100%… GG, career speedrun to disaster

— first day on the job and he's already pissed off his boss… enjoy those "special assignments"

— chat, quick, crowdsourcing a Newbie Office Survival Guide!!

The chat reveled in chaos.

White-Robed Drunkard took a breath. He hadn't even finished browsing the Marine Hall of Fame when he met that cold stare. Under Smoker's gaze, he forced himself to stand.

He snapped a crisp salute.

"White-Robed Drunkard, reporting to Captain Smoker!"

"You know me?"

Smoker shot him a sidelong look. The name sounded odd, but he didn't press. If anything, the fact this recruit recognized him put the tiniest spring in his step—not that he'd show it.

"Why'd you climb the execution platform just now?" Smoker asked, flat. "And why did you look… excited?"

White-Robed Drunkard chose his words.

"Captain Smoker, is that the platform—where the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was executed?"

Smoker studied his face a long moment. The excitement didn't look faked, and it stirred up something from his own past. He bit down on his cigar and nodded.

"It is. Don't do it again. The Great Pirate Era has ruined a lot of lives."

The rookie didn't fully grasp the weight behind that line, but he nodded anyway. No sense arguing with a superior.

"Captain Smoker, I'm a new recruit. Reporting to the Loguetown branch."

"I know," Smoker said. "Follow me."

As they walked through Loguetown, White-Robed Drunkard kept up a whisper-stream to chat.

[Chat aside]

This Captain Smoker looks surly, but he's actually reasonable.

Also, vibes check: he's serious about justice. You can feel Marine presence everywhere here—no signs of pirates running wild.

Chat spammed reminders about the Hall of Fame. He pulled up the panel.

One by one, shadowed portraits lit with text.

[Marine Hall of Fame]

Name: The Strategist, "Buddha" — Sengoku

Rank: Fleet Admiral

Role: Supreme Commander of the Marines

Ability: Zoan—Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Model: Great Buddha

Likes: Goats

Justice: Sovereign Justice

Name: Red Dog — Sakazuki

Rank: Admiral

Role: One of the Three Admirals, Top-Tier Marine Power

Ability: Logia—Magma-Magma Fruit

Likes: Roses

Justice: Absolute Justice

Name: Blue Pheasant — Kuzan

Rank: Admiral

Role: One of the Three Admirals, Top-Tier Marine Power

Ability: Logia—Ice-Ice Fruit

Likes: Sleeping in

Justice: Lazy Justice

Name: Yellow Ape — Borsalino

Rank: Admiral

Role: One of the Three Admirals, Top-Tier Marine Power

Ability: Logia—Glint-Glint Fruit

Likes: Tea, slacking off, clocking out on time

Justice: Ambiguous Justice

"Holy—!"

It wasn't the Three Admirals themselves that made White-Robed Drunkard swear; chat had been collectively gasping since Sengoku's entry. What broke him was… Kizaru's "likes."

"Guys… Yellow Ape's hobbies are killing me."

"Tea, slacking, and leaving on time? That's literally me."

Chat exploded.

— i can't breathe, how is a game reading my soul

— fleet admiral and two admirals: all serious… then Kuzan is 'lazy justice,' okay, but THIS—

— 'tea / slack / clock out' is peak corporate mood

— devs clearly based him on one of their office grinders 😂

— the Hall was so solemn… then BAM: 'slacking' entry

Viewers surged. The quad-stream broke two hundred thousand in a flash.

"Hold up, there's one more unlocked entry," White-Robed Drunkard said, scrolling.

Name: Hero, "Fist of Iron" — Monkey D. Garp

Rank: Vice Admiral

Role: Marine Hero, Living Legend

Ability: Iron Fist, close-quarters combat

Likes: Donuts, naps, dog heads

Justice: Unknown (to be discovered)

The name alone sent ripples through chat.

— why do i know Garp?

— got it! He was in the CG—teamed with Roger like 30+ years ago to defeat Rocks' armada

— wait wait, how is he still a vice admiral after all these years?

— Sengoku was an admiral back then and now he's Fleet Admiral

— why didn't Garp ever take an admiral seat?

White-Robed Drunkard frowned, then re-read the entry and laid out his take.

"Guys, look at the role line. 'Marine Hero,' title 'Hero, Iron Fist.'"

"His rank may be Vice Admiral—and has been for decades—but the title and status scream that he's that Garp. The Marine Hero. Why he stayed Vice Admiral, I don't know yet… but the Hall makes it clear: same man."

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◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment

◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones. 

◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/HorizonStudios0 

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