"Rear-Admiral Vergo, the Hat Pirates have been captured! Please issue your orders!"
"Rear-Admiral Vergo, sentence them to death! These bastards killed a Vice-Admiral!"
"That's right! Don't let them off!"
"Hang them!"
Looking at the arrested pirates in front of them, all the marines dispatched by the G-5 branch looked angry.
They raised their hands and shouted that the Hat Pirates should be executed!
"I didn't expect it to go so smoothly."
Binz, watching the scene nearby, couldn't help but smile. "It looks like our mission is complete."
As he spoke, he seemed to notice something and turned to look at Ain, who was frowning beside him, seemingly lost in thought.
He said helplessly: "Are you still thinking about what that guy said? Now that the pirates have been caught, do you still doubt Rear-Admiral Vergo?"
"It's too much of a coincidence."
"What's too much of a coincidence?"
"Everything!"
Ain shook her head, still frowning. "Last night, as soon as we left the bar, someone came up to tell us they had found the pirates, and now they have been arrested."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Binz grinned, dismissing Ain's concern: "You're overthinking it. Catching pirates is a good thing, isn't it? I think that guy just messed with your head. Rear-Admiral Vergo seems perfectly fine to me."
"A good thing?"
Ain looked deeply at the captured, dejected pirate, and said meaningfully: "Not long ago, the G-5 base was attacked by pirates. Even the base commander, a Vice-Admiral, was killed. If these pirates were so easy to catch, would a Vice-Admiral really have fallen so easily?"
They had been caught even before they helped out.
As soon as these words fell, Binz's cheerful expression froze, as if he'd understood something.
But a hint of doubt lingered in his heart as he said: "Maybe... Maybe it's just a coincidence! Maybe the G-5 base commander was sick that day, or maybe they were ambushed. You might be overthinking it."
But once doubt is planted, it's hard to trust again.
Looking at Ain, who stared at him expressionlessly, Binz, with a wry smile, fell silent.
He sighed and said: "Alright, maybe you're right... But we don't have proof. So what do we do now?"
Ain: "..."
After hearing Binz's words, Ain was silent for a moment before continuing: "Let's leave this place first."
However, before Binz could say anything else...
"Leave? You're leaving already?"
Vergo, seemingly finished with his work, approached with a friendly smile on his calm face. "The G-5 branch hasn't treated you properly yet! We were planning to take advantage of this group of pirates being captured to host a banquet for you!"
Hearing Vergo's words, Binz immediately suppressed his expression.
Without giving Ain a chance to speak, he quickly laughed and said: "How embarrassing! The G-5 branch is busy right now, and we have to report to Marine Headquarters."
"We really didn't expect things to go this smoothly, Rear-Admiral Vergo. You're truly impressive. We will be sure to report your outstanding performance to headquarters!"
"This is merely my duty."
"I know, I know. Rest assured, we promise to report your hard work in G-5 to Marine Headquarters."
Binz said, jokingly, like a seasoned veteran. "It's getting late, so we will go back now and get ready and then leave. We won't disturb your banquet."
With that, before Vergo could say anything, he immediately called out to Ain, who was standing nearby. "Come on, let's get ready. It's getting late, and we have to report back!"
With that, Binz and Ain, ignoring Vergo, walked together towards the G-5 branch.
Halfway through, Ain's voice rang out again.
"Don't go to the G-5 branch, go to the town bar!"
"...?"
"If Ian's suspicions are true, then the G-5 branch can't be trusted."
Ain said solemnly while looking at the puzzled Binz. "But no matter what, we must leave as soon as possible and report the intelligence here and our suspicions about Rear-Admiral Vergo to Marine Headquarters!"
"Right, right, we have to get out of here as soon as possible. We definitely can't go back to G-5."
Hearing Ain's words, Binz came to his senses, and a bitter smile formed on his face. "To be honest, when Rear-Admiral Vergo walked over just now, I suddenly felt a chill. Now I'm starting to doubt what he said."
Then, waving to the still-pensive Ain, he urged: "What are you standing there for? We need to go, now!"
However, just as he finished speaking, and as Ain came back to her senses, ready to move forward again….
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed from behind. "A chill? How did you feel it? I shouldn't have revealed anything."
"...?!"
Ain and Binz's expressions suddenly changed. They turned to look at Rear-Admiral Vergo, who had appeared behind them for no apparent reason.
Binz's heart trembled when he heard what Vergo had just said.
This guy actually said it out loud?
He's done pretending?
But he quickly recovered, chuckled, and said: "Rear-Admiral Vergo, what brings you here? Are you here to invite us to a banquet? Sorry, we're really busy, so we can't attend."
He then glanced at Ain, who stood ready, and said: "Come on, Ain, let's get out of here. Don't disturb the G-5 branch banquet!"
"It's not a disturbance!"
Before Ain could reply, Vergo, standing opposite him, pushed his glasses and said expressionlessly: "I'm here to invite you to the banquet. I hope you won't refuse!"
"No, no! We're busy!"
Binz declined without hesitation. He then turned around and pulled Ain, who was still confronting Vergo: "Let's go! It's getting late. Let's get going!"
Ain: "..."
In response to Binz's words, Ain glanced at Vergo, who hadn't made a move, then turned and followed Binz forward.
But before either of them could take a step, Vergo's voice rang out from behind. "What a headache. I was hoping you could speak well of me to the higher-ups. But now, it seems I can't let you leave."
At those words, Ain and Binz froze, their faces paling as they both felt a chill run down their spines. Without a moment's hesitation, they drew their weapons and turned sharply around.
"Attack!"
"Couldn't that bastard have said it more clearly?"
One of them unhesitatingly raised her two swords toward Vergo, the other drew the long sword from his back while complaining.
But before either could react, Vergo in front of them... suddenly disappeared.
Bang!!
Then a kick landed in Ain's stomach, sending her flying.
"Ain!!!"
Binz roared in fury, only to receive a swift kick to the face.
In an instant, both were sent flying.
"Marine Headquarters dispatched an inspector to assist G-5 in successfully apprehending the pirates."
Vergo, who had landed on the ground, watched the two fly away while adjusting his glasses. "But they met with an accident and perished. My apologies."
He said with icy detachment. "Now, please, stay here forever."
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere, inside the small bar.
Before noon, the villagers arrived for drinks.
At this moment, Ian, who was wiping his glass, seemed to hear something. He paused and looked at the villagers chatting before him with a look of surprise.
"Those pirates have been captured! They have been found by Rear-Admiral Vergo!"
"When did that happen? How come I didn't know?"
"Just now, of course, you wouldn't have heard it yet! I heard it on the way here. This morning, Rear-Admiral Vergo led the marines out, and now he's back. I heard they caught every single pirate involved in the previous attack!"
"They've all been captured? That's great! Now we don't have to worry about retaliation from pirates!"
"Rear-Admiral Vergo is truly worthy of his name. As I said, Rear-Admiral Vergo should become the base commander of the G-5 branch. That way, no pirates will dare to come to the island!"
"We have to celebrate this! Bartender, bartender! Serve us the drinks!"
But after waiting a while, with no drinks served, the cheerful townsfolk started getting impatient.
Turning around, ready to scold the new bartender, they suddenly froze.
At the bar counter before them, there was no one.
Where... Did he go?