The ugly, burly man nodded blankly.
Leon Fang's words made perfect sense to him, yet a strange feeling welled up in his chest, leaving him momentarily speechless.
The surrounding crowd was also uneasy.
Although it was undeniably satisfying to watch the noble youth writhing and scream on the ground, many people couldn't help but worry. Someone who dared to act so arrogantly in a naval base surely had something to rely on. Could this young man who stepped forward really withstand the retaliation that might follow?
After all, even though that idiot noble had provoked everything, he was the one who ended up crippled. It wouldn't be impossible for the Navy to judge that Leon Fang was the one who caused trouble.
"Aaaaah! You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Rex roared hysterically, tears streaming down his face, hatred burning deep in his eyes.
Leon Fang narrowed his gaze slightly.
He hated trouble the most.
Since this idiot was still unwilling to stop, it would be better to find an opportunity to deal with him properly before leaving.
Of course, for the sake of maintaining a clean image, such things could only be done through other means—by changing identities and avoiding direct involvement.
"Who are you going to kill?"
A cold, detached voice rang out, instantly suppressing the chaos.
A group of figures approached. At the very front stood a naval officer wearing a coat emblazoned with the word Justice.
"Navy! You've come at the perfect time!"
Rex's face twisted as he shouted hysterically.
"Quickly execute these lowly commoners for attacking a noble! Hanging or firing squad—take your pick!"
His expression grew more and more distorted, even momentarily forgetting the pain of his severed arm.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds passed.
The atmosphere shifted from tense to unbearably awkward.
Seeing that none of the Marines moved, Rex erupted in rage.
"Are you all blind idiots?! Do something! My cousin is a major at this base! If you don't listen, I'll have him deal with every one of you!"
"My name is Ochiai," the leading officer said calmly.
"My rank is Rear Admiral. Would you like me to explain further?"
Rex's eyes widened in horror.
No matter how stupid he was, he could clearly distinguish the difference between a major and a rear admiral.
Leon Fang's heart stirred as well.
A Rear Admiral was one of the five most powerful figures overseeing this vast sea region, second only to the base commander.
Although the G-2 Branch had one Vice Admiral and five Rear Admirals, these figures were usually busy and rarely stayed at the base. Encountering one here was no different from winning the lottery.
"You… you…!"
Rex's voice trembled as fear took over.
"So what if you're a Rear Admiral? I'm the heir of the Countship of the Kingdom of Gono! The Navy can't stand above a king's authority!"
"The Kingdom of Gono?"
Ochiai casually drew his pistol, the black muzzle pointing straight at Rex.
"A non-member state of the World Government. Even if its king were standing in front of me, I would still have the authority to execute him for violating justice."
Leon Fang was speechless.
This man acted like a Celestial Dragon, yet he wasn't even from a World Government–affiliated nation. Where did this confidence come from?
At those words, Rex finally collapsed completely.
His body scrambled backward on the ground, leaving behind a pale yellow trail. His lips trembled, opening and closing as if he wanted to beg for mercy.
But—
Bang!
A silver bullet pierced straight through his skull.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Rex's eyes remained wide open, unable to believe that his life had ended here.
His lackeys snapped out of their stupor, but before they could flee more than a few steps, they were seized by Marines and dragged away to prison.
At last, Ochiai turned his gaze toward Leon Fang, the burly man, and the little girl hiding beside him. Under the anxious stares of the crowd, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"What are your names?" Ochiai asked gently.
"Leon Fang."
"…Rein," the burly man replied.
"You two did very well," Ochiai said solemnly.
"To be a Marine is not only to believe in justice, but also to possess the resolve to put that belief into action."
He then turned to Rein and continued earnestly,
"However, Leon Fang is right about one thing. The justice the Navy protects has never been achieved through weakness or compromise. Only by wielding powerful force to eradicate evil can true justice and peace exist in this world."
"Yes!"
Rein nodded vigorously, his voice firm.
"Thank you for your guidance!"
He felt no jealousy toward Leon Fang at all. On the contrary, he was secretly grateful—grateful that Leon Fang had not rejected him because of his appearance.
Ochiai's gaze then shifted back to Leon Fang.
Leon Fang met it calmly, without the slightest discomfort. That composure made Rein feel a twinge of shame; he hadn't even dared to look the Rear Admiral in the eyes for too long.
"I never expected to meet the young hero Louis mentioned so soon," Ochiai said with a smile.
His words sent shockwaves through everyone present—especially the Marines behind him. The usually stern and reserved Rear Admiral held such high regard for this young man?
"Louis… young hero…"
Leon Fang frowned slightly. He didn't recall Louis ever mentioning that he knew a Rear Admiral.
"Don't be surprised," Ochiai continued.
"Louis only told me about you after you left. To be honest, it's a bit embarrassing. That cunning and brutal pirate crew led by Shanks repeatedly escaped our pursuit. In the end, we even had to rely on you to finish them off."
He sighed lightly.
"Fortunately, you chose to join the Navy. Otherwise, we would have truly lost face."
Ochiai's admiration grew deeper.
"And it was also because the Jack Pirates attempted to assassinate Louis that we learned there was such a young hero with such a righteous heart."
"I only did what I should have done," Leon Fang replied calmly.
True to form, he showed not the slightest hint of humility.
The crowd instantly erupted.
"Did you hear that?! This kid, who looks no more than sixteen or seventeen, wiped out the infamous Shanks Pirates?!"
"The Rear Admiral himself said it—how could it be fake?!"
"That's a pirate crew with a bounty of thirty-seven million Berries! In my hometown in the West Blue, you wouldn't find anything like that even if you searched the entire sea!"
"To achieve that at such a young age… this is terrifying. Are we witnessing the rise of a future Marine Admiral?"
Rein's eyes filled with admiration.
He had killed many pirates himself, but the highest bounty among them barely exceeded ten million Berries—nothing compared to Leon Fang's achievements.
No wonder he has such ideals… Rein thought.
Perhaps he truly understood the essence of justice through countless battles with pirates.
Rein's eyes shone even brighter, as though he had finally found a guiding light in his life.
If I could become a hero like Leon Fang…
Then maybe—just maybe—people wouldn't hate me anymore.
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