At the Marine G-10 Branch.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni had just stepped off the ship when he was whisked away to the reception room by Rear Admiral Roka. After guiding Yoriichi to his seat, Roka's gaze casually swept to the two figures standing behind him—Kyros and Issho.

His smile, already warm, deepened further.

"Yoriichi! It's been a while!"

"This time, not only did you make a name for yourself, but you also brought great honor to the Marines!"

"Ever since the God Valley Incident, this is the first time we've scored such a massive victory against pirates."

"I heard those guys back at HQ all had their jaws drop when they read your battle report."

"Hahaha, the new generation of Marines is shining bright!"

"Looks like these old bones of mine will have to make way for you youngsters sooner than I thought."

As he spoke to Yoriichi, Rear Admiral Roka kept his eyes on Issho and Kyros, lingering even longer on Issho than on Yoriichi himself.

Although Issho was blind, even without using Observation Haki, his sensory awareness was keen. He could clearly feel the weight of Roka's gaze and offered a gentle smile in response.

There was none of the rigid Marine decorum in Issho's demeanor.

Judging by his uniform and the insignia on his shoulders, Roka noted Issho was merely a Marine non-commissioned officer—his rank even lower than Kyros's.

Yet, Roka could feel it—this unfamiliar Marine carried a heavy, formidable presence. Though he hadn't made a move, it was obvious to Roka: this man was no ordinary soldier.

"Where did this kid dig up such monsters...?"

In Roka's eyes, Issho, barely past thirty, was still a "kid." And seeing how much Yoriichi had grown, both in personal strength and the caliber of his subordinates, left even a seasoned veteran like Roka secretly stunned and envious.

"Yoriichi, are these two your aides?"

"You haven't even been promoted to Vice Admiral yet, but your entourage's already making waves, hahaha!"

Roka laughed heartily as he probed into the identities of Issho and Kyros, appearing casual but clearly fishing for details.

"Oh, these two are my right and left hands. The older, square-jawed one is Issho. He's only been with the Marines for less than a month."

"But his strength is remarkable. On our way to the G-10 Branch, we ran into several reckless pirate crews. Issho took them all out single-handedly."

"He was promoted straight from recruit to Sergeant."

"As for Kyros, he's from Dressrosa. He's been in the Marines a bit longer and graduated from the Naval Academy earlier this year. I personally requested Fleet Admiral Sengoku to assign him to me—he's an exceptional officer."

"Kyros is currently a Captain."

As the commanding officer of the G-ICE Branch, Kuzan (Aokiji) could authorize up to the rank of Captain. That made Kyros's rank second only to Kuzan, Yoriichi, and Commander Mouseman.

It was already quite high.

As for Issho, since Yoriichi's own appointment hadn't been fully formalized yet, he could only promote Issho up to Sergeant. That request had been submitted via Den Den Mushi over ten days ago and was already approved by HQ.

"Excellent, truly outstanding young men!"

"Yoriichi, now that you're returning to Marine HQ, you may need to rest here for a few days."

"You probably already know—because of the people you dealt with, the Marshal and the others are taking your return very seriously."

"To avoid any complications, HQ will be sending someone to escort you. Until they arrive, you'll be resting under my watch."

"Your ship's crew has been sailing for days. They deserve a proper break on solid ground."

As Roka explained HQ's arrangements, Yoriichi simply nodded without objection.

However, standing behind him, Issho's expression shifted slightly. It was clear his new commanding officer was carrying more weight than he let on.

"It doesn't matter where we rest, it's all the same. Then we'll be in your care, Rear Admiral Roka."

Yoriichi rose to his feet, giving a courteous bow to express his thanks. Roka's smile deepened at the sight, his wrinkles creasing into a cheerful mess.

Roka also stood and waved his hand.

"I'll personally arrange your lodging. Come with me."

He motioned toward the door, intending to lead them to the dorms.

But just as he turned to walk out, Roka suddenly stopped and spun around, eyes sharp as he stared at the entrance. At the same time, both Yoriichi and Issho sensed something and snapped their heads in the same direction.

"Whoosh!!!"

A piercing gust ripped through the air.

A tall figure burst through the door, charging straight at Yoriichi.

"Enemy attack?!" Kyros finally reacted as the dark figure lunged into the room, instinctively shouting a warning to the others.

But there was no need.

Issho had already moved to Yoriichi's front, drawing a portion of his blade and intercepting the intruder head-on.

"Boom!!"

The clash of Armament Haki sent a surge of violent air tearing through the reception room.

Issho had blocked the punch with his sword. The moment fist met blade, a muffled shockwave erupted in the air.

The opponent's punch was fierce, and Issho, caught off guard, could barely hold it back. In that instant, he decisively unleashed his Devil Fruit ability.

[Gravity Blade!!]

With a low shout, the power of his fruit surged through his sword.

Sensing the danger, the attacker quickly disengaged, leaping backward just in time. The moment he withdrew, a crater exploded beneath Issho's feet.

The gravitational field had shifted violently—an invisible sledgehammer had crushed the ground beneath him.

"Oh?"

"To think your subordinates are this capable?"

"Yoriichi, looks like you've been doing well in the New World."

Just as Issho was about to strike again, a magnetic, deep voice echoed through the room. Judging from the tone, the speaker seemed familiar with Yoriichi.

"Admiral Zephyr... your greetings are always so unique!"

"If Issho hadn't been strong, you might've knocked me flat with that punch."

Yoriichi stepped up beside Issho, giving his waist a light pat to signal him to relax. Then, smiling, he turned to greet the man.

The one who had burst in so aggressively was none other than Zephyr, the former Admiral, now sent from HQ to bring Yoriichi home.

"You brat, don't butter me up."

"You're a big shot now. If we really fought, this teacher of yours might not come out on top."

"I alone couldn't have taken down the entire Flying Pirates crew!"

"Hahahaha!"

Zephyr's laughter rang out, full of pride.

At the same time, Garp casually walked in while picking his nose. After glancing at Issho a few times, he chuckled and asked Yoriichi,

"Who's this Marine? He actually blocked Zephyr's attack. That's impressive!"

Hearing this, not only Zephyr but even Rear Admiral Roka turned his gaze toward Issho again. Roka had sensed the man was unusual—but not this unusual!

To block Zephyr's attack so calmly and even launch an instant counter... both his ability and combat instincts were extraordinary.

"Issho. Just joined the Marines recently. He's my right-hand man."

Yoriichi responded with a smile, unable to hide the pride in his voice.

Issho was truly making him proud.

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100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter

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