Year 1492 of the Sea Calendar
(Approximately thirty years before the Paramount War)
North Blue
The sun hung high in the sky, its light shimmering across the sea as a cool breeze stirred gentle ripples on the water.
A Marine warship cut steadily through the waves. A pure-white seagull flag fluttered at its mast, and beneath it billowed a massive sail emblazoned with a single bold black word:
JUSTICE
"Gion… my Gion! I love you! Please accept my feelings!"
On the deck, a slightly unkempt Marine Lieutenant Commander slid forward dramatically and dropped to one knee. With exaggerated flair, he presented a bouquet of bright red roses, staring earnestly at the woman standing before him.
She was tall, with long, wavy black hair cascading down her back.
A Marine Lieutenant Commander's Justice coat rested loosely over a pink spaghetti-strap top, while a pair of hot pants revealed her long, fair, shapely legs.
"Lieutenant Commander Kaji is so brave!"
"Go for it, Lieutenant Commander Kaji!"
"—You can do it!"
As Kaji's confession rang out, the Marines on deck erupted into cheers.
Some tossed confetti into the air.
Some blew trumpets.
Others even fired ceremonial salute cannons.
Someone had gone so far as to hold up a banner:
'Lieutenant Commander Kaji's 38th Confession.'
Buoyed by the enthusiasm of his subordinates, Kaji's confidence soared.
Holding the roses high, he dramatically brushed back his greasy hair and struck what he clearly believed to be an irresistibly handsome pose.
"Gion, accept my love! There is no man in this world more outstanding than me!"
"..."
Gion's lips twitched slightly.
After a brief pause, she spoke softly:
"Kaji… you're a good person. But we're not suitable."
The deck fell into absolute silence.
The trumpets stopped.
The cheers vanished.
Even the salute cannons went quiet.
The surrounding Marines stared at Lieutenant Commander Kaji—still kneeling there, bouquet in hand—with pity in their eyes. His back somehow looked lonely and desolate.
Their noses stung.
Lieutenant Commander Kaji is too miserable…
He's confessed so many times already…
Sigh…
Just as they were about to step forward to comfort him, the motionless Kaji suddenly turned his head.
Tears streamed down his messy face.
"Did you hear that?" he asked, biting his lower lip, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Y-Yeah… we all heard it…"
"You don't need to be so discouraged…"
"That's right, a man—"
The Marines tried to console him.
"—Gion said I'm a good person!!"
Kaji suddenly sprang to his feet.
His tear-filled eyes sparkled with dazzling light, his face flushed with excitement.
"She finally acknowledged me!! What does that mean!? It means that as long as I keep confessing, one day she'll definitely agree to be with me!"
The Marines: "..."
Was that really praise?
Was 'you're a good person' actually a compliment?
Their expressions stiffened as they exchanged awkward glances. After a silent consensus, they all nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Exactly!"
"That's right!"
"—I knew it!"
Kaji clenched his fists triumphantly.
"She's testing my resolve! I finally understand your good intentions, Gion!"
Turning back to her, he chuckled.
"You don't need to test me, though. We've known each other for so long—don't you know how I feel? Come on… just a kiss—"
As he puckered his lips and leaned in—
BANG!!
In the next instant, Kaji was sent flying like a cannonball. He slammed into the mast and slid down limply like a sack of mud.
Two bright streams of blood burst from his nostrils, his body twitching from time to time.
The nearby Marines were clearly used to this scene. They calmly put away their various "support tools" and returned to their duties as if nothing had happened.
With the farce over, Gion rubbed her temples and let out a helpless sigh.
She reopened the military file in her hands.
---
Name: Rogers Darren
Age: 19
Origin: North Blue, orphan
Position: Base Commander, North Blue Branch 312
Rank: Marine Colonel
Ability: Suspected Devil Fruit ability—metal manipulation (details unknown)
Assessment: Highly ambitious, decisive and ruthless in action, straightforward in character. Possesses strong influence in North Blue and astonishing potential. Eligible for inclusion in the Marine Training Camp selection pool.
Note: Serious issues exist in his personal conduct.
---
Below the assessment were densely packed records detailing pirate suppression operations and accumulated merits.
The file also contained a photograph provided by Marine Headquarters' Photo Department.
Gion casually glanced at it, her dark, onyx-like eyes flickering slightly.
The man in the photo had black hair and black eyes, sharp features, and deep, star-like eyes that carried a wild, untamed aura.
"…He's a bit handsome," she muttered. "Almost on my level."
At that moment, Kaji—his face bruised and swollen, tissues stuffed into his nostrils—leaned over as well, clicking his tongue.
"So this Darren guy is the one we're inspecting?"
Gion glanced at him and forcefully suppressed the urge to beat him again.
"According to Vice Admiral Tsuru, this Darren is a very dangerous and capable individual."
She shot him a displeased look.
"This is my mission. Why are you following me?"
Kaji grinned shamelessly.
"Wherever you go, I go."
Then he muttered dismissively:
"But he's just a Marine Colonel. Is Vice Admiral Tsuru really that concerned about him?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru was a senior officer at Marine Headquarters, one of the core pillars of justice in the world.
The people she paid attention to should have been legends like Edward Newgate, Shiki the Golden Lion, or Gol D. Roger.
This young man, on the other hand, was merely a Marine Colonel stationed in one of the Four Blues. Even if his rank was technically higher than Gion's, that was only because she had grown up at Marine Headquarters and hadn't yet accumulated enough battlefield achievements.
Once she began taking on missions in earnest, surpassing him would be easy.
Gion shook her head.
"No. If Sister Tsuru says so, she has her reasons."
Kaji's eyes gleamed.
"So if we find something wrong during the inspection… do we act?"
He cracked his knuckles eagerly.
For some reason, just looking at Darren's photo made him want to punch the guy.
It definitely wasn't because the man was more handsome than him.
Definitely not.
"No," Gion replied calmly. "We just report back to Marine Headquarters."
She closed the file and gazed toward the distant sea.
The cool breeze swept across the vast ocean, lifting her black hair.
She recalled Vice Admiral Tsuru's instructions before departure—and the many rumors she had heard at Marine Headquarters about Rogers Darren. Unconsciously, she bit her lip.
North Blue… the most chaotic of the Four Blues…
As her thoughts drifted—
Through the thinning mist ahead, the outline of a heavily guarded Marine base gradually came into view.
"We'll arrive soon," Gion said softly.
The lookout sounded the horn.
The clear call echoed across the sea, answered by a responding horn from North Blue Branch 321.
The signals matched.
"Prepare to dock."
The warship slowly entered the harbor.
Onshore, rows of Marines stood in formation, weapons loaded, their presence imposing.
"This North Blue branch… is unusual," Kaji muttered, stroking his chin.
Branch 321 was the largest and strongest Marine base in North Blue, yet Marines from the Four Blues were notorious for their lower overall quality compared to Marine Headquarters.
But these soldiers stood sharp and fierce, eyes resolute, equipment immaculate. Their sidearms and combat knives were clearly top-tier.
Judging by presence alone, even Marine Headquarters elites weren't much better.
Something was off.
That man named Darren… had actually trained them to this level.
Gion and Kaji exchanged glances, both seeing the same confusion in each other's eyes.
"Salute!"
A young Marine Lieutenant Commander wearing a peaked cap stepped forward and shouted.
At once, every Marine in the harbor saluted in unison.
Gion and Kaji returned the salute and disembarked.
"Lieutenant Commander Momonga. A pleasure to meet you."
Gion extended her hand, studying the man before her—dark purple hair, stern features, and a resolute aura.
Relevant information surfaced in her mind.
Momonga
Marine Lieutenant Commander
Deputy Base Commander, North Blue Branch 321
Right-hand man of Base Commander Rogers Darren
Momonga shook her hand firmly.
"Welcome, Lieutenant Commander Gion and Lieutenant Commander Kaji. Thank you for coming to conduct the inspection."
Though they shared the same rank, Gion and Kaji represented Marine Headquarters, and that authority demanded respect.
"We're all Marines. No need to be so formal."
Gion smiled faintly, her gaze sweeping the surroundings.
"Where is Colonel Darren?"
Momonga's expression stiffened slightly.
"Base Commander Darren… is still occupied."
Occupied?
Gion frowned—and suddenly noticed a luxuriously decorated official ship docked nearby.
Bright ribbons adorned its hull, and a kingdom's flag fluttered from the mast.
"This is… the official vessel of the Yadis Kingdom?"
She recognized the flag instantly, her expression turning cold.
The rumors she had heard at Marine Headquarters surged back into her mind, and she clenched her teeth.
The ship's decorations were unmistakably feminine.
Which meant its owner—
No…
A bad premonition rose in her chest.
Gion quickened her pace, brushing past Momonga and heading straight toward the base commander's residence.
Her mind filled with stories of Rogers Darren's alleged corruption, indulgence, and depraved lifestyle.