Chapter 260

East Blue.

Just as Sengoku predicted, the East Blue Marine’s recruitment drive looked like a complete joke to outsiders. Their main territory lay within the East Blue itself. While they had established corresponding stations across the other three seas, the Grand Line, and even the Calm Belt, those outposts were few and far between. Dreaming of a global recruitment sweep like the World Government’s was out of the question. Simply getting the word out so other seas knew the East Blue Marines existed would have been an achievement. Who knows? A few talented individuals might actually show up.

As for whether other factions mocked or looked down on them, Dante couldn’t care less.

The second phase of the Academy was fully operational. Thanks to Zephyr’s rigorous training regimen, qualified teachers were now plentiful. Add Vegapunk’s technology and the upcoming new version of the Aqua Ursa... That’s right, the Blood of the Giants had arrived. It wouldn’t be long before the Giant Aqua Ursa rolled off the production line. Although its exact efficacy remained untested, Dante believed that by then, the combat power of their elite soldiers and officer ranks would skyrocket.

Meanwhile, sales of Den Den Mushi Armor soared during this recruitment period. The network grew livelier, and the shared content richer. Similarly, the Pirate Guild gradually stabilized. As the East Blue Marines advanced into the eastern half of the sea, Marine HQ’s influence in the region steadily shrank. Consequently, Marine HQ’s grand recruitment drive in the East Blue lacked the fervor seen in other seas. Of course, Dante hadn’t pushed too far, he hadn’t made a direct move against the official Marine Branches or the Member Nations yet.

As for Mock, he had already been sent to the New World. However, he hadn’t shown his face publicly yet. He planned to reveal himself only after assembling his own crew. To successfully infiltrate Marineford during the execution, he had hidden his personal ship and two underlings on a remote island, heading to the war zone alone.

A call came yesterday. It seemed a minor accident had occurred. Word of Buggy locations apparently leaked. Since Mock hadn’t returned for a while, Buggy’s former underlings, now Mock’s crewmates, feared the East Blue Overlord had sunk to the bottom of the sea. The thought terrified them. Although neither could pilot Mock’s advanced ship, the pair built a raft and set out. They left a letter stating they intended to find Captain Buggy and no longer wished to be pirates.

It wasn’t a major problem. The two underlings carried Navigation Devices, they couldn’t run far. Dante could simply track their signal when the time came. Mock patted his chest through the Den Den Mushi feed, assuring them he could handle it himself and telling Dante not to worry. After thinking it over, Dante reminded him to call if he couldn’t sort it out, then left it at that. The kid was growing up, he had to let him go out and forge his own path eventually.

Everything in the East Blue Marines was on the right track. Commerce, military strength, economy, and public welfare all advanced steadily. There was no longer any need to hide in the shadows.

And his rank... had been promoted again.

Dante took a happy sip of his hot tea, sinking into his chair. A promotion and a raise... it really was that satisfying.

Robin and Viola, who were organizing documents nearby, noticed his relaxed posture. With a soft smile, Robin looked at Dante and asked curiously, "Boss, are you in a great mood today?"

"A promotion and a raise, of course!"

"Promotion and a raise?"

"Never mind, let’s not talk about that." Dante waved a hand, changing the subject as he looked at Robin. "How are things going with the recruitment?"

Although he had left the matter entirely to Zephyr-sensei, as the leader of the East Blue Marines, he still had to show a little administrative interest.

"Recruitment?" Robin had no idea what Dante meant by ’raise’. In a self-started venture, who exactly approved his promotions? But seeing him change the subject, she played the role of the perfect secretary and answered directly.

"Apart from the East Blue, the situations at our branches in the other seas are dire. Plenty of people have come out of curiosity to ask questions, but most just leave it at that. As for actually joining..." She sighed lightly. "There are some, but the vast majority fail the physical requirements."

"I see." Dante nodded, unsurprised by the report. While East Blue Marine compensation now rivaled Marine HQ, one was a world-class, top-tier organization, the other was considered a local rogue outfit with a bleak future, liable to be wiped out by Admirals any day. Anyone could spot the obvious career choice at a glance.

"Have them screen carefully over there. It doesn’t matter if their physique is lacking at first. As long as their will is firm and they’re decent people, hire them. Oh, right. Tell them to visit more impoverished areas, or the terminal stations for unspecified items in Member Nations, Lawless Lands, and Forgotten Lands."

"Understood. I will pass the word down shortly."

Early August.

The East Blue Pirate Guild officially entered smooth operation. The first batch of registered pirates formally started classes, with the first group expected to pass their assessments and graduate in three months.

The Mobile Den Den Mushi also gradually opened up the market as promotion spread. Though not yet fully ubiquitous, it now had dedicated users across the Four Seas and the Grand Line.

Meanwhile, large-scale recruitment drives by Marine HQ and the East Blue Marines continued unabated. While the rogue faction’s global recruitment looked like a joke, as the draft went on, their name gradually became known to more people. As the great recruitment persisted, curiosity grew.

While Marine HQ sought elites, this East Blue faction took in those rejected by HQ: the skinny, the listless, the broken-down. They even entered the poor junkyards of some Member Nations, sparing not even the scavengers. Taking in starving children made sense, they still had potential to be molded. But taking in frail, grown adults was truly incomprehensible to outsiders.

Naturally, the East Blue Marines continued to do as they pleased, ignoring the critics. Because of this, even Marine HQ, initially somewhat wary, ignored them after seeing this rebel faction scavenging the trash HQ didn’t want. Upon hearing they had even allowed a blind beggar to inquire about enlistment, officials shook their heads in disdain.

No matter how strong they got, they could never threaten the true power of Marine Headquarters.

Yet, they had no idea.

The East Blue recruitment officer looked at the blind man standing before him, utterly bewildered. Sighing, he still asked with a polite smile, "Um... Mister, may I help you with something?"

As the words left his lips, a vigorous, deep voice rang out from the blind man.

"I am Issho! A ronin. I have been starving for three days. I heard this place provides free meals, so I came specifically to take a look!"

"..."

Hearing the blind man’s bold declaration, the recruiter scanned the man calling himself Issho from head to toe. Heavily built, physically imposing, and casually wielding a shikomizue. Aside from his sightless eyes, he hardly looked like someone too destitute to afford a meal.

The recruiter frowned, hesitated, then voiced his doubts outright. While their standards were lower than those at Marine HQ, they did not accept just anyone. Of course, if the man was truly desperate, a single meal was no burden, they could manage that much charity.

Asked directly, Issho sighed in resignation, a hint of genuine regret coloring his voice. "Before I set out, I had travel expenses. When I heard about the worldwide draft, I intended to try my luck. I never expected that on the way..."

"Robbed by thieves?" Before Issho could finish, the recruiter guessed the most common reason. He pitied the man and sighed. "That happens often. As long as you are alive, that is what matters. Since that is the case..."

He did not finish, as Issho shook his heavy head. "It was not like that."

"Pirates? It is the same either way."

"It was not that either." Issho shook his head again, denying the guess. Regret filled his voice as he spoke plainly. "I came across a tavern on the road. People were gambling inside. On a whim, I joined in and lost all my travel expenses."

The recruiter, who had been about to invite him in, stiffened. He nearly cursed aloud but remembered his professional position. Scowling, he pointed ahead and spoke coldly. "Sorry, the food here is for those in genuine need."

"I am in need right now." Unbothered by the sudden shift in tone, Issho spoke with resigned clarity. "I have not eaten for three days. I am starving. If I do not get a single grain of rice in my stomach, I will likely die of hunger on the road. I beg of you, please give me a bowl of rice, and I will be eternally grateful."

That tone. That utter resignation.

It left the recruiter completely silent. Especially when, after the long pause, Issho seemed to think he was being rejected. He shook his head in profound disappointment, sighed heavily, muttered that it was fine, and turned away, looking utterly defeated by his own vices.

Just as the large man was about to shuffle away, the recruiter sighed as well and waved a hand in defeat. "Go on in."

Issho froze for a moment, then turned back, his voice carrying a solemn edge. "I am eternally grateful."

With that, he hurried toward the back tents, moving with the urgency of a starving man.

"Petty Officer, you are just letting a gambler like that in?" A marine soldier handling registration nearby frowned. He waited until Issho was out of earshot before speaking. "Even though the higher-ups told us to lower our physical standards a bit, we still need people with decent conduct. Starving himself just to gamble his travel expenses away, that fails the test no matter how you look at it."

"It is just a meal, nothing more." Hearing his subordinate’s complaint, the Petty Officer smiled and shook his head. "Consider it doing a good deed."

He paused, frowning as he watched Issho happily queue up with a standard food tray.

"There is more to him than meets the eye." The sea had no shortage of powerful fighters with strange habits. If it was just mild entertainment, gambling was nothing. From the very beginning, he felt Issho was testing his patience and their faction’s true nature.

The Petty Officer pondered for a moment. "I will go check. If he truly has what it takes, I will report to the higher-ups. We cannot let real talent slip away."

With that, he handed his clipboard over to his subordinate and followed after the blind ronin.

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