"That woman is the wife of the Governor of Yadis Kingdom!!"
Gion's voice carried both shame and anger, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.
For someone like Gion, raised in Marine Headquarters and instilled with "pure justice" under the guidance of Tsuru, Darren's behavior was utterly unacceptable.
To make matters worse, she was sent from HQ to "inspect" and "audit" his performance. If this scandal leaked, it would tarnish the navy's reputation!
Darren… was a disgrace to justice itself!
Yet the instigator, Darren, remained calm, flashing a charming smile as he rose slowly.
"Oh, Major Gion and Major Kaji, all the way from Marineford. What a pleasure," he said, cigar between his teeth, extending a hand warmly.
"Welcome to North Blue Branch 321."
Gion glared icily at him, refusing to shake his hand.
Darren merely shrugged and casually handed a gold-embossed cigar to Kaji, who was peering curiously from behind Gion.
"Major Kaji, I've heard so much about you."
Kaji's eyes lit up at the sight of the luxurious cigar, clearly from the West Blue and meant for nobility. He instinctively reached for it but froze under Gion's fiery gaze, awkwardly retracting his hand.
"Hey, Darren… is that woman really the wife of the Yadis Kingdom's governor?" Kaji whispered.
Darren simply smiled without answering.
Kaji gasped in shock.
"You scoundrel!" he muttered internally.
Kaji had caught a glimpse of Lady Margaret; mature, elegant, and irresistibly alluring. And now she was… his superior's conquest?!
"Unbelievable…" he gritted his teeth, muttering sourly, "Captain Darren, this behavior is… highly inappropriate."
Gion shot him a glare before bowing deeply toward the woman trembling under the blanket.
"My sincerest apologies, Lady Margaret. This is a failure on our part as the navy. Rest assured, as a member of the Naval HQ Audit Team, Major Gion, I will ensure Captain Darren is thoroughly investigated and punished!"
Gion silently vowed to report this to HQ and ensure Darren, a rotten apple, was dealt with.
Lady Margaret cautiously peeked out from under the blanket. She cast a shy glance at Darren, her alluring eyes betraying a hint of bashfulness.
"Actually… Major Gion," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I came here willingly."
"I… I like Captain Darren very much."
Gion froze in place.
Kaji's jaw dropped in disbelief.
They initially thought that Darren must have coerced Lady Margaret into submission through his strength or authority.
But to their shock... is she willing?
Wait a minute!
They recalled the official ship docked at the port.
This... this was like takeout being delivered right to his door!
"Alright, esteemed guests from Headquarters, let's not disturb this lovely lady's rest," Darren said with a smile.
He casually donned a fresh naval uniform and draped a wide cape over his shoulders, nodding toward the door.
"Let's move to the office to discuss business. This way, please."
…
321st Branch, Base Captain's Office
The gray walls were adorned with a large plaque, the bold characters for "Justice" written in a lively, flowing script.
Darren sat comfortably in the main chair, lighting a cigar as he spoke:
"Major Gion, Major Kaji, give me some good news. Has my appointment letter arrived?"
As he spoke, his eyes leisurely scanned the two figures before him.
This was his first time meeting these two future "Admiral Candidates" after his transmigration.
Gion was tall, her long legs slender and shapely with no unnecessary fat. Her black hair was tied in a high ponytail, complementing the wide naval cape draped over her shoulders. Her jet-black eyes shone brightly, giving her a heroic and commanding presence.
A beauty mark near the corner of her lips added a touch of charm to her already striking appearance.
Unlike the confident and mature Gion portrayed in the animated series, the Gion before him appeared to be around 18 or 19 years old, youthful and somewhat inexperienced, but already showing the seeds of elegance and allure.
As for Kaji... well, he was quite the opposite.
Standing there with a cigarette dangling from his lips and his hands stuffed in his pockets, Kaji occasionally glanced at the cigars on Darren's desk with an air of shifty opportunism.
Despite being only about 20 years old, Kaji already exuded the weariness of a man in his forties. His demeanor was distinctly unpolished.
"Ah, the privilege of being second-generation officers," Darren thought with a hint of irony.
Kaji's background was relatively modest, but Gion... she was the epitome of privilege.
Her extraordinary talent aside, her lineage was unparalleled.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Chief Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, treated her like a younger sister. Admiral Sengoku personally took care of her. She was a "chosen one," doted on by the top brass of the Navy.
Even the legendary "Strongest Marine" and "Hero," Garp, was referred to as "Little Garp" in her presence.
Such treatment was downright excessive.
Comparisons were odious.
While Darren had clawed his way up from the bottom ranks to become a captain, Gion had started her first mission as a major.
It was clear to anyone that Gion and Kaji's assignment to the North Blue was little more than a stepping stone.
In a few months, when their tour ended, their impressive records would allow them to seamlessly enter Zephyr's Officer Training Program. From there, it was only a matter of time before they joined the Navy's core leadership.
It was enviable, to say the least.
However, at this stage, Gion and Kaji were still young and exhibited the pride and naivety typical of youth.
That was entirely expected.
Hearing Darren's words, Gion, still fuming, snorted coldly and produced an appointment letter.
"Congratulations, Captain Darren. As of this moment, you are the highest-ranking officer overseeing all naval affairs in the North Blue," she said.
Darren took the letter and glanced at it:
Appointment Letter
Effective immediately, Captain Rogers Darren of the 321st Branch is appointed Admiral of the North Blue.
Darren smiled with satisfaction.
The rank of Admiral was a position specifically established in the four seas outside the Grand Line. It was tied to the rank of Marine Captain (Headquarters).
The Admirals of the East, South, West, and North Blues held supreme command over all naval bases and forces within their respective territories, reporting directly to Marine Headquarters in Marineford.
In essence, they were the most powerful figures in the four seas.
Even though this appointment didn't significantly change his influence, he already had full control of the North Blue Navy, the position came with its own conveniences.
After all, who wouldn't want a higher rank? Besides Garp, of course.
And with the title and role of North Blue Admiral, he could handle certain matters more efficiently.
"Sakazuki kept his word," Darren murmured to himself, deep in thought.
"Thank you both for your efforts," Darren said with a bright smile as he looked up.
"May I ask how long you'll be staying in the North Blue?"
Gion replied coolly, "It could be as long as six months or as short as three, depending on the review process."
"Captain Darren, for the sake of confidentiality, throughout this review, both Major Kaji and I, as well as the other members of the review team, will maintain full anonymity. To outsiders, we'll all be identified as your adjutants."
"No problem," Darren said with a chuckle. "Gion, I look forward to working with you."
At this point in time, the Navy's academies had not yet reached the scale they would in later years. Training followed a "camp-style" approach, where elite candidates were selected from the Grand Line and the four seas for further development, rather than starting from new recruits.
As a result, the standards for selecting candidates for the Officer Training Camp were extremely high, necessitating a rigorous review process.
Passing this review would mean being selected to join the Officer Training Camp at Headquarters, training under former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr. There, he could learn techniques like the Navy's "Six Powers" and even Haki, becoming a true powerhouse.
In the long run, this would provide him with invaluable experience and political capital, setting the stage for a meteoric rise within the Navy's ranks.
Darren then turned to Kaji, handing him a cigar.
"Likewise, Kaji, I hope we'll work well together."
Kaji's eyes lit up at the sight of the premium, gold-embossed cigar. Even at Headquarters, he had never had the chance to smoke something of such high quality. Suddenly, the cheap cigarette in his mouth seemed utterly tasteless.
"Uh... Gion..." he said, casting a hopeful look at her.
Gion rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Fine, go ahead."
"Thanks!" Kaji's face lit up as he eagerly took the cigar, lighting it without hesitation and enjoying it with a blissful expression reminiscent of a satisfied customer in a comedy sketch.
However, Gion suddenly turned icy and demanded,
"So, Captain Darren, you still owe us an explanation about what just happened."
"Even if Lady Margaret was willing, your actions could have a severely negative impact on the Navy's reputation and moral standards," she said sternly.
"And considering Lady Margaret's status as the governor's wife of the Yadis Kingdom, your behavior might even lead to a serious diplomatic incident."
Kaji, hearing this, pricked up his ears, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he watched Darren, waiting for his explanation.
He had known Gion for years and was well aware of her personality. Raised under the influence of Vice Admiral Tsuru's "Pure Justice," Gion had zero tolerance for anything she perceived as immoral.
"Let's see how you talk your way out of this one, hotshot!" Kaji thought smugly.
Still, he had to admit, the cigar was excellent...
"Gion, does this really need an explanation?" Darren asked with an innocent look.
"Isn't it perfectly reasonable? It's just caring for the people... fostering civil-military cooperation!"
Cough, cough, cough!
Kaji, in the middle of enjoying the cigar, nearly choked to death. His face turned red as he looked up at Darren in shock.
"C-Caring for the people? C-Civil-military cooperation?"
This... this... somehow sounded almost reasonable!?
Why hadn't he thought of such a perfect excuse, no, reasoning—before?