Loi Amos, an Unremarkable Navy Captain!

Loi Amos, an Unremarkable Navy Captain!

Sea Circle Calendar, 1517.

Somewhere in the Grand Line.

Two Navy warships were moored there, their Marine flags—seagulls clutching scales—fluttering in the sea breeze.

The insignia on one warship was the standard "MARINE."

It symbolized an ordinary Navy warship.

The other warship also bore the marking "DT-31."

It symbolized the Navy's special logistical unit, the Detention Unit, which was responsible for transporting defeated criminals.

"Bounty: 47 million Belly. 'Gladiator' Antoria has completed his detention transfer—the warship that captured this criminal is T-14551, under the command of Major Gusil of Headquarters."

At that moment, Loi Amos watched the burly man being escorted aboard his warship while recording into the Den Den Mushi in his hand.

After finishing the recording, he looked at the Navy officer aboard the warship before him. "Thanks for the effort, Major Gusil."

"It was all for justice."

The Navy Major named Gusil chuckled, then reminded him, "But I have to warn you, Captain Loi—this guy is quite a formidable character. You'd better make sure those Seastone cuffs stay on for the entire journey."

"I wouldn't mind capturing him again, but I'd hate to hear that your warship was sunk by a criminal at sea, hahaha!"

As he said this, he burst into loud laughter.

The Marines behind Loi from the Detention Unit darkened at those words.

Loi, however, did not care about the mockery in his words. He simply smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the warning."

With that, he turned and leaped back onto his own warship. "Return to base. Back to Marineford."

"Yes, Captain Loi!"

The Marines under his command saluted in unison, then busied themselves preparing to sail back.

However—

"Seriously, what's that guy so pleased about? Fal, tell me—aren't we all Marines? He gets lucky and captures someone with a forty-million bounty, and suddenly he's so smug. Admiral Kuzan captured a three-hundred-million-Belly pirate last time, and he didn't act this cocky!"

A Navy officer from the Detention Unit complained to his companion while escorting the criminal into the specially constructed temporary cell in the ship's cabin.

"Keep it down, Hans. It can't be helped. We're the Detention Unit, after all."

The Marine named Fal helplessly shook his head.

Clearly, this was not the first time they had been treated this way.

The reason was simple—the Detention Unit they belonged to was rather unique within the Navy.

They were primarily responsible for transporting criminals captured across the various seas. Under normal circumstances, they did not participate in frontline combat, but after bringing criminals back into custody, they could still receive a portion of the corresponding military merit.

Thus, in the eyes of many Marines, members of the Detention Unit were cowards who avoided combat yet shamelessly came forward to share in the rewards.

"What's wrong with the Detention Unit?"

The Marine named Hans was even more annoyed. "It's not like we've never encountered danger while transporting criminals. Besides, we don't get much merit every time."

Imitating Major Gusil's tone, he said, "'I wouldn't mind capturing him again, but you'd better be careful.' What kind of crap is that supposed to be?"

But before he could finish, a low voice rang out. "Sergeant Hans!"

"Yes, Captain Loi!"

Hans immediately straightened up and instinctively saluted toward the figure behind him.

A black-haired, blue-eyed captain was standing there.

"When have I told you before—what?"

Loi looked at his subordinate with a half-smile.

"Complain less and work more."

Hans answered somewhat guiltily.

"Too quietly. I can't hear you at all!"

"Complain less and work more, sir!"

"Good! That's more like it!"

Loi waved his hand. "Get to the helm at once. Same as always—the captain personally guards the criminal on the first night!"

"Yes, sir!"

As though granted a reprieve, Hans hurriedly exchanged a glance with Fal.

The two ran toward the exit of the temporary cell, but just before leaving, they remembered to ask, "Sir, once dinner's ready, should we bring you something to eat?"

"Pizza and cola, thanks."

Loi waved his hand and emphasized, "The cola should be chilled!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Marines left the cabin.

That left the enormous 'Gladiator' Antoria, wearing Seastone cuffs, leaning inside the cell and looking at Loi.

"Sounds like you and your subordinates aren't very popular in the Navy."

He chuckled.

"Something like that."

Loi sat down on the sofa in the cabin and casually took an hourglass from inside his coat, setting it on the table.

The sand in the hourglass began to fall. Loi casually turned his head toward Antoria.

"But I heard Marshal Sengoku is already considering raising the Detention Unit's status. Hmm, what is it? Do you have something to say?"

He did not seem to mind having a heart-to-heart with a criminal.

"No, it has nothing to do with that!"

Antoria lowered his voice. "It's simply because you're too weak. If you were strong enough, no one would dare look down on you."

"Status, money, and power—all of them can only be seized with sufficient strength. Look at me!"

He struggled to sit up. "If it weren't for these cuffs..."

As he said this, he looked at a huge iron plate in the distance. A protrusion resembling a "handle" rose from its top.

It was his weapon, turned over to the Navy along with Antoria.

"With my Iron Rod, I could kill you with a single full-power strike, then smash this cell apart."

Antoria sneered.

But he noticed that Loi did not seem to care in the slightest about his "provocation."

"Yeah, yeah, absolutely."

Instead, Loi nodded with a serious expression.

Then—

"However."

His tone suddenly shifted. "Your full-power strike could only smash this tiny cell? You ate the Strong-Strong Fruit, and you're a muscleman. How useless are you?"

"...Huh?"

Antoria was practically dumbfounded.

Only after a long moment did he realize what Loi had said. Anger visibly ignited in his eyes.

This Marine, this man named Loi—he actually dared humiliate him like this?

"What did you—"

But before Antoria could finish his curse, the words stuck in his throat. His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

Because he saw that Loi had casually picked up the enormous iron block, Iron Rod, from nearby.

The massive iron block was so heavy that its sheer weight could crush a small building. Yet in Loi's hands, it looked as easy to lift as a balloon.

"Hmm. Judging by the weight of the weapon you use, you can only strengthen your muscle power by about twenty times at most? Your development of your Devil Fruit Ability is pretty poor."

He delivered his assessment casually.

"You... you... you..."

At that moment, Antoria could barely speak.

The scene before him made him feel as though he were dreaming.

"No."

Only after a moment did he come to his senses.

"How did you know I ate the Strong-Strong Fruit?"

"Oh, about that."

Loi casually set the enormous iron block down, then returned to his seat.

"I know a tiny little bit about Devil Fruits."

He spoke casually, but his gaze remained fixed on the hourglass on the table.

One-third of the sand had already fallen, and Loi nodded in satisfaction.

"Hmm. Perfect timing."

"Timing? What timing?"

Antoria was even more confused by his words.

But in the next moment, he saw Loi extend a hand toward him.

"Nothing. Get a good rest."

As the words left his mouth, Antoria suddenly felt an enormous impact.

Then everything went black.

"Bang!"

His enormous body collapsed to the ground, and he passed out.

Loi did not look at him again.

He merely raised his eyes toward the air before him.

From his perspective, a translucent Light Screen was floating in the air.

[Devil Fruit user 'Antoria' detected]

[Devil Fruit confirmed as 'Paramecia · Strong-Strong Fruit.' Currently analyzing and storing in the 'Fruit Encyclopedia']

[Fruit Effect—Can strengthen and control the user's own muscle power]

[Effects by level]

[LV1: Gain a weak Fruit Effect. Strengthen muscle power by 2–5 times]

[LV2: Gain part of the Fruit Effect. Greatly strengthen muscle power by 5–10 times. Requires 60 million/20 million Belly for permanent/temporary unlock]

[LV3: Gain the complete Fruit Effect. Massively strengthen muscle power by 20–40 times. Requires 300 million/100 million Belly for permanent/temporary unlock]

[LV4: Deep Fruit development. Freely control muscles to form shields and blades, and freely control certain muscles to harden and regenerate rapidly. Maximum muscle enhancement can reach 100 times. Requires 1 billion/300 million Belly for permanent/temporary unlock]

[LV5: Fruit Awakening · Muscle Mastery. Absorb the Life Force of living creatures within the ability's range to strengthen your own muscles. Control the muscle tissue of all living creatures within the surrounding domain. Requires 6 billion/2 billion Belly for permanent/temporary unlock]

[Analysis progress: 33%. Upon completion, LV1 of this Devil Fruit Ability will be obtained]

Loi's expression remained calm as he looked at the Light Screen.

'Gladiator' Antoria was merely an ordinary, mediocre Devil Fruit user in his eyes.

But there was one thing he genuinely agreed with.

And that was—

"Strength is everything. On this chaotic sea, without strength, you truly can't feel secure anywhere."

He looked at the unconscious Antoria.

"The difference between you and me is our horizons."

"I know how vast this sea is, which is why I chose to stay in the Detention Unit."

"But you know nothing about it, which is why you said those ignorant things just now. Go to Impel Down and broaden your horizons. The people there are interesting, and they even speak pleasantly. I'm sure you'll like it there."

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