I'm Actually a Good Navy Man

"Darren!!!"

Gion stared with uncontrollable rage at the newly appointed North Blue Admiral, who sat before her with his legs crossed and a frivolous look in his eyes. She nearly ground her silver teeth to dust, her chest heaving violently from the sheer intensity of her anger.

Before coming to the North Blue, she had heard more or less every sordid rumor about this man.

Lustful, degenerate, corrupt, abusive of his authority, living a life of debauchery, nepotistic—he was even rumored to have tangled, inextricable ties with the political and business circles of the North Blue, and even with the Mafia and the underworld.

She had already prepared herself mentally for what she might find.

Yet, she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams that a Marine, who ought to represent "Justice," could degenerate to such a degree!

That—that vulgar, indecent, and lewd behavior was actually being framed by Darren as "caring for the populace" and "civil-military cooperation"!?

Gion found she could no longer even look at those two words, which should have been beautiful and heartwarming, without feeling sick.

"What about your philosophy of justice!? How can you justify the Marine cloak you wear on your back with actions like these? Has military discipline lost all meaning to you!?"

She fired off a triple-barreled volley of indignation.

"What you are doing doesn't just affect your personal image; it brings shame upon the entire Marine force!"

As if to bolster her point, she turned her head to confirm with Gion's partner:

"Am I right, Gion's partner?"

"...I really didn't expect that 'caring for the populace' could mean that kind of care. What a genius... ah, you're right, Gion!"

Gion's partner, who had been muttering to himself in a daze, suddenly jolted. His wandering eyes immediately turned "righteous," and he slammed his hand onto the table, glaring at Darren:

"That's right, Darren! You are a disgrace to the Marines!"

Darren looked at him with a half-smile.

"So, you don't want to, Commander Gion's partner?"

"Of course I want to... no, wait, that's not what I meant! I mean, of course I care for the populace!"

Gion's partner stiffened his neck, his face flushing red.

Darren chuckled, exhaling a plume of smoke like a dragon. His gaze returned to Gion's angry, pretty face, and he said unhurriedly:

"These things are a matter of mutual consent. Lady Margery is happy, and I am happy. It's a win-win."

Win-win, my foot!

Gion couldn't accept this "twisted logic" at all, and she gritted her teeth:

"But Governor Tyrrell of the Yadis Kingdom certainly won't be happy! If he finds out about this, do you have any idea what kind of political fallout it will trigger!?"

"Who says Governor Tyrrell won't be happy?" Darren suddenly said with a beaming smile.

Gion froze, then, as if realizing something, she stood there stunned.

Gion's partner also opened his mouth, looking completely bewildered.

A thought, too incredible to believe, surged into their minds simultaneously...

Could it be... could it be...

Darren flicked his ash lightly and continued:

"Besides, matters like this aren't actually a big problem. I don't hide them, and since you know, the Headquarters naturally knows as well..."

"But why has no one at Headquarters ever initiated an impeachment against me? Why has Admiral Sengoku never held me accountable? Have you two ever considered that?"

He stood up slowly, pressing his broad palms onto the conference table, leaning forward slightly with an aggressive posture.

A faint, overbearing, and icy aura began to radiate from his body.

Seeing the smile gradually fade from Darren's face, Gion and Gion's partner suddenly felt a chill run through their hearts for no apparent reason.

Darren looked down at these two "second-generation" officers from Headquarters and said indifferently:

"Because I get things done."

"You say I affect the image of the Marines, but tell me, are the images of the Marine officers from Headquarters and Marineford really that pristine?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Gion and Gion's partner were rendered speechless.

They thought of Vice Admiral Garp, who spent his time picking his nose and sleeping;

They thought of Admiral Sengoku, the "Great Buddha" who talked to his pet goat and acted all mysterious;

They also thought of the two "monsters" of the younger generation, Sakazuki and Borsalino;

One used the most brutal methods imaginable to deal with pirates, not even hesitating to endanger civilians to complete a mission;

The other was cynical all day long, saying "how scary" at the sight of everything...

Thinking about it this way, they suddenly realized that perhaps the image of the Marines... wasn't all that great either?

No, that's not right!

Gion suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing she couldn't let this guy lead her astray.

But just as she was about to speak, Darren waved his hand to cut her off.

"That's that, you two. My training time has arrived. If you're interested, feel free to follow; I'll be waiting at the training grounds."

"And if you have any complaints about how I do things, I'd be more than happy to spar with two elites from Headquarters."

He stubbed out his cigar, tossed a fresh box to Gion's partner, and strode out of the base commander's office.

As Darren stepped through the doorway, he paused.

"Oh, right. There's one more thing I forgot to say."

He turned his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips:

"Even though I smoke, drink, lust for money, chase women, love to kill, and have an insatiable hunger for power, I still consider myself a good Marine."

"Compared to those high-minded, mediocre, and talentless wastes of space, I'm leagues better."

He waved a hand, his smile deepening.

With that, he walked out of the office, and the door slowly clicked shut.

Gion and Gion's partner sat there in a daze, and it took quite a while for Gion to snap back to reality.

"That bastard! I refuse to believe such twisted logic!"

She gritted her teeth, pulled out a military Den Den Mushi, and dialed the signal for Headquarters.

"Gion, what are you..."

Gion's partner asked curiously while tucking away the box of cigars.

"I'm reporting Darren's issues to Headquarters!"

Gion's eyes were fixed intently on the Den Den Mushi as it rang incessantly.

Soon, the connection went through.

"Bloop!"

"Hahahaha, little Gion, have you arrived in the North Blue? How is the environment over there?"

A hearty laugh rang out, and the Den Den Mushi vividly mimicked the appearance of Admiral Sengoku of Marine Headquarters, complete with his seagull hat and round, black-rimmed glasses.

"Reporting to Admiral Sengoku, I have arrived at Branch 321."

Gion said in a formal, measured tone:

"However, during the course of my inspection, I discovered that Colonel Darren's personal conduct is severely problematic—to the point where it could damage the image of the Marines and even trigger political disputes!"

"During the course of my inspection, I discovered that Colonel Darren's personal conduct is severely problematic—to the point where it could damage the image of the Marines and even trigger political disputes!"

Gion's voice was laced with anger.

"Oh?"

Sengoku's puzzled voice came through the Den Den Mushi:

"What kind of problems? In my impression, that kid Darren is quite capable..."

"Quite capable..."

I don't know if she was corrupted by Darren's earlier talk of "caring for the people," but Gion felt something was off about that statement.

She opened her mouth, her face gradually flushing red, and stammered:

"He... he... he..."

The matter was far too shameful for her to even put into words.

Gion's partner snatched the Den Den Mushi away and shouted indignantly:

"He actually slept with the Governor's wife of the Yadis Kingdom!!"

Sengoku: ...

On the other side of the line.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford, Admiral's office.

Sengoku stared with a face full of black lines at the Den Den Mushi, where Gion's partner was fuming:

"Admiral Sengoku, I strongly recommend that this bastard Darren be dismissed and investigated!!"

"That was the Governor's wife!! She's still quite charming and very beautiful!!"

Sengoku listened, his head throbbing with black lines.

Look, if you want him dismissed and investigated, fine, we can discuss that.

But why do you keep bringing up Lady Margery's looks?

"Hmm, so that's the issue."

Sengoku muttered.

Hearing Admiral Sengoku's response, Gion and Gion's partner were both left completely stunned.

"Hmm?" What kind of response is that?

That's it!?

"Admiral Sengoku... your attitude..."

Gion was somewhat dissatisfied.

Sengoku scratched his head and said:

"Gion, there are some things you don't understand. That brat Darren certainly has many issues; both I and your sister Tsuru are well aware of that."

"The problem you mentioned... actually, this isn't the first time."

"Over at your sister Tsuru's end, the complaints and reports regarding Darren at the naval administration and internal affairs departments have already piled up into a mountain."

"As far as I know, there are probably hundreds, if not a thousand, similar incidents."

Hearing this, Gion's partner stood frozen like a wooden chicken, his entire body trembling.

Hundreds, if not a thousand!?

Does that mean... that bastard Darren has "cared for" hundreds of top-tier noble wives and young ladies like Marguerite?

"Cooperated with the military and civilians" hundreds of times!?

What a... beast!!

He took a few fierce drags of his cigarette.

Gion was even more incredulous:

"Then why was he still promoted to Admiral of the North Blue? If he's allowed to continue acting so recklessly, the entire North Blue will be thrown into complete chaos by him."

Upon hearing this, Sengoku sighed inwardly, thinking Gion was still too young and naive. It seemed sending her to the North Blue to see for herself was indeed necessary.

"Gion, is there a fax machine near you?"

Gion glanced around and spotted one in the corner of the office.

"Yes, there is."

"I'm sending you a document. Destroy it immediately after you finish reading it."

Soon, accompanied by the "da-da-da" sound of the fax machine, a military document appeared before Gion and Gion's partner.

"This is the performance report Darren submitted to Headquarters when he applied for the position of 'Admiral of the North Blue.' It contains his experiences during his two years as the base commander of Branch 321."

Gion and Gion's partner exchanged a look, then opened the report and began flipping through it quickly.

But the more they read, the wider their eyes grew, their faces filled with astonishment.

"Do you understand now?"

Sengoku's voice carried a hint of intrigue.

"The North Blue is chaotic; it is the most turbulent of the four seas."

"This sea area has a deeply rooted history of mafia, high crime rates, and many smuggling and black market trade routes that span the Grand Line have important strongholds and bases here."

"Among the various kingdoms in the North Blue, wars are constant, and there is even the Germa 66, led by an 'evil army,' always looking to dominate the North Blue and recreate the glory of the old Germa Kingdom."

"But look closely at this performance report..."

"During Darren's tenure, the crime rate and the number of pirates across the entire North Blue have been well-controlled. The mafia have remained peaceful, the kingdom wars have ceased... and the living standards of the people in every kingdom have seen significant improvement."

"This is the most stable era the 'Chaotic North Blue' has ever seen."

Gion was stunned, subconsciously arguing:

"But Admiral Sengoku... our Headquarters' geniuses, Rear Admiral Borsalino and Rear Admiral Sakazuki... didn't they serve in the North Blue as well?"

"Could it be that Darren's governance is even better than theirs?"

She found it hard to believe.

Borsalino and Sakazuki were the "monsters" of Headquarters, already recognized as "future Admirals of the Navy."

Hearing Gion's words, the corners of Sengoku's mouth twitched. His expression grew even more depressed as he sighed:

"Gion... you still don't know those two guys well enough."

"During Borsalino's time in the North Blue, unless Headquarters gave a direct order, he basically wouldn't do any work. The pirates became increasingly rampant, and Headquarters finally couldn't stand it anymore, deciding to transfer him away."

"What about Rear Admiral Sakazuki then?" Gion asked, first taken aback, then refusing to believe it.

Sengoku sighed again:

"Sakazuki... why do you think he was transferred out of the North Blue?"

"That brat disregarded the political sensitivities between kingdoms and the safety of civilians, using iron-fisted suppression against every pirate that appeared, causing extremely severe destruction in many towns and countries..."

"In the end, the kingdoms of the North Blue couldn't 'bear the harm' anymore. Over ten member nations expressed their dissatisfaction and pressured Headquarters together, leaving us no choice but to transfer him out of the North Blue."

Gion: ...

Gion's partner: ...

Sengoku rubbed his forehead, feeling another headache coming on:

"In short, due to the unique situation in the North Blue, only Darren can properly maintain the balance there."

"Unlike the two of you who grew up comfortably in Marineford, that kid Darren is a true North Blue native. Climbing step by step from the lowest-ranking private to his current position, he must have his merits."

"His military achievements are illustrious, his strength is outstanding, and he is decisive yet tactful in his actions. In a place like the North Blue, he is able to navigate both the underworld and the legitimate world with ease."

"And do you know something?"

"Regarding his application for promotion to North Blue Admiral, both Sakazuki and Borsalino have expressed their support."

"Darren has earned the recognition of those two... that alone is proof of his ability and methods."

At this point, Sengoku's tone became earnest, sounding very much like an elder offering heartfelt guidance to the younger generation.

"The two of you, especially you, Gion, having grown up at Headquarters, your understanding of justice and the Navy is still limited to a very shallow level."

"In fact, Tsuru and I sent you to the North Blue this time with the intention of broadening your horizons and helping you learn."

"That kid Darren is very cunning and very clever. By staying by his side, you will be able to learn far more than you ever could staying at Headquarters."

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