The New Marines had entered a new stage of development, so it was only natural that they needed a new flag and emblem. Still, such a matter hardly warranted Issho making a special trip himself.
Consolidating Whole Cake Island's territory and incorporating its people were not tasks that could be completed overnight. Issho was a busy man, and the matters on his plate were no fewer than Yoriichi's.
Yoriichi looked up at Issho and asked with a smile, "You came all this way. Is there something else?"
"What happened?"
Yoriichi set aside his work and gestured toward the sofa in the office. Issho did not stand on ceremony. After feeling his way to the sofa and sitting down, he finally spoke.
"We don't have enough people."
"Whether it's overseeing the construction of Marine Branches on each island or assigning administrative and security personnel everywhere, every management post is desperately understaffed."
"Of course, I know this is only temporary. As the Marines from Risky Red Island and Thunder God Island are redeployed, the current predicament can easily be resolved."
"But, Yoriichi, I'm afraid that cannot be a long-term solution."
"We were established too recently. Our ever-expanding sphere of influence needs people we can trust and who are capable enough to manage it."
"I'm afraid this is the greatest problem we currently face."
The gentle smile that usually rested on Issho's face vanished, and his tone was full of gravity. Having developed to this point, the New Marines had gradually expanded beyond their original single military function and become a multifaceted political organization.
Simply calling the New Marines an "army" no longer represented what they were.
The operational model of Yoriichi's New Marines was completely different from both Marine Headquarters and the Revolutionary Army led by Dragon. The Marines were a specialized