That Kid's Sword Is Pretty Nice!

That Kid's Sword Is Pretty Nice!

"Yoriichi, the assignment we were given is to help out in the boiler room?"

"Isn't this branch's colonel looking down on us a little too much?"

Inside the engine room of the Marine Branch 133 warship, Kyros stood bare-chested. After shoveling a load of Solid Fuel into the furnace and closing the boiler door, he sighed softly and spoke to Tsugikuni Yoriichi beside him.

"How would I know whether they're looking down on us or not?"

"This is my first time setting out to sea as a Private Third Class. Though according to regulations, Private Third Class is a combat position, so we shouldn't need to do this sort of work."

"But on this ship, perhaps this is simply part of a Private Third Class's duties."

Yoriichi wore a Marine sailor uniform, gloves on both hands. One hand rested on a shovel as he watched the fiercely burning flames before him and replied.

Yoriichi had originally thought that going to sea for practical training would be like it had been aboard Garp's ship: fight pirates when they appeared, and train on his own during ordinary times. At worst, he would be like an ordinary Private Third Class, responsible for lookout duty and patrols, then joining the battle when combat broke out.

But unlike the seafaring training Yoriichi had imagined, he and Kyros had been treated like odd-job workers after boarding, sent straight to the engine room to tend the boilers.

Marine warships differed from the wind-powered sailing ships found at sea. Their engine rooms required boilers to be fired.

The fuel used was a type of black stone. Yoriichi had examined it carefully. It resembled coal somewhat, but it was not the same thing, and this Solid Fuel was also remarkably heavy, far denser than coal. Perhaps it was a special fuel unique to the world of the Pirate King.

To keep the warship powered, Yoriichi and Kyros had to continuously feed fuel into the boilers. It was only because Kyros worked quickly that the two had a little time to rest.

"Part of our duties? That shouldn't be right. I remember that warships have odd-job workers among their crew. Shouldn't they be the ones doing this?"

"Though we're Private Third Class, we're still Marine Academy cadets. If our seafaring training is just tending boilers, then what are we even training for?"

"And if tending boilers is work for Private Third Class, where have all the odd-job workers on the warship gone?"

"Even Vice Admiral Garp's warship had dedicated odd-job workers for this kind of thing."

During his time at the Marine Academy, Kyros had made a point of learning about the Marines' operational system. When speaking with the warrant officers and noncommissioned officers of his class, he had also asked what duties needed to be performed aboard a warship.

Moreover, Kyros had spent some time aboard Garp's ship when he followed Garp back to Marine Headquarters. He had also been a Private Third Class then. His usual duties had been patrols and lookout duty, and sometimes furling sails or raising anchors. The work had been varied, but he had never once tended a boiler.

At this moment, Kyros seemed not to have grasped the implication in Yoriichi's words and spoke with some confusion.

"Well, who knows?"

"By the way, Kyros."

"Don't keep asking about this."

"And whether we're on this ship or after we reach Marine Branch 133, don't mention that you're a Marine Academy cadet."

Yoriichi narrowed his eyes slightly and said casually.

Kyros looked at Tsugikuni Yoriichi in confusion. Seeing that Kyros did not seem to understand, Yoriichi offered no explanation. Just as Kyros was about to say something else, the engine room door was suddenly pushed open.

A young Marine around 175 centimeters tall, dressed in a sailor uniform, walked in. After briefly sizing up Yoriichi and Kyros, he asked with a smile, "You two are the new recruits assigned to our Branch 133, right?"

Yoriichi and Kyros exchanged a glance, then nodded at the newcomer.

"Hehehe, elites from Headquarters!"

"My name is Joseph Kaso. I'm a sergeant at Marine Branch 133. From now on, we're all on the same side."

"By the way, what are your names?"

The young Marine gave a brief introduction before asking Yoriichi and Kyros.

"Hello, Sergeant Joseph. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. I'm seventeen years old, Private Third Class!"

Hearing this, Yoriichi smiled and introduced himself. However, his stated age made Kyros freeze. Kyros clearly knew that Tsugikuni Yoriichi was only twelve years old!

Although Yoriichi was 170 centimeters tall, about as tall as some ordinary adults, Kyros knew Yoriichi's true age. He did not know why Yoriichi was lying.

Still, Kyros was not foolish enough to expose Yoriichi at a time like this. Coming back to his senses, he introduced himself as well.

"Hello, Sergeant Joseph. My name is Kyros. I'm seventeen years old, Private Third Class."

Joseph Kaso nodded, then suddenly teased them, "Oh! Tsugikuni Yoriichi, you really do look young. You've got a baby face."

"Kyros, you're really built like a tank. You don't look seventeen at all, hahaha."

Yoriichi merely smiled reservedly, neither overly warm nor distant. Kyros, meanwhile, scratched his head awkwardly, looking every bit the honest sort.

"Tsugikuni Yoriichi, Kyros, from now on, we're friends and comrades. In the days ahead, we must work together wholeheartedly."

Joseph Kaso spoke with a sincere expression. After a pause, as though recalling something, he asked curiously, "By the way, Yoriichi, Kyros, how did the two of you join the Marines at Headquarters? Why were you transferred to Marine Branch 133 of West Blue?"

Kyros parted his lips, just about to answer, when Yoriichi said with a smile, "Sergeant Joseph, to be honest, we were originally Pirate Hunters. But a month ago, we encountered a shipwreck and were rescued by a rear admiral from Headquarters."

"To repay the Marines for saving us, we joined the Marines and became Private Third Class."

"As for why we were assigned to Branch 133, perhaps Branch 133 is short on manpower, hahaha."

Yoriichi laughed it off and casually made up their background. Though Kyros was confused inside, he nodded along and did not interrupt.

Joseph Kaso appeared to casually glance at the sword at Yoriichi's waist and the longsword on Kyros's back. He nodded, then smiled. "Pirate Hunters are ultimately less stable than us Marines."

"You've made a very wise choice!"

"Come to think of it, I have other matters to attend to. We'll chat another time."

"Oh, right. I'll tell Captain Hage about your situation. Since you used to be Pirate Hunters, assigning you to this work is rather wasteful."

"But for today, you'll still have to handle it for the time being. Wait for my news."

After saying that, Joseph Kaso waved to Yoriichi and walked out of the engine room. Yoriichi and Kyros saw him off with smiles. Once Joseph Kaso had left, Yoriichi withdrew his gaze, opened the boiler door, casually shoveled in two loads of fuel, and tossed them into the furnace.

Yoriichi watched the roaring flames, his face dyed crimson by their glow. Kyros turned to glance at Tsugikuni Yoriichi, opened his mouth, but ultimately did not voice the doubts in his heart.

The door to the Branch 133 warship's office was suddenly opened.

A waft of smoke slipped out of the office and quickly dispersed outside. Joseph Kaso strode into the office and casually shut the door behind him.

This was the office of Colonel Kane, the highest-ranking officer of Marine Branch 133. At the moment, Kane was slumped on the sofa, his feet propped on the coffee table in front of it. A cigar hung from his lips as he stared blankly at the ceiling, puffing out clouds of smoke.

His unrestrained appearance was completely different from the stiff, solemn manner he had displayed while reporting in Sengoku's office.

"How was it?!"

Seeing Joseph Kaso enter from the corner of his eye, Kane's gaze focused. Turning his head, he asked Joseph.

"Hehehe, Colonel, there shouldn't be any problem. They're just two ordinary new recruits."

"They used to be Pirate Hunters and only joined the Marines a month ago."

Kane nodded slightly. Then Joseph's eyes suddenly gleamed with intense excitement as he said to Kane, "Colonel, I think the weapon that red-haired kid has is pretty nice. Once we reach West Blue, do you think you could—"

Before Joseph could finish, Kane's expression darkened. He suddenly sat upright, seized Joseph by the collar, yanked him close, and asked coldly, "You said that kid's weapon is nice?!"

"How nice is it?!"

Joseph had no idea why Kane was reacting so strongly. He hurriedly replied, "The scabbard is exquisite. I didn't see the sword itself, but a sword with a scabbard like that can't be bad. It should be worth quite a bit of money."

"Tch!"

After hearing that, Kane shoved Joseph away. He rose and paced to the window. After a long silence, he suddenly sneered and muttered in a low voice, "Pirate Hunters... Hehehehe, do you take me for an idiot?!"

"Since you want to play, then I'll play along with you!"