A Mere Ordinary Officer of an Emperor's Crew...

The faint moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, casting itself across every corner of the room.

Dawn got out of bed feeling refreshed. He took a clean, neat set of black fitted clothes from the nearby rack and changed into them with unhurried movements.

He glanced back at the messy bed and the striking, vivid crimson stain on the white sheets. A satisfied smile curled up at the corner of his lips before he strode out of the captain's quarters.

After leaving, he headed straight for the deck and issued an order through an amplification Den Den Mushi:

"Everyone, gather in the meeting room."

The crew who received the message moved swiftly. By the time Dawn took his seat at the head of the meeting table, the core members had mostly arrived.

"Did you find anything valuable on Moria's ship?"

Dawn skipped the nonsense and went straight to the point.

"Other than some ordinary supplies and Beli, there was only this sword and a few corpses that looked rather strange."

Stella's tone carried obvious displeasure as she slammed a sheathed katana onto the conference table with a clang.

"I inventoried and stored the supplies. Those corpses were creepy, so I burned them all."

Naturally, Dawn knew where Stella's displeasure came from. It was nothing more than the matter between him and Stussy. He did not pay it any mind at the moment, instead fixing his gaze on the katana on the table.

The scabbard was ancient and simple, faintly exuding a sharp aura. He reached out, gripped the hilt, and slowly drew the blade.

The instant the blade left its sheath, a chill spread through the room. The blade was blackish purple, marked with distinctive red serrated patterns, while its temper line was a chaotic midare hamon