At Marine Headquarters, there stood a secluded little building. Very few people knew that it housed the Crime Investigation Bureau.
Many people felt as though they had not heard the department's name in a long time, and had all but forgotten it.
Marine Vice Admiral Cyrik, who had taken part in both major battles when Marineford was invaded, also kept a very low profile.
Of course, he could not keep too low a profile or conceal himself too deeply, so quite a few people still saw him around regularly.
As a Marine Vice Admiral, Cyrik was already one of the highest-ranking figures at Marine Headquarters. His official position was also an important advisory role, giving him access to a great deal of classified intelligence.
What was more, during the Flying Pirates' invasion of Marineford, Cyrik had personally slain "Titan" Atlas, severing a vital arm of "Golden Lion" Shiki's forces.
In the underworld, the Flying Pirates had placed a staggering bounty of three billion Beli on Cyrik.
That alone showed how seriously they took him.
Being targeted by the Flying Pirates was no good thing.
So many people understood why Cyrik stayed at Marine Headquarters and rarely ventured out.
What they did not know, however, was his secret identity.
"You can start getting ready, Black Horse."
In the dim light, Cyrik looked at the Den Den Mushi before him, a calm smile spreading across his face.
After laying the groundwork for so long, it was finally time to draw in the net. Yet this was not something to celebrate.
Only by thoroughly understanding the Marines' various internal factions, every level of their organization, and the situation across the different seas could one grasp just how rotten their foundations had become.
There were far too many corrupt Marines.
There were countless people