Marineford, Marine Headquarters port.
The port was exceptionally noisy today. Thousands of Marines gathered by the shore, pointing and murmuring. Even the old shipwrights from the repair docks were left with their jaws agape.
The barnacles on the bottom of the newly docked warship had been scrubbed clean. Above the waterline, all the paint had peeled off, revealing the scorched black metallic sheen of a surface subjected to extremely high-temperature friction.
The main mast was bent backward at a bizarre angle, as if it had once endured an unimaginable G-force.
But even more breathtaking than the ravaged warship was the unloading operation currently underway.
Gold bars, jewels, antiques, bundles of cash... The visual impact was so overwhelming that many young, inexperienced Marines felt their legs go weak on the spot.
"Gently! That's a solid gold candlestick! Chipping a bit of its finish would cost you a year's salary!"
Kane stood on the gangplank like a miser, directing a group of Headquarters elites who were being used as manual laborers.
Three escort warships flanked Kane's vessel like bodyguards, and on the shore, two Vice Admirals had been unprecedentedly dispatched to stand guard.
An uninformed observer might have thought they had captured some legendary great pirate.
A few commissioned officers from the logistics department, responsible for receiving the goods, watched the mountains of gold bars, jewels, and bundles of cash, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads.
"This... this amount doesn't seem right, does it?"
A Commodore in charge of registration swallowed hard, his pen trembling. "W-Warrant Officer Kane, according to the report, wasn't this supposed to be a simple deterrence mission? These hundred-plus boxes... they look like you've plundered a kingdom's treasury! Is... is this compliant with regulations?"
"Shhh—"
Kane stepped off the gangplank, casually slinging an arm around the officer's shoulder. He lowered his voice, a smile on his face that was as warm as a spring breeze yet utterly terrifying.
"You can eat whatever you want, but you can't just say whatever you want, Commodore, sir."
Kane pointed at the boxes, his face a mask of righteous integrity. "What plunder? This is a donation willingly given to the cause of Justice by the Germa Kingdom, moved by our Marines' righteousness. This is the salvation of their souls!"
The Commodore looked at Kane's sincere eyes, then glanced at a few boxes in the distance that were frozen into ice sculptures, clear evidence of being "forcefully transported," and silently swallowed again.
Salvation of their souls, my ass!
...
Half an hour later.
Top floor of the Headquarters fortress, the Fleet Admiral's office.
Unlike the bustling scene downstairs, the air here was so thick it was suffocating.
Fleet Admiral Kong sat behind his massive desk. He didn't immediately fly into a rage about Germa's complaint, but instead stared intently at the four men before him as if they were monsters.
Zephyr sat on the sofa, pressing a hand to his throbbing temple. Beside him, Admiral Sengoku was frantically polishing his glasses, seemingly trying to hide the shock in his eyes.
Garp, meanwhile, was crunching on Rice Crackers, his gaze darting back and forth between Kane and Kong with the undisguised glee of a troublemaker enjoying the show.
"Two documents."
Fleet Admiral Kong held up two fingers, his rough knuckles tapping the desk with a dull thud.
"First, the ship's log. A normal warship takes ten days to travel from the North Blue to Headquarters at full speed. You did it in less than 40 hours."
Kong's head snapped up, his gaze like lightning. "The port reported that the warship's keel has multiple fractures, as if it was pushed across the sea by some monstrous force. Can anyone explain that?"
"Second!"
Kong snatched a document stamped with the World Government's red "Top Urgent" seal and slammed it on the table.
Smack!
The loud noise made Borsalino, who was trimming his nails, flinch.
"A personal call from the Five Elders! King Judge of Germa accuses a certain Marine unit of using a mission as a pretext for piracy! Not only did they extort him, but they also blew up the foundation of his royal palace and even... pried up the floor tiles of his treasury!"
Kong's roar made the windowpanes buzz, his spittle nearly hitting Kane's face.
"Kane! You were the commander of this operation. Give me an explanation!"
Faced with the thunderous wrath of the Marines' supreme commander, Kane showed no sign of panic.
He took a step forward, stood at attention, and saluted. His form was so perfect it was flawless.
"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral! I can explain the matter of the warship's speed!"
A slight smile touched Kane's lips as he slowly raised his right hand, palm up.
Voom—!
Without warning, a gust of cyan-colored airflow erupted within the office.
The documents and books on the surrounding shelves, which had been sitting quietly, were instantly sent fluttering. The complaint letter on Fleet Admiral Kong's desk was swept directly into the air.
Although Kane had deliberately controlled its power, everyone present was a top-tier powerhouse in this world.
Kong, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Garp's pupils all contracted simultaneously.
They clearly sensed the terrifying power contained within that force—it wasn't a simple airflow, but the power of a natural disaster, compressed to its absolute limit, even carrying a hint of thunderous, destructive aura!
It was as if Kane held a miniature typhoon's eye in the palm of his hand.
"A Logia Type?!"
Zephyr shot to his feet, his purple hair blown back by the wind. He stared at Kane, his expression a mixture of utter astonishment.
Just half a month ago, this was the same kid who had brazenly declared, "Only Haki reigns supreme," and rejected all Devil Fruits.
And now... what was this violent aura?
"Kane..." Zephyr's voice was a bit hoarse, even tinged with a hint of gritted teeth. "You brat... you ate a Devil Fruit after all? What about your path of Haki? What about not taking shortcuts?!"
"I've been wronged, Teacher."
Kane clenched his fist.
Whoosh.
The gale filling the room instantly vanished. This level of masterful control once again made the hearts of the top brass skip a beat.
"While I was on a deserted island in the North Blue using the restroom, I suddenly felt a bit hungry. I casually picked a cyan-colored fruit from a nearby tree, and who knew that after one bite..." Kane spread his hands with an innocent look. "In order to report Germa's 'good deed' to the Fleet Admiral as quickly as possible, I had no choice but to borrow a little bit of wind power to give the warship a small boost."
"Puhahahahaha!" Garp burst out laughing. "You got hungry while using the restroom and ate a Devil Fruit? Only a fool would believe that reason, hahahaha!"
Fleet Admiral Kong's face was dark, but as he stared at Kane, the fury that had been building up dissipated by more than half the moment he saw this power.
As the commander-in-chief, he knew all too well what this meant.
If the previous Kane was merely a physical genius and a troublemaker, then now, armed with a top-tier Logia Type fruit, he was a true "future candidate for the Marines' highest combat power"!
"Good... very good." Kong took a deep breath, forcing himself to swallow the words, "Do you take me for an idiot?" "Since it was to hurry back, damaging a warship is somewhat understandable. But that doesn't explain the second document!"
Kong pointed at the complaint on the table, his voice rising again, his eyes sharp.
"As a Marine, plundering the treasury of a member nation? Kane, do you have any idea what this will do to the face of Justice if it gets out?! How am I supposed to answer to the World Government?!"
"Fleet Admiral! I've been wronged!"
"This is a complete slander by Judge! It's a smear against Justice!"
Kane suddenly let out a grief-stricken wail as if he had suffered a great injustice, his Oscar-worthy acting skills instantly online.
"Oh?" Fleet Admiral Kong sneered. "Then where did this 15 billion come from? Did it fall from the sky?"
"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral!"
Kane's face was a picture of righteousness. "At that time, when we recounted the bloody crimes Germa 66 had committed in the North Blue, King Judge burst into tears! He said his heart had been clouded by greed, and he tearfully insisted on donating this ill-gotten wealth to the Marines as atonement!"
"We initially refused! But King Judge was too enthusiastic. He said that if we didn't accept it, we would be looking down on him! To uphold the dignity of a World Government member nation, we could only tearfully act as movers!"
After speaking, Kane turned, his burning gaze fixed on Sakazuki beside him.
"Warrant Officer Sakazuki, you were there. You are the most principled man I know. Tell the Fleet Admiral, isn't that how it happened?"
Swish!
All eyes focused on Sakazuki.
Sakazuki's whole body stiffened.
He had never told a lie in his life. At this moment, his face was red from holding his breath. The thought of the hidden 50 billion "Justice Reserve Fund" flashed through his mind, and he glanced at Fleet Admiral Kong's murderous face.
After a long moment.
Sakazuki took a deep breath, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes under the brim of his cap.
"...Yes."
Sakazuki's voice was hoarse but unusually firm. "That money... was indeed donated voluntarily by Judge. He was... crying very sadly at the time. I believe that rejecting a heart that seeks redemption is not what Justice would do."
Pfft—!
Sengoku, who was drinking tea, spat it all out, looking at him in disbelief.
You, Sakazuki, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, have defected too?!
Kane was ecstatic and immediately pressed his advantage, looking at the other two.
"Borsalino?"
"Yeees~ It was a very moving scene~" Kizaru pushed up his sunglasses, his tone lilting. "King Judge insisted that we empty it all out. We couldn't even stop him. Such terrifying enthusiasm~"
"Kuzan?"
"Ah... well..." Aokiji scratched his fluffy hair and yawned. "Anyway, the money's already here. We can't just send it back, can we? That would be too much trouble."
Fleet Admiral Kong looked at the four "pillars of the future" who were now clearly in cahoots, and the veins on his forehead throbbed with anger.
But he wasn't stupid.
That 15 billion in solid funds was sitting in the port. For Marine Headquarters, which was perennially short on military funds, this was a piece of fat meat that was impossible to refuse.
"Then what about the 65 billion?" Kong took a deep breath, his tone softening slightly. "Judge said in his report that he lost 65 billion. But you only brought back 15 billion. What about the remaining 50 billion?"
Here came the crucial point.
The corner of Kane's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.
"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral, the rest of the money was lost in a 'maritime disaster.'"
Kane said with a straight face, "Moreover, to preserve Germa's dignity as a World Government member nation, and to quell the anger of the Five Elders, I have an immature suggestion."
"Speak."
"The amount of confiscated funds we report to the World Government should be set at—five billion Berry."
The office fell into a dead silence.
Only the wall clock ticked away, "tick, tock, tick, tock."
Even Garp stopped chewing, leaning forward with great interest.
Kane's expression was calm, his voice not loud, but every word was a dagger to the heart, each sentence challenging the very rules of the Marines.
"This five billion will be submitted to the Holy Land Mariejois as Germa's back-paid 'Celestial Tribute' or a 'special tax.' I believe that once the Five Elders see the money, they won't be too concerned with Judge's complaints."
"As for the remaining approximately ten billion..."
Kane paused, his gaze sweeping over all the big shots present, finally landing on Fleet Admiral Kong's slightly worn-out desk.
"This ten billion does not need to be entered into the World Government's books."
"It will be classified as Headquarters' 'undisclosed attrition' and directly allocated to the logistics department. It will be used to update the Marines' dilapidated warships, increase the pensions for fallen soldiers, and... improve the meals for the officers and men of Headquarters."
"Fleet Admiral, our Justice is priceless, but the soldiers who carry out that Justice need to eat."
These words were a checkmate.
Fleet Admiral Kong fell silent.
Zephyr fell silent.
Sengoku looked at Kane, the admiration in his eyes almost impossible to conceal.
So dirty.
This kid was really so dirty.
Not only did he dare to rob, but he also dared to teach the Fleet Admiral how to cook the books, and even wanted to drag the entire Marine high command into splitting the spoils!
But he had to admit... those words were damn pleasant to hear!
If they reported the full amount, at least half of the 15 billion would be siphoned off by those greedy officials and Celestial Dragons in the World Government, leaving very little for the Marines.
But according to Kane's plan, five billion would shut the mouths of those above, and ten billion would be kept for the Marines.
Who could refuse?
Whoever refused would be going against the stomachs of several hundred thousand soldiers!
The silence in the office lasted for a full minute.
Finally.
Fleet Admiral Kong let out a long breath, picked up his pen again, and signed a top-secret document. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, as if he had practiced them countless times.
"As for Judge's complaint... Sengoku, you handle it."
Kong's voice was low, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Reply to the World Government: Due to an uncontrollable storm at sea, most of the illicit funds fell into the deep sea and could not be recovered. After great hardship, the Marines only managed to retrieve five billion Berry, which has been fully submitted."
"As for Germa's losses..."
Kong looked up and gave Kane a deep look. "Since it was a maritime disaster, it was an act of God. Complaint dismissed."
"Puhahaha! I knew you wouldn't be able to part with that money!"
Garp finally couldn't hold back his laughter, slapping the sofa with a loud bang, tears of mirth streaming from his eyes. "Kane, you brat! Well done! I've long been fed up with that bunch up there! With this ten billion staying here, can my donut budget get a raise?"
"Get out! Garp!"
Kong glared at Garp, then put on a stern face, resuming his Fleet Admiral's authority as he looked at Kane and the other three.
"Although... you brought back important 'supplies.' You disregarded military discipline and used deplorable methods!"
"Causing such a commotion in the North Blue, even nearly causing a diplomatic incident, I can't answer to the entire military if I don't punish you!"
Kong slammed his hand on the table. "Kane, Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan!"
"Sir!"
"You are all sentenced to half a month in confinement! And you will forfeit half a year's salary!"
"I want you to properly reflect on what 'Justice' is in that confinement cell! Especially you, Kane, write me a 100,000-word self-criticism report! You're not getting out until every last punctuation mark is there!"
"Yes, sir!"
The four of them saluted in unison and turned to leave, their steps as light as if they were going on vacation.
...
West Blue, Germa Kingdom.
Still lying in his sickbed, Judge tremblingly received the final verdict from the World Government's CP0.
He opened it full of hope, expecting to see news of the Marines being severely punished and his vast fortune being recovered.
However, the document contained only a single, cold sentence:
[Upon investigation, your country's stated "loss of sixty billion" cannot be verified due to an uncontrollable storm at sea. The Marines' operation was in accordance with the "Justice Enforcement Regulations," and they recovered and submitted illicit funds amounting to five billion Berry.]
[In light of this, these five billion Berry will directly offset your country's Celestial Tribute
for the next three years. All other unreasonable demands are hereby dismissed.]
"F-Five billion?"
Judge stared at the number, his eyes vacant.
It was sixty-five billion!
How did it end up as five billion to offset the Celestial Tribute?
What about the other sixty billion?
"Pfft—!!"
Judge, who had just begun to recover, once again spat a jet of blood toward the sky. The whites of his eyes rolled back, and he fainted once more.