"Dressrosa?!"

In the Fleet Admiral Kong's office, Yoriichi Tsugikuni raised his left hand and pointed the hilt of his sword directly at the map.

The spot he pointed to was a small island nation located in the middle of the New World. When Kong turned to look, he was visibly taken aback.

He wasn't surprised that Yoriichi had so quickly decided where to establish a new Marine branch. What shocked him was that Yoriichi had chosen Dressrosa.

In the New World, Dressrosa held a position almost equivalent to the Strait of Malacca in the real world.

Controlling this island meant holding one of the largest seaport routes in the New World. For the Marines to solidify their control over the New World, Dressrosa was a critical linchpin.

"Dressrosa, huh…"

"We've thought about setting up a branch there before."

"But…"

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, pick another location. This one's beyond our ability to control."

"Even getting a foothold on Lodestar Island took tremendous effort. If you hadn't stopped Golden Lion Shiki's assault, the G-ICE branch might've already been reduced to rubble."

"Even a branch located in the tail end of the New World gets assaulted to that extent. If you try to establish a base in Dressrosa, the threats you'll face will be exponentially more severe."

"The pirates absolutely won't allow such a wedge to be driven into their territory."

Kong stared at the map, then turned to Yoriichi and spoke in a heavy tone.

The New World had long been treated as the pirates' backyard. The bizarre weather of the region ensured that the Marines could never mobilize at large scale. If a fleet was too concentrated, one natural disaster could wipe it out entirely.

Operating in the New World demanded small squads and local maneuvers. That, in turn, was one of the root causes of the rampant piracy in the region.

The Marines' control there was severely diminished.

At the same time, after the disbandment of the Rocks Pirates, though Rocks himself was gone, many of his subordinates and officers had survived.

Over the years, those officers had grown into terrifying pirate powers in their own right. With such formidable figures still active, the Marines simply couldn't spare attention for the other mid-level or minor pirate crews.

Rather than exhausting themselves clashing with the monsters of the New World, it was more efficient to focus on stabilizing the Four Seas. Even so, the current strength of the Marines wasn't enough to fully control even those.

The West Blue, for instance, remained in utter chaos and was effectively ungoverned.

In essence, the New World was the pirates' Eden.

And Yoriichi's chosen site for a new Marine branch, Dressrosa, was the heart of that Eden.

In the future, Doflamingo would rise to power there and control the entire nation. He wasn't just strong—he was backed by Kaido of the Four Emperors and held the government-sanctioned title of Shichibukai.

In the underworld, he had Kaido's endorsement. In the legitimate world, he carried the name of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

With both black and white authority on his side, Doflamingo could entrench himself in Dressrosa and grow his business empire.

In the future, when the Marines finally started gaining more control over the New World, it was thanks to the development of Pacifistas and Seraphim.

Only then did the Marines have enough strength to fully extend their reach into the New World.

Until then, Marine infiltration had been cautious.

For years, only a handful of small branches had been established—mostly for intelligence gathering.

Kong wasn't naive enough to believe that someone like Yoriichi would go to Dressrosa just to set up an intel outpost.

Kong had been closely monitoring Yoriichi and believed he understood him fairly well.

Without a doubt, although trained by Zephyr and Garp, Yoriichi was absolutely a hawk. Kong even knew that lately, many of the old hawkish Vice Admirals were becoming restless.

Within the Marines, ever since Yoriichi's rise, undercurrents had been stirring.

Officially, the organization was led by the Fleet Admiral and the Admirals, but in reality, the old Vice Admirals wielded terrifying influence.

"I won't change my decision."

"If we're going to establish a new branch in the New World, Dressrosa is crucial."

"From there, I can link the G-10 branch and the G-ICE branch. With those three as our foundation, we can spread the Marine's influence throughout the New World."

"I hope the Fleet Admiral will give serious consideration and approve my proposal."

As Yoriichi spoke, the others in the room, including Garp, turned to look at him.

"A young man ready to take action—I think it's worth trying."

"At worst, we lose some money and withdraw from Dressrosa."

Sengoku paused in thought, sitting on the sofa, and gave his suggestion. Beside him, Tsuru also nodded in agreement.

Seeing his two top advisors on the same page, Kong began weighing the pros and cons more carefully.

If they succeeded, the Marines would finally gain a foothold in the New World.

If they failed, the worst-case scenario would be the branch being destroyed by pirates and all personnel killed.

However...

If the branch was led by Yoriichi Tsugikuni—the one who had slain Golden Lion Shiki—then perhaps the worst outcome could be avoided. Maybe all the Marines would need to sacrifice was some funding to plant a new stake in the New World.

"Hm…"

"Rear Admiral Yoriichi Tsugikuni, I approve your request."

"For the new branch's establishment, what support do you need from Marine Headquarters?"

Since Kong was asking so directly, Yoriichi saw no reason to hold back.

In this era, what's the most valuable resource? Manpower! And after that? Equipment!

"I'd like HQ to send a group of experienced officers to help recruit and train new recruits."

"I also hope HQ can provide sufficient funding. I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I don't even have my own warship yet. That'll be costly, right?"

"Setting aside my personal vessel, I think the new branch will need at least ten warships."

"Oh, and weapons. Pirates in the New World are insanely strong. Ordinary Marines will need powerful gear just to stand a chance."

"And also-"

Yoriichi quickly listed out his requests, completely unaware that Kong's face was growing darker by the second. This wasn't asking for support—this was practically turning HQ into his support branch.

Ten warships?

You brat, are you planning to initiate your own Buster Call?

After negotiations, Kong only agreed to dispatch a few experienced Lieutenant Commanders to assist Yoriichi in setting up the branch.

Additionally, he approved the allocation of a single warship and a budget of one billion Berries as startup capital.

This was the highest level of support HQ could give. In this era before inflation, one billion Berries could accomplish a great deal.

Yoriichi's earlier list of requests had mostly been rhetorical. Once he secured these benefits, he stopped pushing further.

"A New World branch is unlike any other Marine branch. HQ won't be able to support you in time."

"You'll have to rely on yourself."

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, you'll be the commander of this new branch. I'll grant you the privilege—give your branch a name."

After hammering out the initial details, Kong turned to Yoriichi with a meaningful look.

As his words fell, the other high-ranking officers in the room smiled and looked to Yoriichi.

"A name for the branch?"

"Then let's call it 'Dawn'!"

At that name, Kong, Garp, and the others all froze slightly. Then their expressions turned serious, as if they were trying to discern something from Yoriichi's face.

Kong furrowed his brow, opened his mouth to object, but Garp burst out laughing.

"Good!!"

"That name is perfect!"

"Fleet Admiral Kong, there's no need to overreact to a name. I think it sounds pretty damn good."

"Don't you agree?"

Garp glanced at Kong, making him swallow his words.

"D… huh."

Kong looked at Yoriichi and muttered internally, eventually letting out a soft sigh and nodding his agreement.

Even before the promotion ceremony, Yoriichi had already finalized the branch proposal with the higher-ups.

After leaving Kong's office, Yoriichi and Garp walked together toward Zephyr's home. Around lunchtime, Sengoku showed up with Rosinante in tow to freeload a meal.

Rosinante, who hadn't seen Yoriichi in a while, immediately shouted with excitement and tackled him. In HQ, he didn't have many peers his age.

Sengoku had already begun personally training Rosinante. After Rosinante turned sixteen, Sengoku didn't plan to enroll him in the Naval Academy. Instead, he'd be assigned to various branches across the Four Seas for field experience, entering the academy at eighteen.

Sengoku wanted him to walk the same path that most high-ranking Marines had walked. He didn't want to raise him as a "second-gen prodigy."

Rosinante wasn't Yoriichi—he didn't have the kind of talent that would silence all critics even if he skipped steps.

Rosinante still had a long way to go!

During the meal, Rosinante brought this up with a tone full of anticipation, not complaint. Seeing that passionate determination, Yoriichi smiled and gave his blessing.

"Then we'll meet again on the seas."

"When you become a proper officer, I'll ask Sengoku to transfer you to the New World!"

"Together, let's bring peace to the ocean!"

Rosinante listened to Yoriichi's words and nodded firmly.

"I will! I'll break into the New World in no time!"

After lunch, Garp and Sengoku departed.

Issho and Kyros also settled in at Zephyr's house. After making sure everyone was settled, Zephyr brought Yoriichi alone into his study.

"Zephyr-sensei, what is it? Why so secretive?"

Yoriichi followed Zephyr in, watching him carefully close the door before retrieving a small box from a hidden compartment. Curious, he asked.

"I've got something important to give you."

"Sit."

Zephyr pointed to the chair. After Yoriichi sat, he pushed the box toward him.

"Open it and see."

"A gift for my promotion, sensei? Now I'm really flattered!"

Yoriichi chuckled as he opened the box, but the moment he saw the contents, his pupils shrank.

"A Devil Fruit?"

"Looks like the Smoke-Smoke Fruit?!"

Yoriichi recognized it immediately and looked up at Zephyr, puzzled.

Zephyr nodded slightly.

"That's right. A Logia-type: Smoke-Smoke Fruit."

"I had a student track it down."

"It's yours now."

Zephyr grinned as he spoke, but his words made Yoriichi frown slightly.

"Zephyr-sensei, I don't intend to eat a Devil Fruit. I don't think it's worth giving myself a weakness."

"The Smoke-Smoke Fruit… I don't need it."

After a brief moment of surprise, Yoriichi's expression returned to calm. He closed the box and gently pushed it back.

"No one said you had to eat it."

"Keep it. When you find a trustworthy subordinate, let them eat it to strengthen your branch."

"For ordinary people, a Logia-type is a shortcut to power. It gives your unit an immediate powerhouse."

"Your 'left and right hands' are excellent, but making a stand in the New World—especially in Dressrosa—isn't going to be easy."

"Take it. Use it well to build your branch. Once you're stable, I'll come visit."

Zephyr pushed the box back with a smile, completely unfazed by the value of what he was giving away.

Yoriichi looked at Zephyr, then smiled and reopened the box.

"Thank you, Zephyr-sensei. Since it's for the branch's strength, I'll thank you in advance for whichever future subordinate ends up eating this."

"Oh right—who was the student who found it? I need to thank him properly."

Zephyr smiled and replied, "Sakazuki, a Vice Admiral."

"He's out on a mission now, not at HQ. No need to go find him."

"If you use the fruit well, that'll be thanks enough."

"Sakazuki is a good young man."

Hearing Zephyr's praise for Sakazuki, Yoriichi gave a small smile and nodded slightly.

Akainu, huh. Even though he had lived a whole lifetime in the Demon Slayer world, hearing that name again made it clear who the man was.

Yoriichi held no grudge toward Akainu. He was just an extreme hawk in the Marines. In such a chaotic world, someone like Akainu was a better Fleet Admiral than the indecisive Kuzan.

But that was only before Yoriichi Tsugikuni came to this world.

From now on, the Navy's future… would be one he steered himself.

Two days later, Yoriichi's promotion ceremony was held in the Marine HQ's auditorium.

That day, every officer of Lieutenant Commander rank and above was present to witness the event. As they watched the young red-haired boy be promoted to Vice Admiral, a wave of inspiration swept through the hall.

Everyone knew this fourteen-year-old Vice Admiral would herald a new era for the Marines and shape the next several decades!

After the ceremony, Yoriichi and his "left and right hands" boarded Garp's ship and left Marine Headquarters.

But…

Instead of entering the New World as officially filed, Garp's dog-headed warship turned toward the Grand Line.

"Vice Admiral Garp, are you sure it's okay not to report this to HQ?"

"I just got promoted, I'd rather not get demoted right away!"

Standing on the bow, Yoriichi stared at the vast ocean ahead and asked with a smirk. Behind him, Kyros and Issho glanced curiously at Garp.

"Bwahahaha!"

"No worries, no worries!"

"Rules are dead, people are alive!"

"They only gave you one outdated ship. That piece of junk's useless!"

"If you want a proper warship, you'll have to get it built yourself! Contacting Dr. Vegapunk is unrealistic, but…"

"I know a place where someone can build you a fine ship!"

"You won't be disappointed! Bwahahaha!"

Garp's laughter was swallowed by the crashing waves. Yoriichi looked at him, slightly exasperated, and placed both hands on the railing, gazing out to sea.

Unlike when he returned to HQ, this time Yoriichi wore three long swords at his waist.

He had brought not just his primary blade, but also the legendary swords [Ame-no-Habakiri] and [Enma] from home. Who knew when he'd return to HQ again—he needed backups in case one was lost in battle.

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100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter

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