After uncovering critical leads at an auction run by the Lolo Trading Company, Aokiji, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and their team freed the majority of the enslaved captives. They then escorted both the victims and those with ties to pirates and corrupt Navy personnel back to their branch headquarters for further investigation.
Thanks to Monk's testimony, several captains were quickly arrested.
Once those captains realized their crimes could no longer be concealed, they began turning on each other in a desperate bid for leniency. Their confessions led investigators to implicate several majors within the branch.
With the involvement of these higher-ranking officers, the scandal escalated rapidly. More and more personnel were exposed as the investigation deepened, and the dark rot festering beneath the surface of Navy Branch 133 slowly began to come to light.
Embezzlement of military stipends, treating naval laborers as chattel for slave trade, collusion with pirates, bribery, each transgression was unearthed one after another. Even the so-called "righteous" Captain Cain, who was on the verge of promotion to Rear Admiral, was pulled into the mire.
The Kingdom of Mia, under the control of Navy Branch 133, was considered one of the most "lawful" zones in the West Blue, its public order had long been praised as exemplary.
It was precisely because of Cain's accomplishments in Mia that he had caught the attention of Admiral Sengoku. When Sengoku designated Mia as the internship site for Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kyros, he had done so after careful consideration.
But what Sengoku had never anticipated was that the so-called peace in the Mia Kingdom had been nothing more than a facade built on an alliance between pirates and the Navy.
The Lolo Trading Company, whose influence had spread across every corner of the Mia Kingdom, was in fact a massive pirate organization: the Lolo Pirates, with over 800 members.
Their captain, Lolo, maintained a close personal relationship with Captain Cain. Together, they had devised an ambitious plan to seize control of the entire kingdom.
In this era, could one really profit just by being a pirate—or even a Navy officer? That was the cruel joke they were playing.
Their partnership was seamless: Cain maintained public order, cracked down on petty pirates, and in return, offered protection to Lolo's operations. Meanwhile, Lolo used his status as a pirate to provide selective intelligence to the Navy and "donated" funds to certain officers. Thus began their so-called "business."
But pirates engaging in business? That was always a laughable idea.
If they saw a shop they liked, they seized it. Competitors? Either assassinated in the dark or detained by the Navy on some fabricated charge.
In just a few short years, the Lolo Trading Company had grown into the largest commercial enterprise in the kingdom, with a reach spanning every industry.
The king of Mia was a mediocre man. His attention was consumed by what he would eat tomorrow, or which of his many queens he would visit that night. As for the kingdom's governance? He was completely clueless.
On paper, the king was the ruler of the land but in truth, it was the Lolo Trading Company and Captain Cain who held the real power.
The darkness festering within the Mia Kingdom was perfectly concealed beneath the veneer of peace.
Even the Navy Headquarters had been deceived for years.
To be fair, there had been a few perceptive officers from other branches who sensed that something was amiss in Mia, but none of them ever made it out of the kingdom's waters. Every last one of them was "coincidentally" attacked by pirates before they could leave.
In the chaos of the West Blue, the loss of a Navy officer or two was hardly seen as unusual.
And yet, Cain and Lolo's grand plan to usurp an entire nation unraveled because of the internships of Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kyros.
Before attempting to eliminate Yoriichi, Cain had never imagined that a teenage Third-Class Seaman would possess such overwhelming strength. Yoriichi's deceptively youthful appearance paired with his terrifying combat prowess became the critical factor in Cain's downfall.
The scandal at Branch 133 was massive. Aokiji and Victor were buried in work, sifting through evidence day and night, interrogating corrupt officers without pause.
As for Yoriichi, apart from helping Kyros lead a cleanup operation to eliminate the remnants of the Lolo Trading Company, he seemed remarkably unaffected by the chaos.
He spent his days calmly training in Haki at the branch headquarters.
When the patrol ships encountered pirates or an assignment required action, Yoriichi would board with his squad, stretching his muscles in battle.
And frankly? Ever since earning the rank of Navy Lieutenant Commander, Yoriichi's life had gotten a whole lot easier—every time he deployed, tasks like navigation, scouting, and patrol duty were all handled by his subordinates.
As for him?
His job was simple: whenever they encountered a pirate ship, he'd unleash a single, airborne slash!
Out in the West Blue, no pirate could withstand Yoriichi's terrifying strikes, infused with Armament Haki. More often than not, the moment they crossed blades, the enemy was completely incapacitated.
During the inspection of Branch 133, the slaves that Yoriichi and Kuzan had freed were gradually being sent home. One worth mentioning was Nico Olvia from Ohara, Kuzan personally escorted her back. Yoriichi had no clue why the guy was suddenly so eager about that.
And that Navy deckhand who'd been sold into slavery? Monk? He was now officially promoted to Seaman Third Class and assigned under Kyros.
Oh, and speaking of Kyros, after a few successful missions in the West Blue, thanks to his solid performance, he'd already made Sergeant.
For those with real strength, so long as there were enough pirates to hunt, merit points would come naturally. Promotions? Just a matter of time.
Before long, Kuzan and Victor submitted a preliminary report to Navy HQ, outlining the results of their investigation so far.
Barely half a day after the report was filed, Yoriichi received a long-distance call from none other than Zephyr.
Out on the vast, boundless ocean, a Navy warship cut steadily through the waves, leaving a foamy trail in its wake.
Yoriichi stood at the bow, clad in crisp white naval uniform, one hand gripping his sword. With a swift motion, he coated the blade in Armament Haki and unleashed a flying slash toward the sea.
His Haki training had entered a new phase. Now, he could effortlessly coat his entire body in Armament Haki. From here on, his focus was shifting toward enhancing its power.
Sure, he didn't have access to Garp's "eight mountain" training regimen, but this stretch of open sea was more than enough to withstand the brunt of his blade.
Bit by bit, he could feel himself growing stronger.
With every swing, every compression of Haki, Yoriichi could sense not only the increase in his total Haki reserves but also the steadily rising intensity of its force.
Blorup-blorup~
Blorup-blorup~
Suddenly, a Den Den Mushi rang out from inside his jacket. With practiced ease, Yoriichi withdrew the snail-phone, sheathed his blade, and gently cradled the receiver.
Click.
He picked up the line with a cheerful grin.
"Hello, Master Zephyr!"
But before he could say more, Zephyr's hearty voice came through the speaker:
"Yoriichi! Well done, kid."
"You've stirred up quite the storm over in the West Blue, word of your deeds has already reached HQ. Everyone knows your name now!"
Yoriichi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's all thanks to your teaching, Master."
"Hey now, don't drag me into this. I didn't teach you that!" Zephyr laughed.
"People at HQ can't stop talking about you. A Third-Class Seaman, just on internship duty, and you went ahead and arrested half the officers at a regional branch?"
"You're practically a celebrity!"
Zephyr's tone was light, but Yoriichi caught the teasing, just a touch of sarcastic bite in his words. Yep, definitely a backhanded compliment.
"Hehe... Come on, how could I still be a Third-Class Seaman? I am a Lieutenant Commander now, after all," Yoriichi joked awkwardly.
The very next second, a roar exploded from the other end of the line:
"You've got some nerve bringing that up! If I hadn't begged Sengoku to clean up your mess, do you think you'd still be enjoying this little vacation of yours?!"
"Cut the crap! I called to tell you, your internship's over. Get your ass back to HQ!"
Despite the volume, Yoriichi didn't hear anger in Zephyr's voice. What he heard instead… was concern. Maybe even longing.
"Yes, sir, I'll start packing right away. I'll be back at HQ first thing tomorrow morning!"
"And please don't be mad, Master Zephyr!"
Even though he sensed no real fury, Yoriichi still laughed and agreed quickly, not wanting to give his teacher another excuse to yell.
There were plenty of subordinates on deck, best not to embarrass himself in front of them. Assuming, of course, a Lieutenant Commander had any dignity left to protect.
"Ten days. That's your deadline. I want to see you in person!"
*********
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