PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

"He's just… average?"

On the deck, Lafitte's smile instantly froze.

Burgess and the others stood dumbfounded.

When Blackbeard had proposed using his Warlord privileges to accompany Admiral Taiote Luo Yu to Impel Down, everyone had waited with burning anticipation.

They hoped Blackbeard would return with glorious news—perhaps a crew of fearsome monsters from Level Six, strong enough to shake the world.

Especially Lafitte, the self-proclaimed "Demon Sheriff."

He'd always believed that his wit and foresight surpassed even the strategic brilliance of Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

In his eyes, infiltrating Level Six to recruit powerful allies was the ultimate masterstroke—a move destined to change the tide.

Yet now, after all that buildup, Blackbeard simply said... "they're just average."

If even Level Six's most vicious criminals were merely "average,"

…then what did that make them, who hadn't even qualified to set foot in Level Six?

"Hahaha… Captain, you've got quite the sense of humor."Lafitte forced a smile, trying to dispel the awkwardness."But that's not funny. You were the one who pushed this plan—going to Level Six to select new crewmates. Those prisoners are some of the most dangerous pirates on the seas—many of them legends of the old era. How could they possibly be 'average'?"

Burgess and the others said nothing, but their expressions betrayed the same anxious anticipation.

If even Level Six was disappointing, then where else could they possibly find powerful recruits?

Blackbeard's face twisted bitterly. Images from the previous day flashed through his mind.

He sighed helplessly.

"No… it's not that they were actually average…"

"It's just that… compared to Taiote Luo Yu, they're too average."

"Yesterday, that Admiral… just because he wanted to clock out on time… unleashed his Conqueror's Haki and flattened all of Level Six in an instant."

"If you ask me, those criminals are probably still unconscious right now."

"So, even if we do recruit them in the future… in front of him, they'll still be… 'average'."

Silence.

Everyone went completely blank.

At that moment, they finally understood why their great Captain had been cowering in a corner on the Navy warship like an invisible ghost.

Because if he hadn't been invisible…

…he might have been obliterated into transparency.

Clocking out from work by casually crushing Level Six.

If they hadn't heard it from Blackbeard himself, no one would believe it.

"Blackbeard," Luo Yu's voice echoed from the dock as he leapt ashore, casually raising his wine gourd."Next time we meet, try to raise your bounty a bit, alright? Maybe we'll work together again."

Then he laughed and strolled toward Marineford's central building.

Blackbeard's expression turned pitch-black.

He had absolutely not expected that his name had once again been added to Luo Yu's bonus list.

Faced with this Admiral who saw people not as threats, but as walking stacks of Berries, Blackbeard began to tremble inwardly.

Did he see through my intentions?he wondered.

He remembered Luo Yu's deceptively kind smile.

It felt eerily similar to how he once looked at Thatch—right before he took the Dark-Dark Fruit from his hands.

The shivers down his spine were all too real.

Meanwhile, in the Marine Headquarters' Strategy Hall—

Dozens of high-ranking Marines had already assembled.

In addition to familiar faces from the central command, many base commanders from major branches had also been summoned urgently.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you're saying Marine HQ plans to take on two Emperors at once?""Isn't that… far too reckless?"

Among the voices, Vice Admiral Gimil, commander of the G2 branch, was the first to break the silence.

Within the Navy, Admirals were hailed as the highest military power.

Below them were Admiral Candidates, who monitored the Yonko.

After that came the various base commanders—each one a top-tier Vice Admiral, entrusted with protecting their region within the New World.

They were not easily shaken—each a force to be reckoned with.

And yet, today, even they had been urgently summoned to Marineford under a top-priority command.

Now, every eye in the hall turned toward Sengoku—waiting for answers.

"Gimil, I understand your concern," Sengoku said gravely."But we have no choice. Fire Fist Ace must be executed publicly. Whitebeard will not let this pass."

"As for Jack the Drought, there's no way we can release him. And with Kaido's nature, he'll attack regardless."

He paused, scanning the room with solemn eyes.

"Even if we retreat now, it won't change what's coming."

The tension in the room spiked.

Those present were well aware that among the Four Emperors, Kaido was the most unhinged—utterly shameless and completely ruthless.

"Enough, Gimil,"a calm voice interjected.Vice Admiral Tsuru, one of Marine HQ's few female admirals, and an irreplaceable strategic mind, stepped forward.

"If Fleet Admiral Sengoku made this decision, I trust he already has a counter-strategy."

"Don't forget—he's not called the Navy's 'Wise General' for nothing."

Her words lifted the weight in the room.

A spark of hope flashed across the gathered officers' faces.

Indeed, Sengoku's reputation as a strategic mastermind had been forged through countless campaigns.

Seeing the eyes locked on him, Sengoku gave a faint nod, no longer keeping his plans hidden.

"Yes. Facing two Emperors at once, our biggest weakness is insufficient high-end combat power."

"That's why, aside from summoning the Seven Warlords, I also plan to search the seas for 'special forces'—individuals with the power to fill the gap in our ranks."

"Special forces…?"Gimil blinked in confusion. Even Tsuru showed a trace of surprise.

No one had expected Sengoku to propose something so bold.

From the side, Vice Admiral Doll, the female commander of G-14, frowned and broke her silence:

"Fleet Admiral, do you truly believe such people exist?""Or… have you already found them?"

Everyone in the hall turned to Sengoku.

After all, recruiting ordinary soldiers was one thing—but finding fighters who could match an Emperor?

Was that even possible?

But just as Sengoku was about to respond, a voice floated in from outside the hall—calm, lazy, but unshakably confident:

"I think I've already found one."

A figure strolled into the room, wine gourd in hand, coat billowing behind him in the morning sun.

The officers in the strategy hall turned one after another.

Their gazes landed on the newest, most unpredictable Admiral in Marine history—

Fourth Admiral Taiote, Luo Yu.