PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

"C-clothes?!"

The three Boa sisters—Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold—blanched.

Their expressions twisted in horror.

Because beneath their composed exteriors… was a secret they couldn't allow anyone to uncover.

If that secret were exposed—especially here, before so many eyes?

Death would have been a mercy.

Hancock instinctively lowered her gaze, dreading what she might see…

But before panic fully set in—

CRACK!

A nearby naval ship's flagpole suddenly snapped, toppling down without warning.

The massive navy flag dropped, perfectly shrouding her figure from view.

It happened so abruptly, so precisely, even Sandersonia and Marigold stood there stunned.

Was that… coincidence?

Their eyes drifted to the retreating figure of Luoyu, who didn't even glance back as he casually walked toward the Gate of Justice.

But that silhouette... carried a weight that lingered.

"…Trouble, always trouble," Luoyu muttered, taking a deep swig of his liquor.

"Guess that counts as paying back for roughing her up earlier."

Everyone else stood frozen.

Tina, Ain, Smoker—all stared at the bloodied figure of the Celestial Dragon, still unconscious and caked in blood.

Their hearts trembled.

Who else in this world… could treat a World Noble like this and walk away?

Meanwhile—Marine Headquarters…

The tension in the command office was suffocating.

All eyes locked on the report spread open across the table.

This wasn't just another incident.

This was the most serious internal crisis since Shanks became the youngest Yonko six years ago.

"Where the hell is Borsalino?!"

SLAM!

Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed the table, voice thundering.

"He's an Admiral—supposed to be the Navy's strongest force! And he's missing now of all times?!"

"Luoyu already gives me migraines—now Borsalino wants to join the club?!"

He gritted his teeth.

"Don't they realize the New World's on a hair-trigger?!"

No one dared reply.

Only one voice calmly pierced the rising storm.

"Settle down, Sengoku," said Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Navy's chief strategist.

"Borsalino was responding to a distress call from a World Noble. That's why he left."

Sengoku's expression froze.

"…A Celestial Dragon was attacked?"

His pupils shrank.

"Who was dumb enough to lay a hand on a World Noble?! That hasn't happened since—"

"Since Garp accidentally kicked one six years ago," Tsuru said pointedly.

That triggered the inevitable—

"BWHAHAHAHAHA!"

Vice Admiral Garp erupted in laughter.

"Ah, those trash? Kicking them was worth every second. Though I did lose three months' pay and had to live off crackers!"

The room dropped into stunned silence.

Trash?!

Only Garp could mock the Celestial Dragons to their face and live.

"GARP! Shut your damn mouth!" Sengoku roared.

"I'm already about to explode—don't make it worse!"

"Tch. You're always so uptight…"

Sengoku looked toward Tsuru again.

"You said it happened on the Red Line?"

"Correct," she nodded. "Near the Gate of Justice."

She suddenly paused.

"Wait. Tina sent me a location marker earlier—her unit's stationed right there."

A chill ran down everyone's spine.

"…You don't think…"

SPLASH!

Sengoku spit his tea across the room.

His face twisted.

"Call him. NOW."

"Tell that brat—if he's already punched the Celestial Dragon, fine! But for heaven's sake—DON'T HIT THE FACE!"

Everyone gawked.

"…Not the face?!"

Was that seriously the priority here?

"Yoyoyo~ Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Sounds like you already figured it out."

A glowing silhouette formed as Admiral Kizaru (Borsalino) reassembled in golden light.

"Damn it, Borsalino!" Sengoku cursed. "I nearly blew a vein!"

Kizaru grinned.

"I wanted to surprise you all. Guess I was late."

"Surprise?! It's more like a heart attack!"

"Now explain—why did Luoyu hit a World Noble? He knows that's worse than beating up Zephyr!"

Zephyr, silent until now, clenched his fist. His temple twitched.

Even he wanted to punch Sengoku.

But even he wanted to know what Luoyu had done.

"Relax," Kizaru said, pulling out a recording Den Den Mushi.

"That kid's clever. He recorded everything."

He handed the device over.

"CP0 tried to trap him. They used the Celestial Dragon to provoke a clash with Boa Hancock."

"But CP0 promised to protect the Celestial Dragon."

"…and failed spectacularly."

"Luoyu's Conqueror's Haki? It's monstrous. The blast knocked out both CP0 and Hancock instantly."

"CP0 lost his cool and charged him."

"Got turned into mincemeat within three seconds."

The room went still.

They watched the recording.

They listened.

They understood.

"…This brat," Sengoku muttered, face pale. "He wasn't even trying during his exam…"

"Garp!" He grabbed Garp's collar.

"Did he hide all this from us?!"

"Bwahaha! Told you already—he's got the makings of an Admiral."

Garp smirked, brushing his nose.

"I just brought him in. Where he goes? That's up to him."

"But Sengoku…"

"…Are you going to let the higher-ups force out a future monster like him, just like last time?"