On this day, the weather was clear and beautiful aboard Crane's battleship.
Chiga lay on the deck, his head resting in Gion's lap, sipping juice she held for him. He was thoroughly enjoying himself.
The female marines standing guard nearby stared straight ahead. They had long since grown used to such scenes—moving from initial shock to complete nonchalance.
Gion gently patted Chiga, who was about to doze off, and asked,
"Hey, do you have any plans for this trip to Sabaody?"
Chiga stretched lazily and replied,
"No plans. I might just stay there for a year. The main reason this time is to build up my résumé with the World Government."
"The World Government? How did you get on their radar?"
"According to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, they're planning to observe me. Since the Celestial Dragons like to visit that place, they're stationing me there for a while."
"Celestial Dragons… Chiga, do you even know what that name means?"
"Yeah, it means a bunch of trash. Seriously, I've heard so much about them I could grow calluses on my ears. Don't worry—if they don't provoke me, I'm too lazy to care."
Seeing this attitude, Gion said no more—only hoping he truly knew what he was doing.
…
Since Marine Headquarters and the Sabaody Archipelago were close, the battleship arrived quickly. As soon as they disembarked, rows of marines awaited them—already assembled to welcome their arrival. Leading them was the highest-ranking officer on-site, Rear Admiral Ambust.
Ambust wasn't here just to welcome Chiga—after all, Chiga was only a Colonel.
With a gentle whoosh, Gion appeared behind Chiga. Ambust immediately stepped forward with the marines to greet her instead.
Chiga could only smile and shake his head. Clearly, his rank still didn't earn much attention. But he didn't mind. Gion, on the other hand, waved lightly at Ambust, signaling she had completed her task and was ready to leave. She turned to Chiga with a faint smile and said,
"This is as far as I go. I'll be heading back."
Chiga returned her smile and said,
"Thanks for the ride, Gion."
Gion feigned annoyance, puffing her cheeks,
"Why are we being polite with each other?"
Then she pinched his face lightly. The action was natural—intended to create some prestige for Chiga so he'd have an easier time here.
Ambust noticed their interaction. He wiped the sweat from his brow, thinking, This Uchiha Chiga has serious backing—and he's so young… I'd better tread carefully.
Gion gave Chiga a few last-minute reminders before turning to leave. She didn't linger—partly because their relationship wasn't what it once was, and partly because her post was nearby, so she could visit anytime.
After Gion left, Ambust approached Chiga without a shred of arrogance and said kindly,
"You must be Colonel Uchiha Chiga from Headquarters. I'm Rear Admiral Ambust, in charge here. If you need anything, please don't hesitate."
Chiga smiled and replied,
"I won't be doing much—I'll be under your command for now. Please take care of me."
Chiga's friendly demeanor reassured Ambust. This Uchiha Chiga seemed easy to get along with. It had to be said—having the right background really made everything smoother. Despite holding a higher rank, Ambust didn't dare show the slightest disrespect.
After the greetings, Ambust personally led Chiga to Zone 66, the Marine base within the Sabaody Archipelago.
He pushed open the door to an office and was stunned to find two women already seated inside. He had no idea who they were.
One had short, curly golden hair and wore a long orange dress. She sat with her hands gracefully clasped, smiling in a refined manner.
The other looked younger, also blonde, but with long hair. Her expression was cooler. She wore glasses, a cropped black blazer, a tight skirt, fishnet stockings, and black high heels.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Ambust snapped, his tone sharp. He wasn't in the mood to admire beautiful women. His eyes narrowed in wariness.
Chiga, on the other hand, remained composed. Based on appearances alone, he had a rough idea who they were. The woman with the hat was Stussy from CP0, and the younger one was likely Kalifa, who would later join CP9.
Noticing Ambust's defensive stance, Stussy stood and gracefully handed over a document, then covered her mouth with a light chuckle.
"Oh my, Rear Admiral Ambust, don't be so tense. We're not here to cause trouble. Let me introduce us—we're from the World Government. My name is Stussy, and this young lady here is Kalifa."
World Government? Ambust's pupils contracted as he glanced at the document. Another group I can't afford to offend. What exactly was Uchiha Chiga's identity? Why did all these high-level figures appear the moment he arrived?
(Well,if someone could use abilities without Devil fruit and the WG doesn't investigate,that alone would be weird)
Still, regardless of who they were, Ambust wasn't in a position to complain. He steadied himself, returned the document respectfully, and said,
"So it's Ms. Stussy. My apologies. May I ask what brings you here?"
Stussy returned to her seat, elegantly crossed her legs, and sipped from a cup of tea. Medis grumbled in Chiga's mind,
"Master, this old lady is so pretentious. Let me claw her face!"
Chiga replied inwardly,
"Let it go. She's got big backing—and she's here for me. Let's see what she wants."
After taking a slow sip of tea, Stussy set the cup down. This time, she focused entirely on Chiga and said, still smiling,
"I came to meet our promising new Marine star—Colonel Uchiha Chiga."
Ah, so it's me after all. Fine, you big shots can play your games, just don't drag me into it. Ambust, realizing this wasn't his business, slipped out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.
Once they were alone, Chiga asked,
"What can I do for you, Ms. Stussy?"
Stussy smiled and pointed at Kalifa beside her.
"While I was curious to meet the rising star myself, I'm not the main event here. I'm simply here to deliver her to you. This is Kalifa. She'll be serving as your secretary during your time in Sabaody."
Kalifa stood and walked over to Chiga, bowing at a full 90 degrees. From Chiga's angle, her deep cleavage was impossible to ignore.
"Nice to meet you. Please take care of me, Colonel Chiga."
Chiga didn't reply immediately. He looked to Stussy instead.
She had expected his suspicion and gave a prepared explanation.
"Assigning Kalifa as your secretary is the government's arrangement. She'll assist with daily affairs—meals, schedules, logistics, the works. Since you're fresh from the training camp and Sabaody's a… special place, this is just the government being considerate."
Hah… sounds sweet, but she's clearly here to monitor me. Testing if I'll become their loyal dog, huh? Still, he had no reason to refuse. Knowing the truth and accepting reality were two different things.
With that, Chiga extended his hand.
Kalifa blinked in mild surprise, but Chiga smiled and said,
"I'll be counting on your care, Secretary Kalifa."
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I dropped about 10 Chapters today
@Gasuka_Kultivasi thanks for the powerstones
@Anandh_Kr thanks for the powerstones
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With this Mass release is over , If you want 3 Chapters Daily. Help me get in top 20 spots in collections and Popular rankings !!
Or it'd be 1 chapter per day !!