Chapter 253: The Undercover Agent and the Superfan
Bartolomeo and X Drake locked eyes, their initial surprise quickly turning to hostility. They had history. Months ago, in Paradise, Drake, then a Marine Rear Admiral, had nearly sent Bartolomeo to the bottom of the sea.
"Drake!" Barto gritted his teeth. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I could ask you the same thing," Drake said, his hand on his sword. "A thug who attacks civilians... you dare to show your face here, seeking to join Lord Shane?"
"Civilians?!" Barto roared, grabbing Drake by the collar. "What bullshit! They were slavers! I was following Senior Shane's example and delivering justice! And you! You were a Rear Admiral with a bright future! Why would you suddenly turn traitor and join the Curtain Call crew?! You're a spy, aren't you?!"
"A spy?" Drake's eyes went cold. "Don't you dare slander me! It seems I'll have to teach you a lesson..."
"Stop it!" a sharp, feminine voice cut through the tension. A blue-haired woman with an athletic build and a fierce look in her eyes strode down the stairs.
Who's that? Drake's eyes narrowed. She was wearing the crew's black uniform, but it had no corps emblem... which meant she was from the main crew.
Barto, on the other hand, was ecstatic. Senior Nojiko! Senior Shane's own sister! One of the original members! My number-three idol!
"Making trouble the moment you arrive," Nojiko said, her cold gaze sweeping over them. "This is an administrative building. Do you two Supernovas think you can just..."
"SENIOR NOJIKO!" Barto cried, tears streaming down his face. He shoved Drake aside, ran to her, and dropped to his knees. "I'm your biggest fan! I finally get to see you in person! You're even more beautiful than your wanted poster!" He was about to hug her leg when...
BONK!
She punched him so hard he flew across the room and slammed into a wall, a few of his teeth clattering to the floor. "Don't interrupt me," she said, a vein throbbing on her forehead. "And don't get so close! It's disgusting!"
The Barto Club crewmates gasped in horror.
But Barto just staggered to his feet, a blissful, lovesick smile on his swollen face. "That... that was amazing! That was Senior Nojiko's fist! Just as powerful as the rumors say! To be punched by you... I'm the happiest man alive!" He began to dance around the room.
"Captain Barto is so lucky!" his crewmates wailed. "We want to be punched by Senior Nojiko, too!"
Nojiko, Drake, and everyone else in the room just stared. These people... are they all insane?
"A superfan... what a headache," Nojiko sighed, rubbing her temples. She turned to Drake. "And you? What's your story?"
"Ma'am!" Drake snapped to attention and gave a military salute. "Former Marine Rear Admiral X Drake! I have come here to offer my loyalty to Lord Shane!"
"A Marine deserter?" she said, then glanced at Barto. "What's your history with this snot-nosed green-head?"
Snot-nosed green-head?! Barto collapsed to the floor, devastated.
"We fought in Paradise," Drake said. "At the time, I was still a Marine, under orders to capture him."
"Don't listen to him, Senior Nojiko!" Barto leaped to his feet. "This guy is shady! He was a Rear Admiral at such a young age! He had a bright future! He has to be a spy!"
Nojiko looked at Drake, who met her gaze without flinching. "Enough!" she snapped. "Both of you, with me."
She led them to an empty conference room. "Drake, tell me why you deserted."
"Yes, ma'am," he said, his face a mask of solemn sincerity. "I joined the Marines to uphold justice. But I saw too much darkness... especially after the Sabaody incident. I realized that Lord Shane is the only one who is truly fighting for justice. Three months ago, I was ordered to escort a shipment of 'cargo' to Mary Geoise. It was... slaves. Young girls, some of them not even teens, being sent as tribute to the Celestial Dragons. I protested, and I was told to mind my own business. That was when I knew I had to leave."
"That sounds plausible," she said, nodding. "Your record is clean since you deserted. Report to the Combat Corps. The position of Third Division Commander is open. It's yours. By the way, another Supernova, Trafalgar Law, is the Second Division Commander. You're from the same part of the North Blue. You should get along."
"Yes, ma'am! Thank you for your trust!" he said, saluting. He walked out of the room, and only when he was sure no one was watching did he let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried about their vetting process. But... it had been surprisingly easy. They just took my word for it? he thought with a sneer. What a bunch of amateurs. With an organization this sloppy, how can they ever hope to...
"And as for you..." Nojiko said, turning to Bartolomeo. "We'll have to do a proper screening."
"Eh? But what about him?!"
"He was a special case, personally scouted by my brother. You're not," she said.
"Oh! In that case, that's fine!"
"My brother's name really is the magic word for you, isn't it?" she said with a sigh. She placed a small vial on the table.
"What's this?"
"Truth Serum," she said with a smile. "Very useful for weeding out liars. It's very rare, so we only use it on potential officer candidates like yourself."
"A magical truth-telling potion!" Barto's eyes lit up. He grabbed it and chugged it down.
"Eh?" Nojiko was a little taken aback.
"So Drake got to skip this part because Senior Shane trusts him more?!" Barto said, laughing. "I'm so jealous! But this is great! Now I can prove to all of you, with my own honest words, that I am the most loyal follower in the world!"
"...I see," Nojiko said, a little unnerved. The drug took effect, and she began her questions. "Why do you want to join?"
"Because Senior Shane is so cool!" he gushed. "From the moment I saw him on the execution stand in Loguetown, I knew I would follow him for the rest of my life! I will be his most loyal dog! Woof woof!"
He's really going too far with the 'honest' part... "Next question. What do you think of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons?"
"Fuck 'em! They're all bastards!" he spat. "Those pigs don't deserve to rule the seas! Senior Shane did a great job killing them! A fantastic job! I want to be his most loyal dog!"
"One last question," she said, sighing. "If... Lord Shane were to order you to die, what would you do?"
Barto suddenly fell silent. He stood up, his expression more serious than she had ever seen it. "I would die immediately," he said, his voice low and firm. "But first, I would find out why. Because the Senior Shane I know... would never senselessly order one of his followers to their death."
Nojiko was stunned. Then, a genuine smile spread across her face. "Congratulations," she said, extending her hand. "You've passed. Welcome to the Curtain Call Adventurers, Bartolomeo, Captain of the Fourth Division of the Combat Corps."
Barto's eyes filled with tears. He was about to shake her hand when he suddenly bent over and threw up on the floor.
"S-Sorry! Senior! I was just so excited!"
Can he really be this... extra? Nojiko thought, her eye twitching.
...
In the central castle on Crescent Moon Island, Shane stood by the window, a cup of bitter coffee in his hand, gazing out at the sea. "Being the leader of a major power... is not easy." He had just celebrated his nineteenth birthday. The simple days of being a muscle-headed brawler were long gone. With a vast territory and millions of subjects to govern, he could no longer just pass off his responsibilities to his crew. The Sabaody incident had sent a flood of new recruits their way, and while the growth was exciting, it was also a lot of work. He had established a new economic department, headed by a man Fujitora had recommended, a brilliant but stubborn old scholar named Gyl Fain. The man was a genius with numbers, and the territory's finances were already in order.
"Just a few more days, and things should calm down," he sighed. He took a final sip of his coffee and sat down at his desk to finish the last of the paperwork.
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