"What? You're saying a pirate in a straw hat attacked you? Where's my money?! Damn it, why didn't you protect my money?"
Captain Nezumi's roar nearly blew the roof off the Marine branch headquarters. He swept the documents off his desk, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Raymond.
After parting ways with Nami, the "grievously injured" Raymond was quickly discovered by his subordinate soldiers. After his wounds were hastily bandaged, he was rushed back to the 16th Marine Branch.
Even though his face was pale from blood loss, Raymond maintained a ramrod-straight military posture.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his right hand pressed firmly against the bleeding bandage on his abdomen. His voice was hoarse as he struggled to raise his hand in a sloppy salute. "Reporting, Captain. As soon as I entered the village, I found traces of yesterday's attacker. I followed the trail... and discovered that the two pirates were already carrying out another robbery, fighting with Lieutenant Beru..."
"And? A whole group of you couldn't beat two pirates? And Lieutenant Beru was killed?" Captain Nezumi was so angry his mustache quivered.
Raymond coughed twice at the perfect moment, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His voice was weak, yet filled with just the right amount of indignation. "Lieutenant Beru was beaten to death by that Straw Hat, punch after punch. I wanted to help, but a green-haired swordsman stopped me. I fought with all my might but couldn't defeat him, and he even stabbed me in the abdomen...
In the end, the two pirates must have heard my subordinates' footsteps, thinking reinforcements were coming. They abandoned the ammunition, which was difficult to carry, and fled quickly!"
"Wait, are you saying the ammunition was recovered?" Captain Nezumi suddenly narrowed his eyes, the anger on his face softening slightly.
The reason he dared to be so arrogant in the 16th Branch's territory was precisely because he had cover from above.
Half of the protection money Arlong's crew gave him had to be handed over to higher-ranking Marine officers.
Although the protection money had been stolen, selling that batch of ammunition could solve his immediate problem.
"Yes, Captain. I've already brought it back to the branch!"
"Good, good, good!" Captain Nezumi rubbed his hands together like a fly, calming down immediately.
He was usually greedy, but as the head of the 16th Branch, he had basic judgment.
Lieutenant Beru's combat ability was definitely one of the best among the lieutenants at the branch.
Coupled with the fact that Raymond could describe the two pirates' features so clearly, it was highly likely they had indeed encountered a very troublesome pair of pirates.
However, the gruesome state of Lieutenant Beru's death didn't seem like the result of a normal battle...
At this thought, Captain Nezumi couldn't help but narrow his slender eyes. His gaze swept over Raymond like a blade, his knuckles tapping a rhythm on the desk, clearly hesitant.
Just as the tension reached a breaking point, Raymond's knees suddenly gave way, and he collapsed heavily to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
His trembling arms barely supported his body, large beads of sweat mixing with hot tears as they hit the cold floor.
"I'm sorry, Captain! There was something I forgot to mention!
...Actually, before Lieutenant Beru met his end, he saw me rushing over and shouted for me not to come, saying I was no match for them. He told me to bring the intelligence back, and it was in that moment of distraction that the enemy got him...
Lieutenant Beru and I were rivals, and we often had our disagreements. I never thought that when it mattered most, he would be willing to cover for me with his own life..."
At this point, Raymond suddenly lunged forward, pulling a handful of gleaming jewels from his coat and presenting them with both hands.
"I can never repay Lieutenant Beru's kindness, so I can only offer this small token... This is my life's savings. Please, Captain, pass it on to Lieutenant Beru's family for me!"
Captain Nezumi's eyes lit up instantly. He eagerly snatched the jewels and examined them carefully under the light, recognizing they were worth at least several million Beri. A wide grin spread across his face, and all his previous suspicions vanished.
"Excellent, excellent! Ensign Raymond, you truly are a man of character!"
"Captain! I request permission to lead a team to track down those two pirates! I won't be able to sleep at night until they are brought to justice!"
"But your injuries..." Captain Nezumi feigned a frown, though his eyes kept darting towards the drawer containing the jewels.
"This minor injury is nothing! Right now, I'm the only one in the 16th Branch who has seen those two pirates, and I have a rough idea of where they're headed!" Raymond ripped off his blood-soaked bandage, revealing the gruesome wound beneath.
"For justice, I would not shrink from a thousand deaths!"
Captain Nezumi was completely moved by Raymond's "unwavering loyalty," and even his expression grew serious. "Oh? And how do you know where they are going?"
"As they were escaping, the pirates mentioned a place called 'Orange Town'! I suspect that will be their next stop!" Raymond said decisively, secretly observing Captain Nezumi's reaction.
After obtaining the system, he had already made plans for the near future.
To reach the pinnacle of the world, with no foundation to speak of, he had to use others' strength to his advantage—by first attaining a high position within the World Government's system!
But with no background, the only way to achieve a rapid promotion was through combat power.
The core of the [Great Pirate System] was nothing more than "pirate-like actions" and "recruiting crewmates."
The year was 1520 of the Sea Calendar. Nami was still in Cocoyasi Village, right around the time the protagonist, Luffy, was about to set sail.
Rather than taking risks alone, it was better to follow behind the protagonist's crew, landing the finishing blows and recruiting suitable companions along the way.
While laying low and developing his strength, he could let the protagonist's crew take the blame for him! How wonderful! How delightful!
"Orange Town... that's near Shells Town, which is under the jurisdiction of the 153rd Branch... That guy Morgan is not easy to deal with!" Captain Nezumi glanced at the drawer with the jewels, then thought of his own stolen twelve million Beri, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "However... since they are vicious pirates, a cross-jurisdictional pursuit is perfectly reasonable!"
He slammed his hand on the table. "Ensign Raymond, since you insist, you will be fully in charge of this reconnaissance mission!
I will immediately report to Marine Headquarters and recommend you for the rank of Lieutenant! From this moment on, you will have the authority of a Lieutenant. You must investigate the whereabouts of those two pirates thoroughly. As soon as you find a lead, notify the branch immediately, and I will dispatch a large force to encircle them!
...And remember! The 153rd Branch must not know about this operation. Pirates who committed a crime in our 16th Branch's territory must be dealt with by our own people!"
Raymond straightened his back, striking his chest heavily with his right fist. "I understand, sir! I will not disappoint you, Captain!"
"For justice!"
As he turned and left the office, a cold smirk touched the corner of his lips. Captain Nezumi's greed had fallen perfectly into his trap.
For those twelve million Beri, he would rather send someone on a secret, cross-jurisdictional mission than notify the 153rd Branch, and he certainly wouldn't dare report the truth to Headquarters or issue a bounty on the pirates.
Instead, he granted Raymond special privileges and sent him to secretly search for clues.
This was exactly the freedom of action he desired.