That day, the G3 Navy branch recruited a new recruit who wielded a sword.
His swordsmanship was strong enough to rival a Navy Headquarters Colonel.
The only flaw? He had yet to master Haki.
After a personal test by G3 Commander, Vice Admiral Garp, the new recruit was immediately granted the rank of Captain.
Garp, a little embarrassed, said to him, "Sorry, Aizen kid! My authority only goes this far. Officer appointments need accumulated merits and approval from Headquarters. I can only do this for now!"
After all, this wasn't a special global conscription period.
Even talented individuals had to build up their records first.
Otherwise, it would upset the veterans.
Aizen Sōsuke smiled humbly. "Vice Admiral Garp, you are too kind! Being recognized by the Navy is enough. And as for merits, in this Grand Line, anyone willing to work hard will naturally gain them!"
"Hahaha! You're a fine kid!" Garp clapped Aizen heavily on the shoulder.
"To make up for it, I'll personally teach you for a while!"
"With your swordsmanship, once you master Observation's and Armament Haki, your strength will rise to another level! And you'll earn merits even faster!"
Garp's impression of Aizen was very positive.
Being a big-hearted person himself, G3 was mostly a bunch of rough and clumsy men, and there was plenty of miscellaneous work to handle.
Even though Aizen had only been there a few days, he had effortlessly cleared up much of the mess.
The mid-to-high-ranking staff at G3 almost rejoiced to tears.
Finally, a reliable person!
Garp had to make sure he kept Aizen locked into G3!
Of course, Aizen didn't mind at all.
He was very curious about Haki.
Watching Garp leave, a serious expression crossed Aizen's face.
"The Soul King was right. Vice Admiral Garp is definitely a difficult character to deal with!"
When Oguro initially suggested Aizen go undercover in the Navy branch, he had actually advised against G3.
Garp wasn't just strong; he had an incredibly sharp intuition.
Though he appeared rough and careless, his judgment in emergencies had never been wrong.
Even if Aizen's disguise could fool nearly everyone, dealing with such an unpredictable intuition carried great risk.
Yet Aizen had still come.
Aside from his own confidence as a strategist, Garp was the fastest route to achieving his objectives.
The Navy was clearly divided into factions, but the situation was stable.
To climb the ranks, Aizen needed to attach himself to a major figure.
Without that, even if he earned enough merits, the higher-ups might never notice.
Garp was the perfect choice.
As a Navy hero, his strength and influence were unmatched.
He also had an excellent relationship with the Fleet Admiral.
Succeeding under him meant your achievements would be noticed fastest.
Once in Headquarters, Aizen could identify potential targets for recruitment and build his own influence.
Things went much as Oguro had predicted.
From the moment Aizen entered G3, Garp had kept him under strict observation, despite Aizen's harmless behavior.
There was no reason for it—yet Garp's instinct was unshakable.
Only after Aizen befriended many Navy officers and efficiently handled numerous branch affairs, earning widespread praise, did Garp's vigilance ease considerably.
"Seems like it's time to add a safeguard!"
A sharp glint flashed beneath Aizen's glasses, but it vanished in an instant, as if it had never appeared.
...
In Water 7, Oguro received a call from Doflamingo.
"Fufufu… Oguro, you've quietly pulled off something big again!"
Oguro frowned. This flamingo never stopped meddling.
Doflamingo, oblivious, continued, "Furant Kingdom may not be strategically prime, but it's a decent food exporter.
Take it over, and you'll have no issues with supplies. Hehe… after months of waiting, can't contain yourself anymore?"
"Don't need your help!"
Oguro hung up immediately, afraid if he listened further, he'd start thinking he was a scheming villain.
Which he wasn't—at least not that complicated.
Feeling a bit restless, Oguro wandered the streets.
At the docks, many were unloading goods—mainly firearms destined for various regions.
Oguro glanced and was about to leave when his Observation Haki detected something unusual.
On a small nearby boat, several weak, desperate auras were hidden.
Oguro frowned and spread his Observation Haki over the area.
In the next moment, seeing everything clearly, his expression darkened.
He strode toward the small boat.
Two sailors were moving cargo aboard. Seeing Oguro approach, they immediately blocked him.
"Stop! This is private property! Don't come any closer!"
Oguro said nothing. A flying kick sent both men overboard.
Bang! Bang!
The path cleared, and Oguro reached a hidden corner in the ship's cabin.
Crack!
He punched through a hidden door.
What he saw made his killing intent surge to the sky.
At that moment, the Shinigami in Water 7 looked up.
"That's… the Soul King's aura!"
"Someone has angered the Soul King!"
"Prepare for battle!"
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of figures surged from across Water 7 toward the docks.
...
Inside the cabin, six small cages roughly a meter wide were stacked together.
Each contained a living person.
Most were young men and women, with one child of seven or eight.
They were curled up, struggling in cramped quarters.
From this angle, they looked like mere cargo, carelessly stacked on shelves.
"A slave ship, as expected."
Oguro's eyes blazed with killing intent.
The people were covered in wounds. When they saw Oguro, their eyes revealed no emotion.
They had endured unimaginable torture and had given up hope.
Clang!
Oguro broke the iron lock of a cage.
"I'm here to save you! Come with me!" he said softly.
The people exchanged glances, but none moved.
They feared it was another trap by these monsters.
Step out, and more torture awaited—designed to crush any hope of escape.
"Who dares trespass on my ship! Get out here!"
A shout rang from the deck.
The victims shivered violently, their faces filled with terror.
***
Read 20 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666