The recent upgrade to his Insight skill gave Liam Ross newfound confidence. From now on, even when facing Navy Admirals, he would no longer feel uncertain or overmatched.
Night faded quickly, and dawn came with the rhythmic crash of waves against the hull.
Early the next morning, after Liam and the other marines completed their daily training on the rear deck, their superior, Lieutenant Tross, approached with a grave look on his face. Judging from his expression, he clearly had something important to say.
"Hey, boss," Liam greeted casually, flashing a grin. "What's up?"
Tross's stern face suddenly broke into a broad smile. "Liam, congratulations! I reported your performance in the last few missions to the higher-ups. Captain Borg himself commended you said you've got potential. Because of that, they've decided to promote you ahead of schedule. You're now officially a Sergeant."
The seriousness from moments ago vanished completely as Tross clapped him on the shoulder, beaming with pride.
In just a few short weeks, Liam had gone from a private third class to a first class, and now skipping over the rank of corporal straight to sergeant. It was an almost unheard-of rise through the ranks, the kind of promotion that made veterans envious and new recruits whisper his name in awe.
On the surface, Liam smiled like any soldier thrilled to get a promotion and raise. But deep down, he couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
This wasn't part of the plan.
When he first joined the patrol fleet, he had assumed the job was dangerous enough that most rookies without real strength were cannon fodder. So, he had deliberately concealed his abilities, revealing only small glimpses of potential here and there to appear competent, but not extraordinary.
That way, no one would look too closely at him.
Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other ideas.
During a skirmish with a band of pirates, one of their lieutenants a man worth three million Berries had charged straight at him, ignoring everyone else. Liam had been forced to reveal a fraction of his true power just to survive. He had faked a difficult struggle before taking the pirate down.
Unfortunately for him, Tross had witnessed the whole thing.
From that point on, everything spiraled out of his control.
The more battles he fought, the more his legend grew. Pirates worth five million fell before him, and word spread fast. Tross and a few loudmouthed crewmates bragged about his feats, and soon, even higher-ranking officers began taking notice of the "promising young marine named Liam Ross."
Now, here he was staring at another promotion he never wanted.
Liam sighed quietly. Damn it. Sooner or later, it always comes to this.
After congratulating him again, Tross left, and Liam returned to his duties with a heavy heart. He performed his routine system check-in without enthusiasm.
"Congratulations, host. You have received 100,000 Berries."
He didn't even glance at the notification before storing the money away. Instead, he leaned on the railing, deep in thought.
His original goal had been simple: keep his head down, finish this month of patrol duty, then use his connections to transfer to a quieter post.
He had worried that if he drew too much attention, someone might start digging into his background and discover who he really was.
But things were different now.
He had a clone.
If suspicion ever fell on him, the clone could take the blame. That meant Liam could remain safely within the Navy, acting openly and even showcasing his strength. Instead of suspicion, he'd earn recognition maybe even a future as a decorated officer.
A slow, thoughtful smile spread across his face. Maybe I shouldn't just hide anymore. Maybe it's time to rise.
Even the position of Admiral didn't seem out of reach.
At that same moment, far from the patrol fleet, a warship bearing the Navy's flag sailed quietly into the West Blue.
Before long, it came into contact with the patrol flotilla. From the deck emerged Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Akainu, personally greeted by Vice Admiral Spider.
Without delay, Aokiji ordered his special investigation unit to begin their covert operation.
"Remember," he instructed, his calm voice carrying authority. "Focus your investigation on those who've recently gained attention. And make sure your actions remain unseen."
His agents dispersed, quietly blending into the crew across the three patrol ships. As night fell, detailed investigation reports began piling up on the Admirals' desks.
Akainu scanned the names coldly. "Only these few?" he asked, his deep voice edged with impatience.
Anyone unfamiliar with the situation might have mistaken him for the one in charge.
Aokiji didn't mind. He simply nodded. "Yes. These individuals all performed exceptionally well in recent pirate engagements. Their records stand out."
"In that case," Akainu said firmly, "we arrest them all and interrogate them one by one."
Aokiji frowned slightly. "Don't forget Fleet Admiral Sengoku ordered us to act discreetly. If we arrest them openly, we'll cause panic. The repercussions would outweigh the benefits."
Akainu fell silent, his jaw tightening. After a few moments, he asked, "Then what's your plan?"
"Simple," Aokiji replied, eyes narrowing as he examined the list. "We'll monitor these targets around the clock. If the man we're looking for the one called Emperor Tian is among them, he'll slip eventually."
Akainu said nothing more, though a faint scowl remained on his face.
Over the next two days, the two Admirals stayed aboard the flagship, never showing themselves. Only Vice Admiral Spider and a few high-ranking officers knew they were there. No one below the rank of major had any idea.
No one except Liam Ross.
In the past forty-eight hours, he had noticed something strange. There were always unfamiliar figures nearby, following him at a distance, watching his every move.
Thanks to his Observation Haki, he could sense their presence clearly.
At first, he suspected that his true identity might have been exposed. But that didn't seem right if the Navy truly knew who he was, they wouldn't be tailing him; they'd have already arrested him.
Still, something was off.
Determined to uncover the truth, Liam decided to test his theory.
That evening, during dinner, he casually dragged Tross to the restroom with him.
"Hey boss, my stomach's killing me," Liam said, clutching his abdomen. "Wait for me outside, yeah?"
Tross groaned. "Fine, just hurry up."
Once inside, Liam locked the stall door, vanished with his Invisibility, and slipped silently into the hallway. Within moments, he located two men who had been shadowing him.
As he approached, their conversation reached his ears.
"Jerry, you think this guy could be Emperor Tian?" one of them asked quietly.
That name instantly sharpened Liam's attention. He held his breath, listening closely.
Jerry, a blond agent with sharp eyes, glanced toward the restroom and shook his head. "I doubt it. Liam Ross is the weakest and lowest-ranked among all our suspects. Personally, I think that lieutenant on the second ship is more suspicious."
"But," he added, his tone shifting, "we shouldn't completely rule Liam out either. I've noticed something interesting over the last couple of days."
His partner leaned closer. "What is it?"
Even Liam, still cloaked in invisibility, found himself curious.
Jerry's expression turned confident. "His height. The photos of Emperor Tian match Liam's height almost exactly. Two others on our list are close, but none as precise. One of them is that same lieutenant I mentioned."
"I've already reported this to Vice Admiral Kuzan," Jerry continued. "That's why we were told to keep a close eye on these three. If Emperor Tian really is among them, he won't stay hidden for long."
His partner frowned. "You'd better check on him, then. He's been in that bathroom a while what if something's wrong?"
Jerry nodded and started walking toward the door.
Meanwhile, unseen in the shadows, Liam Ross's expression grew calm and cold.
So that's it… They're hunting me.
And though they didn't know it yet, their prey was already watching them back.
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