Finn had been studying Marine base operations extensively in recent weeks, preparing for his eventual command assignment. After a moment's consideration, he recalled G-7's current situation clearly.
G-7 was positioned in the middle-to-late first half of the Grand Line, near the southern Calm Belt, relatively close to Impel Down, one of the Three Great Powers. Its military complement was modest: only about seven thousand Marines. The base's jurisdiction included three member nations seeking G-7's protection, a reasonable but not overwhelming responsibility.
The base itself was undersized relative to its island. Due to insufficient construction funding, most of the landmass remained undeveloped wilderness. G-7's actual facilities could accommodate perhaps two thousand personnel comfortably, leaving the majority of its garrison in cramped or temporary quarters.
"Why recommend G-7 specifically?" Finn asked after processing these details.
"G-7 and G-8 are positioned south and north respectively, covering both major routes through the first half of the Grand Line," Jonathan explained with a knowing smile. "If I'm going to G-8 as base commander, I'd certainly prefer having a capable Vice Admiral commanding the opposite installation. Makes requesting mutual support considerably easier, Vice Admiral Finn."
"Please, Jonathan, don't patronize me," Finn said with an exaggerated eye roll. "Others might only think that you are just a simple tactician, but I don't. You're one of Headquarters' strongest. Despite my current arrogance, I wouldn't dare claim I could defeat you..."
Marine Headquarters housed many hidden masters, officers whose reputations didn't reflect their true strength. Jonathan exemplified this perfectly. He'd served in the same generation as Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Zephyr, and Chief of Staff Tsuru. In terms of raw power, he might fall slightly below those legendary figures, but not by much.
The man was simply low-key by nature, lacking competitive drive. He seemed ordinary until provoked. Once genuinely angered, Jonathan could be terrifying.
"Hahahaha!" Jonathan's laugh was genuine and warm.
After a moment, his expression turned more serious. "But G-7 represents an excellent stage for your talents, doesn't it? I think you need exactly that kind of opportunity."
Finn nodded slowly. Jonathan was absolutely right.
G-7's facilities were incomplete. Its military strength was inadequate. Its construction area was substandard.
But that's precisely what makes it valuable.
If G-7 already possessed a powerful garrison of ten to twenty thousand well-equipped Marines, if the entire island had been developed into an impregnable fortress, if the surrounding waters were completely pacified with all resistance suppressed... what would be the point of sending Finn there?
He'd have nothing to do. Just maintain status quo, accumulate seniority, essentially slack off while gaining "experience."
No opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities whatsoever.
Conversely, a base like G-7, possessing potential but lacking the resources to realize it, was treasure in Finn's eyes. If he could drive G-7's rapid development, transform its latent capabilities into actual strength, he'd prove to Marine leadership that he wasn't merely a combat specialist. He could build infrastructure, lead organizations, and guide the Marines toward prosperity.
Only by demonstrating comprehensive excellence could he convince everyone that he deserved to become one of the Marine's Admirals in the future.
Actually, news of Finn's impending base commander assignment had already spread among senior leadership. Many perceptive officers had recognized the implicit message: Headquarters intended to groom Finn for Admiral rank.
Jonathan understood this perfectly well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have called G-7 a "suitable stage" for Finn's ambitions.
"That makes sense. I'll consider it," Finn said with an appreciative smile.
After a brief pause, he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Jonathan, you commanded G-3 previously. You have direct experience. Could you give me some advice? What skills does a base commander truly need?"
"If everything proceeds according to standard procedures, there's not much complexity," Jonathan said thoughtfully. "Headquarters distributes military funding to each base annually. We allocate it per capita for personnel, plus maintenance costs and operational expenses. However, in 1497, the base system underwent restructuring. Branch autonomy expanded significantly. Basically, each base commander now possesses absolute authority within their installation. They only need to respond to Headquarters inspection every two years..."
1497 had been three years ago. At that time, Finn had been serving as a Rear Admiral at Headquarters, concentrating on training and studying. He hadn't paid much attention to administrative reforms.
Recently, however, he'd studied the changes extensively, knowing he'd need to navigate this system soon.
Before 1497, Marine branch bases had been tightly controlled by Headquarters at Marineford. After 1497, leadership had decided to delegate more authority, allowing branches to exercise greater initiative rather than constantly deferring to Headquarters for minor decisions.
From that year forward, branch base power had expanded unprecedentedly. Commanders became almost like autonomous warlords within their jurisdictions.
They no longer needed to consult Headquarters on every minor matter. They could make virtually all decisions independently. Within their direct sphere of influence, a base commander could function as a local magnate. A capable commander with strong political skills could effectively control economic, political, and military affairs simultaneously.
Therefore, talented base commanders would develop their installations excellently, while incompetent ones would let them decline. This had created the current situation where branch bases varied wildly in capability and effectiveness.
But doesn't this decentralization risk fragmenting the Marines? Creating disconnection between Headquarters and the branches?
So far, that problem hadn't materialized, for three key reasons.
First, although Headquarters had delegated operational authority, they retained nominal supreme command. If someone from above assigned a mission, you had to accept it unless you wanted to openly rebel. And open rebellion? Headquarters' overwhelming strength would crush any rogue base within days.
Second, while Headquarters had relaxed economic restrictions and tacitly permitted base commanders to raise supplementary funds for development, most officers lacked the skills for serious financial management. If they were truly talented at economics and politics, they wouldn't be making their careers in the Marines. They'd join the World Government's Commerce Ministry or start private enterprises.
So this "secret fundraising" basically meant allowing limited corruption: providing certain ranges of quid-pro-quo transactions. Guarding merchant caravans in exchange for protection fees. Perhaps going slightly further and accepting commissions from nations, charging elevated employment fees.
That was the extent of it. Beyond that point, it depended on the base commander's character. A corrupt officer would pocket most proceeds without developing the base. Therefore, base operations still primarily depended on annual military funding allocated by Headquarters.
This funding served as chains. Chains the World Government placed on the Marines, and chains Headquarters placed on each individual base.
Without money, how can you claim independence? Without funds, you can't feed and support tens of thousands of sailors. You'd need Headquarters relief. How would you dare disobey?
That was the second control mechanism.
As for tolerating branches secretly raising development funds, Finn suspected this was actually Headquarters' method of resisting the World Government.
If a base developed successfully, it might eventually provide financial support upward to Headquarters. Over time, this could save enormous amounts from the annual military budget. Headquarters could simply cover up the surplus and retain it. In the long run, they'd accumulate substantial discretionary funds for critical moments... one method of contesting World Government control.
Of course, under normal circumstances, the Marines didn't openly oppose the World Government. During Finn's years at Marineford, he'd never witnessed direct confrontation.
But he knew very well that conflicts would intensify later. The catalyst would probably be the World Government's Seven Warlords of the Sea initiative.
That plan to legitimize pirates was fundamentally absurd. Even when the Marines were eventually forced to accept it, they'd resist fiercely throughout. Which was entirely reasonable. Without resistance, could they still call themselves Marines of justice?
That might explain the deepening Marine-Government friction. The Great Pirate Era served as catalyst. On one hand, the World Government needed the Marines to stabilize the situation, forcing them to increase military funding and other support. The Marines grew stronger during this chaotic era.
On the other hand, the Government worried that an increasingly powerful Marine would become disobedient and oppositional. So they created additional chaos while continually suppressing Marine authority.
This advance-and-retreat, this fundamentally conflicted relationship, caused constant friction. It produced a generation of Marines who'd matured during the Great Pirate Era with terrible impressions of the World Government.
Consider Sakazuki. After the Five Elders deceived him during the Doflamingo incident, he'd furiously cursed them out. The Five Elders had responded by essentially telling him he had no standing whatsoever.
Was Sakazuki angry? Absolutely furious.
Afterward, the Marines had secretly pushed to abolish the Seven Warlords system. They'd made newly promoted Admiral Fujitora their spearhead, having him publicly humiliate the World Government at the Reverie by forcibly overturning the Warlord policy. The enthusiasm Marine officers showed when finally authorized to capture those Warlords spoke volumes about accumulated resentment.
Or consider Borsalino. Though he wouldn't fight the Government openly, he'd simply... let things slide. When the Straw Hat Pirates assaulted three Celestial Dragons in Sabaody Archipelago, Borsalino had responded personally. He'd used all his flashiest techniques, made a tremendous show of effort, yet somehow failed to capture a single Straw Hat. Failed to capture any of the so-called Supernovas either. Just collected some minor criminals to complete his quota.
Could Borsalino not capture them? Of course he could. With his strength, if he'd gotten serious, none of them would have escaped alive.
But he'd simply played around. Put on a show. Deliberately avoided capturing anyone important.
Afterward, there were no consequences. He remained Admiral, continued his duties. As for those three Celestial Dragons? Sorry, the Marines are busy preparing for the War of the Best. No time to address your complaints.
That too was a manifestation of Marine resistance against World Government control.
Judging from future developments, Finn could clearly perceive dramatic changes in the Marine's relationship with the Government.
Currently, the Marines remained quite deferential to the World Government. During Finn's years at Marineford, he'd never seen any Marine openly defy Government authority. The current relationship was still fundamentally cooperative.
Therefore, in Finn's assessment, the Great Pirate Era held both advantages and disadvantages for the Marines.
This chaotic, turbulent age would impact world order severely. But that impact would also become force stimulating Marine growth and evolution. The shackles the World Government imposed on the Marines would weaken dramatically during this era.
Amid the Government's internal and external troubles, if the Marines could seize opportunities properly, they might genuinely transform into the true representatives of justice.
Of course, these were merely Finn's speculations, not yet reality. He simply needed to watch for opportunities, see if he could help promote such transformation.
Returning to the original topic: Headquarters' third method of controlling branch bases was the rotation system for base commanders. Though standards weren't rigidly enforced, some commanders had held positions for eight or ten years. But once Headquarters issued transfer orders, you had to comply and relocate elsewhere.
This was the most powerful control mechanism. Therefore, despite unprecedented power expansion among branch bases since 1497, they remained subordinate to Headquarters. To date, not a single branch had opposed Headquarters authority.
The system worked. For now.
Whether it would continue working through the chaos ahead... that remained to be seen.
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