"Kuina, starting today, you are officially joining the G-5 Branch as a Lieutenant under my command!"
Wright looked at Kuina, dressed in a Justice Coat, her longsword at her waist, exuding heroic grace, and felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Not long after returning to the G-5 Branch from Mihawk's domain, Wright received inquiries from Marine Headquarters about whether he would attend this year's Elite Training Camp graduation to select subordinates.
In this year's Elite Training Camp, Kuina had stood out as the top graduate due to her exceptional swordsmanship skills.
It was no surprise then that, as Wright's junior disciple, Kuina became the only recruit he selected from the camp this year.
In Marine Headquarters, inside Wright's office, Lieutenant Kuina stood at attention, receiving instructions from her senior brother.
"Although it's unfortunate we haven't yet found a suitable Devil Fruit for you, your current achievements at this age, purely through your own efforts, are already remarkable."*
"It's all thanks to your training, Senior Brother. Without your guidance over the years, I would never have reached my current level."
At sixteen years old, Kuina had come to deeply understand the standard of training she had been subjected to during her time at Headquarters.
With guidance from Wright, Zephyr, and even Garp—especially Wright's unique Holy Light training regimen—Kuina was confident that, even without a Devil Fruit, she would never be hindered by the limitations of her gender!
For this reason, even though she had not yet found a suitable Devil Fruit, Kuina didn't mind much.
Compared to Kuina, there was Tashigi—whom Wright had encountered in Loguetown—who looked almost identical to her. Though Tashigi worked just as hard, she lacked Kuina's level of training resources, leaving her far behind in terms of strength.
"Senior Brother, can you help Tashigi?" Kuina hesitated for a moment before continuing, "She's incredibly hardworking, but since she's only been with the Marines for a short time and her foundations weren't solid before joining, she might struggle to catch up to Zephyr-sensei's next Elite Training Camp."
Tashigi, because of her striking resemblance to Kuina, was often mistaken for her at Headquarters.
However, after a few mix-ups, people soon figured out the difference: the bespectacled and somewhat clumsy one was Tashigi, while the sharp and spirited one was Kuina.
This resemblance weighed heavily on Tashigi, who felt a need to prove herself. Without corresponding strength, she feared being seen as merely an imitation.
Kuina had observed Tashigi's determination and couldn't help but think of her own journey. Without the support of her senior brother, she too might have struggled alone like Tashigi.
"Tashigi should be a Master Chief Petty Officer by now, right? For someone who's only been with the Marines for a year, that's quite impressive," Wright mused, then nodded. "Take my transfer order and have Tashigi assigned to the G-5 Branch. The two of you should prepare to depart for G-5 tomorrow."
"At the branch base, you'll both receive my swordsmanship training. For combat duties, you'll report to Commander Hina."
"Use the Lightforged Beacon Crystal to travel directly there. I can't stay away from the branch base for long, so I'll see you both tomorrow!"
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
Kuina replied resolutely, watching as Wright disappeared in a flash of golden light.
Back at the branch office, Wright sat at his desk and pulled out an encrypted document.
The document contained intelligence from Drake, who had successfully infiltrated the Beasts Pirates.
In fact, Wright had seen a newspaper about Drake joining the Beasts Pirates while visiting Mihawk, and the world's greatest swordsman had given him a knowing glance.
Wright suspected Mihawk might have guessed something, but since he hadn't said anything, Wright pretended not to notice.
Drake's position within the Beasts Pirates had quickly risen.
As the user of an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, specifically one of the Ryu Ryu no Mi variants, he held great potential, making him a prime target for Kaido's "collection."
Having already mastered Observation Haki and Armament Haki during his time as a pirate, Drake's combination of dual Haki and Devil Fruit abilities placed him in the mid-to-upper echelon of the Beasts Pirates.
Moreover, his background as a former Marine and pirate gave him unique tactical and strategic insights, combined with a calm and composed demeanor. Drake had quickly become one of the Beasts Pirates' rising stars.
Rumor had it that even Kaido had taken notice, considering grooming him for a "Tobi Roppo" position.
Wright couldn't deny that Drake's compatibility with the Beasts Pirates was unexpectedly high. But to achieve this level of success…
It was truly impressive!
The intelligence Drake had sent was transmitted through a small Lightforged Beacon, ensuring utmost secrecy.
During his trip to Headquarters, Wright had already shared the key points of the report with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The report included the following:
"Donquixote Doflamingo appeared at the Beasts Pirates' stronghold three days ago and held a meeting with Kaido. The details of their discussion are unclear but likely related to seastone."
"The day after the meeting, there was talk of halting seastone mining and processing, with indications that seastone exports may be nearing a complete shutdown."
After discussing with Sengoku, Wright concluded that Drake's assessment was likely correct. Doflamingo seemed to have negotiated with Kaido to temporarily suspend seastone exports.
The target of this move? To pressure the World Government.
Sengoku couldn't yet discern Doflamingo's ultimate goal, but Wright had a theory.
"It seems Doflamingo has already learned about the unfortunate encounter of the CP1 agents sent to deliver the Warlord invitation."
"They might not yet know about Weevil's situation. After all, tracking down a pirate on the vast seas is no easy task, and the Golden Ship is merely a high-probability lead."
"But to Doflamingo, these details don't matter. As long as the final Warlord position remains unfilled, he has a chance to claim it!"
"And pressuring the World Government is clearly his way of securing that opportunity!"
Unfortunately, Wright could do nothing to stop Doflamingo this time—not even share his theory with Sengoku.
Shaking his head, Wright filed the document away. If Doflamingo succeeded in becoming a Warlord, the situation in Dressrosa would only grow more complicated.
Picking up the Den Den Mushi, Wright dialed a number.
"Director Magellan, how have you been?"
"Vice Admiral Wright, good to hear from you! Thanks to you, these past few years have been the best of my life!"
"…Uh, Director, you're only in your forties, right?"
"Hahaha! The purification crystals you provided are treasures! By the way, Shiryu acted up again recently… that bastard… Now the last Fish-Man prisoner is gone too!"
"…Understood. Thank you."
"By the way, Vice Admiral Wright, is there something specific you need?"
"The two from the Donquixote Family—please make sure they receive... special attention. The kind that even a Warlord of the Sea's pardon won't let them walk away from."
"…No problem. Warlords of the Sea, huh? Heh."
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[TL/N: Regarding the earlier mention of Kuina's "Devil Fruit" in a previous chapter, it seems to have been either a mistake on my part or an oversight by the author. I honestly can't recall which chapter it was, and with over 200 chapters translated—and limited time due to real-life commitments—I haven't been able to go back and check.
The most likely explanation is either a translation error on my part (possibly caused by the headaches I've been experiencing lately, which affect my focus), or the author themselves might have made a slip-up.
What I can confidently assure you is that there has been no mention in the chapters I've translated of Kuina eating a Devil Fruit or Wright giving her one.]
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