"You've really been hiding your strength..."
Tom looked at Renji, who barely reached his shoulder, with a mix of awe and curiosity.
The members of the workshop were equally amazed by Renji's earlier feat. Someone with such power had been quietly staying by their side, and it was almost unbelievable.
"Just a small trick, nothing special..." Renji waved his hand modestly.
Cutting down a tsunami seemed like something any skilled swordsman could do. He hadn't been entirely sure he could pull it off, but it turned out to be easier than he expected.
If Zoro's flying slash could easily take down a mountain-sized Pica, then it seemed his own slash could handle a tsunami just fine.
To the workshop members, however, Renji's modesty was almost excessive. What he had done was beyond their imagination.
Meanwhile, hidden among the civilians, a Navy Headquarters observer reported everything that had happened in Water 7 to the higher-ups.
At Navy Headquarters, Zephyr put down the Den Den Mushi, his expression complicated. He hadn't expected Renji to make such a big splash so soon after starting his mission.
"To think there's such an interesting junior among this batch of recruits... The Navy truly has no shortage of talent," Zephyr muttered.
Seated on the couch in Zephyr's office was a man with a red flower pinned to his chest and a cigar between his fingers. He had taken a keen interest in the person mentioned in the report.
"I've met Renji once before. He's quite the character," Borsalino said lazily from another couch. He seemed indifferent, but those who knew him understood that he was incredibly powerful and held significant influence within the Navy.
"Focus on your own tasks first..." Zephyr said, looking at his two outstanding students.
These two weren't much better than Renji in terms of personality. Now that they had completed their graduation formalities and officially become high-ranking Navy officers, who knew what would happen in the Navy in the future...
"The difficulty of this year's training camp has increased compared to our time. Sending those 'recruits' to take down pirates right off the bat..." Borsalino clipped his nails, a faint smile on his lips. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking.
Sakazuki took a puff of his cigar. "Headquarters wouldn't send them to their deaths. They've got people watching over them. Otherwise, it'd be a miracle if half of them made it back alive."
Pirates didn't fight fair. When their lives were on the line, they would use any means necessary. Those rookies might not be able to handle their underhanded tactics.
Of the recruits who had entered the training camp at the same time as Sakazuki and Borsalino, less than half were still active on the front lines.
Being a Navy officer wasn't a comfortable job. Death was always a possibility.
"It's normal to protect the new recruits..." Borsalino said casually. "If we lose all our fresh blood, Zephyr-sensei would have a headache."
"Exactly. The training camp is about selecting the best of the best, which is why we assigned such a mission right from the start."
Zephyr's graduation requirements for his students were simple.
They just needed to be able to safely complete missions when leading a team in the future. If they didn't have that ability, it was better to quit early and take on clerical work.
At least that way, their lives wouldn't be at risk...
...
At the same time as the tsunami.
Somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line, on a nameless island.
The night was heavy.
Under the pale moonlight, the desolate interior of the island was bathed in a terrifying red light.
The flickering flames of a bonfire illuminated not a cozy gathering, but a scene straight out of hell.
Pirates held torches taken from the fire, setting ablaze the houses on the island.
The flames spread rapidly, and the crackling of burning wood filled the air.
In no time, the surrounding buildings were reduced to charcoal.
The island was littered with the corpses of civilians, their blood staining the ground a dark red.
"Ugh!" A pirate spat on a corpse. "These poor bastards. A whole island, and not even a million Berries to be found. What a waste."
He turned to another pirate. "Is this all the loot from the island?"
"Captain Orlumbus, these people were dirt poor. This is everything we could find."
The pirates were equally dissatisfied. With over 20 ships raiding the island, the meager haul wasn't worth the effort.
Screams pierced the quiet night as the remaining islanders suffered at the hands of the pirates.
Curses and angry shouts filled the air, but they were drowned out by the echoes of pain and despair.
"Don't let these worthless peasants off easy. Kill all the men—no point wasting food on them. Take the women; we can sell them to slave traders for some extra cash," Orlumbus ordered his crew.
He intended to squeeze every last bit of value out of these people. The attractive women could be enjoyed before being sold. Even if their price dropped a bit, it was still a profit.
The pirates' laughter, mixed with cruel jokes, echoed through the night, starkly contrasting with the cries of agony and anger. Their laughter held no sympathy or mercy—only cruelty and mockery.
Their faces, illuminated by the firelight, were twisted with malicious joy.
Suddenly, a pirate ran over from one of the ships, a grin on his face.
"Captain, good news! Our brothers stationed on the outer islands of Water 7 sent word. They've confirmed the tsunami has hit!"
Orlumbus grinned. He had been waiting for this moment. It had been over a year since he last expanded his fleet, and his current ships could no longer accommodate more crew. He desperately needed to replenish his fleet.
After the tsunami, Water 7's defenses would be at their weakest. Those annoying Marines wouldn't be stationed there.
Not that he feared the Marines, but if they interfered with the shipbuilding process, it would delay his next voyage. He didn't want to deal with that hassle.
Feeding and maintaining a crew was expensive, and he had over 20 ships to manage.
"Men, keep the party going!" Orlumbus roared. "If this island doesn't satisfy you, we'll move on to the next one."
"This sea belongs to us pirates. The fattened 'pigs' are there for the taking..."
"Stick with me, and I'll make sure you live the good life!!!"
After a moment of silence, the pirates erupted into cheers, their swords clashing together, creating a deafening noise.
"Long live the Captain!"
"Let's raid the next island!!"
"For freedom!!!"
The cheers grew louder.
The towering flames cast the pirates' shadows, making them look like devils risen from hell.
.....
.....
(TL/N): If you are intressted you can read up to 30 chapter on patreon.com/Yanet96 search with this link.