NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60: 60: Hassle
"Half a day? So that's roughly four days in total? A time flow difference of about two to one, huh? Not bad, I can take one day off here and spend two days over there for some fun…"
Kizaru suddenly realized another feature of the group chat: the different time flow rates between worlds. This meant he could potentially multiply his limited slacking-off time several times over.
Rear Admiral Lorraine, having no clue what Kizaru was mumbling about, didn't dare ask. Despite being just two ranks lower than Kizaru, a mere branch admiral could hardly hold his head high in front of an Admiral.
"Rear Admiral Lorraine, the buyer introduced by the Donquixote family—"
Just as Kizaru was about to leave, Lorraine's adjutant burst through the office door, looking excited—only for his smile to freeze the moment he noticed the admiral.
"..." x3.
The office fell into an awkward silence.
The adjutant glanced at the panicked Rear Admiral Lorraine, then at Kizaru, who looked mildly annoyed. Suddenly, the adjutant realized something critical.
Why was Kizaru here? Could it be that news of the Chambord Naval Branch's embezzlement of pirate bounties—or worse, their dealings in second-hand weaponry—had been exposed?
While the adjutant was still panicking, he caught an angry glare from Rear Admiral Lorraine, a look sharp enough to pierce through him. It seemed like Lorraine wanted to devour him whole.
Recalling the fate of previous adjutants who were scapegoated by Lorraine, the current adjutant—also Lorraine's brother-in-law—made a bold decision: to sacrifice him for the greater good.
Lorraine, who had almost succeeded in sending Kizaru on his way, felt his head spinning. His brother-in-law had the worst timing, barging in right as a "plague god" was in the office. If it weren't for the formidable "tiger" at home—his wife—Lorraine would have kicked this fool all the way to a branch in the East Blue.
Afraid the adjutant might spill something incriminating, Lorraine shot him a sharp look, warning him to keep his mouth shut. The last time Vice Admiral Garp visited, this same fool assumed Garp was on their side and blurted out all the wrong things.
The awkward silence lasted less than half a minute. Kizaru, after some thought, decided to ignore the mess entirely.
The World Government had existed for 800 years, which also meant the Navy had been around for just as long. Over time, the Navy had accumulated not only strength but also decay and corruption. Expecting every marine to uphold justice was wishful thinking.
Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku couldn't change this. Much of the Navy's corruption stemmed from the World Government and the Celestial Dragons themselves. Asking the Navy to overthrow the World Government was nothing short of a fantasy.
"Admiral Kizaru! I want to report Rear Admiral Lorraine for trafficking weapons, embezzling bounty funds, and organizing slave trades!"
Just as Kizaru was about to leave, Lorraine's brother-in-law adjutant suddenly stepped forward, declaring in a righteous tone.
The faint relief Lorraine had been feeling evaporated instantly. Meanwhile, Kizaru's lips twitched. For a moment, silence fell over the office once more.
"You there, are you sure you want to report Rear Admiral Lorraine?" Kizaru asked, his tone carrying an almost amused indifference.
Kizaru sighed and asked, clearly troubled. He really didn't want to deal with this mess.
Who knew which current or former high-ranking naval officer might be backing Rear Admiral Lorraine? It could even be a senior official of the World Government or one of the Celestial Dragons.
It wasn't that Kizaru couldn't handle these people—it was just that dealing with it would undoubtedly be troublesome.
Even worse, Kizaru had practically never handled these sorts of scandals before. If it were Akainu or Aokiji addressing corrupt naval officers, it would seem normal. But any action Kizaru took might be seen as coming directly from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
After all, among the Navy's upper ranks, it was an established fact that only Sengoku could push Admiral Kizaru into action.
"Yes! Rear Admiral Lorraine, as the branch commander, has been colluding with pirates to traffic weapons. I've wanted to report him for a long time!"
The adjutant didn't hesitate, seizing the opportunity to speak. If he was going to be made a scapegoat, he'd rather strike first.
"What a hassle…"
Kizaru couldn't help but rub his temples. He genuinely didn't want to get involved in this mess, but now that the report had been made right in front of him, ignoring it would only doom the whistleblower.
Although, truthfully, the adjutant didn't strike Kizaru as a particularly upright individual either. Still, as someone carrying the banner of justice, Kizaru couldn't just judge a book by its cover.
"Admiral Kizaru, I'm innocent!"
Rear Admiral Lorraine was utterly panicked. He admitted that back when he was trying to marry that "tiger" of a wife, he might have resorted to some questionable methods.
But this didn't justify his brother-in-law stabbing him in the back! After all, it was this very fool who had introduced him to his now-wife in the first place.
Thinking back on it, Lorraine regretted everything. How could he have let himself be blinded by beauty and failed to see the tiger's true nature?
Trying desperately to salvage the situation, Lorraine reasoned that his brother-in-law hadn't been his adjutant for long and likely didn't have much evidence to back his claims.
As long as he could get through this situation with Admiral Kizaru, Rear Admiral Lorraine believed he could rely on his backing to survive the aftermath.
"I'm innocent too… Fine. As a Navy Headquarters admiral, I hereby announce that Rear Admiral Lorraine is suspended pending investigation. The duties of the Navy branch at Sabaody Archipelago will temporarily be handled by his second-in-command. Uh… who is your deputy again?"
Kizaru scratched his head, sounding irritated as he asked.
"It's Captain Blaine…"
Lorraine's heart sank into despair as he responded.
He had worked so hard to push that old nuisance Blaine out of the branch, and now everything was ruined.
Blaine had served at the Sabaody Archipelago for years, and his seniority even surpassed Kizaru's. It was impossible to hide anything from him.
Previously, Lorraine could suppress Blaine by leveraging his position. But now, with Kizaru's backing, Blaine could probably investigate every detail, down to the color of Lorraine's underwear.
"Then notify Captain Blaine to come over. And don't try any tricks."
Kizaru plopped down in Lorraine's chair, clearly annoyed as he gave the order.
Though Kizaru rarely handled corrupt naval officers directly, he was well-versed in the necessary procedures.
While waiting for Captain Blaine to arrive, Kizaru, bored out of his mind, shifted his attention to the chat group.
Speaking of which, Tony's much-hyped pool party wasn't an exaggeration. A seven-day pool party had been enough to keep Kizaru from even checking the group once.
[Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Leg]: Ugh… I failed the Advanced Warrior assessment. I feel awful.
[Kobayashi]: Don't feel bad, Random-san. Pats head (image).
[Ai Haibara]: What happened? Didn't you say that after eating that… what was it, Ape-Ape Fruit, you became really strong? Is there something wrong with that fruit?
°°°
If you want to read ahead and access 20 advanced chapters, check the patreon
Link: Patreon/Moziel