If the Hard Way Doesn't Work, Try the Soft Way!

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The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon in Logue Town. People hurrying through the main square stopped dead in their tracks, their faces turning pale with horror. Dangling beneath the dreaded Execution Platform was a dead body. A chorus of terrified screams pierced the morning air.

The awful news raced through the Marine base like a wildfire.

Commodore Murak was still half-asleep, fighting off a yawn, when his assistant burst in with the shocking report. It hit him like a splash of freezing water, instantly waking him up.

"Impossible!" Murak roared, disbelief etched on his face.

Erick, the "Whirlwind," was no ordinary thug. He was a famous killer in the East Blue, with countless victims to his name. How could someone like that end up dead in such a humiliating way, his body displayed for all to see?

And to make matters worse, the Execution Platform was right behind the Municipal Government building!

This was a clear, bold challenge to his authority.

It has to be that Black Hair Kid, Murak thought, his blood turning to ice.

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. If even Erick, the "Whirlwind," couldn't stand up to Roya, what chance did anyone else have? The chilling realization washed over him: Roya was strong enough to kill him.

The direct approach was out of the question.

Shiro, ever observant, spoke softly, "Commodore Murak, if this goes on, all order in Logue Town will collapse."

"I know that!" Murak snapped, grabbing a banana and taking a savage bite.

Everything was spiraling out of control, and he couldn't see a way out. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. It was becoming painfully clear: that Black Hair Kid wasn't here to follow orders. He was here to take over.

This wasn't about some high-minded sense of Justice.

If he cared about Justice like those other Marines, he wouldn't have strung up Erick's body like a trophy in front of City Hall, Murak fumed silently. He's trying to make us look weak.

The government officials at City Hall were already breathing down his neck, demanding answers and urging him to catch the culprit.

Shiro saw his chance to shine. He leaned in close, whispering in a dark tone, "Commodore Murak, I have a plan to bring that kid completely under your control."

"Tell me!" Murak demanded, his eyes lighting up with hope.

His assistant wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was good at flattering him and coming up with schemes, no matter how crazy. That's why he'd promoted him to Major.

Shiro grinned. "Even if Roya is strong, he's still just a Major. He has to obey your orders!"

If they couldn't beat Roya with force, they'd use their rank to crush him!

"Commodore Murak," Shiro continued, "isn't Major Roya obsessed with catching criminals? Then we'll just keep him busy at the base!"

"That's it!" Murak slapped his forehead, suddenly seeing the light.

He was right! If they could find a way to keep that kid stuck at the base, he couldn't cause any more trouble. Problem solved.

Murak was overjoyed, but then a new worry surfaced. Roya was a Major, with plenty of authority and freedom. How could they possibly assign him to desk duty?

"Major Shiro," he asked, "how do we actually do that?"

"It's simple!" Shiro said, his face radiating confidence. He already had a plan in mind!

---

Half an hour later, in the Commodore's office, Roya, who was busy dismantling a gang hideout, received urgent orders demanding his immediate return to the base.

"Make me the new head instructor for the new recruits?" Roya repeated, sitting casually on the defeated gang leader's back, deep in thought.

After ignoring him for over a month, they suddenly wanted him to train the new recruits. He could practically hear the gears turning in their heads from here.

If the hard way doesn't work, try the soft way.

It was a clever tactic.

He was a Major stationed at the Logue Town base. He had to follow his superior's orders. If he refused, Commodore Murak would have an excuse to punish him, maybe even court-martial him.

And once he became an instructor, he'd be stuck training rookies all day, with no time to go out and catch criminals.

Fullbody and Jango were outraged.

"That's ridiculous!" Fullbody exclaimed.

"We've only been at this for two weeks, and they've already come up with this sneaky plan. They're worse than pirates!" Jango added.

In just half a month, their work had already made a difference. The gangs were more careful, and thugs didn't dare rob people in broad daylight anymore. People in Logue Town were starting to know their names, and sometimes, they even heard people praising them.

But just as their work was starting to pay off, those money-grubbing bureaucrats had found a way to stop them.

Fullbody was furious. "Major Roya, this is a trap!"

"I know," Roya said with a smile.

He didn't know who came up with the idea, but for him, being an instructor wasn't a bad thing. Catching criminals was just a means to an end, not the ultimate goal. With just the three of them, they couldn't possibly catch criminals faster than they appeared.

Logue Town couldn't be fixed overnight. The only way to truly change Logue Town was to become its Number One.

And becoming the boss wasn't just about replacing Murak. He also had to earn the trust of the Marines under him.

Becoming the head instructor was a perfect opportunity to get to know and influence the Logue Town Marines, especially the new recruits who hadn't been corrupted yet.

I was wondering how to get inside, he mused. This is a gift from the heavens!

"We're going back to the base!" he announced.

"Huh?" Fullbody and Jango looked at each other, confused.

They knew it was a trap, but they were still walking right into it?

"Oh, and take these losers with us!" Roya gestured to the captured gang members.

"Yes, sir!" the two replied, still puzzled, as they escorted the gang members, following Roya back to the base.

---

Half an hour later, in the Commodore's office, Murak looked serious.

"Major Roya," he began, "the base is lacking an instructor with enough real-world experience. Based on your record, I believe you're the right man for the job. Do you have any objections?"

"No, sir. Thank you for your trust!" Roya replied.

"Good. Major Shiro will give you the details later," Murak said.

"Yes, sir!" Roya turned and left without a word of protest.

His willingness to cooperate made Murak uneasy, as if something was wrong. He quickly called Shiro in, his voice laced with anxiety. "Major Shiro, are you sure this is going to work?"

"Don't worry, Commodore Murak," Shiro said with a confident smirk. "It's just training new recruits. What trouble could he possibly cause? Even if he wins them over during training, so what? They're just a bunch of rookies with no power."

We're the ones who run this base! Shiro thought.

If Roya didn't have the rank of Major, making him a regular instructor wouldn't be appropriate. He wouldn't have considered making him the head instructor for the new recruits.

But this way, Roya would be stuck at the base, guiding the new recruits, unable to go out and catch criminals like before. He'd have to rely on slowly building up seniority to get a promotion.

One year, two years, three years...

Time would wear him down.

"Commodore Murak..." Shiro shared his assessment with a sly smile, successfully easing Murak's concerns. They both wore satisfied smiles.

Logue Town was their territory, and anyone who dared to challenge them would be crushed!