Chapter 16: Stop Stealing My Snacks!

"Hey? What is it this time, Renji?"

A deep, gruff voice came through the Den Den Mushi, sounding less than pleased.

"Garp! You're stealing my snacks again!"

"You've got so many of them. What's the harm in sharing a few? They expire quickly anyway. I'm doing you a favor..."

A muffled, defensive voice came through the Den Den Mushi, accompanied by the sound of crunching.

"Get out of here!!! You call that 'a few'? You've dug through my entire stash!"

Renji realized he might have called at a bad time. He glanced at the people around him.

Huoshaoshan's face twitched. He recognized the voices on the other end of the line—Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the hero Garp. Had he just overheard something he wasn't supposed to?

The pirates had similar expressions, their eyes darting around nervously as they shrank back, afraid to make any noise that might draw the attention of these powerful figures and get them squashed like bugs.

Ahem!

Renji cleared his throat loudly, signaling that the call was still connected.

"What do you want?"

The other end of the line went silent for a moment before Sengoku's authoritative voice returned.

"The task you assigned me is pretty much done," Renji said bluntly.

"???"

Sengoku was confused. "What task?"

"Fleet Admiral, are you messing with me? You gave me the assignment yesterday, and you've already forgotten?" Renji retorted, annoyed.

He was starting to suspect he'd been played, especially after all the effort he'd put into the mission.

"You're trying to pull my leg again, aren't you?"

"Do you think I don't know? Even by warship, it would take a full day to get from the Sorbet Kingdom to the nearest person on your list!"

Sengoku shook his head, sighing. The younger generation was so different from his own. Back in his day, they took things step by step, never cutting corners.

"Tell him yourselves whether I've handled it or not."

Renji was fed up. Why didn't anyone believe him these days? What happened to trust between people?

Under Renji's pointed glare, the pirates reluctantly spoke into the Den Den Mushi, their voices tinged with resignation.

"Uh... we're pirates... and we've been... captured..."

Huoshaoshan facepalmed. These guys hadn't even mentioned the important parts.

"So you're trying to fool me with a bunch of captured pirates?" Sengoku's tone turned sharp.

"Get out of here!"

Now, Renji was really starting to dislike these pirates.

"I arrived at the island under investigation, where the local Marines are colluding with pirates to oppress civilians."

"As for how I got here, you should already know."

Renji had never hidden his connection to Kuma. The higher-ups in the Marines could easily figure it out.

Sengoku smacked his forehead. He'd been so caught up arguing with Garp that he'd completely forgotten about the mission. He'd been too distracted.

Ahem...

Sengoku coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.

Wait, this kid was next to the pirates? That meant they'd all heard his argument with Garp...

His reputation was ruined, all because of these two idiots...

"Anyway, send someone here to handle this mess..."

Renji continued, "Based on the evidence I've gathered, the highest-ranking officer on this island is definitely involved. As for the other islands... you'll need to investigate those yourself."

Renji felt exhausted. Everywhere he went, people ended up dead. Was it his fault, or was it just the world they lived in?

Sometimes, he really wanted to just transform into his dragon form and solve problems with a single breath.

But he couldn't. He was a Marine. He had a responsibility to protect civilians!!

Even if there was just one civilian in a pirate stronghold, he would personally ensure their safety.

"Alright, I'll send someone over."

Sengoku rubbed his temples, looking troubled. Why was the Marine Corps drifting away from its core value of "justice"?

Ever since the Rocks Pirates were formed, the world had become increasingly chaotic, leaving the higher-ups in the Marines feeling powerless.

Were the orders they issued being carried out with genuine effort?

In that regard, Renji seemed to be doing a decent job.

Based on his evaluations, he was a diligent worker.

The only reason Sengoku hesitated to give Renji more responsibility was one thing—he might be a survivor of the God Valley incident.

(There was no direct evidence of Renji's origins. He didn't appear in any records of the native population or the slave lists.)

Some people in power didn't want such an unpredictable element in the Marines, fearing it might disrupt the world's balance.

"Fleet Admiral, I'd like to take some time off," Renji said.

Sengoku's eyebrow twitched. Here it was again, that familiar feeling.

He took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to curse.

If possible, he'd love to have Renji stationed near him. That way, he could scold him when he was in a good mood and yell at him when he wasn't. The thought alone was thrilling.

Sengoku's voice grew low and serious.

"The South Blue is short on manpower right now. You can't leave."

"Besides, this matter isn't settled yet. As the person directly responsible, you need to see it through."

Renji raised an eyebrow. Hadn't he just convinced Sengoku to send people to handle it? Why was he still being pushed to the front lines?

He'd chosen to deal with the pirates first because they were easier to handle, and there was clear evidence of their crimes.

If he'd gone straight to investigate the Marines, he would've run into all sorts of "accidents."

Anyone who could rise to the position of a regional commander had to have some tricks up their sleeve.

"I understand what you're saying, Fleet Admiral."

"But as a lowly lieutenant commander, I'm not much help. In fact, I might just get in the way of the higher-ups. I think it's better if I step back."

Renji was being honest. If he were put in charge, he wouldn't care about the status of those who'd done wrong—whether they were nobles, Marines, or civilians. If they committed crimes, he'd punish them.

Sengoku pondered for a moment, carefully considering Renji's words.

Given Renji's personality, he really wasn't suited for this kind of task.

He remembered the first time he'd spoken to Renji. It was because the kid had single-handedly taken down a 1,000-strong pirate crew.

To show respect for his talent, Fleet Admiral Kong had assigned Sengoku to handle communications with Renji.

He still remembered what the young man had said: "Since I came into this world, I've never done anything that goes against my beliefs or that I've regretted. And I never will!"

Just as Sengoku was lost in thought, an unwelcome voice came through the Den Den Mushi.

"Of course, if you promote me to commander, I might reconsider your request."

Renji wasn't giving up. He wanted to climb to the top, where no one could control him. The rank of commander was a hurdle he'd been stuck at for a year now.

The pleasant memory was shattered. "Get out of here!!"

"Got it."

Renji promptly ended the call, pocketing the Den Den Mushi. A faint smile played on his lips. His promotion was as good as secured.

Marine Headquarters.

Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi, his anger quickly fading.

"Garp, head to the South Blue."

"Take the appointment letter with you."

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