Serving Under the Fleet Admiral Is an Honor in Itself!

Wano Country waters

On the deck of the lead warship, Sakazuki stood proudly at the bow, his expression grave as he stared at the waterfall blocking the ship's path.

This was a natural barrier.

Unless the ship could fly, it was impossible to go against the current and enter Wano Country.

It was precisely because of this natural barrier, combined with Wano isolationist policies, that the country remained shrouded in mystery.

Over the years, the Holy Land had been tirelessly inviting Wano to join the World Government as a member nation.

But all requests were rejected by the current Shogun, Kurozumi Orochi.

Kurozumi Orochi not only refused to join the World Government but also, with the backing of the Kaido, eliminated numerous CP0 agents who had infiltrated Wano Country.

Because of this, the Holy Land could do nothing about Wano.

"Admiral Sakazuki!"

An officer hurried to Sakazuk side, his expression urgent.

"We've tried using large sea creatures to pull the warship up, but it's just too massive! To go against the current, we must abandon the ship!"

"I can take a group up!"

At that moment, Jinbe stepped forward from behind Sakazuki, addressing the officers lined up on the deck with determination.

"Who will join me in being the first to set foot in Wano Country?"

"Me!" "Me!"

Not a single officer hesitated, they all stepped forward in unison.

Seeing this, Jinbei mouth twitched slightly.

It was true that he could take a group against the current, but he didnt said he could take everyone.

Thinking this to himself, Jinbei didn't show it.

Instead, he decisively pointed to a few officers.

"You, you, and you… come with me!"

Without hesitation, Jinbei leaped off the deck and plunged into the sea.

Before Jinbei even surfaced, every officer on deck—whether they were chosen or not—leaped into the sea after him.

"What the…"

As he surfaced and saw the figures diving into the sea like dumplings, Jinbei nearly cursed out loud.

What's going on with Marines these days? Do they just not fear death anymore?

Despite his internal complaints, Jinbei didn't dare delay.

The currents here were extremely swift and if they weren't careful, these officers would be swept to the ocean floor, dying before they even began their mission.

Jinbei scanned the surrounding waters, his eyes sharpening as he saw the officers about to be carried away by the current.

"Fish-Man Karate: Water Heart: Ocean Current Shoulder Throw!"

With Jinbei resolute voice, the already turbulent sea suddenly accelerated, forming a powerful current that enveloped the floating officers and propelled them upward against gravity, hurling them toward Wano Country above the waterfall.

Boom—

The upward current arced through the air before crashing into the sea above the waterfall, the officers tumbling out and splashing into the water.

"Well done, Jinbei!"

Sakazuki glanced at Jinbei floating in the sea and offered a rare word of praise.

"Jinbei, send us up too!"

Before Jinbe could react, Morgan who had accompanied Sakazuki rushed to the edge of the deck.

He grabbed Moria, who was standing nearby in a Marine soldier's uniform and without hesitation, leaped into the sea.

"AHHH—"

Completely unprepared for Morgan dragging him into the sea, Moria let out a pig-like scream.

"Captain Morgan, I… I'm a Devil Fruit user… gurgle~"

Before he could finish, Moria was submerged and swallowed a mouthful of seawater.

"Moria-samaaa!"

Perona, floating on the deck with her umbrella, was utterly shocked, tears streaming down her face as she shouted at Sakazuki.

"Admiral Sakazuki, Moria-sama has fallen into the sea!"

Boom—

Amid Perona's shouts, Jinbei once again activated his Fish-Man Karate, summoning a towering surge of seawater that carried both Morgan and Moria upwards.

Seeing this, Perona didn't hesitate.

She immediately opened her small red umbrella and flew up, following the current.

On another warship, the Marine officers and soldiers, who had long been eager to charge into the waterfall-like current and storm into Wano Country, couldn't help but show envy on their faces.

Many soldiers even shouted out in excitement as they watched Perona fly up.

"Hey, hey, hey! If she can fly, why doesn't she take us with her?"

"What are you thinking? She's just a kid! How could she possibly carry us burly ass men up there?"

"But if I could fly, I'd definitely claim the 'First to Ascend' merit!"

"What's the 'First to Ascend' merit?"

"You don't even know what the 'First to Ascend' merit is? Are you even one of the Fleet Admiral's men?"

"Hehe, my brothers and I used to be part of Big Mom's pirate crew's affiliated forces. Since we hadn't committed any crimes and with the 'Akainu' Army suffering heavy losses in their battles against the Beast Pirates, the officer in charge of us enlisted us into the 'Akainu' Army."

"Quick, quick, tell us brothers, what is the 'First to Ascend' merit?"

"Ahem, this takes us back to when the Fleet Admiral was still a Vice Admiral! Back then, we followed him on a campaign to suppress pirates, he established four great military merits: First to Ascend, Breach the Line, Slay the General and Capture the Flag."

"When pursuing pirates, the first person to board the pirate ship earns the 'First to Ascend' merit. The one who charges into the pirate ship, engages in close combat with the pirates, and assists the subsequent boarding soldiers earns the 'Breach the Line' merit."

"As for 'Slay the General' and 'Capture the Flag,' they are exactly what they sound like. The first person to kill a pirate crew's officer earns the 'Slay the General' merit, and the first to seize the pirate flag earns the 'Capture the Flag' merit."

"These are the four great military merits. If you die in battle, your family receives generous compensation. If you survive and achieve even one of these merits, you become a Marine hero!"

"The Marine actually has such a reward system? Ugh, if only we had joined the Marine earlier. You have no idea, ever since we joined the pirate crew and became part of Big Mom's forces, we've been living in constant fear. Every time, we had to offer a month of our lifespan to that crazy old hag, we were terrified that the damned old hag would eat us!"

The Marine who was explaining the four great military merits to the new recruits in the 'Akainu' Army, spoke with pride.

"The Marine didn't have such a merit reward system before, not until Fleet Admiral Orion came along."

Seeing the Marine reaction, the new recruits in the Akainu Army also became animated.

"Damn, serving under such a Fleet Admiral, even Death is an honor!"

"Brothers! We've missed our chance at the 'First to Ascend' merit!"

"But the 'Breach the Line,' 'Slay the General,' and 'Capture the Flag' merits will definitely be ours!"

"Follow me!"

Before the words even finished, the leader of the group leaped into the sea and the others followed without hesitation, jumping in one after another.

At the same moment, a massive carp emerged from the depths of the sea, carrying the men who had jumped off the deck on its back and swiftly headed straight for the opposing waterfall current.

Having successfully landed on the carp's back, the group of men, under the envious gazes of all the soldiers on the other warships, shouted in unison with great vigor.

"CHARGE, BIG CARP!"

"Today, we brothers—"

"Will leap through the Dragon Gate!"

[A/N : the "Dragon's Gate" is a concept inspired by a Chinese myth where carp that successfully leap over a waterfall transform into dragons.]

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