"Ensign Zino, actually… I have something for you," Captain Sambadi said, as if suddenly recalling a forgotten task. "If you don't mind, would you follow me to my office for a moment?"
Zino raised a brow. "Something for me?"
"Yes, just a small matter," Sambadi replied with a nod.
Before heading off, the captain turned to his soldiers and issued quick orders. "Secure the pirates Zino brought in. Make sure they're all counted, processed, and locked up. Especially that Jango guy—keep a close eye on him."
With the orders given, he gestured for Zino to follow him. The two of them entered the marine base and made their way through a few quiet halls before reaching the captain's office. Once inside, Sambadi walked over to a tall cupboard, unlocked it, and began rummaging through the neatly stacked contents.
"It should be… ah, here it is."
From within, he pulled out a set of folded, crisp white uniforms—fresh and perfectly pressed. Draped over the top was a shining brass badge with the Marine insignia engraved on it.
He turned and held the items out toward Zino. "This is for you."
Zino blinked. "For me?"
"Yes. It's your official Ensign uniform and rank badge," Sambadi said, stepping closer. "I wasn't sure if Marine Headquarters had already provided you with these, but if not—any base is authorized to issue them to a newly promoted officer. Since you're here, it's only right you receive yours."
Zino looked down at the uniform, then at the badge, then back at the uniform.
"I'll take the badge," he said flatly. "You can keep the uniform."
Sambadi chuckled, then immediately turned serious, standing tall with his hands behind his back. "It's actually not optional, Ensign Zino."
Zino narrowed his eyes. "Wait, what?"
Sambadi's voice took on an authoritative tone, as if reading from official orders. "In recognition of your valor and successful takedown of the disgraced Captain Morgan, and in accordance with the promotion granted by Vice Admiral Kong of Marine Headquarters—you are hereby confirmed as a Marine Ensign. As such, you are required to receive and wear the uniform appropriate to your rank."
Zino gave him a look that clearly read: *You're enjoying this too much.*
Sambadi didn't flinch. "Please accept the uniform and badge."
Zino sighed dramatically, but saw no way out. The formal tone left him little room to argue. Resisting further would just make things more complicated.
"…Yes, sir," he finally said, accepting both items with mild reluctance.
Sambadi smiled lightly. "Your grandfather must be very proud. Not many young men your age take down a corrupt captain and bring in an entire pirate crew in a single week."
Zino rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.
"Anyway," Sambadi continued, "you're free to wear the uniform at your discretion, but I recommend keeping it on during official business. It helps with… paperwork."
Zino gave a grunt of agreement, tucking the badge into his belt and slinging the uniform over his shoulder. "Fine. I'll wear it when I have to. But don't expect me to start saluting every five minutes."
"Of course not," Sambadi chuckled. "But the salute *is* mandatory when addressing a higher-ranking officer."
Zino shot him a dry look. "You just had to add that, didn't you?"
Sambadi gave a mock innocent shrug. "Regulations are regulations, Ensign."
Zino let out a resigned sigh. "Great. I'm officially part of the system now."
"Alright," Captain Sambadi said with a satisfied smile as Zino reluctantly accepted both the uniform and the badge. "Now that you've officially received your rank items, there's one more thing."
Zino narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "There's always one more thing…"
Sambadi ignored the remark and continued, "From this moment on, your sleek black ship—the one you arrived with—will be officially registered as a Marine vessel under your command."
Zino's brows furrowed. "Is that really necessary?"
"Absolutely," Sambadi said firmly. "Once it's registered, any Marine base or patrol vessel will recognize it as an allied ship. No confusion, no friendly fire, and easier docking privileges."
Zino blinked, lips parting slightly as the realization hit him. "Wait… if my ship becomes officially recognized as a Marine vessel, then…"
He didn't finish the sentence, but his expression said everything. With his ship now considered an official Marine vessel, any of his crew on board would also be seen as Marines by association. That meant they would be ineligible to collect bounty rewards as independent hunters.
"My bounty rewards…" Zino muttered in despair, staring blankly into space.
Sambadi gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Alright, alright. Stop sulking. You're starting to look like a kid who just dropped his ice cream. Being negative doesn't suit an Ensign."
He turned and poured a cup of tea from the kettle on his desk, then offered it to Zino. "Here. Drink some tea. It helps with disappointment."
Zino subconsciously accepted the cup, brought it to his lips, and took a sip. "Mm… This is actually delicious…"
"That's the spirit," Sambadi said with a small grin.
Zino suddenly blinked, realizing what he was doing. "Wait—why am I just casually sipping tea like everything's fine?" He glanced down at the now half-empty cup, then sighed and finished it anyway. "Damn you and your relaxing office vibes…"
Sambadi chuckled. "It's an art form."
Zino leaned back slightly and shook his head. "Anyway, Captain Sambadi, I didn't just come here to drop off a few tied-up pirates and have a tea party. I've got something else—something important to report."
The older captain raised an eyebrow, immediately attentive. "Oh? Go ahead, I'm listening."
Zino's tone became serious. "There's someone hiding in Syrup Village on Gecko Island. A man by the name of Kuro."
Sambadi's eyes widened at the name.
"Kuro," Zino repeated. "He's the true captain of the Black Cat Pirates. From what I've learned from someone I know in Syrup Village, he's been pretending to be a butler in there for years. The pirates I brought in were operating under his command."
For a moment, silence hung in the room.
"…So he's still alive," Sambadi said quietly, his voice heavy. "Captain Kuro… That name was erased from our books years ago. Officially declared dead."
"He's not," Zino said firmly. "And from what I've heard, he's planning something big. It involves that person that I know, Kaya, and possibly the takeover of her estate."
Sambadi's relaxed demeanor shifted. The weight of Zino's words clearly registered. "This… this changes things. If Kuro is really alive and active, we'll need to reopen that case. I'll have to contact Headquarters and get clearance to investigate further."
Zino nodded. "I'll be heading there next to deal with it personally."
Sambadi stood, a sense of urgency replacing his previous calm. "Then I'll prepare a dispatch team to assist. But Ensign Zino… be careful. If Kuro's stayed hidden this long, he's not someone to underestimate."
Zino gave a half-smile. "Understood. I don't plan on underestimating anyone… not after losing out on my bounty rewards."
Sambadi chuckled. "Still not over that?"
"Never." Zino said, still feeling sour about the bounty. "Anyway, after I caught him, I will came back here."
"Alright. Just bring him over if you do caught him." Sambadi nodded.
After completing the handover of the captured Black Cat Pirates, Zino bid farewell to Captain Sambadi. The marine captain walked with him to the dock, offering one last salute before Zino stepped aboard the Silent Orca.
Sambadi remained standing there, arms crossed as he watched the sleek black ship slowly pull away. He sighed, a thoughtful look on his face. "That kid... He's something else. Not only did he bring in a group of pirates, but he's aiming for Kuro too."
He glanced at the papers tucked under his arm and muttered, "Maybe I should draft a report in advance... It never hurts to be prepared. Besides, HQ will definitely want updates if that infamous Kuro gets involved." Just as he was about to return to his office, a sudden realization hit him. "Ah! I forgot to ask him the name of his ship." He frowned and chuckled softly. "Well, next time. I doubt this'll be the last I see of Monkey D. Zino."
Meanwhile, back on the Silent Orca, Zino stepped aboard with a heavy sigh. His shoulders slumped, and he looked like someone who just lost a fortune at sea. Nami, ever perceptive when it came to money, approached him the moment he set foot on deck.
"Well?" she asked, arms folded. "Did you get the bounty reward?"
"No," Zino replied, shaking his head slowly, his face the picture of defeat. "My lovely grandfather decided to promote me to a Marine officer. So now, technically, I'm not eligible to claim any bounty rewards."
Nami's eyes widened, and her brows furrowed. "Wait. What do you mean you're a Marine?"
Before Zino could answer, Zoro leaned against the railing nearby and casually cut in, "He's the grandson of Monkey D. Kong—the Chief Commander of the entire World Government."
"What!?" Nami practically shouted, her jaw dropping. "Monkey D. Kong? The top dog of the Marines?"
Zino rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah… that's him. But don't look at me like that. He's the great one, not me. I'm just a guy trying to make his own way."
Nami stared at him, still stunned. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"Because it's not exactly something I like to bring up. Being Kong's grandson comes with a lot of baggage. Expectations. Restrictions. And apparently... no bounty rewards," he added bitterly.
Nami eyed Zino, clearly still processing the news. "You've been hanging around pirate hunters, raiding pirate ships, and you're technically a Marine all this time?"
"Unofficially, yeah," Zino replied.
"That's the same thing." Snorted Nami "If you have mentioned that before, I would have asked you to help me with something much earlier."
Zino blinked in surprise, turning toward her. "You need help with something? What is it?"
Nami hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied his expression. Her usual guarded demeanor returned. "I don't trust Marines."
Her words weren't spoken with anger, but with a quiet bitterness that made Zino pause. There was weight behind them—more than just a general dislike. It was personal.
He didn't respond right away. Instead, he looked at her seriously, his expression softening. "Then don't trust the Marines," he said. "Trust me."
Nami blinked, clearly not expecting that. She stared at him for a moment, gauging his sincerity. Zino didn't waver.
"Can I trust you?" she asked, her voice low.
"Yes," Zino said without hesitation. "I may wear the uniform, but I'm not like the others. I've never followed rules blindly, and I definitely don't stand with corrupt Marines. I don't know what the Marines did to lose your trust, but I'm not them. So… trust me. Not the rank. Not the uniform. Just me."
For a moment, Nami remained silent, lost in thought. Then finally, she gave a small nod. "Alright… I'll take a chance."
Zino smiled gently. "Good. Now, what do you need help with?"
She took a deep breath. "I want you to help me free my village."
Zino's eyes flickered. He have a guess in mind on what Nami's request would be. "Your village?"
Nami nodded. "Cocoyashi Village. My home. It's being controlled by a pirate crew… Arlong and his Fish-Men."
"Fish-Men pirates, huh? That explains the tension."
"They've been ruling the place with fear for years," Nami said. Her voice trembled slightly, but her eyes remained firm. "I've been doing everything I can to buy back the village's freedom… but I'm running out of time."
Zino could see the sadness, struggle, despair, and helplessness mixed within Nami's eyes. It caused some heaviness to tug on his heart.
"I promise I'll help you," Zino continued. "But before that, I need to take care of Captain Kuro over in Syrup Village first."
Nami nodded slowly. "I understand."
After that, they once again sailed on the sea, leaving the Kalamazo island, and heading towards Gecko Island, where the Syrup Village was residing.