"That was close..."
Roy blended seamlessly into the crowd, watching a squad of Military Police—responsible for maintaining order within Marineford—storm aggressively toward the site of his recent battle.
A close call, indeed, Roy thought to himself.
If he had been caught, the fine alone would have wiped out his entire month's salary, not to mention the mandatory confinement for at least two weeks.
"No cola for half a month? That's too terrifying to contemplate."
As for Smoker, who had been left behind by Hina? Roy had no interest in worrying about him. Judging by the sheer number of premium cigars draped across that smoke-bastard's chest every day, money clearly wasn't an issue for him.
As for the confinement...
Ideally, they lock him up for a good long while. Otherwise, he's guaranteed to come back and cause me more trouble.
Justice... No matter how high-sounding the rhetoric, essentially, it's just serving as a dog for the Celestial Dragons and the World Government. Who actually cares about that kind of thing?
With these thoughts in mind, Roy crossed Oris Plaza and entered the massive central tower of Marine Headquarters, the Main Keep.
It wasn't that Roy disliked Smoker. True, he had initially approached the man solely to copy his Devil Fruit ability, but during their time in training, he had come to acknowledge Smoker as a friend.
The story Smoker had mentioned—about the time they chased a pirate across the sea to recover life-saving money for a young girl's mother—was true.
But just as Roy had said, that had nothing to do with the "Justice" the Marines constantly preached.
"The little girl's father died early, her mother had been sick for years, and the girl herself was blind. They survived on village charity and the meager savings her mother earned stitching clothes. And those pirate scum had the heart to steal that money? Who could stand by and watch that?"
Roy didn't consider himself a saint.
But as a transmigrator, he still possessed the baseline conscience and bottom line he had formed in his previous life. Unfortunately, what he considered basic human decency was a rarity in this world.
Smoker had acknowledged him because of that incident, viewing him as a friend and validating his version of "Justice."
But in reality, Roy's attitude toward the Marines remained cynical.
He had been in the Marines for years. He knew there was no shortage of genuinely kind and just soldiers within the ranks. But that didn't change the fundamental fact: the Navy was a subsidiary of the World Government. And that supreme authority ruling the world was the most rotten part of it all.
Roy had no intention of being a dog for the Celestial Dragons, so he naturally held no faith in the Navy's so-called Justice.
Of course, the same applied to pirates. Roy didn't deny that there were some heroic figures on the seas, but the reality of the "Great Pirate Era" was that the vast majority were pure scum.
Marines, Pirates—Roy didn't like either, nor did he plan to truly join either camp.
His definition of the Navy was simple: It was a company. A massive corporation where he could hide, live, and acquire Devil Fruit abilities.
And the Detention Unit was the "Key Department" he would never leave as long as he remained employed.
"Still, Smoker was right about one thing—freedom is important."
"I know the locations of quite a few Ability Users on this sea, but I'm restricted by HQ's regulations and haven't had the chance to acquire their powers."
At this thought, a troubled expression appeared on Roy's face.
Ideally, like his urgent need for Belly, this problem required him to leave the Navy—or at least the Detention Unit—to solve. But leaving the Detention Unit was not an option right now.
"Troublesome..." Roy sighed.
"Bwahahaha! It's rare to hear you find anything troublesome, kid!"
A boisterous laugh suddenly drilled into Roy's ears.
Without realizing it, he had already arrived outside an office. The heavy wooden door was closed, but the laughter clearly boomed from within.
"Old man, are you using Observation Haki to eavesdrop again?"
Roy muttered helplessly as he pushed the door open.
The office decor was simple: a desk cluttered with red tea and skewers of dango, a single chair, and a mountain of newspapers and Wanted Posters.
Behind the desk sat an old man with muscles knotted like ancient tree roots, happily chewing on a dango. He wore the Marine coat over his shoulders, with only a simple shirt underneath. The scars mapping his body and the medals on his uniform were testament to a lifetime of death matches.
"Hahaha! This old man is bored to death in this place! Without a little gossip, how am I supposed to kill time?"
Hearing Roy's accusation, the old man just chuckled shamelessly.
"Using Observation Haki to eavesdrop inside Headquarters is strictly prohibited!" Roy rolled his eyes, though he knew his words were wasted on the man before him.
This old man was his direct superior, the Vice Admiral in charge of the Marine Detention Unit, Bilos.
In the original plot Roy knew, this Vice Admiral was nameless, but his seniority was terrifying. He was a veteran who had joined the Marines in the same era as Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Marine Hero, Garp.
Due to his age and declining combat strength, he had been transferred to the Detention Unit for a semi-retirement gig, simply waiting out the clock. And using Observation Haki to snoop on gossip was his well-known hobby.
"So, tell me. What's troubling you?" Vice Admiral Bilos looked at Roy with genuine curiosity.
Roy's expression didn't waver. He naturally didn't voice his true thoughts. Instead, he dragged up the encounter with Smoker as a shield.
"It's that guy... he's such a stubborn mule. I clearly recommended Ensign Tashigi to him..." Roy complained.
"I see."
Vice Admiral Bilos didn't suspect a thing. He handed Roy a skewer of dango while loudly smacking his lips on his own. "I think Smoker has a point, though. You're strong, kid. Staying here is a waste of your talent."
"I have my own Justice!" Roy replied with a solemn face.
In the Marines, this phrase was the ultimate silencer—much like a certain orange-wearing ninja proclaiming, "This is my Ninja Way."
Sure enough, Bilos didn't push the issue.
"How did the mission go?" he asked casually.
"Same as always. The prisoner has been sent to the brig." Roy pulled out a notebook and gave a brief summary of the mission.
"Good. I'll report the merits for you." Bilos nodded, then suddenly changed the subject, sliding a piece of intelligence across the desk. "Speaking of merits, I just received a temporary mission. Are you interested?"
"Huh?"
Roy instinctively took the paper but frowned. "I just got back to HQ, Old Man. The brothers haven't even warmed their seats yet!"
"I know, I know. You always throw a celebration banquet and give your subordinates a few days off after a mission. That's why I'm asking," Bilos said nonchalantly. "This matter concerns a World Government Allied Nation, so the merit payout is substantial. The Headquarters' 'Grand Naval Martial Arts Tournament' is starting in two months. If you can get promoted to a Field Officer rank before then, you'll be eligible to participate."
"The Grand Naval Martial Arts Tournament?" Roy's frown deepened.
It was a major event held every few years. Any officer of Lieutenant Commander rank or higher, under the age of fifty, could sign up. It was essentially the Navy's "Budokai."
Securing a high ranking meant an extra promotion in rank. The top three could even be promoted directly to Commodore, leaping into the glorious realm of General-grade officers.
More famous than this tournament was the "World Military Draft," though that had only happened a few times since the Navy's inception.
However, Roy had little interest in these things.
A promotion was nice, but a promotion usually meant being transferred out of the Detention Unit. That was unacceptable.
But then, Vice Admiral Bilos dropped a bombshell that shook Roy to his core.
"Kid, after this tournament... I might be retiring."
The old man crunched down on a dango stick, the sound echoing like thunder in Roy's ears.
"Retiring?!"
"Yeah. My grandson was just born. I figure it's time to retire and train him properly, make sure he becomes an outstanding Marine in the future."
Bilos grinned. "And this Detention Unit... I've been here for so many years. You, kid, are the most potential-filled person in the squad."
His meaning was simple.
He was leaving. The unique nature of the Detention Unit meant that most ambitious or powerful Marines didn't want to come here.
"If you can get a good ranking in the 'Grand Naval Martial Arts Tournament,' this old man will petition Sengoku personally to let you stay and take over as the Commander of the Detention Unit. What do you think?"
"..."
What do I think?
That would be absolutely perfect!
Roy's internal excitement was indescribable.
Becoming the Commander of the Detention Unit offered immense benefits. Even if the unit wasn't highly value by the upper brass, it was a critical component of the Navy's infrastructure.
A Commander in the Detention Unit possessed high status and freedom. But more importantly...
The Commander of the Detention Unit is responsible for escorting powerful criminals to Impel Down... and even has the clearance to enter Impel Down for inspections.
That was the key.
For Roy, that underwater prison holding countless powerful criminals was a veritable treasure vault.
Therefore...
"Old man, let me see that mission!"
Roy spoke decisively, his voice ringing with determination.
"It's merely a little overtime! For the sake of Justice, I am duty-bound, Sir!"