Chapter 1: Loy Amos, a Plain Colonel in the Marines
Sea Calendar: Year 1517.
Grand Line, a certain sea area.
Two Marine warships were anchored here. The Marine flag, emblazoned with the scales of Justice, fluttered in the sea breeze.
The insignia on one warship bore the standard "MARINE" lettering. This symbolized an ordinary Marine warship.
On the other warship, however, the lettering "DT-31" was also displayed. This symbolized a special logistical unit within the Marines, responsible for escorting defeated Criminals—the "Escort Unit."
"Bounty of 47 million Berries, 'Horned Fighter' Antolia has been successfully delivered and escorted—the warship number that captured this Criminal is T-14551, belonging to Major Gushil of this headquarters."
At this moment, Loy Amos was looking at the strong man being escorted onto his warship, while speaking into the recording Den Den Mushi in his hand.
After the recording was complete, he looked at the Marine officer on the warship opposite him: "You've worked hard, Major Gushil."
"It's all for Justice."
The Marine Major named Gushil chuckled, then reminded him, "But I have to remind you, Colonel Loy—this guy is a pretty formidable character; you'd best make sure the Seastone handcuffs aren't removed throughout the entire escort."
"I don't mind catching him again, but I certainly don't want to hear news of your warship being sunk by Criminals at sea! Hahahahaha!"
As he spoke, he burst into loud laughter.
Hearing this, the Marine Soldiers of the Escort Unit behind Loy looked displeased.
But Loy didn't mind the mockery in the other party's words; he just smiled and nodded: "Thanks for the reminder."
After speaking, he turned and leaped back onto his own warship: "Return to base, back to Marineford."
"Yes, Colonel Loy!"
His Marine Soldiers then saluted in unison, and immediately began to busily set sail and return.
However...
"Seriously, what's that guy so proud of—Far, you tell me, aren't we all Marines? Just because he caught a guy with a 40 million Berry bounty, he's so smug? The last time Admiral Kuzan caught a Great Pirate with a bounty of 300 million, he wasn't this arrogant!"
A Marine officer from the Escort Unit muttered to his companion as he escorted the Criminal into a specially constructed temporary prison cell inside the ship's hold.
"Say less, Hans. There's nothing we can do about it; after all, we're the Escort Unit."
The Marine named Far shook his head helplessly upon hearing this.
They had clearly not been treated this way for the first time.
The reason was simple—the Escort Unit they belonged to was somewhat special within the Marines. They were primarily responsible for escorting Criminals who had already been captured in various sea areas. Under normal circumstances, they did not participate in front-line combat, but after escorting Criminals back, they could still receive a corresponding portion of military merits.
Therefore, in the eyes of many Marines, the Marine Soldiers of the Escort Unit were considered "scumbags" who were greedy for life, afraid of death, didn't participate in battles, yet insisted on coming to claim credit.
"What's wrong with the Escort Unit?"
The Marine Soldier named Hans was even more disgruntled: "It's not like we haven't encountered danger when escorting Criminals, not to mention the merits we get each time aren't much."
He mimicked Major Gushil's tone: "I don't mind catching him again, but you guys just be careful... What kind of crap is that?!"
But before he could finish speaking, he heard a low shout: "Marine Soldier Hans!"
"Yes, Colonel Loy!"
Hans immediately straightened his body, instinctively saluting and looking behind him.
Behind him, the black-haired, blue-eyed Colonel had appeared without him knowing.
"What did I tell you before?"
Loy looked at his subordinate with a half-smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"Less complaining, more doing..."
So, Hans said nervously.
"Too quiet! I can't hear you at all!"
"Less complaining, more doing! Sir!"
"Good! Very spirited!"
Loy waved his hand grandly: "Get to the helm immediately! And be disciplined! I will personally be in charge of guarding the Criminal for the first night!"
"Yes!"
Hans, as if granted a great pardon, quickly exchanged a look with Far next to him.
The two ran towards the temporary prison cell, but when they reached the entrance, they didn't forget to ask: "Sir, after dinner is prepared later, do you want us to bring you something to eat?"
"Pizza and cola, thank you." Loy waved his hand, emphasizing, "Make sure the cola is iced!"
"Yes!"
The Marine Soldiers then left the ship's hold.
Only the huge 'Horned Fighter' Antolia, still wearing Seastone handcuffs, remained leaning against the prison bars, looking at Loy.
"Sounds like you and your subordinates aren't very popular in the Marines?"
He grinned.
"Something like that."
Loy sat down on the couch in the ship's hold, and casually took out an hourglass from his pocket, placing it on the table.
The sand in the hourglass began to flow, and he casually turned his head to look at Antolia.
"However, I heard that Fleet Admiral Sengoku is already considering promoting the status of the Escort Unit, huh? What do you think?"
He seemed not to mind having a heart-to-heart with the Criminal.
"No, that has nothing to do with it!"
But Antolia said in a low voice, "It's just because you guys are too weak—if you were strong enough, no one would dare look down on you."
"Status, money, power—all must be earned with sufficient strength. Just look at me!"
He struggled to sit up straight: "If it weren't for these handcuffs..."
As he spoke, he looked at a huge iron plate not far away—at the top of that iron plate, there was a protrusion that looked like a "handle."
That was his weapon, which had been turned in along with Antolia.
"With my 'Iron Hammer', a full-power strike could easily kill you and smash this prison cell."
Antolia sneered like this.
But he found that Loy didn't seem to pay any attention to his "provocation."
"Oh, right, right, right."
He nodded with a serious expression.
Then...
"However..."
His tone shifted: "Your full-power strike can only smash this small prison cell? You're a muscle man who ate the Strong-Strong Fruit, so weak?"
"...Huh?"
Antolia was almost dumbfounded.
It wasn't until a long moment later that he reacted to what Loy had said, and anger visibly flared in his eyes.
This Marine, this Loy—how dare he insult him like that?
"You said what—"
But Antolia's angry retort hadn't left his throat; his words stopped there, his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets.
Because at this moment, he saw that Loy had casually picked up the enormous iron block, his "Iron Hammer," that was placed not far away.
That heavy, enormous iron block, whose weight alone was enough to crush a small building, was now lifted by Loy as effortlessly as if he were holding a balloon.
"Hmm, judging by the weight of the weapon you use, you can only strengthen your muscles by about twenty times at most? Your development of your Devil Fruit Ability isn't very good, is it?"
He commented sharply.
"You... you..."
At this moment, Antolia could barely speak.
The scene before him almost made him feel like he was dreaming.
"No..."
It wasn't until a moment later that he woke as if from a dream.
"How do you know I ate the Strong-Strong Fruit?"
"Ah, about that..."
At this moment, Loy casually put down the enormous iron block and sat back in his seat.
"I know a thing or two about Devil Fruits."
He said casually, his gaze fixed on the hourglass on the table.
One-third of the sand in the hourglass had already flowed, which made Loy nod contentedly.
"Hmm, the timing is perfect."
"Timing? What timing?"
Antolia became even more confused upon hearing this.
But the next second, he saw Loy extend his hand towards him.
"Nothing—just get some good rest."
As the words fell.
Antolia felt a sudden, immense impact.
Then everything went black before his eyes.
"Thud!"
His huge body collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.
Loy, however, didn't spare him another glance.
He merely looked at the air in front of him.
And in his vision, there was a holographic screen in the air.
[Devil Fruit user 'Antolia' discovered.]
[Devil Fruit confirmed as 'Paramecia-type: Strong-Strong Fruit', currently being analyzed and stored in 'Fruit Encyclopedia'.]
[Devil Fruit Ability - Can strengthen and control one's muscle strength.]
[Effects by Level:]
[LV1: Gains weak Devil Fruit effects, strengthens muscle power, ranging from 2 to 5 times.]
[LV2: Gains partial Devil Fruit effects, greatly strengthens muscle power, ranging from 5 to 10 times, requires 60,000,000/20,000,000 Berries for permanent/temporary unlock.]
[LV3: Gains full Devil Fruit effects, immensely strengthens muscle power, ranging from 20 to 40 times, requires 300,000,000/100,000,000 Berries for permanent/temporary unlock.]
[LV4: Deep Devil Fruit development, can freely control muscles to form shields and blades, freely control certain muscles to achieve hardening and High-Speed Regeneration, maximum muscle strengthening can reach 100 times, requires 1,000,000,000/300,000,000 Berries for permanent/temporary unlock.]
[LV5: Devil Fruit Awakening · Muscle Mastery, can absorb life force from living beings within range to strengthen one's own muscles, can manipulate the muscle tissue of all living beings within the surrounding area, requires 6,000,000,000/2,000,000,000 Berries for permanent/temporary unlock.]
[Analysis Progress: 33%. Upon completion of analysis, LV1 of this Devil Fruit Ability will be acquired.]
Looking at this holographic screen, Loy's expression was very calm.
To him, the 'Horned Fighter' Antolia was just an ordinary, mediocre Devil Fruit user.
But there was one point that he truly agreed with the other party on.
That was...
"Strength is everything—on this chaotic great sea, without strength, nothing is truly stable."
He looked at the unconscious Antolia.
"The difference between you and me lies in our perspectives."
"I know the vastness of this sea, which is why I choose to stay in the Escort Unit."
"But you know nothing about it, which is why you said those ignorant things just now—go to Impel Down for advanced studies; the people there are very interesting, and they speak nicely. You're sure to like it there."
New book, please follow and add to your collection!
(end of chapter)
Chapter 1: Loy Amos, a Plain Colonel in the Marines
Sea Calendar: Year 1517.
Grand Line, a certain sea area.
Two Marine warships were anchored here. The Marine flag,