Pirates: Building High Walls Starting from the East Blue

Therefore, it's better to sell it first and then buy a new one later.

Some of the ships from the Konom Islands will be used as cargo ships, and some from the 16th Naval Branch will be used as naval warships; they'll just need a new coating later.

Although all naval warships, regardless of their model, are built and ordered in a unified manner.

Strictly speaking, pirate ships are not suitable for use by the navy.

But there's nothing we can do right now. We can't find a suitable supplier for naval warships, so we have to make do with what we have for the time being.

If you want warships, you can either build them secretly, buy them from black market dealers, or order them from the Navy Headquarters.

He built it himself. Even if he had shipbuilders, he wouldn't have blueprints for naval warships. Don't be fooled by the large number of naval warships on the sea; the technology involved in naval warships is quite advanced.

Especially large naval warships!

Furthermore, it is illegal to build naval warships privately at sea.

If you go to a black market dealer... the price is high and there's no guarantee. Besides, it's easier to find black market dealers in the Grand Line or the New World.

As for ordering from the Navy Headquarters?

Please, the 16th Marine Division is harassed by pirates every year and needs funding every year. Where would they get the money to order so many naval warships?

Isn't this telling the Navy Headquarters that the 16th Division has money?

How will we get subsidies then?

It's worth noting that even the five warships currently in service with the 16th Naval Division were acquired over the past few years through Sean's help and their own damage reporting.

Of course~

This could be an opportunity to use the damage to a naval warship to allow the Navy Headquarters to replenish it with another one.

By then, the 16th Marine Division will have 6 naval warships. In addition to the pirate-themed naval warships, the 16th Marine Division can be considered the strongest naval division in the East Blue, near the entrance to the Grand Line, in terms of the number of naval warships alone.

As for whether there are any naval branches stronger than the 16th Naval Branch in the other half of the sea area, Xia Che didn't know.

only.

Their strength is similar to that of the previous East Blue overlord, the Krieg Pirates. They were known as five thousand pirates with fifty pirate ships, but when they encountered a strong opponent, they could be cut to pieces by themselves.

If you lack the core capabilities, having a lot of equipment is useless.

Even strictly speaking, the number of marines under the 16 branches of the Navy is still less than that of the Krieg Pirates.

Of course, the naval branch has been recruiting marines all this time without stopping. Recruitment slogans have been posted, and a craze for joining the navy has been set up in the Konom Islands. It is estimated that even Smoker has heard about it by now.

For example, right now...

"Bang~"

The door was suddenly opened.

Shache, who was planning the development of the naval strength of the Konom Islands, looked up at Smoker, who had rushed in without even knocking. He took a sip of the black tea that Robin had poured for him and said helplessly, "Senior Smoker, you need to change your temper. Luckily, I'm not doing anything in there right now. If I were, it would be so embarrassing. No wonder you were demoted to this weakest sea. You still need to learn more about interpersonal relationships from me."

"..." Upon hearing Xia Che's words, Smoker's face, which had been calm, immediately darkened.

Learn to learn?

What do I need to learn from you?

To fish in troubled waters, deceive superiors and subordinates, and swindle funds?

Or should I try fishing for pirates like you?

not to mention……

What makes you, a fellow demoted guy, better than him?

And what else do you want to do in there?

Smoker pointed at the boy with pink hair and a round face next to him with an annoyed look and said, "This guy heard that you're recruiting Marines here and wants to join the 16th Marine Branch."

As soon as he finished speaking, the boy next to him stood up on his own initiative, looking at Xia Che with excitement.

"Captain Shacher, my name is Coby. Please let me join the 16th Marine Division. I hope to become a powerful Marine like Captain Shacher and capture all the pirates."

Although he didn't know what had happened, when he woke up and saw that everyone had been captured, he guessed that they must have been captured by the two navy men.

It's unbelievable that just two marines could capture so many pirates.

Especially after learning that the male navy officer was actually the commander of the 16th Marine Division, Koby believed that... Colonel Shacher must be an extremely capable navy officer. Therefore, when he heard that the 16th Marine Division was recruiting marines, he always wanted to give it a try.

But they can never find an opportunity, or rather, they are afraid of not being recognized.

After hearing that they were to be sent back to their island, he became very nervous. Finally, he mustered up the courage to ask Colonel Smoker, and was then brought over by Colonel Smoker.

however.

“Koby…” Upon hearing this name, Xia Che looked up in surprise.

After looking at the pink hair, he guessed who the kid in front of him was.

Unexpectedly, this time when we were catching pirates, we even brought this guy along.

He raised an eyelid, ignoring Smoker's mocking expression after hearing Coby say, "Arrest all the pirates!" His eyes fell on Coby, and he crossed his hands in front of his chin, saying seriously, "Although the 16th Marine Division is severely lacking in marines, we recruit the best and brightest, the men of the sea. And you...."

Although he hadn't finished speaking, Koby already understood what he meant and lowered his head in disappointment.

It's normal for someone as cowardly as him to be rejected.

But thinking that he had finally mustered up the courage to come this time, he would definitely regret it if he gave up now. So he took another deep breath, looked firmly at Colonel Xia Che in front of him, and was about to say something.

At this time.

“But as a naval captain, for the sake of the navy’s justice, I’m willing to give you this opportunity.” As if guessing what Coby was going to say, Shache interrupted him directly, looked at Coby again, and said in the tone of a naval captain, “As long as you pass the exclusive test of the 16th Naval Branch, you can become a member of the 16th Naval Branch.”

The words fell.

"???"

Robin, who had been keeping quiet and trying to minimize her presence, looked up at Shache with a puzzled expression.

When do the marines of the 16th Division of the Navy have their assessments?

Why didn't she know?

Isn't it all the same recruitment and assessment system passed down from the Navy Headquarters?

The requirements for the marines in the branch are slightly lower.

now.

Even Smoker, who was watching boredly from the side, turned his head curiously. What was this about the Navy's 16th Division having its own assessment?

To be honest, as a fellow naval captain who had been demoted from headquarters, Smoker was very curious about what kind of assessment this even more talented naval captain would set.

"I...I...I..." Upon hearing that Colonel Shacher was actually willing to give him a chance to be tested, Koby became excited, clenched his fists, and shouted loudly, "I will work hard! Thank you, Colonel Shacher, for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely not let Colonel Shacher down."

"Very good!" Xia Che nodded in satisfaction, his hands still crossed, but his expression turned serious again. Looking at Koby in front of him, he once again exuded the aura unique to a naval captain, and asked with a solemn expression, "In that case, let me personally conduct the assessment!"

As soon as these words fell.

Koby: ? ? ?

Colonel Xia Che personally conducted the assessment?

Before he could react...

"Listen to the question!" Under everyone's gaze, Xia Che asked directly, "If the Navy and pirates are engaged in a large-scale war, and you are on the battlefield, and the war is now nearing its end, with the Navy having achieved all its objectives, but the pirates are still not eliminated, and the battlefield is littered with corpses, and you see your comrades and familiar faces dying one by one, how would you react in this moment of grief?"

Chapter 26 Issuing Invoices

As soon as Xia Che asked his first question, the entire office fell silent.

now.

Throughout the office.

Robin and Nami, who had just arrived and were about to ask about the future development of the Cornish Islands, also frowned, looking at Shache who was asking this question for some reason, with puzzlement.

Even Smoker, who was standing next to him, was thinking to himself about how to answer the question.

At this time.

Although he didn't understand why the so-called interview was like this, after thinking about it, Koby had his own answer.

He took a deep breath, looked at Colonel Shacher seriously, and said, "I will stop this war and prevent the tragedy from continuing. Now that the goal has been achieved, even if there are still many pirates to be eliminated, what is more important now is our comrades."

As he spoke, he seemed a little nervous, unsure whether Colonel Shacher was satisfied with his answer. Winter Melon Head Koby clenched his fists, beads of nervous sweat appearing on his forehead, staring intently at Colonel Shacher, who was deep in thought.

however.

"Hmm~" Colonel Shacher surprisingly didn't ponder for long. He nodded to Koby and smiled. "Good! Very good! You answered very well!"

"I..." Koby became excited again after receiving Shacher's approval, and was about to say something when...

But then suddenly...

"Please listen to the next question."

Without pausing, Colonel Shacher continued.

"If one day you are captured by pirates, and to save you, your teacher disregards the orders of the Marine Headquarters, storms into the pirates' lair, and rescues you, just as he is about to tell you to escape, in this tense and dangerous moment, you hear someone calling for help, what would you, as a Marine, choose?"

"I...I'm terrified, but as a Marine, I will definitely go to save them!"

"Good! Very good! Excellent!" Seemingly still satisfied with Koby's answer, Shache's approving voice rang out again, and even Nami and Robin beside him nodded slightly.

Even Smoker, upon hearing Koby's reply, showed a faint smile.

This is the Navy's justice.

This kid doesn't seem like anything special, but he has a kind heart.

Then he looked at Xia Che, snorted, and took another puff of his cigar.

The fact that he could ask such a question and even acknowledge it shows that he understands he has gone too far in some things!

however.

Next…

"If your superior colludes with pirates, swindles military funds from his superiors, and conspires with high-ranking Marines, but everything he does is for the sake of the civilians on his island, do you think he is doing the right thing?"

As soon as Xia Che finished speaking...