"What!?"
Kisame's shark eyes went wide, and his voice jumped up an octave.
He stared at Fleet Admiral Sengoku's serious face, a storm brewing in his chest.
Was politics always this filthy?
"Don't be surprised. This is the tragedy of the World Government and the Navy."
Seeing Kisame's genuine reaction, Sengoku actually felt a little relieved. That look on his face—it told him this man was worth investing in.
He continued.
"That bastard's one sentence… caused more trouble than he could've ever imagined."
"Thanks to those few reckless words, pirates began crawling out of the woodwork—and some of them were terrifyingly strong."
"But pirates are pirates. They're not 'adventurers.'"
"They wave around talk of treasure hunts and freedom on the sea, but what they really do is rob, burn, kill, and pillage."
"These kinds of attacks—violent and senseless—are happening all over the world."
"And with pirates appearing in droves, both the Navy and the World Government are overwhelmed."
"As for our high-end combat forces?" Sengoku frowned. "We're stretched thinner than a seagull's patience during mating season."
He paused.
Then added, "That's why the World Government pushed forward the Shichibukai program. (warlords of the sea) "
"Currently, out of the seven positions, only three have been filled…"
"One of them is Jinbei, same race as you. Former member of the Sun Pirates."
"The second is Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, recommended by the Gorosei."
"The last one? A guy named 'Kuma,' recently endorsed by Kizaru."
"There are four slots still open."
"And your job… is to fill them."
As he spoke, Sengoku pulled a file from his desk drawer and slid it across the table.
"Here's the latest bounty report. Vice Admiral Tsuru compiled it just yesterday. Try starting with the folks on this list."
Kisame didn't respond right away.
For some reason, his mind drifted back to his past life in Kirigakure.
Two worlds, both steeped in blood and chaos.
But at least this one… had more sunlight.
He remembered how, back then, as a ninja of the Mist, he'd been ordered to kill his own comrades. And now, in this new world, he was a Navy man being told to team up with pirates.
It made his stomach churn.
But Kisame understood—he had no power to change the Navy, let alone the World Government.
So he said nothing.
He simply reached forward and picked up the neatly arranged bounty sheet.
And then…His eyes trembled.
He stared at the top name, stunned.
———
Name: Hidan. Ability: Unknown. Bounty: 140,000,000 Berries.
Known for forcibly recruiting people into a suspicious cult. Suspected mental instability. Last seen near Gask Island in the Grand Line.
Kisame blinked.
Hidan?
Seriously!?
He quickly flipped to the next sheet.
Phew. No sign of Kakuzu. That would've been a whole different headache.
Still…What the hell did those two idiots do this time?
Wasn't he the one who told them to hunt bounty targets for cash?
So how the hell did he end up on a wanted list too!?
Suddenly—Like a bolt of lightning through his shark-brain, Kisame's eyes went wild with realization.
Kakuzu—that bastard, He's not farming bounties, is he?
It was totally possible.
After all, Hidan's head could probably be turned in multiple times for reward money…
But wait… doesn't the bounty get canceled after the first claim?
Even just thinking about it made Kisame break into a cold sweat.
"Hm?"
Flipping through more of the wanted posters, he paused again.
"What's with this one? It says 'pre-approved' or something?"
"Which one?" Sengoku glanced up and followed Kisame's gaze. "Oh, that's Doflamingo."
"That little punk hijacked the Heavenly Tribute from the Celestial Dragons a while back and used it to blackmail his way into the Shichibukai."
"Then he vanished. No one's heard a peep. Last seen entering the New World."
Heavenly Tribute, huh?
That triggered a memory—those treasures he had swiped when he first arrived in this world.
So that meant, That guy probably still had a fat pile of loot tucked away somewhere.
Thinking that, Kisame suddenly found the Fleet Admiral in front of him… oddly adorable.
What a thoughtful man, giving him such a cushy gig.
Well then, it would be rude not to accept it!
With that smug thought, Kisame tucked the documents under his arm, gave Sengoku a polite goodbye, and headed back to the training camp.
———
Back at the camp
Walking down the path toward his dorm, he quickly realized he was the center of attention.
But not the good kind.
Admiration? Nope.
He was getting death glares.
Especially from the ones holding tools—they looked at him like he'd just spit in their breakfast.
Knock, knock!!
"Who is it?" came a cautious female voice from inside the room.
Kisame took a step back, glanced at the nameplate.
Yep. Definitely his dorm.
"It's me."
At the sound of his voice, the door clicked and opened just a crack.
Two suspicious eyes peered out—one big, one small.
Kisame just pushed the door open and stepped inside. He looked at the pair next to the door, utterly baffled.
"Why's the door locked in the middle of the day?"
"Locked? I don't even feel safe with it locked!" Revy snapped, fuming.
"Those maniacs outside nearly tore the place down!"
Kisame raised an eyebrow.
"…What the hell happened?"
"What do you think happened?" Revy rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't fall out.
"All those trainees want to be the next Sea King… just like you."
That cleared things up for Kisame.
No wonder he'd been getting so many weird looks on the way back.
His flashy technique? Yeah, some folks were impressed—but others? Others were ready to throw hands.
Mostly because he'd left the entire training camp looking like it had been hit by a mudslide.
Cleanup had been… a nightmare.
He really hadn't meant to cause that much destruction, but… it is what it is.
"They wanna learn that?" Kisame snorted.
"Yeah, good luck. They can try all they want, but this whole world's only got one freak like me."
He turned to eye the blond runt beside Revy.
"That little brat's been glued to you for days and still hasn't managed a single fart of progress."
"Makes me wonder if your whole bloodline's defective."
It was a throwaway comment, just Kisame being Kisame—but the second the words left his mouth, Revy's expression changed.
She whipped around and fiddled with the door lock like her life depended on it, avoiding eye contact.
"Okay, okay, you can stop locking the damn door." Kisame sighed, already catching on.
Yeah. That reaction? He'd seen it before.
He might not know what skeletons were rattling around in her family closet, but if she didn't wanna talk about it, he wasn't gonna push.
Changing the subject, he got back to business.
"In a couple days, I'm heading out to sea. You two are staying behind to keep training under Zephyr."
"Ah!Ah!!"
Instant dread painted both their faces.
"What's with the whining?" Kisame raised a brow.
"Didn't you say you wanted to be a Marine Admiral?"
"I'm already on the shortlist. By the time you get there, I'll probably be Fleet Admiral, punk."
He turned to the blond again.
"And you, Goldilocks. Didn't you say you wanted to be the greatest chef in the world?"
"Look at Zeff—he's strong as hell. A chef without muscle is just a waiter with a knife. You'd better start grinding."
After a round of tough love, the duo finally went quiet.
Then Kisame turned toward Zeff, now standing off to the side.
"You're coming with me in a few days."
"I already talked to Sengoku. Your bounty's been voided, and you've been reinstated as a Second Lieutenant."
"You're a cook, yeah, so I'm not expecting you to fight—but that doesn't mean you get to slack off."
Kisame hadn't been in this world too long, but not too short, either.
And if he was being honest, the number of people he could actually have a real conversation with?
Pretty damn small.
Back in the Hidden Mist, it had basically just been Itachi. And even then, Kisame did most of the talking while Itachi just… stared meaningfully into the distance.
(End of Chapter)
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