Early the next morning, everyone had already gone their separate ways. Yesterday had been the last time for everyone to get together, because now the strength of the Navy was really scarce, and there wasn't much time for them to catch up. Zefa had already begun to form the next elite class.
The only remaining personnel at Navy Headquarters were Satoru, Chris, Herak, and Bosra.
Though their military ranks varied, with only Satoru holding the prestigious title of Vice Admiral, they all had a similar level of strength. However, since none of them had earned military merit, their ranks were not as high as they could be.
Satoru, on the other hand, stood out. Not only because of his strength but also due to his military achievements, particularly the destruction of the Evil Skeleton Pirates. His rank of Vice Admiral at just ten years old was unprecedented in the Navy, and the event was publicized to boost morale.
"Shocking! Navy Supernova, Ten-Year-Old Vice Admiral, Eliminates the Evil Skeleton Pirates with One Strike!"
This headline was released by Navy Headquarters. While there were no battle photos, the aftermath in the Chambord Islands spoke for itself. The Navy wasn't exaggerating either—Satoru's strength was more than enough to hold the Vice Admiral title.
However, in addition to this, Satoru noticed that the higher-ups, especially those above the rank of Vice Admiral, appeared unusually tense. Something important had happened.
"What's going on?" Satoru asked Zefa curiously. Since he had been assigned to Navy Headquarters, he had no specific position, which left him with plenty of free time.
"A highly classified document was stolen last night. It holds great significance to the Navy. The Warring States are struggling to handle it. Only the high-ranking officers know about this document, so now we're trying to find the traitor hiding within the Navy," Zefa explained, his expression serious. It wasn't the presence of a mole that was worrying, but the fact that this traitor had risen to a high position.
Satoru immediately thought back to the encounter he'd had with Dragon the night before. He believed that the document Dragon had taken was the one the Navy was now searching for.
"That's pretty impressive. To steal from the Navy Headquarters without anyone noticing, Dragon's still got it. He must know the place inside and out," Satoru remarked.
"You can't find the traitor?" Zefa asked, understanding that Satoru must know something important.
"Last night, when you were drunk, I met a person," Satoru replied.
"Who?" Zefa immediately grew serious.
"The leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon," Satoru said, his gaze steady.
Zefa immediately thought of Garp's stern face. For their generation, mentioning Dragon only reminded them of the rivalry between the two.
"That brat? If it was him, it makes sense. His fruit ability is difficult to detect. He could sneak in and out without leaving a trace."
Satoru nodded, understanding. "I'll tell Sengoku about this. You should stay out of sight for a while. Don't go far. I suspect Sengoku will want you to stay ready for further orders."
"Understood," Satoru replied, his eyes scanning the headquarters before locking onto the locations of Chris and the others.
In an instant, despite the distance and several buildings between them, Satoru appeared beside them.
"Yo, what's going on?" His sudden appearance startled the group.
"Enlightenment, you know, you could try not to scare people to death," Chris said, clutching his chest.
"Haha, it's just to test your reflexes. If I were an enemy, at least two of you would have been dead by now."
"Do you think anyone else is as perverted as you, able to appear out of nowhere like that?" Chris grumbled.
"We were just talking about our assignments. The three of us are going to be placed on the admiral's warships for internships," Herak explained, breaking the awkward silence.
"Nice, I haven't seen a general yet," Satoru said. Hearing that the three of them were assigned to different admirals' ships made him happy for them. It showed that they were valued by the higher-ups.
Still, some worry crept into his thoughts. The work these generals did involved dangerous missions, and not all pirates were as easy to handle as the Evil Skeleton Pirates they had dealt with in their graduation assessment.
"But when you're out on a mission, stay safe. The pirates you'll face are in the New World, and they're on a whole different level from the ones we fought."
"Don't worry, we'll be careful," Bosra said confidently.
"By the way, which general's ship are you on?" Satoru asked.
"I'm on Admiral Yellow Ape's ship," Chris said. "Herak's with Admiral Akainu, and Bosra's with Admiral Pheasant."
Satoru was surprised that they were assigned to different generals. It meant they'd be facing challenges on their own, but it also reflected their importance within the Navy.
"And you, Satoru? What's your assignment? I bet it's something special with your strength," Bosra asked.
"I'm not sure yet, but I don't think it'll be easy," Satoru replied with a slight grin.
Though still young, no one in the Navy treated Satoru like a child anymore. His rank alone, coupled with his abilities, made him a force to be reckoned with.