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Chapter 732: Return to Headquarters
"Finally, back!"
Shirek gazed at the solemn and majestic Marine Headquarters, feeling a sense of emotion.
It had only been a year since the end of the Bloody Battle.
Yet, it felt like a very long time had passed.
The large Marine Warship slowly docked.
Warships, like floating fortresses, were important weapons for the Marines to maintain order on the Great Sea and provide deterrence against pirates.
Of course, in Shirek's eyes, they were just average.
The warships of the Kronos Kingdom were far superior to Marine Warships in terms of technology and destructive power.
Frankly, they weren't even on the same level.
However, Marine Warships were ostensibly the top-tier warships on the Great Sea.
They were considered a type of high-end warship.
Stepping off the warship.
Shirek looked at the Navy Officers from the North Blue who had returned with him.
"Let's gather later. I'll go report back to the Fleet Admiral's Office first."
Maintaining close relationships with colleagues naturally required a gathering at Headquarters.
Moreover, many companions hadn't seen each other for a long time.
At Headquarters, Navy Officers who had received the news in advance were also preparing a welcoming reception for Shirek and the others.
This kind of event was very common at Marine Headquarters.
Sometimes, going out on a mission could take several months to return.
For those who went to the Four Seas or were stationed at Navy Branches, it could take several years for longer assignments.
Although Shirek wasn't particularly enthusiastic about such gatherings, he never refused.
He needed to ensure his strength within the Marines.
On the way back, he had also contacted many relatively "close" friends.
Shirek was also thinking about who to bring in after the purge of the Crime Investigation Department.
Shirek knew too many friends.
With his powerful memory and the near-photographic memory ability he had developed through training,
He knew every single one of his friends, remembering their names, appearances, personalities, hobbies, and even their birth dates.
The seemingly aloof Shirek was actually someone with a cold exterior but a warm interior in the eyes of others.
He would always show care for others at the appropriate time.
During the Bloody Battle, he had also exhibited impressive combat power, saving the lives of countless Marines.
Just as Tsuru had said, when Kyle wasn't around, Shirek actually had many friends.
First of all, this matter could not be exposed.
If the identity of the Crime Investigation Department members were exposed, it would be meaningless.
They needed to possess strong stealth capability, psychological resilience, and even acting skills.
They needed to naturally enter various Navy Branches and monitor any possible illegal activities.
And if possible, they needed to gain the trust of those corrupt Marines and obtain the most direct criminal evidence.
This was their mission.
To be precise, their identity was that of Intelligence Officers and Spies.
However, the objects of surveillance were the Marines themselves.
Shirek was thinking about who would be suitable for this job.
While on the warship, he had already jotted down names, filling a small notebook.
There were quite a number, over five hundred Marines.
The majority were from the North Blue Navy, with the rest from Marine Headquarters.
Shirek naturally knew the North Blue Navy better, followed by Marine Headquarters.
He needed to invite them one by one.
Certainly, not everyone would join the new Crime Investigation Department, but a portion would be enough.
Everything is difficult at the start.
Shirek had already solved this beginning.
Next was the logical purge of the Crime Investigation Department, using the opportunity of transfers to place them in various Branches.
Sengoku had also proposed the idea of arranging some Intelligence Officers under his command.
He feared that Shirek would have difficulty carrying out his work, so he wanted to give him some help.
Without manpower, it would be like a tiger without teeth; he would have no authority, and no one would care about him.
He knew that Shirek would definitely purge the Crime Investigation Department, and the manpower shortage would need to be supplemented then.
However, Shirek refused.
He had already confirmed his personnel and didn't need others to plant spies in the Crime Investigation Department.
Even if there wasn't that intention, Shirek hoped that the Crime Investigation Department would be completely under his control.
Shirek also felt a sense of emotion in his heart.
Because, from now on, he would become the enemy of some Marines.
The news that he would become the Director of the Crime Investigation Department had not been exposed.
Only Sakazuki, Sengoku, and Chief of Staff Tsuru knew.
This kind of department was originally similar to the Intelligence Department, hidden in the shadows.
Besides being promoted to Marine Vice Admiral, Shirek also needed an ostensible identity, which was Chief of Staff.
He would be a member of the Staff Headquarters under Tsuru, making Tsuru his superior.
This identity was naturally real, making it convenient for Shirek to operate, essentially holding multiple positions.
The position of Chief of Staff was not surprising to others.
Back then, after graduation from the Elite Training Camp, before heading to the North Blue, he had worked in both the Intelligence Department and the Staff Headquarters, exhibiting decent ability, though nothing too noticeable.
At that time, Shirek was relatively low-key.
The purge of the Crime Investigation Department was actually very easy.
Shirek would contact them one by one, or arrange for people to monitor their actions.
Those whose ability was okay and hadn't colluded with the outside world would be kept.
As for the others, Shirek wouldn't alert the enemy.
He would directly station them elsewhere, concentrated in a certain Marine Base.
This was equivalent to exile.
After that, whether they lived or died had nothing to do with him.
This identity was originally secret information.
Shirek would directly erase their identity as Crime Investigation Department members, and no one would care.
After all, Sengoku would give him support.
Shirek had already integrated himself into the Marines.
In order to gain the absolute trust of the Marines and the World Government, Shirek had even already had a child.
The child had just turned one year old, named Higgins, born after the end of the Bloody Battle.
As for his wife, it was Mistral, who had followed him and joined the Marines.
She was a core member of the Dark Sun Cult he had subdued early on.
After graduating from the Elite Training Camp, she also returned to the North Blue to work, helping Shirek handle North Blue affairs.
Now, she had returned to Marine Headquarters with Shirek.
Mistral's potential was considered good on the Great Sea.
Becoming a Vice Admiral might be a bit difficult, but reaching Commodore or Rear Admiral was not a problem.
Her appearance was impeccable.
After all, Mistral actually came from a wealthy family, but her family was ruined and members killed because of pirates.
Plus, Mistral originally had this intention, so this matter just happened naturally.
Shirek also simply held a wedding, inviting Sakazuki and a few familiar friends to witness it.
Quite a few people knew about this, which was one of the main reasons Shirek was able to gain the trust of Headquarters.
Family and the bonds of kinship, is there anything more trustworthy than this?
After Shirek completely stabilized, after a few years, he would send Mistral and the child to the North Blue.
He didn't want his child to invest too much emotion in the Marines.
They would live in the Rear Area of Marineford, residing in the Small Town, avoiding contact with too many Marines.
Moreover, he didn't believe that Marine Headquarters was very safe.
In Shirek's view, only by receiving the kingdom's education could one have a true future.
As for Kyle, he was not far behind.
In the East Blue, he met a Noble girl named Ke'er.
What's interesting is that it was That Person, the Noble girl, who took a liking to Kyle and even specifically joined the Marines.
Gradually, the two became familiar, and Kyle didn't reject her.
Just like this, they confirmed their relationship.
Kyle actually didn't need to do this.
Because his identity was originally known clearly by the World Government.
But doing this also had benefits.
Under the gaze of the World Government, it represented that this Son of Hades was sincerely joining the Marines.
And the Kronos Kingdom was also showing closeness to the World Government.
Shirek and Kyle found their other halves during their work.
Who knows how many people in the Marines envied them.
Mistral was a bit humble in front of Shirek, but within the Marines, she was also the goddess of countless people.
Kiglar, who joined the Marines with them, is now also a Commodore-level Officer.
Seeing that Shirek and Kyle had both found their other halves, he also had similar ideas.
Planning within the Marines and gaining a firm foothold was destined to require decades of time.
During this period, he also couldn't neglect himself.
His ability was considered excellent.
Even without being as astonishing as Kyle and Shirek, he was still an elite of the younger generation within the Marines.
He planned to find a Marine Base to be stationed at long-term.
They had so many siblings, and to some extent, they were also influenced by Hades.
(end of chapter)
"Finally, back!"
Shirek gazed at the solemn and majestic Marine Headquarters, feeling a sense of emotion.
It had only been a year since the end of the Bloody Battle.
Yet, it felt like a very long time had passed.
The large Marine Warship slowly docked.
Warships, like floating fortresses, were important weapons for the Marines to maintain order on the Great Sea and provide deterrence against pirates.
Of course, in Shirek's eyes, they were just average.
The warships of the Kronos Kingdom were far superior to Marine Warships in terms of technology and destructive power.
Frankly, they weren't even on the same level.
However, Marine Warships were ostensibly the top-tier warships on the Great Sea.
They were considered a type of high-end warship.
Stepping off the warship.
Shirek looked at the Navy Officers from the North Blue who had returned with him.
"Let's gather later. I'll go report back to the Fleet Admiral's Office first."
Maintaining close relationships with colleagues naturally required a gathering at Headquarters.
Moreover, many companions hadn't seen each other for a long time.
At Headquarters, Navy Officers who had received the news in advance were also preparing a welcoming reception for Shirek and the others.
This kind of event was very common at Marine Headquarters.
Sometimes, going out on a mission could take several months to return.
For those who went to the Four Seas or were stationed at Navy Branches, it could take several years for longer assignments.
Although Shirek wasn't particularly enthusiastic about such gatherings, he never refused.
He needed to ensure his strength within the Marines.
On the way back, he had also contacted many relatively "close" friends.
Shirek was also thinking about who to bring in after the purge of the Crime Investigation Department.
Shirek knew too many friends.
With his powerful memory and the near-photographic memory ability he had developed through training,
He knew every single one of his friends, remembering their names, appearances, personalities, hobbies, and even their birth dates.
The seemingly aloof Shirek was actually someone with a cold exterior but a warm interior in the eyes of others.
He would always show care for others at the appropriate time.
During the Bloody Battle, he had also exhibited impressive combat power, saving the lives of countless Marines.
Just as Tsuru had said, when Kyle wasn't around, Shirek actually had many friends.
First of all, this matter could not be exposed.
If the identity of the Crime Investigation Department members were exposed, it would be meaningless.
They needed to possess strong stealth capability, psychological resilience, and even acting skills.
They needed to naturally enter various Navy Branches and monitor any possible illegal activities.
And if possible, they needed to gain the trust of those corrupt Marines and obtain the most direct criminal evidence.
This was their mission.
To be precise, their identity was that of Intelligence Officers and Spies.
However, the objects of surveillance were the Marines themselves.
Shirek was thinking about who would be suitable for this job.
While on the warship, he had already jotted down names, filling a small notebook.
There were quite a number, over five hundred Marines.
The majority were from the North Blue Navy, with the rest from Marine Headquarters.
Shirek naturally knew the North Blue Navy better, followed by Marine Headquarters.
He needed to invite them one by one.
Certainly, not everyone would join the new Crime Investigation Department, but a portion would be enough.
Everything is difficult at the start.
Shirek had already solved this beginning.
Next was the logical purge of the Crime Investigation Department, using the opportunity of transfers to place them in various Branches.
Sengoku had also proposed the idea of arranging some Intelligence Officers under his command.
He feared that Shirek would have difficulty carrying out his work, so he wanted to give him some help.
Without manpower, it would be like a tiger without teeth; he would have no authority, and no one would care about him.
He knew that Shirek would definitely purge the Crime Investigation Department, and the manpower shortage would need to be supplemented then.
However, Shirek refused.
He had already confirmed his personnel and didn't need others to plant spies in the Crime Investigation Department.
Even if there wasn't that intention, Shirek hoped that the Crime Investigation Department would be completely under his control.
Shirek also felt a sense of emotion in his heart.
Because, from now on, he would become the enemy of some Marines.
The news that he would become the Director of the Crime Investigation Department had not been exposed.
Only Sakazuki, Sengoku, and Chief of Staff Tsuru knew.
This kind of department was originally similar to the Intelligence Department, hidden in the shadows.
Besides being promoted to Marine Vice Admiral, Shirek also needed an ostensible identity, which was Chief of Staff.
He would be a member of the Staff Headquarters under Tsuru, making Tsuru his superior.
This identity was naturally real, making it convenient for Shirek to operate, essentially holding multiple positions.
The position of Chief of Staff was not surprising to others.
Back then, after graduation from the Elite Training Camp, before heading to the North Blue, he had worked in both the Intelligence Department and the Staff Headquarters, exhibiting decent ability, though nothing too noticeable.
At that time, Shirek was relatively low-key.
The purge of the Crime Investigation Department was actually very easy.
Shirek would contact them one by one, or arrange for people to monitor their actions.
Those whose ability was okay and hadn't colluded with the outside world would be kept.
As for the others, Shirek wouldn't alert the enemy.
He would directly station them elsewhere, concentrated in a certain Marine Base.
This was equivalent to exile.
After that, whether they lived or died had nothing to do with him.
This identity was originally secret information.
Shirek would directly erase their identity as Crime Investigation Department members, and no one would care.
After all, Sengoku would give him support.
Shirek had already integrated himself into the Marines.
In order to gain the absolute trust of the Marines and the World Government, Shirek had even already had a child.
The child had just turned one year old, named Higgins, born after the end of the Bloody Battle.
As for his wife, it was Mistral, who had followed him and joined the Marines.
She was a core member of the Dark Sun Cult he had subdued early on.
After graduating from the Elite Training Camp, she also returned to the North Blue to work, helping Shirek handle North Blue affairs.
Now, she had returned to Marine Headquarters with Shirek.
Mistral's potential was considered good on the Great Sea.
Becoming a Vice Admiral might be a bit difficult, but reaching Commodore or Rear Admiral was not a problem.
Her appearance was impeccable.
After all, Mistral actually came from a wealthy family, but her family was ruined and members killed because of pirates.
Plus, Mistral originally had this intention, so this matter just happened naturally.
Shirek also simply held a wedding, inviting Sakazuki and a few familiar friends to witness it.
Quite a few people knew about this, which was one of the main reasons Shirek was able to gain the trust of Headquarters.
Family and the bonds of kinship, is there anything more trustworthy than this?
After Shirek completely stabilized, after a few years, he would send Mistral and the child to the North Blue.
He didn't want his child to invest too much emotion in the Marines.
They would live in the Rear Area of Marineford, residing in the Small Town, avoiding contact with too many Marines.
Moreover, he didn't believe that Marine Headquarters was very safe.
In Shirek's view, only by receiving the kingdom's education could one have a true future.
As for Kyle, he was not far behind.
In the East Blue, he met a Noble girl named Ke'er.
What's interesting is that it was That Person, the Noble girl, who took a liking to Kyle and even specifically joined the Marines.
Gradually, the two became familiar, and Kyle didn't reject her.
Just like this, they confirmed their relationship.
Kyle actually didn't need to do this.
Because his identity was originally known clearly by the World Government.
But doing this also had benefits.
Under the gaze of the World Government, it represented that this Son of Hades was sincerely joining the Marines.
And the Kronos Kingdom was also showing closeness to the World Government.
Shirek and Kyle found their other halves during their work.
Who knows how many people in the Marines envied them.
Mistral was a bit humble in front of Shirek, but within the Marines, she was also the goddess of countless people.
Kiglar, who joined the Marines with them, is now also a Commodore-level Officer.
Seeing that Shirek and Kyle had both found their other halves, he also had similar ideas.
Planning within the Marines and gaining a firm foothold was destined to require decades of time.
During this period, he also couldn't neglect himself.
His ability was considered excellent.
Even without being as astonishing as Kyle and Shirek, he was still an elite of the younger generation within the Marines.
He planned to find a Marine Base to be stationed at long-term.
They had so many siblings, and to some extent, they were also influenced by Hades.
(end of chapter)
