Chapter Sixty-Six: The Damned Celestial Dragons

"Karp, your hometown has produced another remarkable figure!"
Grand Line, Marineford Navy Headquarters, inside the office of Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Sengoku rubbed his brow as he read the report from Smoker in Loguetown, feeling a headache coming on.
In this report, Smoker seemed, perhaps due to favors received from Roland, to be singing Roland's praises non-stop.
He wrote that Roland was formidable, loyal to the Navy, and possessed the powers of a Devil Fruit.
More importantly, the boy's father was also a member of the Navy.
Normally, Sengoku would have recruited such a promising talent without hesitation, and even given him special attention.
But the crux of the problem was another point noted in Smoker's report: Roland had a highly developed sense of justice.
For justice’s sake, he dared to take action against corrupt Navy officers, even though he himself was not yet a member of the Navy.
One of those officers—a colonel—had even died during the conflict.
This was a blatant slap in the face.
Sengoku did not dislike such justice, yet the Navy itself was far from pure.
Besides safeguarding justice and world harmony, they had another role: lapdogs of the Celestial Dragons.
Sengoku disliked the term himself, but it was true.
Whenever the Celestial Dragons encountered trouble, the Navy was compelled to dispatch their top Admirals to rescue them.
"What's the matter? Has another big pirate appeared in East Blue?"
Karp, munching on rice crackers, paid Sengoku's worries no mind. Even if a big pirate did appear, what of it? If he happened to run into them on a visit home, he’d deal with them easily—no big deal.
"It's not a pirate, but rather someone in the Navy."
Sengoku handed the report to Karp, his words tinged with resignation.
Why were all the people coming out of East Blue so troublesome?
Roger, Karp, and Karp's son, Dragon.
One was the Pirate King, who, even in public execution, ushered in the era of great pirates.
Another, though a Navy hero, ignored the Celestial Dragons entirely.
The last was even more formidable—the world's most notorious criminal, the revolutionary Dragon, determined to bring down the World Government.
Now came Roland, overflowing with a sense of justice, whose future actions were unpredictable.
"Come on, Sengoku, you're overthinking. A talented and capable kid wanting to join the Navy—isn't that a good thing? Why look so troubled?"
"If you're unhappy because he detained two branch colonels without orders, just blame it on me. Anyway, I'll be heading home soon to visit my no-good grandson."
To Karp, Sengoku's worries were unnecessary.
A capable and gifted youth wanting to join the Navy was surely better than becoming a pirate.
Even if he requested the rank of headquarters lieutenant colonel and wanted to bring along a few of his own, such demands were hardly excessive.
If he had the ability, he deserved the corresponding position.
Sengoku understood Karp’s blunt approach better than anyone. Hoping for useful advice from him was less fruitful than hoping for guidance from his pet goat.
Still rubbing his brow, Sengoku slumped in his chair.
He understood what Karp meant—a talented youth joining the Navy was better than him becoming a pirate.
But that was precisely what troubled him.
Letting the boy become a pirate was out of the question for Sengoku.
Accepting him into the Navy, however, raised the fear that he could become another Dragon.
"Damn Celestial Dragons."
Sengoku cursed quietly, but finally signed his name on the report, approving Smoker's request.
...
"Vice Admiral, bad news."
In another office at headquarters, a marine burst in, visibly anxious.
"What is it? Why the fuss?"
Behind the desk, a vice admiral wearing a mouse-head cap slowly turned around.
"Colonel Mouse of Branch 16—your younger brother—something's happened to him."
The marine placed the report on the vice admiral’s desk, feeling nervous.
"My brother's in trouble?"
The vice admiral narrowed his eyes, releasing a sudden murderous aura that pressed heavily upon the marine.
He picked up the report and read line by line, until he reached "Colonel Mouse of Branch 16, discovered colluding with pirates by Roland, died tragically in combat." Only then did the killing intent slowly fade.
The vice admiral remained silent, terrifying the marine even more, for he knew his superior’s temperament well.
If the vice admiral raged, it meant he wasn't truly angry—just venting.
But when he was this calm, it meant he was genuinely furious, in a way no one could ease.
The atmosphere in the office grew oppressive, making it hard for the marine to breathe.
"Vice Admiral Tucky, please calm down. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has already approved the boy’s request, officially appointing him as headquarters lieutenant colonel. If you act now, the consequences..."
The marine’s voice dwindled under Tucky's narrowed gaze, feeling as if a mountain weighed upon him.
Cold sweat poured from his brow, soaking his uniform.
"Alright, I understand. You may leave now. Remember—some words are best left unspoken."
After staring at the marine for a long moment, Tucky finally spoke as if nothing had happened, giving a mild warning.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Tucky!"
The marine fled the office and left without looking back.
"Roland—a Devil Fruit user, is he?"
Gazing at the photo attached to the report, Tucky’s lips curled into a faint smile.
This matter looked rather interesting.
...
East Blue, Loguetown, inside the Navy base.
Roland, instructing young Donna in swordsmanship, was somewhat surprised to hear the news.
He had mentioned the matter to Smoker, but hadn’t expected that the seemingly upright man would handle such a dirty affair so deftly.
In just one night, Colonel Mouse had vanished.
"Are you Captain Bell?"
After sending Donna off to practice on her own, Roland turned to the newcomer.
It was none other than the captain who had surrounded him and his group at the port yesterday. According to Smoker, this was his trusted aide.
Thus, he should be reliable.
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Roland."
Bell saluted.
Smoker had told him everything about Roland, so Bell felt both respect and envy.
So young and already appointed lieutenant colonel by Navy headquarters—he couldn’t help but be jealous.
He himself had served for more than a decade, yet remained only a captain.
"The appointment hasn’t arrived yet."
Roland smiled and shook his head. Though Smoker had submitted the report, the formal appointment hadn’t been issued, so he wasn’t officially a Navy officer yet.
"May I ask, how did you deal with that Mouse fellow?"
Roland lowered his voice, leaning in toward Bell.
He cared about this, for Mouse’s true fate was important to him.
"Lieutenant Colonel Roland, you’d best ask Captain Smoker yourself about such matters. I’m not at liberty to disclose." Bell coughed twice, and after confirming they were alone, added quietly, "But rest assured—Mouse is dead. I handled it personally; you needn’t worry about any surprises."
"Then I can rest easy!"