"What the hell is going on? My nickname hasn't been decided yet? That birdman Morgans is useless," Luffy grumbled internally, frustration evident on his face.
Despite his irritation, Luffy quickly composed himself and addressed the group of serious-looking Marines standing before him.
"Let's celebrate later. First, we need to arrest these guys."
"Oh!" the Marines shouted in unison, their morale surging with Luffy's presence. His arrival energized them, filling them with renewed vigor. Without hesitation, they began rounding up the Kozuki soldiers who had surrendered, binding them with ropes and securing them with handcuffs.
Not far away, Darius and his group spotted Luffy and couldn't contain their relief. Overjoyed, they hurried to approach him, but before they could close the distance, a flash of lightning illuminated the battlefield.
In an instant, Luffy appeared before them, his movements so swift they defied comprehension.
"There are still rebels on your left and right flanks. Round up your soldiers and deal with them together," Luffy instructed firmly.
Darius, momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance, quickly snapped to attention. Without hesitation, he nodded and relayed the orders to his men.
As Cookie and Leo reluctantly left to lead their teams, Darius turned back to Luffy, saluted sharply, and introduced himself with a steady voice:
"Vice Admiral Luffy, I am Rear Admiral Darius, the temporary commander of our Marine forces in Wano Country. On behalf of all the Marines stationed here, I welcome you."
Luffy smiled, extending his hand in a gesture of camaraderie.
"Rear Admiral Darius, thank you for your efforts while I was away," he said warmly.
Caught off guard by the gesture, Darius hesitated for a moment before clasping Luffy's hand with both of his own, bowing his head modestly.
"No, no, I've failed in my duties. The situation in Wano Country is a mess. It's shameful that you had to personally intervene. I'm truly sorry," Darius said, lowering his head further, guilt evident in his tone.
When the Fleet Admiral first assigned him to Wano, things had been manageable. But not long after, rebellions broke out across the land, plunging the region into chaos. Darius knew that as the acting commander, the responsibility ultimately fell on his shoulders.
Luffy placed a reassuring hand on Darius's forearm, shaking his head with a calm smile.
"These things happen. No one could have predicted that a ghost thought long dead would resurface and dare to challenge the Marine. Even I can't foresee everything. Don't blame yourself for something beyond your control."
Darius, a seasoned Marine officer, felt the tension in his chest ease at Luffy's words. He straightened up, his worries beginning to dissipate.
Luffy proceeded to shake hands with Captains Macaron, Fruit Milk, and Dove, getting to know them one by one. Macaron and Fruit Milk, though clearly excited to meet the Marine legend, managed to maintain their composure.
When it was Captain Dev's turn, however, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Captain Dev eagerly grabbed Luffy's outstretched hand with both of his own, shaking it enthusiastically. His eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Vice Admiral Luffy! I'm Captain Dev from headquarters, and I'm a graduate of the Marine's elite training camp. You probably don't remember, but we spoke briefly during training!"
Luffy blinked, momentarily taken aback by Dev's exuberance. His mind raced to recall the details. Thankfully, his sharp memory came to the rescue.
"Ah, Captain Dev! I remember now. You're two years ahead of me. When I first arrived at the training camp, I got lost, and you helped me find my way," Luffy said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Dev's face lit up with joy, tears welling in his eyes.
"You remembered! I can die happy now!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion.
As Dev continued to gush, Luffy carefully withdrew his hand, his expression tinged with unease. What's with this guy? He looks normal enough, but does he have some… peculiar tendencies?
"Ahem," Darius interrupted with a pointed cough, his face flushed with secondhand embarrassment. "Vice Admiral Luffy, what are your plans next? Shall I arrange a place for you to rest?"
Luffy waved off the suggestion.
"No need for rest," he said, turning his gaze toward the Flower Capital. His sharp eyes seemed to pierce through the miles, locking onto the figure of Kozuki Sukiyaki within the Shogun's Castle.
"As long as that bastard Shogun remains in power, this chaos won't end. Pass on my orders: leave some soldiers to guard the prisoners, and have the rest regroup. We're heading directly to the Flower Capital!"
The sheer resolve and murderous intent in Luffy's voice sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. Darius, Dev, and the others instinctively straightened, their bodies taut with tension.
"Yes, sir!" they responded in unison, their voices firm.
Darius quickly took charge of handling the prisoners, while Macaron, Fruit Milk, and Dev organized their subordinates, leaving some Marines to secure the area.
Before long, Captains Cookie and Leo returned to the camp, escorting a long line of captured rebels.
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