One Piece: My code name is Green Bull

"Borsalino, let me ask you something—what happened to the people who were with me on the mission? Are they all okay?"

After chatting for a bit, Jon finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind the most. Up until now, he still didn't know how many of the soldiers who had sailed with him had survived Big Mom's pursuit.

As soon as he heard the question, Borsalino's usual lazy demeanor vanished, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Jon, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but out of the entire crew on your ship, fewer than ten people made it back to G-1 Base. The rest… are presumed dead."

Jon's face went pale. His lips trembled, and his hands shook slightly. For a moment, he was at a complete loss for words.

He had already considered this possibility, but hearing it confirmed still felt like a punch to the gut.

He had led over 800 soldiers into that mission, and now, fewer than ten had returned. The sheer scale of the loss was staggering.

"What about Pemberton? Gion?"

Now that the situation was this grim, the only thing Jon cared about was the fate of his closest comrades.

Borsalino replied, "Pemberton and Gion were lucky—they made it back safely. There are a few others as well, but I don't know them very well, so I'm not sure about their status."

Jon exhaled slightly, feeling a sense of relief amidst the overwhelming grief. It was a small comfort, but at this point, he had no choice but to cling to it.

"Jon, you should brace yourself for what's coming," Borsalino suddenly warned.

Jon frowned. "What do you mean?"

Borsalino's expression remained serious. "Your mission was a disaster. The casualties were severe, and many of the fallen soldiers came from important backgrounds. Their families aren't taking this lightly—they've already made a fuss at G-1 Base. Vice Admiral Tsuru managed to keep things under control for now, but they won't let it go that easily. Eventually, all the blame will fall on you."

Jon fell silent. He knew that Vice Admiral Tsuru had handpicked elite soldiers for his unit, and now, nearly all of them were gone. He was the one responsible.

"This was my fault. I underestimated Big Mom's crew. When I get back, I'll accept whatever punishment comes my way."

This mission had originally been a golden opportunity for him to prove himself, but it had ended in disaster—something no one could have predicted.

Borsalino patted Jon's shoulder and laughed. "Don't stress too much. Even if people try to come after you, I'll have your back. Worst case, you can stick with me. Once I become an admiral, getting you promoted to vice admiral will be a piece of cake."

Jon shot him a look. He knew Borsalino was trying to lighten the mood, so he didn't take it to heart.

In truth, he wasn't too concerned about his punishment. He had powerful connections, and his Devil Fruit abilities made him a valuable asset. Even if Fleet Admiral Kong wanted to punish him, it wouldn't be too severe.

What truly weighed on his mind was the overwhelming guilt he felt for the fallen soldiers.

And it made him hate Big Mom's crew even more.

Jon and Borsalino soon arrived back at G-1 Base. The moment Jon set foot on land, he didn't waste time—he headed straight to Vice Admiral Tsuru to report in.

"You finally made it back. I almost thought you weren't coming back at all."

Tsuru's voice was strict, but there was a hint of relief in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?"

Jon lowered his head, his expression filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Vice Admiral. This was entirely my fault. Whatever punishment awaits me, I won't complain."

"It's good that you understand."

Tsuru sighed, her tone still stern. "Let this be a lesson to you—in the New World, you can never afford to be careless. Your overconfidence is what led to this disaster. I don't get to decide your punishment—that will be determined when you return to Marine Headquarters."

Jon nodded. "I understand, Vice Admiral. I have no excuse for failing you."

He truly felt guilty. Tsuru had placed great trust in him, but instead of bringing back victory, he had brought her problems.

Tsuru let out a deep sigh. Her strict demeanor softened slightly.

"Jon, if I were speaking to you purely as your superior officer, I would say that I am very disappointed in you. But if I were speaking to you as an elder, I would say that this was an important lesson for you—one that will make you stronger in the long run. Unfortunately, the price you paid for this lesson was far too high."

Jon clenched his fists.

If not for his unique abilities, he would have died as well.

"There's something else you need to think about carefully. If people ask how you escaped Big Mom's forces and how you got away from the Roger Pirates—how are you going to explain yourself?"

Jon blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"Vice Admiral… you mean?"

Tsuru's expression turned serious again.

"Big Mom and Roger are two of the most notorious pirates in the New World. You escaped from both of them. That fact alone is going to raise a lot of suspicion. You need to prepare a solid explanation."

Jon's brow furrowed.

Was he under investigation because of this?

Were they going to interrogate him just because he had survived?

"There's no point in lying at this stage, Vice Admiral. I'll tell the truth. My Devil Fruit abilities have evolved—I can now survive underwater by absorbing oxygen like a plant. That's how I lasted so long in the ocean without drowning. As for Roger… I escaped by exploiting a moment of chaos and using my Tree World Birth ability to wreck his ship."

Jon gave a full explanation of his escape, detailing everything without leaving anything out.

After listening carefully, Tsuru nodded.

"I believe you. But once we return to Marine Headquarters, you'll still need to go through the official review process. Don't worry—I'll vouch for you. As long as nothing unexpected happens, you should be fine."

Jon let out a silent breath of relief.

"There's also one more important matter. The intelligence you gathered is highly valuable. Now it makes sense why Roger went after Big Mom—it was all for the Poneglyphs."

Tsuru's expression grew heavier.

This revelation was crucial to the Marines.

Now that they knew Roger was actively seeking the Road Poneglyphs, they needed to report this to Marine Headquarters immediately.

"Go get some rest. In a few days, you'll return to Marine Headquarters with me. Until then, don't go wandering off."

"Yes, Vice Admiral."

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