One Piece: The True Codex

Upon arriving in Kalmar City aboard a Marine vessel, Nezumi and Gin were greeted by William, who handed over the captured and slain bounty targets to them. These criminals were to be presented to Marine headquarters as a contribution, furthering their standing within the organization.

Through his conversation with the two, William confirmed that Roy showed no suspicious behavior. This was a relief, as William knew that if Arcadio ever decided to turn against him, he would undoubtedly align with Roy and leverage the Marines' strength.

Nezumi was visibly pleased with the arrangement, but Gin appeared dissatisfied, especially in the presence of other Marine soldiers. Nezumi had already been promoted to the rank of Major, and these low-bounty criminals were of little use to him now. They would have been more beneficial to Gin, but since William, as their original captor, had not intervened in the distribution, Nezumi claimed the lion's share. As Gin's superior, Nezumi left him no choice but to comply.

After returning to the base, Gin parted ways with Nezumi, visibly displeased. Now that he had risen to the rank of officer, he was no longer as dependent on Nezumi as he had been as a mere soldier. He could express his dissatisfaction more freely.

Shortly after arriving at his quarters, Gin was informed that the base's commanding officer, Colonel Roy, wanted to see him.

Gin maintained an impassive demeanor as he followed his escort to Roy's office. Upon entering, he was surprised to find the man holding the highest authority in the base sitting on a small stool, meticulously polishing his leather shoes.

Standing beside Roy was his trusted aide, Captain Heller, who handed him tools as needed.

Roy, seated sideways to the door, glanced at Gin out of the corner of his eye as he entered. With a casual gesture, he pointed to another small stool nearby. "Sit."

The tone carried an implicit command.

Gin saluted smartly before awkwardly taking a seat on the stool, placing his hands on his knees and remaining silent.

Roy spared him a brief glance. "I heard you had some disagreements with Major Nezumi?"

Gin's heart sank. It was clear that Roy had placed informants around Nezumi and himself.

"No, sir," Gin denied.

"No?" Roy scoffed, returning his attention to his shoes. "Nezumi is a gluttonous fool. Spend enough time with him, and you'll see his true nature—greedy and utterly lacking self-awareness. It's perfectly normal to have conflicts with him. Getting along with him, now that would be abnormal. Don't you agree?"

Gin pursed his lips, feeling awkward. "Sir, speaking ill of one's superior isn't in line with Marine discipline."

"Remember this," Roy said, setting down the shoe brush and leather shoes and fixing his gaze on Gin. "In the entire 16th Branch, you have only one superior—and that's me. Understand?"

"...Understood, sir!"

"Nezumi can manage himself, but his family's influence doesn't extend far enough to interfere with my officers in the 16th Branch," Roy continued, resuming his shoe polishing. "I hear you're eager to transfer to Marine headquarters in the Grand Line? That requires a recommendation from the base's commanding officer. Nezumi can't help you with that."

Gin remained silent for a moment before repeating, "Understood, sir!"

Roy nodded in satisfaction, though it was unclear whether it was due to Gin's attitude or his now-polished shoes. "I also hear you're from the same hometown as Stolt?"

Gin froze for a moment, then hesitated before replying awkwardly, "If you don't want me to continue associating with them, sir..."

"No, maintain contact," Roy said meaningfully. "But if Nezumi or Stolt show any unusual behavior, report it to me."

Gin agreed readily, and Roy spent some time reinforcing his authority before dismissing him.

After Captain Heller closed the door behind Gin, he turned to Roy. "He's deeply involved with Stolt and his group. He's not trustworthy."

"Did I say I trusted him? He's just a pawn," Roy said, slipping on his freshly polished shoes and admiring himself in a full-length mirror. "I'm simply giving him a nudge, ensuring he reports to me whether he has something to say or not. Besides, if you were in Gin's shoes, constantly overshadowed by someone like Nezumi, would you be content?"

Roy smirked at Heller's lingering doubts, catching his reflection in the mirror. "I'm the highest-ranking officer in this base. Stolt is just a pirate. If Gin has any sense, he'll know which side to choose."

Roy's grin widened as he noticed Heller's hesitation. "Even if Gin is foolish enough to side with Stolt and follow the pirate's path to the bitter end, it doesn't matter. It just means I'll shift my focus from pressuring Gin to pressuring Stolt. Bit by bit, I'll push him until he can't hold out any longer."

...

After leaving Roy's office and ensuring no one was watching, Gin took out a Den Den Mushi and called William, relaying the details of his conversation with Roy.

"I think Roy's suspicions are growing. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a move against us soon. Why don't we strike first?" Gin suggested.

"No," William replied. "Nezumi is still a Major. If we kill Roy now, the Marines will likely send a high-ranking stranger to replace him. We can't afford to eliminate two consecutive commanding officers in such a short time—it would be far too suspicious."

After pondering for a moment, William added, "Roy won't act immediately. He still has to consider Arcadio's stance. But keep an eye on the base's armory, especially the movements of Seastone weapons. Be prepared to act at any moment, and if possible, replace the Seastone weapons before we make our move."

...

William, Colonel Roy, and Count Arcadio—three supposed allies—each harbored their own schemes and calculations. Despite the fragile nature of their alliance, they managed to maintain it for nearly a year.

At the beginning of the Sea Calendar Year 1510, in a mansion in High Town within the Goa Kingdom, the sound of a vase shattering echoed from a room on the second floor, followed by a string of curses. Servants passing through the corridor tread lightly, careful not to make any noise.

Outside the room, a well-dressed butler took a deep breath before knocking on the door. After the noise inside ceased, he announced loudly, "Sir, Bluejam has arrived at the estate."

"Let him in!"

The voice from inside carried an irritated tone, prompting the butler to hastily fetch the man waiting at the estate's entrance, wasting no time.

After announcing his arrival again, the door opened from within, revealing a pale, corpulent middle-aged nobleman. He glanced at the two men outside before dismissing the butler with a wave and forcing a smile at the other man. "Captain Bluejam, please come in."

The man addressed as Bluejam was tall and burly, his skin darkened by years of exposure to the elements. His casual attire starkly contrasted with the nobleman's formal wear and the butler's meticulous appearance. Despite his efforts to suppress it, his face remained visibly fierce. He grinned at the nobleman, revealing a mouthful of crooked teeth.

It was obvious—he was a pirate.

Bluejam, with his unsightly appearance and his Blue Sapphire Pirates, was infamous near the Goa Kingdom, much like William's Morgan Pirates near Navia Kingdom.

Unlike William, however, Bluejam genuinely aspired to become a noble. While William's desire for a noble title was largely a facade, Bluejam's yearning was entirely genuine.

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