One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral

Despite the rough waves on the sea, Zephyr's voice reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity.

"No matter what methods you use, you just need to complete the task within half a month. Your final rankings will be determined by the total bounties of the pirates you hunt. If you cooperate to take down an enemy, the bounty will be split equally."

"Secondly, during this mission, I won't provide much protection. Unless you're on the verge of death, I won't intervene. And since the island is vast, even if you do encounter danger, I might not be able to reach you in time. So I hope you're mentally prepared—prepared to die during this mission!"

Zephyr's words left everyone tense.

For most of them, who had never experienced real combat, the pressure of taking down a pirate crew with a combined bounty nearing a hundred million was no small matter.

After speaking, Zephyr fell silent.

The only sound left was the waves crashing against the shore, leaving an eerie stillness in the air.

Binz was the first to break the silence, addressing the fellow soldiers still on the beach.

"This mission is extremely difficult—clearly not something anyone can handle alone. Moreover, Zephyr-sensei specifically mentioned the bounty-sharing system for teamwork, which seems like a deliberate hint that we should stick together and avoid going solo. Therefore, I recommend Jake as our commander for this operation. His strength has already been demonstrated, and he's undoubtedly the strongest among us by a wide margin."

Before Jake could respond to Binz's words, Smoker cut in bluntly.

"Anyone who doesn't like it can leave. If you think you can solo a pirate crew with a ninety-million bounty, feel free to go."

Listening to his two companions, Jake felt a headache coming on.

These two idiots weren't recruiting allies—they were just stirring up resentment.

This wasn't how you convinced people to cooperate.

Seeing the slight frowns on everyone's faces, Jake stepped forward and spoke in the gentlest tone he could muster.

"This mission is tough. Going alone makes you an easy target for those cunning pirates to pick off one by one. Smoker's words were impulsive and I apologize on his behalf. But I sincerely ask everyone to work together. Before rankings, we're classmates. Before completing the mission, we're all part of the Marine. We fight for justice—not for scores."

Jake's words were nicely spoken, calming the previously resentful marines who now looked at him with respect.

As the surrounding marines gradually gathered around him, Jake let out a sigh of relief and addressed them.

"This mission is highly challenging. While we cannot act alone, we also cannot operate in large groups. In a place like the Prince Kingdom, a sudden influx of unfamiliar faces moving together would immediately draw suspicion. What we need to do is divide into smaller units while still maintaining cohesion."

A boy with a spiky topknot looked at Jake in confusion and asked.

"Then what exactly are we supposed to do? First, you tell us not to act alone, but now you say we can't move as a group—isn't that contradictory? I'm not the brightest, so I might be blunt—hope you don't mind."

The boy spoke sincerely and Jake naturally wouldn't blame him for it—after all, he wasn't the type to accuse others of having a "death wish."

Faced with the boy's question, Jake patiently explained.

"It's simple. We still act collectively, but we need to limit the group size. I've reviewed the intel on the Prince Kingdom. Because it's a long-standing hub for 'Hero' (Short words for heroin) trade, many merchants come here to purchase goods and laborers arrive seeking work. Unfamiliar faces aren't uncommon here."

"What we need to do is split into several small teams, dividing our large group into smaller units. Each team will elect a leader and every two days, the leaders will meet to exchange intel and collectively decide when to close the net. Let me reiterate—the key point of this mission isn't killing pirates, but protecting civilians."

"Our purpose in killing pirates is to protect civilians, not to earn points. I hope everyone keeps this in mind. You have five minutes to form your teams and elect a leader to report to me for registration. Each team should have around six members—too many will draw pirate attention, too few will leave you vulnerable to ambush."

"Additionally, if there are no objections, I will serve as the overall commander. Team leaders must not withhold intel or act recklessly in future exchanges."

"Otherwise, even if the mission succeeds, I will personally ostracize you afterward and report you to the higher up until you leave the Marines. Also, if any of you encounter an unsolvable problem, I will be the first to charge forward."

"At the same time, my Devil Fruit has powerful healing abilities. If you suffer severe injuries, don't think about trading one-for-one. You are outstanding Marines, the people's shield—exchanging lives with trash like pirates is worthless in my eyes. Whether it's one-for-one or one-for-a-hundred, ten thousand ants' lives aren't worth a single human's."

Listening to Jake's words that mixed the stick with the carrot, the trust in him among the group visibly grew.

Before Jake voiced those potentially offensive remarks, everyone had been worried.

If any squad disobeyed orders and acted independently for points, it could drag other teams down or even put them in danger.

Now, with Jake's assurance, they felt much more at ease.

As for Jake's later promise about medical treatment, it further solidified the soldiers' loyalty to him.

After all, on the battlefield, Jake's abilities meant a second life.

[Dungeon and Fighters female crusader literally have a skill call resurrection which can resurrect an ally]

Combined with his formidable strength, no one had any objections to his leadership.

****

Meanwhile, aboard the warship, Zephyr watched Jake with a smile, murmuring to himself.

"As expected of a Conqueror's Haki wielder. Show me more surprises, Jake!"

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