Performance bonuses?
Overtime pay?
Project investment?
What in the world was this?
Normally, a challenge like this would end after a fight, an apology, and maybe a few compliments.
Who would’ve thought it would end with someone being asked to apply for performance bonuses and secure funding for a major project?
If Chaton had known there were this many procedures involved...
He never would’ve acted on impulse.
"Vice Admiral Chaton."
Lucas smiled as he stuffed another roujiamo into Chaton’s hands.
"We’re all one family in the Marines."
"With your help promoting this project, I’m sure it’ll be a great success."
"So I’ll leave the performance bonus application and project funding to you."
Then he suddenly asked,
"By the way... how long have you been in the Marines?"
The atmosphere immediately grew awkward.
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Chaton’s adjutant hurriedly stepped forward.
"Admiral Lucas."
"Vice Admiral Chaton has served as a Vice Admiral for ten years."
"He has also been an Admiral Candidate for three years."
"With his strength, becoming an Admiral is only a matter of time."
"May I ask... why you’re asking?"
Everyone unconsciously became tense again.
The battle earlier had completely convinced them of Lucas’s strength.
But if he intended to keep mocking Chaton after winning so decisively...
It would be going a little too far.
"Ten years as a Vice Admiral?"
Lucas’s eyes lit up.
"Hahaha!"
"Vice Admiral Chaton, hearing that puts my mind at ease."
"You’ve been a Vice Admiral for ten years."
"You must’ve saved quite a bit of money."
"Probably even your retirement fund."
"This whole challenge was your idea."
"So..."
"The destroyed plaza."
"The Gates of Justice."
"I’ll leave the repair costs to you."
"You know, I just became an Admiral."
"I haven’t even received my first month’s salary yet."
"You wouldn’t want to bankrupt a junior officer, would you?"
"Oh, and today’s still my day off."
"If there’s nothing else..."
"I’m heading home."
Everyone stood frozen.
Watching Lucas casually wave without another glance before walking away...
They couldn’t help but stare.
What exactly had they been expecting?
Had they overthought everything...
Or had this Admiral truly fallen headfirst into a pit of money?
Otherwise...
How could his train of thought differ so completely from everyone else’s?
They’d expected him to lecture Chaton.
Instead...
The first thing out of his mouth was compensation.
Just as the rumors said.
If anyone wanted to cause trouble for the Fourth Admiral in the future...
They’d better make sure their wallet was thick enough first.
"A-Admiral Lucas..."
Chaton’s expression stiffened as he looked at the roujiamo in his hands.
"Can I... not accept this?"
The sandwich suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
Then he looked back at the ruined plaza.
Wait...
Was Lucas planning to make him pay for yesterday’s damage too?
A rough estimate flashed through his mind.
Completely repairing both the plaza...
And the Gates of Justice...
Would probably cost at least one billion Berries.
That would wipe out every last bit of his savings.
Even the money he’d been setting aside for marriage.
"Admiral Lucas."
Gion couldn’t help speaking up.
"With your strength, you could simply travel to the New World."
"There are countless pirates with enormous bounties."
"As an Admiral, you’re authorized to claim one hundred percent of the bounty."
"Wouldn’t that be much better than worrying about salary and performance bonuses?"
The World Government’s bounty system primarily existed as a way to encourage civilians and outside forces to hunt dangerous pirates.
For Marines...
Capturing pirates usually counted more toward military merit than personal wealth.
Of course, Marines could choose to exchange their military merit for bounty money.
However, depending on rank, they generally received only ten to fifty percent of the official bounty.
The remainder was automatically converted into military achievements.
Admirals, however, were exempt from that restriction.
They could claim the entire bounty if they wished.
Even so...
Someone who had already reached the rank of Admiral normally valued military achievements far more than money.
Besides...
To preserve the Marine Headquarters’ public image...
Most Admirals would probably accept nothing more than a ceremonial banner, a certificate of commendation, and perhaps a symbolic monetary reward.
Otherwise...
If even Admirals started openly hunting pirates for cash...
What kind of example would that set for the Marines?
Someone like Lucas—
An Admiral obsessed with salaries, bonuses, and every last Berry—
Was something they had never encountered before.
"Hunting pirates for bounty money?"
Lucas took another sip of baijiu.
Honestly...
He wanted to.
It was the fastest way to accumulate wealth.
Unfortunately...
His system was incredibly stubborn.
It only recognized income directly related to his salary.
Otherwise...
He would’ve already sailed across the seas collecting bounties.
With a helpless sigh, Lucas shook his head.
"I’m sorry."
"A gentleman earns his wealth through proper means."
"A qualified salaryman doesn’t earn extra income."
"Besides..."
"Getting paid without having to do anything..."
"Isn’t that the dream?"
He waved toward Chaton again.
"Vice Admiral Chaton."
"I’ll leave the performance bonus application with Fleet Admiral Sengoku to you."
Everyone present turned to stone.
A gentleman earns his wealth through proper means?
A salaryman doesn’t earn extra income?
He was ignoring oceans of bounty money...
Just to focus on his paycheck and performance bonuses?
Had he really fallen so deeply into the money pit?
More importantly...
Nine-to-five.
Weekends off.
Overtime resentment strong enough to kill people.
Was this really what a salaryman was supposed to be?
It felt like Lucas came from an entirely different world.
Gion opened her mouth to speak...
Only to exchange a bitter glance with Chaton.
Neither could think of another word to say.
At that moment...
They finally understood why they had never become Admirals.
Perhaps...
They simply lacked the essential quality of being completely unreliable.
As for that billion-Berry repair bill...
There was no escaping it.
"Lucas."
Garp stared blankly before finally shaking his head with a laugh.
"You brat..."
"You’re even better at being a salaryman than I am."
Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have bothered saying anything else.
But remembering Sengoku’s instructions from the previous day, Garp quickly called out.
"Don’t leave just yet."
"Sengoku has a mission for you."
"He said those Celestial Dragon scum deserved the beating."
"But..."
"You still turned one of them into a pig-headed mess."
"So he’s assigning you a new mission."
"You’ll be leaving Marine Headquarters for a while to avoid the spotlight."
"I’ve already brought your mission orders."
"Take them..."
"And set sail immediately."
"As for those Celestial Dragon idiots..."
"Sengoku will handle them."
"Once things calm down..."
"You can come back."
Garp’s booming voice echoed throughout the plaza.
After witnessing Lucas’s complete lack of reliability...
The once notoriously unreliable Garp suddenly seemed...
Surprisingly dependable.
That impression, however, lasted only a moment.
Because he had just loudly referred to the Celestial Dragons as "scum" in front of everyone.
How exactly were they supposed to react to that?
Gion and Chaton could only smile bitterly as they looked at the utterly unconcerned Garp.
Then...
The exact same absurd thought surfaced in both of their minds.
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