BOOM!
A thunderous collision echoed through the entire fortress.
Waves of seawater surged into the air, crashing down like torrential rain, shaking everyone standing unsteadily in the storm back to full awareness.
And when they looked toward the source…
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
The colossal Gates of Justice had been blasted open—not by artillery, not by sea kings, but by a human body.
They'd seen many ways of opening doors in their time.
But this? This was a first.
And standing at the epicenter of it all, still in the same spot, not having moved so much as a single finger—
Luo Yu, calm as ever.
Any doubts the veteran Marines had harbored about the newly appointed Admiral's strength instantly vanished.
He hadn't even moved… and yet, a single punch had sent Vice Admiral Chaton, a top-tier admiral candidate, hurtling through the gates and into the fortress walls.
Was there any need for further proof?
Everyone instinctively turned to Luo Yu.
They were desperate to see what he would do next.
But just as they looked, the suffocating pressure that had filled the plaza moments ago suddenly dissipated, like a storm retreating.
Luo Yu casually pulled out his half-eaten roujiamo (meat bun), tossed one to Garp, and took a sip of wine with a faint smile.
"Old man Garp, I hope you weren't just bluffing earlier," Luo Yu said lightly. "I'm counting on you to help file for my overtime bonuses. I'm practically running on fumes these days."
"Oh, and I had an idea just now—for a massive new project. I think it can be partnered with Zephyr-sensei's Marine Academy."
"I even have a name: Admiral Training Initiative. Led by an actual admiral, personal sparring guaranteed. Complete it in a hundred days and you'll be certified to go out in the field."
"Not just reaching the top... we'll be producing top-tier warriors!"
"The fees won't be high. For each participant, just increase my salary a little. If they perform well, give me performance bonuses. If the whole group passes, throw in a project commission."
"Old man Garp, you think Sengoku will invest?"
Garp froze.
The meat bun in his hand suddenly felt very heavy.
What the hell kind of business pitch was this?
Why did it feel like he was being recruited into a pyramid scheme?!
They were literally in the aftermath of a battle where an admiral candidate had been used as a battering ram, embedded into the fortress like a wall ornament.
Who the hell would dare join Luo Yu's "training program" now?
"Alright then… who wants to sign up?" Luo Yu asked, casually taking another bite of his bun, eyes scanning the crowd.
The atmosphere turned stiff.
This project proposal wasn't out of ambition—it was born of desperation.
Being forced to work overtime had triggered Luo Yu's "Overtime Mode", maxing out his anger.
If his regular strength during working hours could be rated at 100%...
Then under overtime conditions, fueled by deep worker's resentment, it soared to 200%.
Double the strength.
According to his system, the longer the overtime, the greater the power output.
And the only cap?
Was his accumulated salary and performance bonuses.
The system even calculated overtime consumption—one million Berries per minute.
That's when Luo Yu realized…
He was broke.
A whole month of dutiful clock-ins couldn't cover even five minutes of overtime.
And for any man, lasting only five minutes was nothing short of a tragedy.
Thankfully, since this was his first forced overtime, the system counted it as a free trial.
Otherwise, Luo Yu figured he would've been drained dry by now.
Which was why he'd proposed the "project"—a way to legitimately earn overtime power-ups.
But as his eyes swept the crowd…
Everyone immediately averted their gaze, faces pale.
Even Chaton, empowered by his Ancient Zoan: Golden Gorilla form, had been one-punched into the fortress and was now embedded in the wall like a painting.
Who would dare risk their life sparring with this guy?
And what they were really wondering was: how would Luo Yu handle Chaton now?
No one expected him to casually pitch a business proposal right after.
Gion quickly stepped forward, finally breaking the heavy silence.
"Garp-san, you're here? I thought Admiral Kizaru would've arrived first," she said.
"But… Vice Admiral Chaton was too reckless this time. If he hadn't insisted on challenging Admiral Luo Yu, we wouldn't have ended up in this embarrassing situation."
"Hahaha, Gion, don't take it so hard," Garp laughed heartily, clearly grateful for the topic shift. "This kid didn't climb the ranks step by step like the others. It's normal for people to question him."
"As for Chaton, he's been holding in a grudge because of you, so letting it out in a fight might've done him some good."
"Besides, he's got that Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit. Golden Gorillas are famous for their absurd defense. That punch might've looked terrifying, but it won't cause any real damage."
"Don't forget—he's an admiral candidate. If he can't even take one punch, what face would he have left?"
Laughter echoed through the plaza.
Tashigi and the others finally let out a breath of relief.
They didn't want Luo Yu getting into trouble over this.
Back at the fortress, deep in the shattered wall of the main building, Chaton twitched.
The pain was intense.
Even a slight movement of his fingers pulled at every nerve in his body.
Three of his ribs were broken.
If not for his Zoan fruit's monstrous recovery and natural defense, he was certain that punch would've critically injured him.
And Garp had the nerve to say it was "no big deal"?
He'd been blown away twice without Luo Yu even lifting a hand properly.
That kind of strength and technique…
Was already on par with the three existing admirals.
What's worse, Luo Yu's bizarre fighting style only made him seem even more unfathomable.
Thud!
With a grimace, Chaton jumped down from the wall and landed heavily on the platform inside the gate.
His gorilla form faded, and although covered in soot and dirt, he wasn't too badly injured.
He took a deep breath and, after a few bounds, returned to stand before Garp and Luo Yu.
Snapping into a salute, he said sincerely:
"Admiral Luo Yu… I, Chaton, admit defeat. I was reckless earlier. I hope you won't hold it against me."
"If punishment is necessary, I'll accept it."
"Garp-san, please put in a good word for me. I don't want Admiral Luo Yu to hold a grudge."
"Hahaha! Chaton, don't underestimate this kid's heart," Garp chuckled, clapping him hard on the back.
"He's got no grudges—only an unhealthy obsession with clocking in and out on time."
"But since you've shown this much sincerity, you just saved me some paperwork."
"I already promised him I'd ask Sengoku to approve his overtime pay."
"Oh—and that project he mentioned? Go check if Sengoku's willing to invest."
"If he says yes, this kid might even buy you lunch."