Starting as a pirate, he rose to become the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Chapter 9 Smoker: Would you like to consider joining our navy?

Bane followed Smoker to his office at the naval base, where Smoker instructed his men to collect the money.

Just as Bane had guessed, Smoker was fair and didn't intend to embezzle the bounty or make things difficult for Bane by asking him to provide any proof.

This may also indicate that the Navy's current attitude towards him is relatively friendly.

And Smoker's response certainly proved this point.

With three cigars in his mouth, Smoker poured Bane a cup of tea and then sat down on the sofa in a very casual manner.

"Speaking of which, I'm a little curious. Was that dark-related ability you used before a Devil Fruit you stole from the Whitebeard Pirates?" Smoker started a conversation, taking the opportunity to inquire about more information.

Bane sipped his tea, making no attempt to hide anything. The fruit's ability would eventually be known, and given the Navy's positive attitude, there might be room for future cooperation. Showing goodwill wouldn't hurt.

"That's right, it was indeed stolen from the Whitebeard Pirates; it's a Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit," Bane replied.

"A Logia type?" Smoker was slightly surprised, after all, he himself was a Logia type, so he knew how rare Logia types were.

Therefore, in his assessment, Bane's potential and value were even higher.

Without asking any further questions—it would be too impolite to delve any deeper—Smoker changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, our Navy has never heard of your deeds before. It seems you were a law-abiding citizen before, or did you only recently become a pirate hunter?"

"Well, to be precise, Sachi was my first achievement," Bane replied casually.

"I see, that's quite an achievement," Smoker said, slightly stiffly.

He wanted to befriend Bane, but he was a straightforward person and not one to say nice things. If he really wanted to compliment Bane, he couldn't come up with any fresh words.

Unable to think of anything else to say, Smoker decided to get straight to the point. After a slight pause, he looked at Bane and said earnestly, "To be honest, our Navy has always held a friendly attitude towards and greatly welcomes civilian experts like yourself who are of noble character, upright conduct, hate evil, and possess great strength. The profession of pirate hunter is not bad, but it certainly cannot compare with the future of our Navy. As a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, you also have the combat achievement of killing the Whitebeard Pirates' captain. If you are willing to join our Navy, I believe that Headquarters will definitely be willing to give you a very sincere offer."

Bane hadn't expected that Smoker would invite him to join the Navy so soon after they met.

As for whether I'm interested in the navy, the answer is definitely yes.

After all, the Navy possesses a massive military force and is known as the overlord of the seas, wielding widespread influence on the oceans. It's good to have a powerful backer, and if he were to infiltrate the Navy Headquarters now, the Whitebeard Pirates would have to think twice before taking action against him.

At the same time, the Navy has abundant resources and a mature education system, which can help Bane learn and master various skills such as Rokushiki, Kendo, Haki, and martial arts, and steadily enhance his strength!

However, Ben is not ready to join the Navy right now.

On one hand, although the Navy claims to be righteous, the darkness hidden behind it should not be underestimated. It is too restricted by the world's government. Although it is called the overlord of the sea, to put it bluntly, it is actually the watchdog of the Celestial Dragons.

On the other hand, now is not the best time to join the Navy. Smoker makes nice promises, like the Navy will offer sincere treatment.

How sincere can this sincerity be?

Could they offer Vice Admiral Bane the same treatment? Obviously not, and even if the Navy dared to, would Bane dare to accept it?

Since he hasn't revealed his true strength yet, everyone on the high seas believes that Bane is the one who killed Thatch, whether through a sneak attack or some other means. But the results speak for themselves, so including Smoker, everyone generally believes that Bane should also have the strength to match the Whitebeard Pirates' captain.

If you don't have the strength, hunting down Sachi would be suicide, wouldn't it?

But while others may not know the situation, how could Bane not know? With his current level of strength, even a mere rear admiral in the Navy could probably crush him, and that's an overestimation.

However, Bane believes that he still has a lot of room for growth. If he can master Haki and other powers, and combine them with his Dark-Dark Fruit and his physical abilities which can continue to improve, he will definitely shine if given time to develop!

Although he has now eaten the Dark-Dark Fruit, which has had some impact on the subsequent course of the world, there is still room for maneuver.

If the Straw Hats' departure at sea next year can successfully trigger the Marineford War, then the subsequent changes in the Navy will be an excellent opportunity for Bane.

That was the Navy's "World Conscription," in order to cope with the changing times and the increasingly serious threats of the new world, and to make up for the losses suffered by the Navy during the Marineford War.

In the two years following the war, the navy conducted a massive and continuous recruitment drive, offering the most generous compensation in its history!

Whether it's Fujitora Issho or Aramaki, both of them were originally skilled civilians with no background in the Navy. However, they relied solely on their personal strength to rise to the top in the World Military Draft and become the two new Admirals of the Navy!

That's what you call sincerity, okay?

If Bane were to choose to join the Navy now, he might only be able to become a colonel, and then gradually accumulate seniority, merits, and strength. To think that he could be promoted to admiral within two years would be a pipe dream.

Only global conscription can bring about this opportunity.

According to Bane's plan, his strength might not be enough to support him in striving for the position of general, but striving for the position of lieutenant general should not be a problem, right?

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

If he develops well in the next two years, he might just be able to take over the position of the general!

Everyone should have dreams, otherwise what's the difference between them and salted fish?

If I become a Marine Admiral, I could then consider pacifying the New World, then rebel against the Celestial Dragons, wreak havoc on the world's government, and completely control the world's resources and power. Who knows, I might even lead a large army back to the Empire and act arrogantly.

Of course, this is just an opportunity and a choice. If he finds out that being a pirate is more beneficial, Bane will not feel any psychological burden about devoting himself to the pirate business.

Smoker had no idea what Bane was thinking. He only saw Bane sitting on the sofa deep in thought after hearing his invitation, his expression occasionally showing excitement and agitation, which made Smoker think that Bane was very interested and that he had it in the bag.

Just as Smoker was contemplating this wonderful prospect, Bane quickly gathered his scattered thoughts, calmed himself, and replied in a steady and serious tone, "I'm sorry, Colonel Smoker, but I don't currently plan to join the Navy. After all, I'm only twenty years old, have just set sail, haven't seen many sights yet, and can't bring myself to dedicate my time and energy to the cause of justice. Perhaps in a couple of years... I think I'll consider joining the Navy then, since I really do like it."

Smoker was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, but he could also sense the sincerity in Bane's tone. He was not one to force things, and Bane's attitude towards the Navy was also full of goodwill.

Therefore, after a moment of regret, he said, "Your Excellency need not feel sorry for this. I can understand your feelings and thoughts. On behalf of the Navy, I can promise that as long as you continue to uphold justice, the doors of our Navy will always be open to you."

"Thank you for understanding," Bane said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)