One Piece: Blue Scale Admiral

"Uh...it's okay, I don't mind."

He sat up, stretched comfortably, and looked around. He saw more than a dozen people sleeping sprawled out on the decks around him.

Neptune, Garp, Zephyr, Cobra, Poplar, Zoro, and others lay sprawled across the deck, snoring loudly.

Last night's banquet was a lively affair, with everyone eating, drinking, and making a ruckus until late into the night before finally dispersing.

Many naval officers returned to their headquarters as usual, while those who wanted to go to the Holy Land went ahead of time.

Only the Dragon Palace Kingdom, Alabasta, and the Holy Poplar Kingdom remain here.

It's worth mentioning that it was Law and Bepo who were responsible for escorting Boba and the others here.

The Kingdom of Saint Poplar is also the closest Paradise member country to the Holy Land.

Bai Xing had been secretly observing Luo Xia.

She was somewhat curious about the silver-haired boy in front of her who seemed to be very popular.

Last night, after listening to my elder brother Shark Star recount Rorschach's exploits, Shirahoshi now feels both respect and fear towards Rorschach.

Rorschach is a new naval hero who saved many civilians and protected many places from destruction at the hands of pirates.

In the pure and kind-hearted Shirahoshi's mind, such behavior is just like that of Tiger, the great hero of the fish-men, and is worthy of everyone's respect and love.

What I fear is that I've heard Rorschach killed many, many people.

I've heard that in the eyes of many, this young man with a gentle smile on his face, whose smile is so beautiful and reassuring, is actually a ruthless killer.

However, more than the two feelings mentioned above, Shirahoshi was curious about why Rorschach, who looked so small and much smaller than herself, could eat so much.

Last night, in the takoyaki eating contest, Rorschach fought against all the competitors, overcoming all obstacles and single-handedly defeating many of the participating naval officers.

Even her father, King Neptune, participated.

Bai Xing also had a lot of fun at last night's party.

She tasted fruit juice she had never tasted before on Fishman Island, made many kind and gentle friends, saw the moon hanging in the sky, and witnessed beautiful fireworks blooming in the sky.

This made Shirahoshi, who had come to the sea with her father and brother with trepidation, feel an unprecedented happiness and joy.

It turns out that humans aren't as evil as some fish people claim.

The things her mother used to tell her in bedtime stories were true: if you treat others sincerely, they will treat you sincerely in return.

Shirahoshi decided that once she returned to Fishman Island, she would definitely tell her fellow Fishman Islanders about her experiences there.

I want to share with you the friends I know and what I've seen and heard in the human world.

This is something my mother always did before she passed away.

"Click-clack, click-clack."

A heavy crash echoed on the deck. Zefa, bracing himself against the mechanical arm, stood up from the deck, rubbed his forehead, shook his still somewhat dizzy head, glanced at the people lying all over the floor, and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Zefa had no idea how much he drank last night; he couldn't remember at all.

Anyway, they kept pouring him drinks, with a bunch of people taking turns toasting him. Even though he prided himself on being the biggest drinker in the unit, he eventually got so drunk that he blacked out and lost consciousness.

As he was rubbing his throbbing forehead, a bottle of sherry was handed to him by a hand.

"Professor Zefa, you're awake? Here, have a drink to perk you up."

Seeing Rorschach's smiling face, a vein bulged on Zephyr's forehead, and he slapped his hand away in annoyance.

"Stop with the nonsense. Still drinking? You're neglecting your duties. Hurry up and send King Cobra and the others to the Holy Land, or the Warring States will come and skin you alive."

"Hehe, I was just joking." Luo Xia chuckled awkwardly and was about to take back the wine he had offered, but Zefa snatched it away with his large hand.

Rorschach was taken aback. "Professor Zephyr, didn't you say you didn't drink?"

"Can't I take it back to headquarters to drink?" Zephyr rolled his eyes, opened the box on the robotic arm with a snap, and put the bottle of sherry inside.

He glanced at Shirahoshi's retreating figure as she headed towards the cabin, then squinted at Rorschach. "Hey kid, what are you whispering to Princess Shirahoshi like that? You're not thinking of kidnapping Neptune's precious daughter, are you? Although the mermaid princess is unparalleled in beauty, and there's no reproductive barrier between fish-men and humans, don't you think the size difference between you two is too great?"

"Teacher Zephyr! What are you saying? I didn't think that at all. Don't talk nonsense."

Rorschach's lips twitched, his face darkening at Zephyr's sudden remark.

Is this old man really the respected chief naval instructor from last night?

Are you sure this isn't a shameless old man who doesn't respect his elders?

"Professor Zefa, please be serious. If others hear you say this, your noble and righteous image in their hearts will be shattered."

"I don't have any glorious and righteous image. I'm just an ordinary person. Don't try to glorify me. That's Garp's image."

Zephyr glared at Rorschach with annoyance and kicked Garp, who was fast asleep on the deck, in the butt.

The master and apprentice walked to the bow of the ship and stood side by side, looking at the red earth continent that was hidden in the clouds in the distance.

After a moment of silence, Rorschach said, "Professor Zephyr, I should be transferred to the New World after this World Conference, right? I wonder if Fleet Admiral Sengoku will let me be in charge of a naval base by myself?"

"What? You can't wait to go to that cruel ocean in the new world?"

Upon hearing this, Zefa's lips curled into a smile.

“A little.” Rorschach smiled, cracking his knuckles, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. “How can we not repay the humiliation of being manipulated by Kaido and declared war on by the pirates? The Navy has been developing peacefully for so many years, it’s time to march into the New World.”

Zefa glanced at Rorschach beside him and saw the burning fighting spirit and determination in his eyes. A hint of admiration, and a complex emotion, appeared in his eyes.

"Youth is wonderful, full of energy. I was the same when I was young, always thinking about rushing to the front lines to uphold justice. But, Rorschach, remember what I've always told you? While upholding your beliefs in justice, you must also stay true to yourself and never let the killing corrupt you. You can't learn from Sakazuki's methods. He'll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Look at how bad his reputation is now. He's become a loyal dog of the World Government in the eyes of the whole world, a ruthless mad dog. Besides, too much rigidity leads to breakage. If your methods are too cruel, you won't win people's hearts."

Rorschach was silent for a moment, his eyes reflecting the Holy Land of Mary Geoise hidden in layers of clouds, and said in a deep voice, "Professor Zephyr, I understand the reasoning. However, the times are becoming increasingly chaotic. The Four Emperors of the New World rule their own territories and dominate the seas. The Seven Warlords of the Sea are unruly and disobedient. The alliance system meant to check the Four Emperors has become a mere formality, instead becoming a guarantee for their rampant growth and unbridled actions. In chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary. Rather than slowly boiling the frog and letting this era remain half-dead, it's better to cut the Gordian knot, forge ahead against the current, and carve out a bright and clear world with our fists and swords!"

Zefa's body trembled, his gaze fixed on Rorschach, whose aura was boiling like oil on a raging fire.

His disciple has such great ambition.

He is no less impressive than Sakazuki back in the day.

But changing the world is easier said than done.

Zefa couldn't help but think of his past self.

Even when he was very young, he called himself the hero 'Z', a righteous man who would risk his small body to uphold justice.

He was mediocre in talent and had very little ability; all he had was a burning passion.

On the road to upholding justice, he endured countless hardships and shed countless drops of blood and sweat before finally accumulating knowledge and skills and rising to the position of Admiral through great difficulty.

I thought that by standing higher, I could better uphold justice, eliminate more suffering, and save more innocent people.

However, reality is incredibly cruel.

Regardless of whether they are friend or foe, there will always be some people who want to stop him from doing those righteous things.

Faced with these obstacles, he never yielded or compromised.

But looking back today, he still hasn't been able to fulfill his childhood dream of completely changing the world.

It's really hard to be a hero.

However, as a teacher, Zefa never undermines his students' confidence.

He reached out and patted Luo Xia on the shoulder, smiling, "Everyone has their own path. As long as you believe you're doing the right thing, then go for it! If you encounter any difficulties, just tell me. Although I'm just an old man now, I still have more experience and knowledge than you."

“Yes! I will, thank you, Professor Zephyr.” Rorschach nodded emphatically.

"Regarding your upcoming transfer to the New World, I've also gleaned some information from Sengoku." Zephyr steered the conversation back on track, smiling. "Sengoku and the others originally intended for you to first train with Sakazuki and Gion in G1 for a while before assigning you a naval base."

"Huh? I still need to undergo training? I'm already a candidate for general." Luo Xia looked miserable and immediately felt a little dejected.

Zephyr shook his head and chuckled, "Heh, I know you want to oversee a naval base on your own. No problem, with your current strength and reputation, you're more than capable of being the commander of a naval base in the New World. Sengoku's consideration is also because he's worried about you being under the watchful eyes of Kaido's group. Since you've made your decision, I'll talk to Sengoku later and have you take on the role of a branch base commander. As for which branch, that's for Sengoku and the others to decide."

"That's great! You're so reliable, Professor Zeff! Unlike Garp, who hesitated and was not straightforward at all when I asked him to talk to Fleet Admiral Sengoku about this." Rorschach happily put his arm around Zeff's shoulder.

"What did you say? You're not happy about this?"

A sinister voice suddenly rang out from behind Rorschach, startling him. He quickly turned around and saw that Garp had been standing behind him at some point, staring at him with a dark expression.

"Ah, haha, Grandpa Garp, you're awake? Would you like something to eat? I'll make you breakfast."

As he spoke, he took a few steps and was about to run towards the cabin.

"Where are you going? Come back here and explain yourself! Who's unhappy? It's just a base commander, right? I'll have Sengoku approve it for you in a bit! Such a trivial matter, and you dare say I'm unhappy? I think you're asking for a beating." Garp grabbed him with his big hand, his hoarse voice like thunder, making the deck vibrate and waking up a group of people who were fast asleep.

"You misheard me! I didn't say you. Stop! The ship is sinking! Princess Shirahoshi, save me!"

Chaos erupted on the deck.

Rorschach hid behind Shirahoshi's tall body, circling around Garp who was chasing after him.

"Huh?" Bai Xing looked blank, blinked, and almost got dizzy from Luo Xia's spinning.

Just then, Zephyr, who had been smiling the whole time, suddenly frowned and looked at the sea ahead. His smile gradually faded, and his eyes became deep.

"The Celestial Dragons' slave-catching ship."

Chapter 460 Bombardment

Rorschach stopped in his tracks, frowning as he looked out at the sea. A pure black slave ship was sailing straight toward them.

The reason why Zephyr and he could recognize it as a Celestial Dragon's slave-capturing ship at a glance was because these teams, which were specifically responsible for capturing slaves for the Celestial Dragons, would all display a conspicuous flag.

This flag, and the design on it, is a nightmare for many people around the world, and a symbol that everyone in the world fears.

This is the hoofprint of the Celestial Dragon, the exclusive slave mark of the Celestial Dragons.

Anyone who bears the mark of the Celestial Dragon's hoof can never escape the status of a Celestial Dragon's slave and may be captured and sent back to hell by their slave-hunting ships at any time.

The ship approaching ahead has this terrifying flag flying at the top of its mast, billowing in the wind.

At this moment, the people on the ship who were gradually waking up also noticed the black slave ship rapidly approaching, and their expressions changed drastically.

"What are those Celestial Dragons doing? Are they coming for us? Do they want to die?" Garp smirked and cursed without any politeness.

Cobra and Popra's expressions changed slightly, but they remained calm, assuming it was a welcoming party sent by the Holy Land.

But Neptune, Shark Star, and the others' expressions changed drastically. Realizing something, they quickly turned around and shouted at the curious Shirahoshi, "Shirahoshi! Quickly hide in the cabin! Don't come out until you hear me shouting!"

Bai Xing was somewhat confused, wondering why her father and elder brother had suddenly become so tense.

But she still obediently swayed her pink fishtail and turned to walk towards the cabin.

"What happened, Shirahoshi?"