The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Kizaru paused, slowly raised his head, and gave a standard "Oh dear, how scary!" expression: "Fleet Admiral~ What are your orders?"

“Usually,” Sengoku said with a smile, enunciating each word clearly, “I see you running to G-10 every few days, ostensibly to ‘inspect’ or ‘assist in defense,’ but in reality, you just go to Gern’s place to slack off, drink tea, and sunbathe! I’ve turned a blind eye to it.”

His smile grew even brighter, but the veins on his forehead became even more prominent: "And what was the result? You just 'saw' the world's greatest swordsman?!"

"Such a grown man, doing such an outrageous thing, and you didn't hear a single word beforehand? Didn't you notice anything unusual?!"

Kizaru put down the small file, spread his hands, and made an expression of utter grievance and helplessness: "Oh dear~~ Fleet Admiral, those words are really hurtful~"

He smirked, "You know, men of Mihawk's caliber, and guys like Gern, with their ideas..."

What will happen between them is beyond my control and prediction.

He drew out his words, summarizing in his distinctive, peculiar tone, "Some things are simply beyond our control—there's nothing we can do about it."

"No way my ass!!!" Sengoku's roar finally broke through the dam of reason, making the office windows rattle.

"You old fox who always tries to cheat and take advantage of both sides!"

You must have known something all along! Did you take some benefits from Gern to cover for him again?! Tell me!

Kizaru immediately raised his hands, his expression becoming even more innocent: "Yay~ What a terrible accusation~ Fleet Admiral!"

"I'm completely innocent~" But those darting eyes and slightly upturned lips just made him look like he wanted to punch someone.

"Am I the kind of person who can be bought off for a fixed 20 million Berries a month by fabricating a few achievements?"

"..."

"Get out!" Sengoku grabbed a folder and was about to throw it, but he held back in the end.

He plopped back into his chair in anger, clutching his forehead, feeling his blood pressure soar.

He stared at the damned report on the table, as if he could see the fuse that would ignite countless troubles in the future.

“Gern’s G-10 base… was originally a ‘Calamity Faction’ stronghold that operated outside the regular headquarters system.”

They are incredibly powerful and have made significant contributions, but their ability to cause trouble is even greater!

"Now look what's happened... we've added another world's greatest swordsman to the mix..." Sengoku muttered to himself, his tone shifting from anger to a deep sense of powerlessness.

"Hahahaha! The most important thing is... I still have to stamp his approval! Hahahaha!"

He laughed a few times, his laughter filled with sorrow and absurdity.

His entire body seemed to have faded to gray, and he slumped on the marshal's throne, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"It's over... The balance is completely broken... The Five Elders will definitely come to question us again..."

The power dynamics on this vast sea... hahaha...

I can already foresee tomorrow's headlines...

Marshal of the Warring States Period, I feel like the whole world has gone mad today.

Chapter 283 The future path of the Navy is not as bright as the sunshine of Marineford.

The tense atmosphere in the marshal's office didn't last long...

After Garp emptied Sengoku's senbei inventory, he chuckled and slipped out, enduring Sengoku's murderous glare.

He wandered around the headquarters building for a while with a bag of senbei (rice crackers) in his hand, and suddenly felt a little bored.

Aokiji was squinting in his office, Kizaru had probably slipped away somewhere to slack off again, and Sengoku was furious...

Garp scratched his head, turned around, and headed towards the elite training camp at headquarters.

At this point in time, that old guy should be there.

……

On the naval headquarters training ground, the sounds of slogans and the muffled thuds of bodies colliding could be heard incessantly.

Although the Sengoku period, out of certain concerns, had begun to intentionally or unintentionally limit the size and resources of the training camps, it remained the cradle of the navy's future hopes.

Zephyr stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, watching the young marines sweating profusely on the field like an iron tower.

His gaze was sharp, and he frequently issued loud commands or made corrections.

Although he stepped down as admiral, his enthusiasm for nurturing new blood for the navy never waned.

"Zeff!!" Garp's loud voice rang out from afar. He walked over to his old friend with a grin and naturally handed him a handful of senbei.

"Here, I just swiped it from that stingy Sengoku. Here, have some with you."

"Got into trouble with Sengoku again?" Zephyr glanced at him, then without any politeness, took a few pieces and stuffed them into his mouth, his eyes still fixed on the training ground. He mumbled, "Judging from the commotion just now, the office was practically exploding."

"Hahaha! It's nothing, just that kid Gern gave him another 'gift'." Karp laughed heartlessly, patting the crumbs off his hands.

When Gern was mentioned, Zephyr's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the young faces on the field who, despite their efforts, seemed ultimately lacking in natural talent.

He suddenly sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible humor mixed with a deeper worry:

"Speaking of which, that damned boy, Dragon..."

If he continues like this, the commotion will only get bigger and bigger.

It seems the World Government... will really have to resort to ruthless measures at all costs.

Garp paused for a moment while chewing the senbei, and the smile on his face faded slightly, but he quickly returned to normal, though a complex look flashed deep in his eyes.

He didn't respond to the topic of his son, only giving a vague "hmm," before changing the subject:

"Compared to that troublesome brat, Gern is a much bigger headache."

That kid has gained another formidable subordinate.

“I’ve heard,” Zephyr’s voice deepened. “Djorac Mihawk…the world’s greatest swordsman.”

However, I never expected that Gern could recruit this new generation of loners on the high seas to his cause.

You should know that the guy from the previous generation who liked one person and didn't care about anyone else was the Red Earl.

After saying that, Zephyr turned around and looked directly at Garp, his gaze behind his sunglasses carrying a hint of seriousness: "Garp, to be honest, I'm starting to worry about this too."

Gern's abilities and contributions are undeniable, but his current actions...

They have already begun to clearly recruit those 'unconventional' and powerful combat forces, building a team completely independent of the traditional naval system.

G-10 is less a naval base and more his headquarters for 'natural disasters'.

Such a tendency to amass military power and form their own factions is an extremely sensitive signal within any large organization.

However, Zephyr only said these things to Garp.

Hearing this, Garp, unusually, put away his playful expression and sighed, "That Sengoku guy is probably going to have trouble sleeping tonight again."

He's not only having a headache over Gern now, but he also dislikes you because of it.

Upon hearing this, Zefa gave a slightly sarcastic bitter smile: "Yes, because he's worried that the promising talents I'm nurturing will tend to go to G-10 in the future, rather than stay within the headquarters system."

So you see,” he pointed to the training ground, “resources have been reduced, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find good talent.”

Sengoku was even secretly vetting the backgrounds of everyone entering the elite training camp, fearing the emergence of another "Gern faction."

Both veterans fell silent.

They could all clearly sense that the Navy Headquarters seemed to be experiencing an indescribable "period of weakness".

A once-glorious generation—they themselves, Sengoku, Tsuru, and even the four generals trained during the era of Steel Bone Sky Marshal.

And those vice admirals and elites constitute the undisputed backbone of the navy today, upholding this banner of justice.

However, since then, despite the continuous expansion of the navy, the number of ships truly capable of shouldering the main responsibility has remained stagnant.

The emergence of "monster"-level new blood with top talent and unwavering will seems to have stalled, failing to materialize for a long time.

In today's training camps, there are many hard-working individuals, but there is a lack of those who can truly stand out and are destined to shine in this era.

In other words, during his term as marshal, Sengoku also aspired to create a unique "Four Great Generals" structure that belonged to his era.

He used this as a military symbol and a representation of power during his reign.

However, despite the emergence of a golden age of talent, the allure and temptation of the Great Pirate Era led many with exceptional abilities to set sail and plunge into the chaotic yet liberating tides of freedom...

"The tide of the times... seems to be changing direction," Zephyr said in a low voice, gazing at the vast, turbulent sea in the distance.

The rise of Gern, Dragon's revolution, the steadfastness of the Sea Emperors, the bizarre balance of the Seven Warlords system, and the current awkward situation of the Headquarters being somewhat lacking in talent...

All of this foreshadows a massive transformation that is about to take place.

Karp didn't answer, but silently stuffed the last senbei into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound.

His face, which was always full of optimism and strength, was unusually veiled with a vague shadow of uncertainty about the future.

On the training field, the shouts of the young marines were still full of vigor.

But to the two veterans who had witnessed the navy's most glorious era, it seemed to lack some of its confidence and strength.

At least the future of the Navy doesn't seem as bright as the sunshine of Marineford.

Chapter 284 Rosinandi

While Garp and Zeff were chatting idly, in the Marshal's office, another old man was sulking alone. He then thought of getting up to get some snacks.

After discovering that someone had stolen my treasured seaweed, pork floss, and refreshing green tea flavored rice crackers that I had hidden somewhere else, I was completely stunned.

Immediately, rubbing his aching temples, for a moment...

He felt that the position of Marshal was simply inhuman, having to balance the pressure from the World Government on one hand.

On one hand, he has to deal with increasingly rampant pirates at sea, and now there's also Gern constantly giving him "surprises" from within his own ranks...

Just as he was having a terrible headache, there was a gentle knock on the office door.

"Come in." Sengoku responded curtly, trying his best to regain his dignified marshal's expression.

The door was pushed open, and a figure walked in. The person was wearing a sharp gray suit.

Her short, smooth blonde hair was meticulously styled, and she wore a warm, slightly shy smile, her eyes clear and bright.

"Hey, Marshal!" he greeted warmly, his voice clear and full of youthful energy.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the gloom on Sengoku's face instantly dissipated, and a rare, genuine gentleness even involuntarily appeared in his eyes.

But he quickly straightened his face and coughed in a deliberately serious manner: "Lieutenant Colonel Rosinandi, I don't recall summoning you today."

"You left your post without permission and came to the marshal's office; do you want to be assigned to clean the toilets?"

The man who walked in was none other than Don Quixote Rosinante, whom he regarded as his own son.

At this moment, he no longer wore the ridiculous clown makeup, nor was he the taciturn man codenamed "Corazon".

He was just Rosinandi, a young naval officer who seemed a bit reckless but was full of energy.

"Hehe..." Rosinandi scratched his head sheepishly, his smile still bright: "Um... Marshal, I just finished reporting on my mission, so I thought I'd come and see you."

He paused, his smile fading slightly, and his tone became serious.

"And what about that plan I mentioned to you last time... what have you thought about it?"

Upon hearing "that plan," the last trace of gentleness on Sengoku's face vanished instantly, replaced by an extremely complex and somber expression.

He silently looked at Rosinante, at the child he had brought back with his own hands, whom he had carefully raised and treated as his own son. His eyes held worry, reluctance, and a deep struggle.

“Rosinandi…” Sengoku’s voice lowered, carrying an unprecedented seriousness.

“You should know very well what that plan means. Once you embark on that path, you will…”

“I know, Marshal.” Rosinandi interrupted him, his smile vanishing, replaced by a firmness and resolve incongruous with his youthful appearance.

"I know this means I will lose my sight and plunge into the deepest darkness."

It means danger, it means loneliness, it means there may be no turning back.

He stepped forward, his gaze fixed intently on Sengoku, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority: "But, Marshal, I am his brother."

There is no one more suitable than me in this world, is there?

"It's the most natural and likely to succeed for me to approach him and gather intelligence."

Upon hearing the words "He is my younger brother," Sengoku involuntarily clenched his fists.