Chapter 109: The Scholarship Between Players and the Number One Swordsman...
"Hmm..."
Kuzan looked down at Sabo's face: "A face I've never seen before, who are you?"
"Ah, you're from Vil's islands... But compared to Vil, you're pitifully weak?" Kuzan said, looking at Vil with a serious expression. "This is the first time all seven Shichibukai have gathered. If we're seen as a weak point that can be exploited, it will be very troublesome in the future."
"It would be better to just drive them away. A mysterious lone wolf is also quite formidable."
Sabo sneered: "I will obey all orders from the island lord. As for you, Marine, I don't think the Navy and the Seven Warlords of the Sea are so close that you can interfere in other people's subordinates, do you?"
Storobelli frantically tried to signal to Kuzan from behind.
What's wrong with this guy? He's usually so indifferent and aloof. What's gotten into him today? What does it matter to them who the Seven Warlords bring or don't bring, as long as they don't cause trouble?
Violet poked Kuzan's waist with the sharp tip of her tentacle: "Stop trying to sow discord here."
Kuzan muttered something that no one could hear, then raised his hand to freeze the tentacle spikes, dodging Violet's attack.
He crossed his arms above his head, stretched, and then yawned widely. "There are still a few Shichibukai who haven't arrived yet. Sengoku-san and the others have scheduled a meeting for a few days from now. Ha... Here, this is where you'll be staying for the time being."
"According to the regulations, you can only live in this place, so if you want to move out, don't ask me if it's okay, don't ask me where you can go, I don't know anything."
Storoberg had a headache: "Lieutenant General Kuzan..." Is this something that can be said directly in public?
Violet's focus was elsewhere: "Will it cost money to stay somewhere else?"
Will you reimburse us for our food, accommodation, and travel expenses during this period?
Kuzan was shocked: "You've gotten so poor?"
Violet: ? ? ?
"Save money where you should and spend money where you should. We came here in response to the Navy's mandatory mobilization order. Shouldn't you be responsible for these expenses?"
"...Actually, the World Government is involved too. Never mind, I'll go ask them for you."
Kuzan scratched his head in frustration, took the lead and walked to the gate, rummaged through his pockets, and then rummaged through his pockets again.
"Strange, I remember putting it here... Never mind."
Kuzan raised his hand and pressed it against the keyhole. The icy cold air condensed on his fingertips, freezing a perfectly sealed ice key that opened the door.
"Come in."
Violet: "..."
While I didn't expect this lock to stop anyone, Kuzan was being far too blatant.
"Here it is." Kuzan said lazily. "Other Marines will come to make contact later. If you have any requests, just tell them directly."
"Don't cause trouble, don't fight, Mr. Garp and Mr. Sengoku hit hard."
"This is my Den Den Mushi number. Don't call me unless it's important, and it's best not to call even if it is important."
Watching Kuzan's unhurried departure, Violet said with envy, "That's what a secure job looks like."
It feels so good to be able to slack off whenever I want.
The villa provided by the Navy for Violet has three floors. After carefully checking it to make sure there were no listening Den Den Mushi, Luo and Sabo moved in.
With backpacks, Violet and her companions didn't have to worry about carrying large bags when going out. After spending more than half an hour setting up the room, Violet even started cultivating farmland in the backyard.
I wonder if the soil and climate conditions in Marineford are suitable for growing rare crops.
When Smoker found the place according to the address given by the Navy high command, he saw an old farmer named Vale wearing a straw hat and carrying a hoe, plowing the field with incredibly skillful movements.
Smoker, with two cigars dangling from his mouth, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression showing considerable impatience.
There are reasons why Smoker, a rare Logia-type Devil Fruit user, was not able to stay at Marine Headquarters but was instead assigned to guard the four seas.
Smoker is a troublesome character who gives even Zeff a headache.
Smoker's defiant nature, including his defiance of superiors, disobedience, and unwillingness to compromise, drew the attention of the World Government. He nearly became the scapegoat, and if it weren't for his colleagues' pleas and his mentor Zephyr's intervention, Smoker would likely have been expelled from the Navy instead of being assigned to the Four Seas.
The first mandatory summons of the Seven Warlords of the Sea is the most pressing issue for the Navy and the World Government. Zephyr specially recalled this troublesome student from the Four Seas, hoping that he could accumulate some merit during this period so that he could be brought back to headquarters—otherwise, it would be a waste to send a Logia-type Devil Fruit user to guard the East Blue.
But Smoker was unhappy, extremely unhappy.
He clearly did nothing wrong and wanted to get back to where he belonged to fight the pirates, but he had to rely on another group of pirates for help?
That's outrageous!
However, Smoker couldn't directly refuse Zeff's kindness. He was in a bad mood and was supposed to come with Kuzan, but he dawdled and only came to the address at this moment.
Smoker looked at the back of Val, who exuded the air of a skilled old farmer, and didn't connect her with the words "one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea" at all.
"You haven't gone to the wrong place... Little friend, have you seen any dangerous creatures around here?"
Little kid?
This nickname is quite novel. Violet put down her hoe and seed bag, adjusted her straw hat, and looked up at Smoker: "Dangerous guy, what do you mean?"
"Tsk, he's the kind of guy who looks fierce, has a bad temper, always has a long face, and flaunts all sorts of controlled knives in public."
“Oh—” Vera pointed to the area behind Smoker, “You mean this type?”
What? !
Smoker only then noticed a shadow had appeared on the ground. He suddenly pulled out his jigsaw, which was inlaid with sea stone at the top, and stepped back to block in front of Violet. His arm turned into smoke and extended, and he looked up warily.
Hawkeye Mihawk?!
Why did you come here?
Smoker remained wary of the man carrying the massive black sword in front of him. As the man's golden eyes swept over him, Smoker felt as if countless sword energies were tearing through his skin.
Mihawk isn't a Devil Fruit user, so the Seastone on his hands is useless against him. If a fight breaks out here, the children behind him...
"I'm here to find someone."
Mihawk wasn't interested in non-swordsmen like Smoker. He only sought out Violet after hearing that she had accepted the Shichibukai appointment and had arrived at Marineford to exchange farming experiences with her.
So, just as Smoker was racking his brains trying to figure out how to safely get the child behind him away, Val stepped out from behind him and greeted Mihawk in a very familiar manner.
"Long time no see, Mihawk."
Smoker froze, turning around in surprise to look at Val, who was wearing a straw hat, with sweat from farm work and some dust that had somehow gotten on her nose.
Smoker's first reaction was, "She's incredibly bold to just walk out and talk to Hawkeye like that."
The next second, Mihawk's reply made Smoker even more dizzy.
Mihawk: "Hmm, long time no see. I wonder if you received the letter I wrote to you last time."
"I've come today to ask you some questions."
Violet understands now, it's about farming, right?
Mihawk completely ignored the frozen Smoker and walked over to Violet, looking at the newly plowed land with admiration.
The technique was just as beautiful as he remembered.
"A batch of crops on Klaigana Island has matured, and more than 70% of them have exhibited gigantism. I am cultivating new seeds to see if this special trait will be stably inherited, or what the results will be after hybridization with ordinary crops."
“This is very meaningful research. I also have some other seeds that I collected later. Mihawk, take any you need and just give me a copy of the research results later.”
"Okay, I'll write to you when I have the results."
Smoker, listening to their conversation: "..."
Is this correct?
Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, actually started off talking about farming and breeding with such professionalism?
Seeing that the two were veering off into topics he couldn't understand at all, such as soil moisture and fertility, and crops that grow in different seasons, Smoker couldn't help but interrupt them.
“Wait, wait a minute.” Smoker looked at Mihawk. “What exactly are you here for, Hawkeye? And you…”
Smoker looked at Violet with a complicated expression.
Who exactly is this person, and how could they be so close to Mihawk?
Because he was dissatisfied that he still needed the help of the Seven Warlords system to be transferred back to headquarters, Smoker didn't learn anything more about the appearances and ways of doing things beyond the names of those Seven Warlords, thus missing the last chance to recognize that Violet was actually one of them.
Mihawk finally turned his attention slightly to Smoker: "Is this the Navy's person in charge of monitoring you?"
"Do you need me to help you deal with him?"
Smoker clenched his fists, his mind tense as he stared intently at Mihawk.
"Mihawk is still the same as before."
Violet sighed, "It is indeed surveillance, but is it really okay to say it so bluntly?"
"No need, no need." Vera waved her hand to dispel the tense atmosphere. "I heard that a few people haven't arrived yet. The meeting won't start for a few days. In the meantime, you can take a stroll around Marineford. Having a guide is quite helpful."
Vera looked at Smoker with a relaxed expression: "You're right, aren't you?"
"Uh, this..."
"But speaking of which, Mihawk, where are the Marines around you?" Have they disappeared like Kuzan, that lazy bum?
Mihawk narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the dagger in the cross pendant on his chest without saying a word, but his meaning was already self-evident.
Oh, this.
Is the person still alive?
"Um."
Mihawk was not a murderer; he typically only killed two types of people: those who offended or disturbed him, and those who insulted the name of a swordsman.
"That's good, otherwise I felt it would be very troublesome later." Who knows if the title of Shichibukai might also generate group hatred?
"Would you two like to come in and have a seat?"
Having successfully acquired a bagful of new seeds from Violet, Mihawk shook his head: "No need. There's a swordsman in Marineford with considerable skill. I plan to go see him later."
After Mihawk finished speaking, just as he had come, he left Marineford, a place teeming with marines, as if he were in his own home.
Vera reassured Smoker, "Don't worry, Mihawk knows what he's doing."
Looking at Violet's overly youthful face, combined with her presence in the residence that should have been provided for the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the equally matched aura she exuded during her conversation with Mihawk, Smoker finally matched her with a name he had heard before.
"Are you Vil?"
Seeing the other party nod in agreement, Smoker couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.
Although I had heard that this Shichibukai was very young, it wasn't until I actually saw him in person that I realized just how much weight the words "very young" really carried.
"Are you staying with us for a while? Would you like to see your room first, or come with me to Marineford?"
Sabo prepared to gather intelligence on the other Shichibukai, while Law went to observe the movements of the Navy and the World Government.
The poor island owner couldn't help much in this regard and was dismissed by the two men like a child, left to roam freely.
"The room doesn't matter." Not to mention that this room is of lieutenant general standard, Smoker has even stayed in the field during training.
More than the condition of his room, it was the fact that he was living next to a Shichibukai that kept him up at night.
"Let's go take a look around first. You should know what Marineford has to offer, right?" Vera muttered. "I wonder if they reimburse souvenirs... I guess not."
It's okay, she's not short of money at all.
Violet picked up her small purse, which was filled with a bag full of gold coins: "Let's go."
"Smoker, if there's anything you want to buy, just tell me, and it'll be on me."
"..."
Smoker watched as Wilkes waved her hand, and her straw hat, short-sleeved shirt, and shorts outfit instantly transformed into a dress and a pretty parasol. If you ignored her identity, you would be completely indistinguishable from an ordinary tourist.
Aren't you leaving?
"……Walk."
Don't be fooled by her facade, Smoker.
How could someone who can squeeze into the Seven Warlords of the Sea at this age really be a sunny, cheerful, confident, and generous little girl?
No one can keep pretending forever; he will eventually see through Vera's true colors.
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Author's note: Smoker: Is this some kind of prestigious university? Why can't I understand a word they're saying?
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