Kuro left, and Sengoku watched him go in silence. After a long while, he sighed, "Times change... but perhaps our Navy will change too."
"Pfft, hahaha, I don't understand what you're saying. No matter how you change, aren't you still the Navy?" Garp laughed heartily.
"You're right..."
Sengoku said something, then lowered his voice: "But, Garp... you will lose your grandson."
Karp stood there stunned, staring at the meat in his hand, and fell silent.
...
New headquarters.
Kuro flew directly from Red Harbor to this place; for him personally, whether or not he had a ship made little difference.
But as men of the sea, ships are an essential part of the ocean, so of course we need them.
But when it really comes down to a critical moment, it's still faster to fly on your own.
Sakazuki recuperated at headquarters, and after they were brought back, they returned to headquarters for further treatment.
Kuro easily found his way to the medic's office. Sakazuki had already woken up and was sitting on the bed with an IV drip in his hand and his body wrapped in bandages. There was a newspaper next to him.
"You didn't even burn the whole hospital down? After failing, you've lost all your temper, Marshal?"
Seeing that everything was normal, Kuro even made a joke.
"Kuro, it's you."
Sakazuki nodded before saying, "This is headquarters. I'm not the kind of person who loses his temper all the time. Don't make me sound like a child."
Kuro smiled, then pointed to the newspaper next to him, his expression gradually becoming serious: "Well then, you've read it."
Sakazuki was silent for a moment, then said, "Yes, I saw it and received the promotion order. I am no longer a marshal, but now I am the commander-in-chief of the entire army...tsk, that position!"
Have you received it?
And judging from the situation, has Sakazuki accepted it?
But this thing... you really can't refuse it. You can refuse the promotion, but if they say they're taking you out of your current position, there's no point in refusing it.
They have the power; if they say they've removed it for you, and you disagree, then you're committing a rebellion.
Although Sakazuki's rebellion would certainly take a large number of people with him, that would be internal strife, and Sakazuki would never become Zeff.
"So..."
Kuro looked at Sakazuki, "You've heard about what happened to me?"
"I've heard about it, and I have no objection to it."
Sakazuki looked at Kuro with a hint of relief in his eyes. "Originally, when I resisted the order, I thought that once the pirate era ended, the position would be given to you. I didn't expect that in my hands, the pirate era still wouldn't end, and... I'm no longer qualified to participate in the war."
The Commander-in-Chief of the entire army is untouchable.
Unless Mary Geoise suffers a major crisis, the Commander-in-Chief is really just sitting there doing nothing. He can't get involved in naval affairs, even if he's a naval officer.
Kong was also a Fleet Admiral back then, but during the Marineford War, he still had nothing, didn't he?
"You'll end it, won't you, Kuro!"
Sakazuki stared intently at Kuro and said in a deep voice, "Look me in the eye and assure me you'll finish this!"
Kuro pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and then opened them again, looking at Sakazuki with a determined gaze: "I promise, Commander-in-Chief, I will personally take down the Straw Hats and Teach, personally end the reign of these representative figures of pirates, suppress the arrogance of pirates to the lowest level, and then personally end this so-called pirate era."
"That's good. Then you'll take over the Navy. I won't interfere with what you do. As for the Admiral position, if you get promoted, there will be a vacancy. Have you decided who it will be?" Sakazuki said.
That's true...
I never expected this.
Kuro himself was somewhat bewildered. He had been inexplicably made a marshal; he hadn't even had his ceremony yet, and now he was being asked to choose a general...
Should we reopen global recruitment?
There's no time for that, and with the global recruitment drive making the navy a bit of a mixed bag, it's better to play it safe.
"From a candidate for general..."
"No, Chaton and Momousagi aren't qualified enough; they're too weak."
Sakazuki shook his head and said, "I have a suggestion for you. You are the shogun of Wano Country, right? Kuzan also works part-time in Wano Country. Rehire him. Although he has lost a leg, his strength is definitely not a problem."
The two fought for ten days back then, so their combat strength was definitely not an issue. Sakazuki withdrew, so someone else had to take his place.
"Kuzan?"
Kuro leaned back tactically and raised an eyebrow, saying, "I thought you wouldn't bring this up."
Sakazuki snorted coldly: "Although he has turned his back on the Navy, he now has a chance to return. I am at odds with him, but I did not say that you are at odds with him."
Kuzan has no bounty because he came from the rank of Admiral. The World Government wouldn't be so foolish as to set a bounty for him, and the Navy is even less likely to. Everyone is mindful of past relationships. Besides, giving Kuzan a bounty would be a permanent label, and what good would it do to force him to oppose them?
"Okay, I understand. That's a good idea."
Sakazuki's words also piqued Kuro's interest.
That's definitely a good idea.
This guy has nothing to do all day in Wano Country, so recruiting him as an admiral would be no problem at all.
However, there's one problem: if Kuzan were to be summoned, how would Wano Country defend itself...?
However, now is not the time to worry about this issue.
"Alright, you take good care of yourself. I'll be going now..."
Kuro said something to Sakazuki and then left. Once outside, he looked up at the slightly dazzling sun. Under the sun, there were no clouds in the sky, and the weather was clear—a rare and beautiful day.
"I was just saying it to vent my anger, but I never thought it would actually come true... Shanks, you're probably going to be in big trouble."
What he said at Haisong'en Port was originally just an angry outburst, because it wasn't his place to make the decision. He was a general, not a marshal, and all decisions still had to be made by the marshal.
But now things are different. Sakazuki accepted his position as commander-in-chief of the entire army without any resentment, handing over the position of marshal to himself.
Then there's more to say about this.
If we pull Shanks out of Impel Down, given Straw Hat's personality—he failed to save Ace back then, he'll definitely save his guide this time—we'll get him out of Impel Down.
The two of them have a very deep relationship.
Compared to Dragon, Straw Hat is more like Shanks' child, even though they only met once.
But Straw Hat didn't recognize his father at all; he'd never even met him.
But once this thing is pulled out...
Kuro rubbed his temples, looking a bit annoyed. "That was quite a show of force, but the good thing is, once it's resolved, we don't have to worry about anything else."
There are just too many people connected to the Straw Hat, so many that if they were all killed, the sea would immediately be at peace!
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