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Thanks to Capone Bege’s gift, Kojin’s thinking broadened, giving rise to many new ideas.
However, he knew that things had to be done step by step; naturally, he could not act too hastily.
For now, he had no intention of interacting with organizations like the mafia. If he did make contact, it would have to be later and under completely different circumstances.
Time slowly passed by.
The life of a commander was plain and unremarkable, without so much as a ripple.
Every day, Kojin read the newspaper and drank tea. Occasionally, he went fishing while keeping an eye on Bullet and the others training the soldiers. His days were quite leisurely.
Before he knew it, two years had passed since he was stationed at G-18 Fortress.
“Fish-Man Island has become Whitebeard’s territory.”
“Tom has been sentenced to death with a suspended execution.”
“Gekko Moria fought a great battle with Kaido of the Hundred Beasts. A grave-robbing incident occurred in Wano Country.”
“…”
These two years were neither particularly long nor short. Kojin often kept track of events through the newspapers, yet he felt as though he had completely cut himself off from the outside Marine system, focusing only on developing his own G-18 Fortress.
The results were obvious.
The fortress’s strength today was incomparable to what it had been two years ago.
From among thirteen thousand men, he had selected an elite squad of nine. Each of them possessed superhuman physical abilities and had mastered one or two Rokushiki techniques.
This squad was Kojin’s most elite unit. Over the past two years, they had carried out multiple military missions and achieved excellent results.
More importantly, they obeyed only Kojin’s commands and possessed strict justice principles and boundaries.
“Two years already…”
Looking out into the courtyard, Kojin sighed softly.
“Hehe! Uncle Kojin, you’re daydreaming again!”
Suddenly, a child’s laughter echoed through the air.
A little boy, about two years old, came running over, grinning and holding a ball, and shouted happily,
“Ace! Aren’t you learning Hasshoken from Uncle Bullet?”
“You said your fists were as hard as steel, so how are they now?”
Kojin asked with a smile.
The freckle-faced, black-haired child before him was none other than Portgas D. Ace.
Two years ago, after Rouge was brought to the base, she quickly gave birth. The moment Ace was born, he displayed the talent of a Class-1 superhuman, with energy so overwhelming it was almost frightening.
Every day, Kojin would take him out to play everywhere.
“My fists are already as hard as steel! I’m super strong! In the future, I’m going to surpass Uncle Kojin and become even stronger!” Ace said in his childish voice, yet his eyes were incredibly determined.
“Is that so?”
“Quite ambitious for someone so young!”
Kojin smiled and asked curiously, “So, you want to be a Marine too?”
Ace frowned, deep in thought. After a long pause, he grinned widely. “I want to be a Marine!”
“A Marine Hero!”
“I’ll catch all the bad guys in the world, just like Uncle Kojin!”
Ace was only two years old, but he was very smart. He clearly remembered the incident from a year ago when pirates had kidnapped him and nearly killed him.
That day, Kojin had descended like a God from the heavens, effortlessly annihilating the entire pirate crew. That experience had ignited a burning desire within Ace to grow stronger.
“Marines don’t have kings, Ace,” Kojin chuckled, shaking his head. “Only pirates call themselves kings.”
“Then I’ll be the Pirate King!” Ace declared, puffing out his cheeks.
“All right, all right!”
“Then Uncle Kojin will watch how you become king!”
Kojin burst into laughter.
‘This two-year-old brat probably doesn’t even know what a Pirate King is. He’s just talking nonsense.’
Then, Kojin lifted Ace up, leaped lightly, and began to float in the air.
The toddler Ace immediately began giggling with delight.
“Higher! Higher!”
Infected by the child’s laughter, Kojin asked, “Am I high enough?”
“Yes! Higher!” Ace replied in his babyish voice.
“Hahahahaha!”
Their laughter echoed throughout the entire Marine Headquarters.
“See that? That’s Vice Admiral’s illegitimate child. He just took his mother’s surname.” Buggy looked up at the figure in the sky and whispered in the shadows.
The Marines beside him were shocked and excited at the same time.
‘The Commander’s illegitimate son!’
Not far away, the white-haired youth wore a calm expression. A cigar hung from his mouth. He completely ignored Buggy’s words, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.
Two years had passed, and they had all become glorious commissioned officers. Their strength was equal to that of Marines older than them.
“This is top secret! The only reason you know is because you’re my subordinates, but remember this well. You absolutely must not spread it!” Buggy lowered his voice even further as he spoke.
Suddenly, a flash of light streaked across the horizon. A pillar of lightning descended from the heavens and instantly enveloped the area above his head.
“AHHH!”
Buggy panicked and looked up. He barely managed to scream before being swallowed by the lightning.
The few subordinate Marines beside him were smoking from head to toe and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
“Serves him right!” Smoker said smugly, exhaling a cloud of smoke from nearby. “Two years and that Buggy still hasn’t learned to keep his mouth shut and stop gossiping.”
…
At the same time…
Marine Headquarters in Marineford:
“Buster Call?!
“They’re just a group of scholars who can’t fight back. Are we really going to strike them down?”
Saul, now a Vice-Admiral and physically imposing, spoke in shock and disbelief.
Hearing this, Sengoku, whose expression had already been grim, suddenly raised his head.
“You only need to obey orders! This is a top-secret mission! You will participate as one of the five Vice Admirals commanding the battleships, Saul!”
Saul’s body trembled, disbelief written across his face. “Why must we go to such extremes?”
“Is this the Justice the Marine truly pursues?”
“They’re just scholars who want to understand history! Why must we take their lives?”
“Then give me proof… proof that they’re truly wicked people!”
“And besides! That place is Kojin’s homeland. If he finds out about this…”
“What will he do?”
“So what?” Sengoku froze for a split second the moment he heard Kojin’s name, then his expression turned even colder. “No matter who it is, they must obey orders!”
“Vice-Admiral Saul!”
Hearing this, Saul clenched his fists tightly. Looking at Sengoku and then at Aokiji and the others standing opposite him, Saul realized that no matter what he said, it would be meaningless.
After turning around and leaving, his face darkened with anger and heaviness.
“Have they lost their minds?!
“If this is Marine justice…”
Saul lifted his head, a trace of determination flashing through his eyes.
He had joined the Marines to carry out his justice, not to raise his blades against innocent people.
Soon after, he returned to his battleship and left a letter for his most trusted subordinate.
“Send this letter to West Blue’s G-18 Fortress and deliver it to Vice Admiral Kojin.”
After doing so, Saul looked once more toward the female archaeologist who had been tied up in front of him.
“If there’s anyone who can still help us in this situation… Then he’s the only one I can think of.”
Soon after, a shocking piece of news spread throughout the Marines.
Giant Vice-Admiral Saul has defected!
(End of Chapter)
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