Tatsuki withdrew his gaze, tossed the Den Den Mushi aside, and his Haki instantly retracted.
The torrential rain frozen in mid-air lost its support and crashed to the ground, washing the square into a muddy mess.
The leading Marine ran up the wooden platform tremblingly, gulped, and asked for instructions, "Admiral Saigai... what should we do with the rest of these people?"
"Those who can still stand are all pirates with bounties, cuff them and take them to boost your base's performance. For the unconscious civilians, splash some cold water on them and tell them to get lost and go home."
Tatsuki brushed the rain off the shoulders of his coat of justice and turned toward the steps.
"The mission in Loguetown is over."
"Admiral Saigai, where... where will you be inspecting next?" The Marine asked cautiously from behind.
"Back to G-5, for a vacation."
One Roger has fallen but countless lush and thriving leeks are sprouting frantically in fields all over the world.
Tatsuki bit his cigar and walked into the rain, his mood pleasant to the extreme.
This damn Great Pirate Era.
It's truly wonderful.
—
Punk Hazard.
When Tatsuki walked through the base gates carrying a mummy-like Mihawk, the soldiers who were gambling and brawling on the training grounds instantly fell silent.
Immediately after, a synchronized and somewhat fanatical roar erupted.
"Whoa! Boss is back!"
"Boss sent Roger off in the East Blue? That's so prestigious!"
Then, hundreds of malicious gazes fell upon the 'bandage man' Tatsuki was carrying.
"Is this the reckless rookie from the news who dared to challenge Boss?"
"Tch, he doesn't look like much. He's not even as sturdy as the guy who slaughters pigs in the kitchen."
"Hey, kid! You've got some nerve drawing a blade on Boss. Want to come down and spar with us uncles?"
Though Mihawk was wrapped in bandages and could barely walk steadily, he used his scabbard to prop himself up, keeping his back ramrod straight. His hawk-like eyes, which hadn't lost their fire, coldly swept over the group of rowdy soldiers.
Vulgar, chaotic, and completely undisciplined.
These were Marines?
Why was their style so different from the legendary 'Army of Justice'?
"Shut up, you blind idiots."
Tatsuki casually dropped Mihawk onto the ground. He dusted off his coat, his gaze piercing through the crowd to fixate on three figures at the edge of the training grounds whose auras were completely out of place.
"Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino, come collect your man."
Swish!
Almost the instant the words left his mouth, three figures appeared out of thin air in front of Tatsuki.
Though they hadn't yet ascended to the rank of Admiral, their monstrous auras could no longer be concealed.
"Oh Is this the rookie who caused such a stir in Loguetown?"
Borsalino adjusted his tinted sunglasses, pouting his lips with a lazy tone that made people want to hit him. "What scary eyes. It feels like he might slash someone at any moment."
"Joining the Marines just to get stronger?"
Beneath Sakazuki's cap, a magma-like heat flickered in his palm.
"As long as justice resides in his heart, I can accept him regardless of his origin. But if he's just a weakling who only knows how to talk big, I'll turn him to ash right now."
Kuzan let out an earth-shattering yawn, scratching his mop of fluffy, curly hair. "Arara, more trouble. Tatsuki, why hand this kid to us? I'm on vacation right now."
A soldier obsequiously approached and lit a cigar for Tatsuki.
Tatsuki took a deep drag, and his next words were so convincing he almost believed them himself.
"You don't understand. This young man has an obsession with swordsmanship that surpasses ordinary people. He's a rare genius."
"He's a bit weak now—couldn't even beat my nail clipper—but his best quality is that he can take a beating."
Tatsuki reached out and patted Mihawk's shoulder in a seemingly encouraging manner, nearly driving the heavily injured man into the ground.
"I went to great lengths to pull him back from the wrong path of being a pirate. I'm handing this unpolished gem over to the three of you to refine him in turns."
Mihawk gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain as he stared fixedly at the three men radiating terrifying auras.
Logia users... and three of them!
Even in the New World, this was an extremely rare, top-tier lineup.
"Sakazuki, you're in charge of his endurance training. Be as ruthless as possible, just don't actually kill him. Make him understand the iron fist of 'absolute justice'."
Hearing this, Sakazuki's gaze toward Mihawk changed. It was the look one gives a piece of scrap metal waiting to be forged.
"Since this kid has that resolve, I'll let him know what true 'absolute justice' style training is."
"And you, Borsalino." Tatsuki turned to Kizaru. "This kid is too slow, he couldn't even dodge my nail clipper. When you have time, give him some evasion training. Just don't kick him to death."
"Eh. Overtime..." Borsalino said with a long face.
"I'll pay you double overtime out of G-5 Branch's slush fund."
"Deal."
Borsalino's face instantly returned to its wretched smile.
Having arranged the two laborers, Tatsuki finally looked at Kuzan. "This kid is too hot-headed and impulsive. Kuzan, you're responsible for cooling him down and teaching him how to stay calm."
With just a few sentences, Tatsuki had mapped out Mihawk's future days with absolute clarity.
Magma baths in the morning, light-speed kicks to the face at noon, and Ice Age frozen meat in the evening.
This was the 'Hellish Crash Course' Tatsuki had custom-tailored for the future 'World's Greatest Swordsman'.
"Listen up, Mihawk."
Tatsuki looked down at the bewildered swordsman, a malicious smile on his lips. "If you want to challenge me, survive under these three first. When you can force Sakazuki to use his elemental form, I'll give you another chance to see me draw my blade."
Looking at the three monsters before him, Mihawk felt no fear. Instead, a more intense fire burned in his golden pupils.
Three top-tier Logia powerhouses as sparring partners?
Though he felt something was off—like what the hell was that 'overtime pay'—for someone seeking strength, this arrangement was practically paradise.
"I accept." Mihawk nodded.
Tatsuki nodded with satisfaction.
Good.
Now he had free labor, these three guys had something to do so they wouldn't stare at him all day, and he could farm some Violation Points for 'mistreating subordinates' while he was at it.
Truly killing three birds with one stone.
"Alright, take him away and start training." Tatsuki waved his hand as if shooing a fly. "By the way, don't cripple him. Medical fees are expensive."
He turned and walked toward his private office at the highest point of the base.
Bang!
The door closed and locked.
He sat in his large leather swivel chair, kicked his feet up onto the desk, and focused his mind.
Buzz—
A faint blue light screen expanded across his retina.
The trip to Loguetown, including Roger's execution and tricking Hawkeye, had netted him 1.15 million Violation Points. Adding in his previous savings, his balance was quite wealthy.
But Tatsuki wasn't in a hurry to use [Lottery]. His current strength had already hit the ceiling, his physique and Haki were maxed out.
He looked down, his gaze firmly fixed on the upgrade path provided by the system.
[Archaeologist: Find and contact the core origins of the three Ancient Weapons to analyze their power of rules.]
This was a shortcut.
Uranus was in the hands of the Celestial Dragons, hanging high at the top of the world, temporarily out of reach.
As for Poseidon, Shirahoshi hadn't even been born yet.
That left only Pluton.
If his memory served him right, the true form of Pluton—that super battleship capable of destroying an island with a single shot—slept beneath the ground of the isolationist land of samurai in the latter half of the New World: Wano Country.
The best part was that Wano was currently in a delicate state.
Roger had just died, and that fool Kozuki Oden should have returned home. However, instead of choosing to start a war immediately, he was dancing naked in the Flower Capital like a buffoon, trying to 'save' hostages from Orochi and Kaido in such a ridiculous way.
"How foolish." Tatsuki sneered, the light in his eyes turning cold.
Wano Country was not a member of the World Government. There were no eyes of the Celestial Dragons there, and no laws of the World Government. It was a lawless land.
This meant that no matter what heinous... er, world-shaking things he did there, it would be difficult for the World Government to notice immediately.
"A sleeping ancient battleship, Kaido of the Beasts in his prime, and a fool samurai."
Tatsuki pulled a sea chart of the New World from his drawer and drew a red circle around the location of Wano Country.
Once he obtained Pluton, the firepower of G-5 Branch would surpass that of Marineford.
When that time came, even if the Gorosei wanted to move against him, they'd have to ask Pluton's main cannon first.
"I can farm points, seize territory, and beat up Kaido to gain some reputation while I'm at it."