One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 73 Becoming a Faction Lobbier

"Does he have some skill? It seems the rumors aren't entirely false," Sakazuki thought.

Sakazuki was well aware of the oppressive power of his aura; anyone slightly weaker would experience shortness of breath and tense muscles, but the brat was completely unaffected.

Within the Navy Headquarters, there were many rumors that Sylvester Roman was a monster, after all, the rumors had already reached his ears.

Many in the Navy Headquarters are speculating whether she is another new monster following those three monsters.

This is not a baseless rumor. In fact, Roman is far too young. Borsalino was 26 when he first came to prominence, Sakazuki was 23, and Kuzan was 19.

However, Roman is younger and already a mature fighter. Given enough time, he could very well become a general.

Unfortunately, following Kuzan, that lazy guy, only made more Marines weak and unable to demonstrate the Navy's dignity and justice.

Thinking of this, Sakazuki's mood began to become irritable, but time was of the essence, and he had to set sail, so he turned around and stepped onto the warship.

The moment their eyes looked away, all the trainees breathed a sigh of relief.

He really is a living devil.

Roman cursed inwardly.

I wonder which pirates were so unlucky as to encounter Sakazuki's warship; they probably got burned to ashes.

Marineford is currently lacking in high-end forces. Borsalino is still patrolling the New World, Sakazuki is on an outbound patrol of the first half of the Grand Line, and Garp is on vacation back in the East Blue.

Therefore, the time the trainees spent in actual combat was shorter than expected, since Zephyr needed to be recalled in case of any unforeseen circumstances. Now, Sengoku, the only general with real power, can be said to be staying at home.

So Sengoku was furious about Garp's sudden leave, but Garp ignored him and swaggered home in his warship, infuriating Sengoku.

Roman could probably guess that he wanted to see Ace, and maybe Luffy had already been born by then.

This was a significant event in Garp's life, and he probably never imagined that the birth of his grandson would also be so meaningful to the world.

However, since the other two monsters have important matters to attend to and need to leave, it means that Kuzan should have returned to Marine Headquarters.

Upon arriving at Marineford, Zephat announced the disbandment of the team, as the days spent at sea had been arduous and necessary rest was required.

However, after the group disbanded, Roman found Smoker.

“Should we go see Lieutenant General Kuzan, Smoker? It would be good for your future,” Roman suggested to Smoker.

Roman genuinely meant well for Smoker with this suggestion. After all, Smoker has a bad temper and isn't very tactful. Sakazuki is the same, but Sakazuki has superior combat skills. Smoker has talent, but he hasn't reached the point where rules can change him.

Kuzan is quite tolerant; he can almost tolerate Smoker's temper. He is also similar to Garp in that he doesn't value superior-subordinate relationships.

This also aligns with the original story's plot.

Moreover, it was closely related to future development. Their training camp life was not over yet, but the generals who came to see them every day were not just there to visit; they were actually selecting suitable subordinates.

Zephyr was the leader who enlightened them about naval life, so their future superiors would be their deputies.

If Smoker doesn't want to be thrown into Loguetown in the East Blue in the future, then Kuzan is really the best choice.

As for Tina, she seems to have decided to join Crane's camp.

It's a perfectly normal choice, after all, 99% of the female soldiers in the navy support Vice Admiral Tsuru.

"I don't like that lazy lieutenant general at all." Smoker lit a cigar, his slovenly manner resembling that of a delinquent.

"While I would like to agree with what you said, Lieutenant General Kuzan himself is quite capable to have been promoted to lieutenant general."

As the future world government's top combat force, Kuzan's strength is self-evident. Even with personality flaws and laziness, he is still an absolutely important talent.

“I know he’s a powerful fighter, but it’s hard to feel any respect for him. I feel like he’s a bit lost,” Smoker said, somewhat displeased.

That's true. Because his own sense of justice clashes with the World Government's, and because he witnessed the darkness within the Navy, Kuzan remained confused for over a decade. However, people often only see his lazy exterior and can't directly expose the inner conflict within him.

"Because he's an adult."

"Huh?" Smoker looked at him as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

“It’s easy to understand. For us, we just need to listen to Teacher Zephyr. We don’t need to think outside the box. After all, we’re just trainees now. But he’s an adult and a naval commander. He has a lot to think about and a lot to worry about. It’s more accurate to say that excessive thinking causes unnecessary suffering. If we just obey orders, maybe nothing will happen.” Roman said slowly.

Just like Borsalino, that was indeed the most relaxed state of life.

"Although I did feel he was unreliable when I first met him, after a few interactions, he turned out to be a good person. Everyone inevitably experiences initial confusion, and I personally think that's a sign of wisdom, because it shows he's constantly thinking. It's lucky to find a steadfast path right from the start, but it also means missing out on many other possibilities. Life is long, and he can think things through slowly. Of course, I still condemn his laziness, so if I were a responsible subordinate, I'd have to do everything I could to pull him back." Roman rattled off a bunch of things in one breath, suddenly feeling thirsty, but seeing Smoker's bewildered expression, he felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Would you like some water?

Suddenly, a clear water glass was handed to me.

"Ah, thank you, Lieutenant General Kuzan. Your abilities are truly convenient. Ah...!!!"

Upon seeing Kuzan suddenly appear, Smoker and Roman simultaneously let out two piercing screams.

"Of course, that's just the most basic." Seeing the two of them looking frightened, Kuzan felt a sense of accomplishment from his prank.

Ah, I think I just said something bad about him. Will that cause any problems? Being caught red-handed made Smoker a little embarrassed. He often clashed with the instructors, but that was always in the open. Being caught talking behind their backs made him feel a bit ashamed.

On the bright side, maybe they didn't hear it.

"You were just talking about me, weren't you..."

"Damn it, I heard it all," Smoker thought miserably.