Inside a Marineford office, where a plaque "Absolute Justice" was displayed on the wall, Sengoku sat behind his desk. He stared at Sephiroth with a calm but watchful gaze. "Sephiroth, I called you in because there's an important matter I need to convey."
"Uh!? Admiral Sengoku, if you have something to say, just say it! I'm listening," Sephiroth replied casually.
Sengoku started with some pleasantries. "Thanks to the information you provided, the internal cleanup operation of the Navy is going smoothly... However, it can't be denied that you have committed a job-related offense. Both have more to offer than they can, and I don't intend to pursue them. But... A symbolic punishment is still quite necessary. Otherwise, it can easily arouse suspicion. Coincidentally, after months of busyness, the first phase of the operation is almost over, and we have a number of problematic officers arrested as well. Next, the operation will undergo a more critical second phase. When the time comes, if any more problems are found, it won't be so simple to end..."
Sephiroth glanced at Sengoku expressionlessly. He felt that the cunning old man meant everything inside and outside his words, "If you don't comply with the handling, I will expose the matter of your betraying the corrupt Navy brass and let them take care of you!" He knew that, by betraying the corrupt brass for his own safety, he had unknowingly fallen under Sengoku's scrutiny. "A man under a roof has to bow his head," he thought.
A very helpless Sephiroth could only nod and say, "Admiral Sengoku is very wise, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
When Sengoku saw that the young man knew himself so well, he stopped pointing at him and said, "Hmm!... In a month, I plan to transfer you to the G-5 branch in the New World. Don't worry, this is actually just a show, a temporary punishment! In a few years, I will transfer you back."
Sephiroth was speechless. The G-5 branch was an organization the Navy used to house problematic soldiers. The people inside were all officers who had made mistakes but were not obedient. They were not so much the Navy, but more like pirates. They basically did not obey instructions from the headquarters, often acted without authorization, and behaved very badly, loving to use various methods to kill captured pirates.
In the bedroom of a villa on Sabaody Archipelago's Area 41, Sephiroth lay on his back on the bed, pondering his conversation with Sengoku. He turned to Perona, who was sitting on his waist, with her back to him, and said, "In a month, the Navy will transfer me to the G-5 Headquarters in the New World. Do you want to come?"
"Of course I'm coming! Wherever Sephiroth goes, I go. But, what about Sister Hancock and the others?" Perona asked as she changed her position, lying on Sephiroth's chest, and rubbing her smooth face.
"Them... I'll give Hancock two Vampire Bats," Sephiroth replied without thinking. He didn't dare to do it before, for fear of getting too attached to Hancock and wasting his training time. However, now he could no longer become stronger just by routine training.
In addition, Sephiroth would also introduce Iska to Perona. Both of them were about the same age, so they could be friends so that Perona wouldn't stay at home alone all day.
After all, calculating the time, Iska had been practicing swordsmanship for a month! The girl kept her promise and swung her sword 1,300 times to sharpen her basic swordsmanship. Now, it was time for him to fulfill his promise and start teaching her swordsmanship.
"One sheep in the fold, two sheep can run free," he thought. "How about... I ask Koshiro if I can train Kuina too? That way, I can prevent her tragic fate."
In the backyard of a residential building on Sabaody Archipelago's Area 61, there was a cute teenage girl wearing black shorts and a white T-shirt. Sweat was dripping from Iska's reddish-orange-haired pretty face, wetting her T-shirt and highlighting the shape of her developing breasts. She was holding a bamboo sword, constantly doing basic sweeps, splits, and slashes over and over again.
Sephiroth, with three long swords tucked into his waist, walked into the courtyard. He stood calmly and folded his hands, observing the young girl sharpening her basic swordsmanship.
After a long time, Iska finally ended her training. She walked toward Sephiroth with a smile and asked hesitantly, "Sephiroth, do you remember what day it is today?"
"Of course I do. I didn't expect you to really last for a month," Sephiroth said with a smile. He raised his right hand and touched the girl's long, supple hair. "This knife is for you. Its name is Tianyu Zhanzhan, and it is included in the Twenty-One Great Knife Skills."
As he spoke, he took out the white-sheathed knife tucked into his waist and handed it to the girl.
"Thank you, Sephiroth!"
Iska held the white-sheathed knife tightly in her arms, her excitement evident. For her, no matter how valuable the knife was, what mattered was that Sephiroth gave her a gift.
"There's one more thing I want to ask you. Just forget it if you don't agree," Sephiroth said.
"Hmm!? What is it?" Iska tilted her head, a confused look appearing on her face.
"In a month, the Navy Headquarters will transfer me to the G-5 branch in the New World. In other words... I will no longer be stationed in Sabaody. Do you want to come with me to the New World?"
Iska blinked, then said decisively, "Of course I have to go! You clearly agreed to teach me swordsmanship yourself. You can't go back on your word!"
At the Marine Base on Sabaody Archipelago's Area 60, Sephiroth had just pushed open the office door when he saw Frank with his back to him, sitting at a desk with his head buried in a document bag.
Sephiroth was very satisfied with this adjutant. He was loyal, obedient, and quick. Only his strength was lacking. Because his physical talent was not high, even after practicing for four years, Frank couldn't fully master Soru, the basic move of Rokushiki.
"Physical talent determines the upper limit of strength," Sephiroth muttered. He thought that in the future, Frank could at most be a ship officer on a Buster Call, one of those hundreds of officer-level thugs. In an agency that is directly under the Ministry, with Frank's strength, it would be almost impossible to lead a certain unit unless he applied for a transfer to a branch in the Four Seas.
"Brigadier General Sephiroth!"
After hearing the sound of the door opening, Frank stood up and saluted.
"Hmm! Sit down!"
Sephiroth nodded, sat down, and looked at the bearded youth across the desk.
"Frank, how long have you been with me?"
"Reporting, Brigadier General Sephiroth, I have been your adjutant for almost four years!" Frank replied.
"Four years! It's been quite a long time," Sephiroth muttered. "In four years, you went from a soldier to a lieutenant, which is quite fast!"
"This is all thanks to Brigadier General Sephiroth's guidance!"
Frank nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with gratitude. He knew that his strength was not outstanding and he had not made any great contributions, but he had been promoted in military rank for so many years, all thanks to Sephiroth.
"I just received an order from the headquarters. In a month, I will be heading to the G-5 branch in the New World. For so many years, you have worked tirelessly for me, and I see it all. So before I go, I want to ask, is there any place you want to go? I can help arrange it. The rest of the headquarters, some Grand Line branches, even the Four Seas branches are for you to choose!"
Sephiroth, with his head in his hands, looked at his lieutenant calmly. He felt that since Frank had been his adjutant for so many years and now he was about to be transferred to an extremely bad branch, for the sake of "emotion and reason," he should arrange a good future for the other party.
"Brigadier General Sephiroth, I want to go to the G-5 branch with you!" Frank said without hesitation.
Hearing this, the silver-haired youth shook his head. "We've known each other for so many years, and you don't need to say these polite words to me. You don't have to come with me. After all, that's not a good place. Once you go there, there's a stain on your record, and it'll be very difficult to get promoted to an officer in the future."
"Brigadier Sephiroth, I..."
Frank opened his mouth to say something, but Sephiroth cut him off. "You don't need to rush to answer me. Think carefully first and tell me when you're sure."
Sephiroth smiled, got up from his office chair, walked over to Frank, patted him on the shoulder, and left the office.
Inside a villa's kitchen on Sabaody Archipelago's Area 41, wearing a purple cheongsam and a white apron, the tall Hancock stood by the sink. She put a basin full of white radishes, turned on the faucet, and the water rushed down.
It was at this time that Sephiroth entered the kitchen and gently wrapped his arms around Hancock's slender waist from behind. He lowered his head, pressed his cheek against the girl's long neck, and sniffed the sweet fragrance from her hair.
"You've just returned, so go and rest first! Just leave it to me to cook..."
"No need! I want to cook for you. Coincidentally, I just came up with a new dish."
Hearing this, Sephiroth could only turn his head helplessly and look at Perona who was floating at the kitchen door. He gestured "I've already done my best!".
Seeing this, a pained expression appeared on Perona's face. She floated weakly while holding her forehead. She was ready to go and eat a few more bags of snacks to fill her stomach first, so that she wouldn't have to eat dinner!
In fact, after so many years of hard work in cooking, Hancock's cooking skills were already above average, so her dishes were not bad. Except, she was often obsessed with researching new, unusual dishes. For example, adding dragon fruit, mung beans, and sugar to shrimp porridge... Some incompatible ingredients went in. A good dish always turned into a strange mix of flavors, making people not know how to react!
However, Sephiroth never scolded Hancock and told her to stop cooking strange dishes. After all, the woman in his arms was already perfect enough in every way! She just had a small hobby of making "dark" dishes, so Sephiroth just had to endure it!
"Don't make trouble! I'm cooking!" Hancock felt Sephiroth's mischief. She immediately turned around, rolled her eyes at him charmingly, and said angrily.
"It's okay! You do yours, I just want to hug you." Sephiroth laughed, and he immediately wrapped his arms around Hancock's slender waist again.
"Really..." Hancock pouted a little dissatisfied and muttered softly, but she didn't push Sephiroth away anymore.
"In a month, the Navy Headquarters will transfer me to the G-5 branch... That person from Sengoku, it seems like he's trying to push me out of the Navy's power circle and gradually marginalize me."
"Um~! Then what are you going to do?" Hearing this, Hancock's hands rested on the edge of the sink.
"Let's go with the flow! Anyway, I don't plan to be in the Navy forever either. However, I am ready to move to the New World... In the future, I will have many plans, all related to the New World, and it will be easier to handle things if I am closer."
"Um~! Then how do we meet in the future?" Hancock asked, the question she was most worried about.
"Don't worry! I will give you two Vampire Bats, which I will use for teleportation. If you miss me, contact me. Even if it's half a planet away, I can sense the existence of the bats and appear by your side at any time..."
Hearing this, Hancock turned around and sat on the edge of the sink. Her delicate arms wrapped around Sephiroth's neck, staring at his handsome cheeks with a pair of moist peach blossom eyes. The girl smiled sweetly and said in a soft voice, "But I miss you all the time! Want to be with you all the time."
Sephiroth smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness, and he put his hands on Hancock's back. He lowered his head slightly, and pressed it gently to her forehead. "Me too. However, I still have so many things to deal with now that I can't spare myself to accompany you."
Because of her cooking, it was so exhausting that Hancock felt tired after doing half of it. So, Sephiroth naturally took over the cooking job.
More than an hour later, Perona, sitting at the table and looking at the table filled with more than ten delicious dishes made by Sephiroth, burped and looked at him with a resentful eye. "You told me a long time ago that if you could settle Sister Hancock, I wouldn't have to eat snacks to fill my stomach first! Woo~! The dishes are so delicious! But I'm so full, I can't eat anymore!"
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