Please don't use your brain too much when reading. (This story was written long ago so there may be mishaps in information and ranks.)
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"You... you little brat… you—!"
Sengoku's hand trembled as he pointed at Yahn. Hearing the boy's airtight explanation, he nearly lost control of his strength and began to shine golden with fury.
Just as Yahn was considering whether he should seriously try to calm Sengoku down, Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had been watching quietly, couldn't hold back a laugh.
"Ahahaha…"
"Sengoku, you've often praised Yahn's intelligence to me over the years. Now that I've seen it for myself, I must say—you're right. He's sharp as a tack, and nothing he does is ever sloppy. You're lucky. You've got a worthy successor."
Sengoku's face twisted in annoyance, and he muttered in a tone full of distaste.
"What successor? This brat spends every day figuring out new ways to slack off. All that intelligence is wasted on laziness. At this point, I'd rather smack him into next week and be done with it."
"Now, now, don't be hasty," Tsuru said kindly and gently.
"But Yahn did make a valid point just now. This is a crucial moment for you—whether or not you successfully get promoted to Fleet Admiral depends on what happens next. You need to be extra cautious and mindful of appearances."
Sengoku shot Yahn a fierce glare and sighed helplessly. "I know."
Yahn, meanwhile, rolled his eyes instinctively and muttered internally:
> "See what I mean? These old men never listen to their own sons. But when it's something their lady confidantes say—oh, suddenly it's gospel truth."
> "What do you even call this? Prioritizing women over your own kid!"
As Yahn grumbled to himself and waited for Sengoku to accept reality—ideally allowing him to become a proud and glorious Private First Class—he suddenly noticed Tsuru leaning in to whisper something into Sengoku's ear.
After a moment, Tsuru waved at Yahn with a smile that radiated warmth.
"Yahn, stop by and visit me when you get the chance. I believe you and Gion will make excellent partners in the future."
With that, Tsuru calmly exited the training ground.
Partners?
Yahn froze.
Before he could even unpack the implications of Tsuru's words, he noticed Sengoku suddenly smiling.
Danger!
Yahn's instincts screamed at him, and he tried to back away on reflex.
Unfortunately, his body simply wasn't on the same level as Sengoku's. Their speeds weren't even close.
The moment his vision blurred, he felt Sengoku's heavy hand clamp down on his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going, brat?" Sengoku asked, smiling like a predator.
"I... I…"
Yahn's brain kicked into overdrive. In a flash, he came up with an excuse.
"I'm just going to check on Captain Gion. I'm worried about her injuries—thought I could help apply some medicine or something."
Sengoku patted him on the shoulder, a peculiar smile forming on his lips.
"No rush. You'll have plenty of chances to get to know her in the future."
Yahn's eyes widened. "Old man, don't tell me you're trying to marry me off to Captain Gion?"
"What's wrong with that? She's not beautiful enough? Or is it her strength that's lacking?" Sengoku asked as he slung an arm around Yahn and steered him toward the office.
Yahn's mouth twitched. He hated these types of loaded questions with a passion—and he knew this was a trap if there ever was one.
So he quickly sidestepped the topic.
"Say, old man... isn't Captain Gion Vice Admiral Tsuru's adopted sister?"
"That's right," Sengoku nodded.
Yahn grinned. "Then what's your relationship with Vice Admiral Tsuru?"
Sengoku tightened his grip on Yahn's shoulder—just enough to make his whole body feel like it was sinking.
"Brat, don't go making assumptions. Tsuru and I are just like siblings, got it?"
"Oh, I get it," Yahn nodded. "But if I were to marry Captain Gion, wouldn't that make me Tsuru's brother-in-law? Then what would I even call you, old man?"
He started counting on his fingers, murmuring to himself.
"Let's see… you and Tsuru are like siblings, which makes you Gion's big brother. But you're also my father…"
"Damn, this is getting complicated."
Noticing the look of mild constipation on Sengoku's face, Yahn added with deliberate sincerity:
"Old man, how about this—let's just each do our own thing. You can call me your little brother, and I'll keep calling you 'old man.' Sound good?"
Sengoku's glare was downright terrifying now, like a blade scraping across bone. He growled low:
"Does it sound good to you?!"
Yahn gave a few dry chuckles. "Of course not, Dad. Obviously that's not appropriate."
"Hmph!"
Sengoku shot him another deadly look. If this brat's body weren't so fragile, he would've pinned him to the ground and broken both his legs by now—then maybe he'd learn something.
Bang!
Sengoku shoved open the office door and marched in, plopping himself into his chair with a scowl. Without saying another word, he immediately began going through his stack of paperwork.
Yahn, unbothered, followed him in. He casually shut the door and sprawled out on the big sofa in the corner like he owned the place.
"Ahhh... this is the life…"
He let out a soft moan as he stretched his back, adjusting until he found the most comfortable position. Then he completely relaxed.
This scene was nothing new to Yahn.
Even though Sengoku always tried to make time to teach and be with both Corazon and Yahn, he was constantly buried in documents and duties.
So over time, their trio developed a pattern: Sengoku worked, Corazon trained, and Yahn... napped.
Now, with the soft, rhythmic sound of Sengoku's pen scratching across paper in the background, Yahn felt inexplicably at peace.
And slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
"This damn brat…"
Sengoku glanced at the boy, noting how his breathing had gradually evened out. His stern gaze softened slightly.
He knew very well that deep inside, Yahn was someone with a severe lack of security. He rarely ever truly let his guard down—never slipped into deep sleep lightly.
Even in light sleep, Yahn's Observation Haki remained active, keeping tabs on his surroundings.
But only here, in Sengoku's presence, would he allow himself to fully let go like this.
With a sigh, Sengoku shook his head and returned to his paperwork—though now, his writing was noticeably quieter and more careful.
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Some time later…
A voice rang out, tinged with irritation:
"Hey, who are you? How dare you lounge around in Admiral Sengoku's office like this? Get up immediately!"
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Currently at chapter 75 on Ko-Fi
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27