Chapter 33: Arrival
"Is Rhodes finally graduating?"
Listening to Rhodes and Hack's conversation, even though they had anticipated it, Rez and the others still felt a sense of unreality. They were all reserves, yet he was already graduating.
"The gap between us and him will only continue to widen," someone remarked.
While others might suspect that Rhodes would encounter setbacks or even fail after setting sail, the reserves had an inexplicable feeling that this man would only rise higher and higher, until he could overlook the entire ocean.
Just then, Kuro approached and declared, "Wait until I've mastered Observation Haki, then I'll challenge you again."
He felt that his loss to Rhodes was due to his lack of Observation Haki, which had prevented him from fully utilizing his superhuman speed and strength.
"Sure," Rhodes nodded calmly, offering no further comment.
Just like with Shanuo, being surpassed by him would only widen the gap until it became an insurmountable chasm.
Furthermore, Kuro's training was too scattered—cultivating Rokushiki, swordsmanship, and Devil Fruit abilities simultaneously. He might be strong now, but if he continued this unfocused approach, even Shanuo might eventually surpass him.
Only through specialized excellence could one reach the pinnacle.
Although Rhodes possessed the Book of Knowledge, his core skill remained swordsmanship, with other abilities serving as supplementary techniques. His priorities were clear and unwavering.
Cadre assessment missions were assigned by the upper echelons.
These tasks were usually more complex and tested many abilities beyond mere combat effectiveness.
Many situations couldn't be resolved through brute force alone.
Of course, this applied only to insufficient force. If one possessed strength comparable to a Marine Admiral, almost any mission could be easily swept aside.
No matter when or where, combat power remained the most critical and fundamental element.
This was determined by the very nature of this world.
After three days of travel, Rhodes, Sabo, and Koala arrived at the coastline and set sail.
"Your cadre assessment mission is to eliminate the leader of an underground intelligence organization—Silver Fox 'Crete.' This individual has violated our codes by selling sensitive information and must be killed as a warning to others."
"Be careful—he's extremely skilled in disguise, concealment, and infiltration, with keen survival instincts. If you fail and alert him, the mission could become impossible."
"Here are Silver Fox's records and relevant intelligence. Take a look," Koala explained, handing Rhodes a dossier.
The two of them weren't accompanying Rhodes specifically for this mission—they were simply sharing the same route.
If Rhodes successfully completed his mission and became a Revolutionary Army officer, they would then escort him to another assignment that specifically required someone of his profile.
"Understood."
Rhodes accepted the document and began reading. With his near-perfect memory, he quickly absorbed all the information and began formulating a strategy.
Silver Fox 'Crete' wasn't particularly powerful in direct combat. His most notable achievement—or at least his most publicly known feat—was eliminating a pirate with a 120 million berry bounty.
This time, it was Crete who had provoked the Revolutionary Army.
Thanks to the Revolutionary Army's worldwide intelligence network, his location had been pinpointed.
Rhodes' mission was straightforward: reach the island and eliminate Crete.
However, this individual excelled at disguise, so locating the real target wasn't guaranteed. If he became suspicious and blended into the civilian population, the mission would become significantly more difficult, potentially even resulting in failure.
"Do you think he can complete this mission?" Koala asked Sabo.
Sabo blinked thoughtfully and replied, "This mission is quite challenging. Beyond finding Silver Fox's true identity, actually killing him will be the difficult part."
His words clearly indicated he wasn't optimistic about Rhodes' chances.
Even the most notorious pirates possessed exceptional survival skills, not to mention an intelligence broker like Silver Fox who operated in the underworld. His evasion and escape abilities were likely maximized, making him extraordinarily difficult to eliminate.
After a week of sailing, their vessel finally reached its destination.
It was a small but bustling island, with numerous ships docked at the harbor—ordinary merchant vessels and pirate ships coexisting peacefully, with no interference between them.
Because this was an island under the protection of the Four Emperors—Whitebeard.
That name, which spanned two eras, was sufficient to suppress all troublemakers!
Although the New World was filled with lawless maniacs, few dared provoke the Whitebeard Pirates.
The sailboat gradually approached the shore.
Looking at the bustling crowds in the port, Rhodes couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
While the ocean was magnificent, it could be monotonous.
Besides, this was his first real contact with the outside world.
Observing the diverse people moving through the port—some clearly non-human creatures with novel and strange appearances—Rhodes found it eye-opening, his heart stirring with anticipation.
But having lived two lifetimes as a human, Rhodes quickly composed himself.
Then, he spotted a somewhat familiar figure.
It wasn't that he immediately recognized him in the crowd.
Rather, this man was incredibly arrogant, striding at the head of a large group of fierce-looking pirates. Everyone at the harbor made way for him, afraid to cause offense.
"Great Maelstrom Spider, Squard?"
Rhodes was momentarily taken aback, then an amused expression crossed his face.
This man was the infamous traitor of the pirate world!
At the crucial moment during the Battle of Marineford, he had stabbed Whitebeard, further weakening the already injured Strongest Man in the World and nearly causing his death indirectly.
Most importantly, he had left Marineford completely unharmed, shedding only a few crocodile tears.
But this was Whitebeard's family business—none of Rhodes' concern. As long as the man didn't irritate him, he wouldn't bother intervening.
"Keep a low profile," Koala advised. "This is Whitebeard Pirates territory, after all."
"After you complete your mission, rendezvous here. We'll escort you away."
"Got it."
Rhodes nodded, disembarked from the sailboat, and walked along the cobblestone road toward the island's interior.
Everything he encountered along the way amazed him. This was a side of the pirate world he hadn't seen on screen in his previous life—the living reality of this world.
"Let's complete the mission first," Rhodes decided, navigating the winding streets until he located the local Revolutionary Army contact.
"Hmm, cadre assessment mission: eliminate Silver Fox... This cunning bastard isn't to be underestimated. He once killed a pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million."
The Revolutionary Army operative looked at Rhodes with surprise.
Rhodes appeared so young. Although his credentials were correct, it was still somewhat hard to believe.
"Stop wasting time. Just give me the latest intelligence on Silver Fox," Rhodes said curtly.
"Young people sure are impatient."
The operative shook his head and retrieved a document from his drawer.
Rhodes took it, scanned the contents quickly, and headed for the exit.
"Don't you need any backup?"
"No." Before the man could finish his question, Rhodes had vanished.
"Tsk tsk, who assigned this mission? It's clearly a level above normal cadre assessments."
The operative took a drag from his cigarette, pondered for a moment, and decided to keep an eye on the situation.
If he didn't establish a connection with this young man of unlimited talent and potential now, he might never get another chance.
(End of Chapter)
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