"Obviously, if you've been sent here for support, then your opponent will naturally be Kaido,"
Vice Admiral Tsuru said calmly.
"So before that happens, all you need to do is keep an eye on him. If the other side doesn't make a move, then you don't have to either."
"Really… not taking action?" Sakazuki frowned, a hint of hesitation in his tone.
"Look at the battlefield in front of you, Sakazuki. What do you see right now?"
Tsuru motioned with her hand for him to observe the ongoing clash.
"…What's going on out there?" Sakazuki muttered, still puzzled, but he did as instructed and focused on the battlefield.
And then he realized something strange.
"The battle… doesn't seem that intense?"
Sakazuki wasn't a fool just overly straightforward. After watching closely for a while, the truth dawned on him. No corpses. In fact, not a single death on either side.
"The fighting's been going on for over an hour already, but… no one's died?" His eyes narrowed.
"This… this looks like a show!"
"See it now?" Tsuru asked after a pause, her sharp gaze testing him.
"…Is this… military training?" Sakazuki asked, his voice low, uncertain.
"Correct." Tsuru nodded in satisfaction. At least the man wasn't hopeless.
"Kaido's purpose here for now is simply to train his troops. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that he's using this as a feint before launching a real offensive."
"But if that time comes… well, that's when we'll need you."
"I understand," Sakazuki replied, his face set as he nodded firmly.
Military training wasn't something he would ever object to. In fact, in his eyes… this was the perfect opportunity.
The scene before him left Sakazuki at a loss for words.
Something about this situation felt… different from anything he'd experienced before.
When he first arrived, he had expected to be on the very front line trading blows with Kaido in a storm of magma and destruction. That was the picture in his head. Yet here he was… standing still, motionless.
For a moment, his stern expression wavered, revealing a trace of conflict. Especially now, when Vice Admiral Tsuru's words seemed… could it be that she was right?
Up in the drifting clouds, Kaido was on the verge of dozing off. But the instant he felt Sakazuki's presence, his eyes snapped open.
"…Why is it this magma guy? Why couldn't it have been one of the other two?"
Kaido grinned, though his tone carried irritation. Just thinking about Sakazuki gave him a headache.
Of all the Marines, this one was the worst, always charging in headfirst, fists swinging, without a shred of subtlety.
Did he really have to pick a fight every time? Couldn't he act like a civilized person for once?
And for what? There was no profit in it. No gain. Why fight when there was nothing to be gained? Did this guy think Kaido owed him money or something?
But then unexpectedly Sakazuki didn't rush forward this time. He didn't attack at all.
"…What the hell is going on? Has that guy lost his mind?"
Kaido leaned out from the clouds, eyes narrowing in surprise. Down below, Sakazuki stood firm on G-1's ramparts, simply watching him in silence.
"…Is that really the brainless one? When did he grow a brain?"
Kaido's massive face twisted with genuine confusion.
"Tch. Forget it. Why bother thinking so hard? Why fight… when you can rest?"
"Worororororo!"
His booming laugh echoed through the sky. The irony, of course, was that Kaido himself was usually the one who couldn't resist fighting.
But today was different. He had more important matters to deal with and for once, even the Beast was content to let things be.
Tsuru, of course, didn't waste this chance. She took advantage of the situation to continue teaching Sakazuki, imparting battlefield experience, strategic vision, and the ability to truly grasp the flow of a conflict.
"These are the things you must master," she told him, her tone calm yet sharp. "If you truly want to become Fleet Admiral one day."
And Sakazuki… he wasn't a fool. How could he possibly refuse, when Vice Admiral Tsuru was clearly offering him guidance and support? If he rejected it, that would be nothing short of arrogance.
After all, he had already taken a heavy beating before this. He knew better now than to turn away from anything that could make him stronger. His temper, his personality...even those seemed to have improved a little.
Perhaps, a beating like that really was what he deserved.
The day passed under this strange stalemate. And when night finally fell, the Beast Pirates pulled back.
But they didn't withdraw completely. Their ships only retreated a few dozen nautical miles offshore, never vanishing from sight.
It was obvious they would be back tomorrow. This was nothing more than a pause before training continued.
"Kaido-san, is our purpose really just to train troops?"
King stepped up beside him, his low voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
"No," Kaido replied, shaking his head. "The main goal is to draw the Navy's attention."
"…?"
King's eyes flickered with doubt. He studied Kaido's massive frame, confusion plain in his gaze.
"In short, three days from now, I'll be leaving in secret. This place will be left in your hands," Kaido said, fixing him with a heavy stare. "If there's danger… just pull back."
"I understand," King nodded firmly. He could tell Kaido had some plan, some move he hadn't revealed. But since Kaido himself didn't say more, King knew better than to pry.
The Beast roared with laughter again, while the night sea swallowed their fleet in silence.
---
At the same time, the Buggy Chamber of Commerce began to move in earnest.
With them at the center, civilians who had long been oppressed by corrupt Marines and who still held evidence in their hands were gathered up.
Guided by Buggy's network, they boarded merchant ships one after another, setting sail in secret toward Marine Headquarters.
Of course, in any given region there were never many who were both willing and able to come forward. Those who had hard evidence were even fewer.
But when all those scattered sparks came together?
Even if it was only two or three people from each sea area, the total across the Four Seas quickly swelled to four or five thousand.
The truth was clear. In this Great Pirate Era, pirates weren't the only ones sowing chaos corrupt elements within the Navy had become accomplices of evil as well.
"Boss, there are already thousands on board," Kuro reported, stepping forward after finishing the count.
"All of them have evidence in hand. They're headed straight for Marine Headquarters."
"Thousands, huh?" Buggy's painted face split into a grin. "And with evidence, no less."
If it were just victims without proof, the numbers would be ten times greater. Hundreds of thousands...no, millions of people had been trampled by this corruption.
But for now, evidence was everything. And Buggy could already smell the storm it would cause.
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