Ezra D. Vale curled his lips slightly.
"If that is how you want to see it," he said calmly,
"then so be it."
Aokiji rolled his eyes and chose not to respond.
The two of them waited at the harbor for a short while.
Before long, Ace and Luffy came running toward them at full speed.
"Uncle! I am ready!"
Ace spoke with barely contained excitement.
Ezra gave a small nod.
"Go on."
"Yes!"
Ace eagerly placed his backpack onto a small boat.
He turned back to look at Luffy, his eyes full of reluctance.
"Luffy! I am setting sail first, alright!"
Luffy clenched his fists tightly at the side.
"You jerk, Ace! Just wait!"
"I will definitely set sail too!"
Ace burst into laughter.
Without hesitation, he turned around, boarded the boat, and rowed toward the nearby sea.
Then.
Bang!
The Lord of the Coast slapped the boat with a single strike, flipping it clean over.
Ace was sent flying and tumbled back onto the shore in an utterly miserable state.
Ezra and Aokiji walked over, both struggling to hold back their laughter.
Ezra raised his wrist seriously, as if checking a watch.
"Let me see… oh my."
"You actually managed to sail for a full minute."
"That is a new record, you know."
"Pfft."
Aokiji finally failed to hold it in.
"Sorry, sorry. I am professionally trained."
"Normally, I would never laugh."
"Unless… unless I really cannot hold it anymore!"
"Hahahahaha!"
The two of them laughed without restraint.
Even Luffy rolled on the ground laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
Ace's face turned completely red with frustration.
"Just wait!"
"Next time, I will definitely beat that thing!"
Ezra finally stopped laughing.
He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and spoke.
"How about this."
"Let us make a promise."
Ace and Luffy tilted their heads and looked at him.
"Uncle, what do you mean?"
Ezra smiled.
"We set a time."
"I will allow you to challenge it again when you turn seventeen."
"If you succeed, then you can set sail and become adventurers or pirates."
"But if you fail…"
"You will come with me and join the Marines."
Ace and Luffy did not hesitate for even a second.
They nodded wildly.
"Deal, Uncle!"
"You said it yourself!"
Ezra shrugged.
"A real man takes responsibility for his words."
"That applies to both of you too. Understood?"
"We know, Uncle!" ×2
Ezra nodded in satisfaction.
"But until you turn seventeen," he continued,
"you will train properly and seriously."
"With strength like this, you still want to go to sea?"
"Are you trying to make me collect your bodies?"
Ace and Luffy flushed with embarrassment.
Then Ezra continued.
"This man here is Vice Admiral Aokiji from Marine Headquarters."
"For the next few days, he will be the one training you."
Aokiji froze.
"?"
"No, wait. Why is this so sudden?"
"Did anyone discuss this with me first?!"
Seeing the blank look on Aokiji's face, Ezra smiled with great satisfaction.
This was definitely payback.
It had to be.
Still, Aokiji eventually agreed.
After all, he had nothing better to do.
Training the next generation was not a bad way to pass the time.
Even if they were future pirates.
With Ezra D. Vale leading the charge anyway,
Aokiji felt absolutely no pressure at all.