A line of warships stretched across the vast sea, their steel hulls gleaming coldly under the sunlight. With sturdy bodies and terrifying firepower, they effortlessly crushed a band of pirates that dared block their path. Pirate ships lurking nearby scattered in panic, fleeing in all directions. The warships did not bother to pursue—small fry like that weren't worth the effort. They continued cruising forward in calm, disciplined formation.
"I heard Gregory and Ryan actually begged you for two whole days of special training?" Brigadier General Otran said, exaggerating his expression as the sea breeze whipped against his coat.
"They were worried they wouldn't be able to keep up once they entered the recruit training camp," Leon Fang replied evenly. "So they swallowed their fear and came to me."
"…That really is a tragic story," Otran sighed in mock sympathy. "Your kind of training was something even Vice Admiral Kizaru once openly complained about. Honestly, I don't get you sometimes. With your talent, you could've naturally grown into a monster on his level sooner or later."
"Who knows," Leon Fang said lightly. "Maybe there's been a mad monster living inside my soul from the very beginning."
"Haha! That joke isn't funny at all."
…
The coastal port of the Kingdom of Hisca was bustling with activity. Merchant ships came and went, dockworkers hurried back and forth, and the air was filled with the shouts of labor and trade. Yet the widest stretch of the port had been completely cleared, heavily guarded by royal troops. The unusual level of security caused countless merchants to stop and stare, whispering among themselves about which great figure could warrant such a reception.
"Tina is so disappointed. Haven't Brother Leon Fang and the others arrived yet?"
Tina, dressed neatly and brightly, radiated youthful vitality. She was easily the most eye-catching presence at the port. If not for her father standing beside her, many people would have already gathered the courage to approach her.
"You really can't wait, can you?" Louis, General of Hisca, teased with a smile. "Didn't you meet Leon Fang just three months ago at the G2 naval base?"
If anyone else had spoken to her like that, Louis would've already lost his temper.
But Leon Fang was different.
Two years ago, Leon Fang had saved an entire fleet under his command. Since then, Louis had kept close track of Leon Fang's growth and character. The more he watched, the more reassured he became. At the very least, he wouldn't oppose Tina having a friendship with someone like him.
After all, because of Louis's overly strict protection, Tina had very few friends her age—and that guilt never left him.
"Dad~" Tina dragged out her voice. "How can you say that? It's been three whole months since you took me to the G2 Branch!"
"Well… your father has been busy," Louis said awkwardly. "These past months have been filled with war and chaos…"
"I remember two years ago you said you lost to those pirates because you weren't good at naval warfare," Tina said casually.
"Ahem!" Louis coughed hard. "That wasn't a loss—at most it was a strategic stalemate with a slight disadvantage. If I'd had just half a day more, I would've turned the tide."
"Dad," Tina muttered softly, "their weapons and supplies were clearly inferior to yours. Once they ran out of ammunition, the situation would've reversed naturally. The real miracle is that you managed to hold on that long in the first place."
"The battlefield changes in an instant," Louis argued stubbornly. "No one can predict the flow of war."
"Alright, let's stop talking about naval battles," Tina sighed like a little adult. "But last time, Brother Leon Fang ended a war in the Kingdom of Hughes in less than a month. Yours dragged on for over three months, and in the end you still needed the Navy to arbitrate. So this really isn't a time issue—it's your issue!"
"Cough… cough…"
Louis felt as though ruthless reality had stripped him bare. Just as he was at a loss for words, he caught sight of something in the distance and hurriedly changed the topic.
"Look! The Navy—those must be Leon Fang's warships!"
Tina instantly forgot about reopening old wounds. She stood on tiptoe, eyes sparkling.
"I see them! I see them! Brother Leon Fang is standing right at the very front of the deck!"
"…In the end, we still had to rely on him to clean up the mess," Louis sighed inwardly, then straightened his back. "Everyone, stay sharp! Don't embarrass the Kingdom of Hisca in front of our distinguished Navy guests!"
As the fleet drew closer, the towering, steel-gray warships exuded overwhelming pressure. Dockworkers watching from afar froze in shock, some even dropping their cargo. For ordinary civilians who had never witnessed true naval power, this sight was nothing short of spiritual baptism.
Even Louis couldn't help but sigh.
If he'd possessed warships like these two years ago, even with poor naval tactics, brute force alone would've crushed his enemies.
On the main ship, Brigadier General Otran, clad in a coat of justice, walked at the very front. Leon Fang followed half a step behind him, wearing a calm, gentle smile.
As Louis stepped forward to greet them, his heart shook.
He realized—perhaps for the first time—that he had underestimated Leon Fang's position within the Navy.
The higher-ranking officers behind them all subconsciously lagged half a step back, deliberately highlighting Leon Fang's role in this operation. None of them showed the slightest resentment. It was obvious that over the past two years, Leon Fang had already won the respect of countless naval bases.
"Brigadier General Otran," Louis said solemnly, "please come with me. His Majesty has prepared a banquet at the palace."
"You must be General Louis," Otran replied politely. "The guardian of the Kingdom of Hisca. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Haha! In front of a brigadier general, how could I dare call myself a guardian deity? That title flatters me too much."
Leon Fang, walking just behind them, felt slightly speechless.
One was a brigadier general, the other a kingdom's general—yet anyone unaware of the truth might think Louis was the one in charge.
In reality, a Navy commodore under Headquarters carried far more weight than most Grand Line kingdom generals. Even kings of World Government member states rarely dared show them disrespect.
After all, the peace of these seas was enforced by the Navy.
Offending a Navy officer meant inviting "special treatment" later.
At best, pirates would suddenly become "overlooked."
At worst, the sea would turn into a feeding ground for hyenas.
There were once kingdoms that failed to respect the Navy. Those nations soon became pirate havens. Their economies collapsed, sky tribute could no longer be paid, and they were expelled from the World Government—eventually destroyed by the very pirates they had once ignored.
That was precisely why Louis never stopped Tina from aspiring to join the Navy.
In any world, one truth never changed—
Having a powerful backer…
was never a bad thing.
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T/N:
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