(From here on out, I will release 1 extra chapter if I receive 10 new reviews and 100 Power Stones.)
Many people in the outside world were unaware of who Edward Weevil was. In the era of rising pirates, a pirate who had not been active in the sea for several years would eventually be forgotten by the world, even if they were a Great Character under a Yonko's flag.
But as Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters and the disciple of "Black Arm" Zephyr, they would never forget this man!
"Sigh…"
Sengoku sighed with a heavy heart as he sat in his chair. At this moment, he seemed to have aged several years.
He could see the resistance in Vice Admiral Momonga's expression towards inviting Edward Weevil. To be honest, if they had been able to find his whereabouts in the past few years, these disciples of Zephyr would have gathered to seek revenge long ago.
But unexpectedly, the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) saw value in his strength, which was demonstrated by his ability to sever Zephyr's arm. They intentionally invited him to become a Shichibukai… Apart from his exceptional combat prowess, they had the idea of balancing the Marines' power within this decision.
The exponential growth of military power not only made pirates anxious, but the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) also had their own thoughts.
"Dirty politics!!" Sengoku couldn't help but sigh with frustration towards the situation.
Seeing Vice Admiral Momonga's unnatural expression, Sengoku composed himself and spoke with a serious gaze.
"Vice Admiral Momonga, this is an order!"
Vice Admiral Momonga remained silent for a moment and then stood at attention, saluting.
"Yes, sir!"
…
Leaving the Fleet Admiral's office, Rowen headed straight to the luxurious mansion in the family town of the Quinn Family. He hadn't forgotten his position as the Base Head of the G-10 Branch and knew that after leaving, the defense work at the base was crucial, requiring prior communication with Dante.
"Vice Admiral Rowen? Please… come in, come in!" Oliver Quinn, Dante's father, came out to greet him as he knocked on the door— a name that carried significant meaning.
Upon seeing Rowen, Oliver warmly invited him to stay for dinner before leaving. The Quinn Family belonged to the "Neutral Stream" within the Marines, adhering to a stance of not taking sides or expressing opinions. They represented absolute obedience to orders. But Rowen was the immediate superior of his son, so Oliver was willing to put aside his pride to welcome him.
"Today… I'm afraid it won't be possible." Rowen politely declined, "Zephyr-Sensei has invited me for dinner later, and I need to discuss matters regarding the G-10 Branch with Dante before I leave."
"Oh, Zephyr-San!" Oliver sighed with a tinge of disappointment, before nodding and saying. "Since it's Zephyr-San, I can't keep you."
Afterward, Oliver led Rowen into the house and called out to the figure continuously hacking away in the garden, "Dante, Vice Admiral Rowen is here to see you!"
"Oh!" Dante responded and stopped his movements, wiping away the sweat with a towel. He walked over and saluted. "Vice Admiral!"
"No need to be so formal in your own home…"
Rowen waved his hand, and Oliver tactfully left the space to the two members of the G-10 Branch. Sitting on a chair, Rowen continued, "I wanted to inform you that I will be going on a journey tomorrow. If you have nothing else to do, it would be best for you to return to the G-10 Branch early. I can't rest assured without a high-level combat force overseeing it."
Garp would skip his shifts and return to East Blue, and Trane wouldn't accompany him every time. The large G-3 Branch couldn't be left unmanaged. If a mistake were to occur, not only would it weigh on Garp's conscience, but it would also become a hurdle for Fleet Admiral Sengoku…
A towering hurdle!
Dante nodded, indicating his understanding.
"By the way, what's your Doriki value now?"
"6600…"
Dante silently answered and asked with curiosity, "Why do you ask?"
"It's nothing…"
Rowen shook his head, not saying much. With his current strength, he could easily see that Dante was overexerting his vitality to tap into his potential. Among the recruits of their generation, he had already taken the lead, and was not inferior to any veteran Rear Admirals!
And the price for such strength… was his lifespan!
However, no one had the right to deny someone else's dreams!
Since it was a decision made by Dante himself, Rowen didn't want to say much.
After a moment of pause, Rowen hinted at something as he spoke, "The next 5 to 10 years will be the most magnificent peak of this era! It would be best if you can maintain your peak condition for that long. Otherwise, the New Age won't have a stage for you to shine… Understand, Dante?"
"Five to ten years?" Dante didn't doubt where Rowen's confidence came from. He clenched his fist and nodded solemnly. "I understand!"
"That's good. Let's discuss the official matters then. This is how I plan to arrange the base…"
A few minutes later, Rowen bid farewell to Oliver and left the Quinn Family mansion. With a double Colonel rank and Dante having the opportunity to advance further, as long as nothing unexpected happened, the Quinn Family wouldn't have to worry about their household status for decades to come. And all of this was closely related to Rowen.
Arriving at Zephyr's office door…
Bang!
Rowen calmly stepped back, avoiding being forcefully pushed by the swinging door. Shuzo was carrying a large bag and froze for a second when he saw Rowen outside the door, grinning widely.
"Perfect timing! Quick, take these things to your place. We're having a hot pot tonight! Ain has already gone ahead to prepare the broth!"
Rowen was dumbfounded when he heard this.
"Wait! Why didn't I know we were having hot pot at my place?!"
"No choice, it's because you're a Vice Admiral! Your house has a big yard!"
Shuzo handed a bag to Rowen, who then realized it was filled with pre-sliced meat… It was a burlap sack big enough to fit a person, and it was filled with meat!
There were at least a dozen more bags of meat slices piled up outside the office door behind Shuzo!
"Elderly people should eat more vegetables and less meat. You need to be careful of high blood lipids, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol!" Rowen twitched at the corner of his mouth as he made a sarcastic remark.
"I don't mind having aloof these so why are chirping about it?!" Zephyr's voice came from behind the door, and Binz stood by Zephyr's side, nodding at Rowen with a subtle smile.
…
(This chapter is complete)
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