In fact, in his mind, the ''Four Seas'' were no longer a threat.
Even if legendary figures rise and fall in spectacular fashion, so what?
Rowen had confidence in standing shoulder to shoulder with those unknown legends, or even surpassing them!
What he needed now was foundation— enough leverage to challenge the authority of the government— not to waste time dealing with pirates in the Four Seas and exterminating the most wicked Supernovas of the era.
From the height at which he stood, being "enemies" was a joke in itself.
With this overarching premise, the Four Seas were merely territories that required minimal monitoring, not places needing close scrutiny.
Like having a cup of milk and a bowl of spicy hotpot on the table when you wake up in the morning...
You could eat it, but there's no need!
Seeing that Rowen didn't stop him, ''Vazat'' continued, "The establishment of the ''Independent Commission Against Corruption'' and the several thorough purges conducted by Headquarters have left the ''East Blue pirates'' utterly demoralized, almost without room for resistance."
"As long as the monitoring agency remains uncompromised, this situation will remain unchanged."
This was an inevitable truth. Corruption always begins with the rulers, not the populace.
The chaos of the pirate era, in essence, boils down to three words:
''Heavenly Tribute''!
It was the ''Celestial Dragons'' who personally plunged the world into an abyss. On one hand, they cursed the audacity of the commoners defying the will of the World-creation God; on the other, they carried on in their arrogance, refusing to repent.
"So against this backdrop, my existence value is virtually nonexistent."
"With the Independent Commission Against Corruption, East Blue is as stable as a Mountain."
Vazat lamented, "Moreover, I am getting old, Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
"I'm not a combatant, and I can clearly feel my physical fitness rapidly declining, my energy nowhere near what it used to be."
"Since the organization was rebuilt, I have been handling even a small amount of official business until late at night."
Vazat raised his hand and gestured with his thumb and forefinger.
"So I think, with the Assassination Force rising from the ashes, it is time for me to step down and provide opportunities for the younger and more energetic."
In other words, makes room for Rowen to cultivate his trusted followers.
Will the older members of the Assassination Force be reused?
Yes, but only a very few.
If ''Chaton'' was willing to return to the Assassination Force, Rowen wouldn't mind giving him a position second only to himself.
But for the majority, that would not be the case.
Because they belong to the "previous generation," having no direct ties to Rowen, and due to the betrayal incident in the ''New World'', they carry a label of suspicion in Rowen's heart.
A benefit, a drawback.
Vazat believed Rowen could understand what he was trying to express.
The clock on the wall ticked away steadily, but every second felt like a year to Vazat.
He seemed to be inside a furnace, feeling unbearably hot but not daring to move a muscle.
Sweat rolled down from his forehead onto his collar, and the tingly sensation was extremely uncomfortable, but Vazat endured it.
Until a sea breeze blew in through the window behind him, bringing a coolness to his sweat-soaked back, offering a slight relief.
After a long while...
"Congratulations on successfully persuading me, Vazat San."
Phew!
Hearing these words, Vazat let out a long breath, feeling a weight lifted off his chest. His legs felt weak, and he nearly lost his balance.
"Th-thank you, senior officer!"
"No need to thank me. I'm merely willing to believe that a person who is daring enough to take risks and play tricks in front of me to protect his family wouldn't have the courage to do anything irrational."
"I..."
Instantly, a terrifying killing intent enveloped him, and Vazat could no longer stand. With a plop, he fell onto the ground.
The gaze of Death's God was fixed on him, leaving Vazat pale and trembling.
"But..."
Whoosh!
The killing intent vanished as if nothing had happened, with Rowen leisurely swirling a glass of red wine.
"I need you alive, to send out a signal."
"Tell those like you, as long as you work well under me, the rule of walking in alive and going out horizontal from the Assassination Force can be changed."
Where there is hope, there is no despair.
Without despair, there is no rebellion.
Without worries, incidents like the one in the ''New World'' have no fertile ground to breed.
The betrayal of the regional manager was laughable. After the Assassination Force was disbanded, he engaged in numerous dealings with pirates using the intelligence network in his hands, lining his own pockets.
Later, when the force was restructured, fearing exposure, he chose to hide information and went all in.
Sure, here's the translation of the provided text from Chinese to English, preserving the tone and style:
Even such a seemingly insignificant threat, like a butterfly flapping its wings, triggered a complete collapse of the New World front.
The psychology of the populace is quite easy to understand.
Isn't it?
Rowen thought, why not treat managing the Assassination Force as practice for ruling the world someday... a sort of simulated test.
Killing is merely a means to an end, not the end itself.
"Yes, Senior Officer, your great kindness will be remembered. I will do my utmost to help… uh…"
From heaven to hell, and then from hell back to heaven, Vazat's heart was racing. Without thinking, he blurted out his words.
But halfway through speaking, he realized such matters should not be spoken aloud.
"Enough. Take this card."
Rowen waved his hand, placing a gold card on the table.
"I will erase all traces of you from the Assassination Force— your achievements, your past, your grievances. Whatever it is, it will no longer exist."
"In the future, you will no longer hold the identity of a Marine Assassination Force Information Division East Blue branch manager. You will simply be a pirate who fled back from the Grand Line, lucky to have met me, using the chef profession as a cover to sell information. Understood?"
In other words, the past thirty years of Vazat's efforts and contributions would vanish without a trace.
This was the price he had to pay for leaving.
Without light, shadows disappear as well.
Vazat fell silent.
Then he reached out, resolutely grabbing the gold card.
Compared to his youthful past, his family's future was far more important.
''BuruBuru… BuruBuru…''
At this moment, the sudden sound of the ''Den Den Mushi'' interrupted, causing Rowen to frown silently, wondering who would call him at such a time.
Taking out the privately marked blue Den Den Mushi, Rowen signaled Vazat to leave, then answered the call.
"''Moshimoshi'', is this Rowen speaking?"
Such an opening, in Rowen's memory, belonged to only one person.
"Admiral Kizaru, how come you have time to call me today? And moreover…"
"You actually picked the right Den Den Mushi!!!"
Rowen wore an expression of shock.
''Kizaru'': "(╬◣д◢)!!"
'I'll give you a chance to reorganize your words!'
"See, I told you something's off with you today, old man!"
"You came right in and found the correct Den Den Mushi!"
In the distance, Rowen could hear ''Sentomaru's'' voice on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
To this, Rowen nodded deeply.
"I think he must be an impostor. The real Admiral Kizaru could never find the right Den Den Mushi!"
"Take action, Sentomaru! Capture him first!"
"Roger that!"
Sentomaru spat and took down his giant axe, shouting loudly: "We're at ''Sabaody'', Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), please contact Headquarters for the support!"
Then...
"Daring to impersonate the old man, take my axe!"
''Kizaru'': "..."
Should I be glad that you are defending me so fiercely, you fool?!
But first, change the title you gave this old man, you idiot!
''Whoosh... Boom!!''
The Den Den Mushi adorably puckered its lips, rotating its head with a "whoosh," mimicking the explosive sound coming from the other side.
This sound effect, this explosion... yeah, it's definitely Kizaru.
Rowen sipped his wine lightly as if nothing happened: "By the way... I still don't know why you called me, Admiral Kizaru. Just to let you know, I'm pretty tied up with my own troubles right now, so whatever it is, please don't mention it."
"Ahem... cough cough... idiot!"
However, before he could get a reply from Kizaru, on the other side of the Den Den Mushi, Sentomaru got up, leaning on his axe: "Be careful, Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon). He's not only imitating the old man's appearance but also his moves."
"But, I won't tell you!"
Sentomaru leaned slightly backward, raising his index finger toward Kizaru: "The old man always kicks me with his right foot, never with his left! He always aims for the face, never the stomach!"
"I am the most tight-lipped man in the world!"
''Kizaru'': "..."
"Sorry, Rowen, I'll call you back in a moment."
"Uh, as you wish."
Rowen hung up the phone in a daze, suddenly feeling like he discovered some incredible secret.
At the same time, he deeply suspected that Sentomaru might get silenced for good.
---
### End of Chapter
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