After the joint training had concluded, those who didn't participate in the simulated battles would join a social event under the guise of an exchange of opinions, fostering camaraderie.
If they had developed friendly connections through this training, it would be good if they could establish not only professional but also personal relationships.
In reality, the atmosphere seemed quite positive, with people enjoying themselves and having lively conversations. The CP9 members were also given the freedom to mingle.
However, well, in such situations, for individuals like myself who stand in a position like the representative of CP, it's not exactly relaxing. It's a common occurrence that higher-ups are busy in such settings. In fact, if the higher-ups were the ones leading the reckless fun, it would be problematic.
"We learned a lot from this experience as well, from our standpoint. We suffered a painful defeat, but perhaps it was necessary."
"Indeed. The Navy, needless to say, boasts the largest military strength. So, inevitably, there's a certain arrogance that we unconsciously shouldn't lose. We've probably underestimated our potential to lose."
"It's a good thing to be strong in our position of safeguarding the citizens' safety, but it's also tough because we must be wary of complacency and corruption."
I am currently having a conversation with Sengoku, discussing our impressions of today's events and future plans as representatives of the Navy and CP. This is technically Tama's job, but she seems to be busy elsewhere, assisting Tsuru.
The results of the simulated battles this time were 4 wins and 1 draw in favor of CP... a resounding victory.
Reflecting on each opponent, first, there's Jabra from the initial match. Jabra's greatest strength lies in his consistent performance. With his Rokushiki martial arts, Haki, and perhaps due to his seniority within CP9, he excels at fully utilizing his inherent abilities.
Compared to those who might have more fluctuations in performance, he has outstanding stability, which makes him a highly capable individual that's quite easy to command. He demonstrated his strength to the fullest and achieved victory.
Next, there's Fizz... He's the only one who drew, which bothered him. I told him directly, but he far exceeded my expectations in this simulated battle. Based on preliminary information and initial impressions, Vice Admiral Gion seemed to be a couple of levels above Fizz. If we consider just their abilities, the difference was enough that Fizz could have been defeated instantly. So, the draw can be considered a major victory.
While watching the battle, I realized that Fizz is adept at assessing and responding to attacks. He dodges avoidable strikes and minimizes the damage from unavoidable ones. It's easy to say but executing this in combat, especially against a stronger opponent, is a rare skill. It might be worth focusing on honing this aspect in the future.
I think Kaku was handling his abilities quite well. Unlike the Enies Lobby arc in the original story, he never found himself in unexpected situations while using his Pasta Machine in battle. Although it was portrayed humorously in the original, not being able to grasp one's own abilities in combat is a problem. He should work on improving this through dedicated training.
As a result, he managed to effectively combine his impressive physical strength as a giraffe with his inherent agility, achieving a good balance of power and speed.
As for Rob Lucci in the subsequent match, he was truly remarkable. His growth has been significant due to his yearning for power, and he completely dominated Vice Admiral Momonga, who is a competent fighter among the vice admirals.
Depending on the opponent, he's already capable of defeating even the Four Emperors' top executives, and he's still evolving day by day. His personality has also become calmer than in the original, and his ability to interact amiably even in joint training like this is highly commendable.
Regarding Pochi, there's no need to elaborate. He has likely reached a level where he could defeat even one of the Four Emperors in a one-on-one fight. His power is approximately at the level I had during the CP5 era, and he could probably defeat a Yonko in a solo fight, though the situation might be more challenging if they have subordinates.
Considering the significant gaps in both fundamental abilities and Haki, I think Kuzan fought well. As expected of someone who rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral, his abilities are highly refined, including his judgment skills. He is truly a formidable individual worthy of being called a strong fighter.
"For the Marines, it has been a chance for many to change their impressions, and I hope to continue such endeavors in the future."
"Certainly, especially joint training involving both the Navy and CP offers plenty of opportunities to learn and discover areas for improvement. We'd like to hold such events regularly. Organizing something on the scale of this one every time might be challenging, though..."
"Yes, that's true. Perhaps we could scale it down and aim for an annual event."
Sengoku's proposal to make joint training a regular occurrence isn't a bad one. Indeed, many CP officials have changed their perception of the Navy through this training. Since both organizations are under the World Government, increased coordination would provide significant benefits.
While it might be difficult to have multiple vice admirals, admirals, and even fleet admirals participating like this time, it should be possible to scale it down and hold it annually.
"The topic is changing, but Spandam-sama, your leadership abilities are quite exceptional. I was particularly surprised by the proficiency in Haki shown by the CP9 members. I heard that most of them acquired Haki in less than two years... If you have any tips, I'd be grateful if you could share them."
"Oh, that's largely thanks to the existence of a certain tool. Personally, I have a connection with Dr. Vegapunk. During our interactions, he created a tool that allows us to collide our Haki and improve our proficiency. I used it to train. Using this tool to collide our Haki results in significant consumption, so it doesn't necessarily surpass actual combat, but it does make training much more efficient. If you're interested, I could reach out and see if we can provide it to the Navy as well."
"What... such a tool exists?"
"Most likely, Vegapunk kept it from the public, possibly because he was concerned about me. If you're interested, I can contact him and see if we can arrange for the Navy to receive it?"
The wristbands that Lillith created to alter the wavelength of Haki are extremely useful. While training with someone possessing stronger Haki than oneself is more beneficial for Haki growth, the ability to train alone is significant. As for me, there's no longer anyone with larger Haki than mine, making the wristbands the most efficient choice.
What Sengoku didn't know is probably that Lillith created these wristbands based on my personal request, not as an official government project, so she likely didn't report it.
"That would be a welcome development. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes, there's no need for us to monopolize it. Additionally, having the wristbands doesn't drastically enhance Haki strength; it primarily makes training more convenient."
"I see. Still, it's an extremely valuable item... I appreciate Spandam-sama's consideration."
There's no need to keep the wristbands a secret. In fact, if they are used to further strengthen the Navy, it would serve as motivation for CP9 members and others. For Lillis, if it's an official request from the Navy, it could lead to substantial rewards and research funding.
If anything is to be kept secret, it would be my plans to have Lillis work on life return and physical enhancement through muscle compression using multiple types of Qigong.
After conversing with Sengoku for a while, I go on to exchange greetings and chat with other CP executives and Navy veterans. By the time that's finished, it's almost time for the opinion exchange session to conclude.
I take a piece of candy from my pocket, observe the bustling Marines and officials around, let out a slight smile, and toss the candy behind me without looking back, murmuring softly.
"... You followed the instructions and gave Kuzan a chance to shine to some extent. Pochi, well done."
"Yes!"
***
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