"Do you have any idea how much of an impact it will have now that one of the Seven Warlords is gone? We're preparing to advance into the New World, and the Shichibukai are an essential asset!" Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, said sternly when he saw that Ryu remained silent.
"But I don't believe that those seven would genuinely stand by the Marine's side!" Ryu replied solemnly.
"You—" Sengoku was momentarily at a loss for words in the face of Ryu's rebuttal.
"Alright, Sengoku, the kid just returned from a successful mission; there's no need to be so serious. Besides, it's just one Sand Crocodile. Since he dared to target Alabasta, the World Government won't let him go!" Vice Admiral Tsuru chimed in to mediate the situation.
"What about Nico Robin? Don't tell me she escaped?" Sengoku sighed with relief and continued questioning.
"She was stabbed through the body by Crocodile. I didn't intervene, but it seems she was taken away by those pirates. I don't know if she can be saved!" Ryu replied calmly.
"What? You, Ryu! You did this on purpose!" Sengoku was genuinely angry this time.
Even Tokikake, who was just about to sit beside Garp, couldn't help but tremble, making Garp laugh heartily.
"Garp!"
The serious atmosphere was instantly broken by Garp's laughter, and Sengoku glared at him.
"Ahahsorry! Sorry! You all continue!" Garp waved his hand dismissively.
Although Garp said this, the serious atmosphere had already been disrupted. Sengoku had no choice but to address Ryu again. "Your promotion was something I was going to temper a bit. Getting promoted too early isn't necessarily a good thing for you. You've only been in the Marines for a little over two years. Although you've captured quite a few pirates and have the corresponding strength, I hope you don't blame me!"
"Fleet Admiral, you're joking. I understand your intentions; I can resign if needed!" Ryu shook his head and replied.
"There's no need for that. But during this time, you should stay at headquarters and refine your skills! The New World is the priority. As a rising star in the Navy, I still have high hopes for you. Don't end up like some others who don't train and just slack off!" Sengoku glanced at Tokikake and Garp with a helpless expression.
Tokikake looked innocent; being drafted was already a disaster, and now he had to take an undeserved hit. He decided to stay away from Ryu in the future—this guy was like a harbinger of misfortune!
Once Ryu exited Sengoku's office, he immediately sought out Garp to request a spar.
"Oh? Looks like you've made considerable gains during this time. But you should really seek him out; this old man isn't fit for a match anymore!" Garp pointed at Tokikake and said with a grin.
Ryu looked at Tokikake, who shook his head vigorously. "It's pointless to fight with this kid; he's got only those three moves. Once he's out of steam, it's no fun to keep fighting!"
"Then fine, I'll go find Gion for a spar!" Ryu pouted and said.
Tokikake twitched his mouth helplessly and replied, "Just to be clear, I'm not going to be your punching bag. I'll be going all out. If you can't keep up and fail before even launching your moves, don't expect me to play with you anymore!"
"Don't worry, this time there will be a surprise for you!" Ryu nodded and smiled.
As the three chatted, they walked toward the training grounds outside. The indoor space was too small for their sparring, while Garp, the old man, claimed that although he was getting older, he could still enjoy the excitement.
In Sengoku's office, after Ryu and the others left, Sengoku turned to Tsuru, who hadn't left, and asked, "What do you think, Tsuru?"
"If we're talking about potential, Garp's judgment is never wrong!" Tsuru smiled in response.
"You know that's not what I'm asking!" Sengoku adjusted his glasses and said.
Tsuru sighed and looked out the window. "His proposed vision is very appealing, which has captivated many in the Navy. But you and I both know how difficult this is! There are already several voices within our ranks, and now there's one more. Ultimately, it depends on how far he can go, doesn't it?"
Sengoku was silent for a moment before asking, "Are you saying we should just let it be?"
"What else can we do? Do you agree with Akainu's philosophy? Isn't it the same now? As long as he hasn't done anything to harm the Navy, we can't take action against him. Maybe he really can succeed? Sengoku, have you never dreamed of that?" Tsuru asked softly.
"Tsuru, do you really think so?" Sengoku looked at the calm Vice Admiral in disbelief.
Tsuru shook her head and said, "The kid's ideas are good, but we both know the chances of success are slim. I'm just daydreaming; I'm not really siding with him!"
Sengoku exhaled. If even his best comrades were being swayed, he would really have to consider how to deal with Ryu.
On the training grounds, Ryu's clothes were already tattered, with blood at the corner of his mouth. However, Tokikake wasn't in much better shape; his left arm was awkwardly twisted, clearly dislocated, and his clothes were torn in several places.
"You really surprised me! But your physical conditioning has changed way too fast, hasn't it?" Tokikake gritted his teeth.
Cough cough.
"Unfortunately, I still can't defeat you; I've run out of internal energy!" Ryu said while coughing.
Tokikake took a deep breath and popped his dislocated arm back into place. "Even without your so-called internal energy, your physical capabilities are already impressive!"
"Wahaha! Little Leaf, did you eat something good? You've suddenly become so strong!" Garp, who was watching the match, asked with a grin.
Ryu rolled his eyes and replied, "Teacher, I'm a normal human; I haven't eaten any Devil Fruit!"
In fact, it wasn't just Garp; even Tokikake suspected that Ryu had eaten some powerful Zoan-type Devil Fruit, otherwise, the increase in his physical prowess was just too terrifying.
Although Ryu's speed and energy had also increased significantly, the most substantial gain for him was the enhancement of his physical capabilities due to the Blood Dragon Orb.
The sparring session came to an end. Ryu was just testing his strength; he hadn't intended to compete seriously with Tokikake.
From the earlier sparring, Ryu estimated that he should have the strength of a typical Vice Admiral in the Navy Headquarters, but he was still a bit short of those elite Vice Admirals—not to mention the veteran Vice Admirals like Garp and Tsuru.
.....
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