After Fujitora's strike was neutralized by Taro, he did not continue his attack, and Taro breathed a sigh of relief.
He was worried that Fujitora might use a move like "Chibaku Tensei," which would truly destroy this Lawless Zone.
"Mr. Issho, let's end our sparring match here!" Taro withdrew his Internal Energy.
Fujitora also returned to his appearance of a kind middle-aged man, his Aura instantly dissipating. He used his cane sword to pick up the bag of money at his feet and walked slowly toward Taro.
"Sherman told me that Lord has long heard of this old man, yet I know nothing about you. This is truly quite intriguing."
Every step Fujitora took was firm. "I would like to know how Lord explains this."
Taro's mouth twitched. How the hell am I supposed to explain this!
"Mr. Issho, please follow me. Let's find another place to talk!"
The exchange between the two had already attracted an increasing number of onlookers. Initially, due to Taro's reputation, the crowd kept a significant distance.
However, after Fujitora demonstrated strength no less than Taro's, the minds of these outlaws began to race, secretly praying that this Blind Swordsman would give Taro a good lesson.
The casino owner, who had originally intended to cheat to minimize his losses, broke into a cold sweat. He never expected this "Saint of Gamblers" to possess such terrifying strength.
Meanwhile, on a distant hillside, the bar proprietress Shakky witnessed the entire battle.
She exhaled a puff of smoke, her eyes flickering slightly. This Blind Swordsman with extraordinary strength was not within her intelligence network, yet his sudden appearance in the Sabaody Archipelago was inherently suspicious.
Furthermore, judging by the intensity of the battle, neither had exerted their full strength, indicating they clearly knew each other.
Did the Marines still hide such powerful combat strength? Did this hint at a major move by the Marines in the near future?
In an instant, this intelligence chief analyzed many possibilities!
...40GR.
"Please deliver this to Sherman on my behalf!" Fujitora handed the bag of money to a Marine Soldier on duty.
The Marine Soldier was stunned for a moment and then looked at his own Vice Admiral beside Fujitora. Taro nodded slightly.
The Marine Soldier immediately performed a military salute, took the bag of money, and turned to run back to the Marine Base.
"Lord..." After walking for a while longer, Fujitora suddenly spoke.
Taro rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, "Just call me by my name. Being too polite makes my head ache!"
"Taro, are you not concerned about the destination of that money?" Fujitora was tall, but his tone was surprisingly kind.
"Uh, that's your money. How you handle it is your freedom."
Taro was busy pondering what excuse to use to explain how he knew Fujitora, so his response was somewhat absent-minded.
Fujitora did not press further and simply nodded.
Neither spoke again until they reached the open platform of a building in the amusement park.
Taro leaned his arms on the parapet, looking down at the crowd below, while Fujitora stood on the other side.
"Their emotions are sincere and fervent. You must be a hero here!" Fujitora suddenly sighed with emotion.
You actually didn't press for an explanation?
Taro was slightly startled, then showed a faint smile. "I never thought about being a hero. This is how the people's lives should be!"
"Is this your justice as a Marine? To protect this peace?" Fujitora's voice was the same as ever, making it impossible to discern any emotion.
Taro turned around and leaned against the wall. "My justice? No, this isn't my justice. Besides, the current peace is merely the calm before the storm."
He sighed. "I'm just doing what I can."
Fujitora fell silent, and Taro didn't speak again, looking up at the clouds drifting across the sky in a daze.
"This old man plans to join the Marines!" After a long silence, Fujitora spoke again.
Taro simply gave an "Mm."
"You are neither surprised nor delighted?" Taro's nonchalant reaction made Fujitora slightly surprised.
Uh, I know you'll join the Marines and even become an Admiral, so of course I'm not surprised!
Taro rubbed his face and put on a look of pleasant surprise. "That's wonderful! If Mr. Issho joins the Marines, their strength will increase greatly, and it will surely..."
Before Taro could finish, Fujitora interrupted him. "It seems the rumors about you among the people are mostly inaccurate!"
Under Fujitora's powerful Observation Haki, Taro's performance was extremely exaggerated!
Taro sighed. "Mr. Issho, I've spoken about you with Sherman and am very clear about what you want to achieve by joining the Marines. Let's talk openly and honestly!"
Beating around the bush is truly exhausting!
Seeing that Fujitora didn't object, Taro organized his words and then spoke:
"In the Marineford War, the Marines suffered heavy casualties. Now Akainu and Aokiji are competing for the position of Fleet Admiral. No matter who takes over, replenishing the Marine ranks is imperative!"
Fujitora nodded. "This old man is well aware of that. It is also one of the reasons I decided to join the Marines."
Hearing this, Taro took a deep breath. "In that case, I'll be blunt."
"Mr. Issho, with your strength, the position you'll attain upon joining the Marines will certainly not be low. Although the justice we uphold is slightly different, I hope we can..."
Fujitora's Aura suddenly surged, forcing Taro to stop. "Justice is not something that can be traded. This old man will not form an alliance with you!"
Following regulations while holding fast to the justice in his heart, clear about good and evil yet peaceful in nature—Fujitora and Aokiji have too many things in common!
Taro's eyes flickered a few times before he said slowly, "It's not a trade, nor an alliance. It's just seeking common ground while reserving differences. Perhaps we might reach the same destination by different paths!"
Fujitora's goal is to abolish the Seven Warlords of the Sea system. The deeper meaning hidden within is not as simple as just those few Warlord of the Sea pirates.
For many years, the Marines, the Warlord of the Sea, and the Four Emperors have formed a relatively stable power structure on the sea.
Now that a corner of the Four Emperors has collapsed, a new "Four Emperors" will surely take Whitebeard's place.
The Marines' strength has been greatly damaged, but replenishing it isn't too difficult, and they will recover their Origin Qi quickly.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea is even simpler; it's just recruiting pirates.
Once that happens, it will merely be a return to the previous status quo. The sea, after all, will still not see true peace.
What Fujitora wants to do is abolish the Warlord of the Sea so that this triangular structure can no longer remain stable, seeking a true way out for the world through change.
As an Advanced officer of the Marines, Taro gradually understood Fujitora's plan after learning more.
Taking too large a step makes it easy to strain oneself.
Taro understood this, but he still felt Fujitora's approach treated the symptoms rather than the root cause. Thus, even if he had to strain himself, Taro would still take a giant leap forward.
Zephyr once commented that Taro's ideas were whimsical. Taro didn't seek Fujitora's support, only that they wouldn't be enemies.
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