Chapter 320: I'll Test Imu's Depth for You
The office was plunged into a dead silence. Aokiji stared at his former teacher, and it was a full ten seconds before he recovered from his shock.
"Return to Marineford…" Aokiji repeated, a drop of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. "If you succeed, the World Government will indeed be on the brink of destruction. But Master, have you considered that there are hundreds of thousands of civilians living in and around both Marineford and Mary Geoise…"
"I don't want to! But what choice do I have, Kuzan! Compared to the rebirth of the entire world, this is a price that can be accepted, isn't it?!" Z said savagely. "You still think I'm too extreme? I've already held back a lot! Hey, Kuzan, do you even know what the End Points are?!"
"End Points?" Aokiji frowned. He wracked his brain but couldn't remember.
"They're lakes. To be precise, three magma lakes in the New World," a calm voice came from the doorway. Aokiji looked up to see a young woman with long, sea-blue hair. She walked over and stood behind Z. He recognized her. She was Master Z's most trusted student, and one of the only two survivors of the training ship that had been massacred.
"When the three magma lakes are connected, they will trigger a massive geothermal event, causing a super-eruption. The entire New World will be destroyed in an instant," she said, nodding at Aokiji in greeting. "The seas near the New World will not be spared, including the two Calm Belts, and of course, the Red Line, and Mary Geoise."
"A very good explanation," Z grinned. "To detonate all the End Points with Dyna Stones—that was my original plan, Kuzan! It was even easier than 'Return to Marineford'!"
"Then… why did you change your mind?"
"Hmph, what's it to you? Can't I just be in a good mood?" Z glared at Aokiji. "If you want a reason, then let the civilians of the New World thank that Shane. If it weren't for his Curtain Call, which is different from those other pirates and has made this filthy New World a little more human, I wouldn't have…" He snorted and crossed his legs, not wanting to say anymore.
A look of surprise flashed in Aokiji's eyes. "So, even though you've established your own NEO Marines, you still have a high opinion of the Curtain Call?" He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Then why not just join them? Or you could remain independent and work with them as an ally to change this world. Do you really have to go down this path of no return?"
"Shut up!" Z slammed his fist on the table. "Kuzan, when did you become that kid's man? You dare to come here and try to persuade me?!"
"Don't misunderstand, Master. I have no relationship with Shane," Aokiji said, rubbing his temples. "I just think that if your goals are the same, why not choose a more stable path? The Curtain Call really does have a chance, don't they?"
"And if they do succeed, don't you want to live to see that day, to see with your own eyes what kind of new world, what kind of new era, Shane creates?"
Z stared at Aokiji, silent for a long time. The atmosphere in the office was thick with tension. Aokiji's former student watched them, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.
Finally, Z snorted, crossed his arms, and turned away. "Stop trying to sway me! My NEO Marines don't need to rely on anyone!"
"Who do you think I am? Even without Shane, without the Curtain Call, I can end this corrupt world with my own hands! We have nothing more to say to each other. We'll see each other again someday. Before we lose all sense of camaraderie, you should go. Send our guest out!"
"Yes, Master."
Aokiji looked at Z's back and sighed. He knew his words couldn't persuade this stubborn old man. He stood up and bowed slightly. "I understand, Master Z. Please take care of yourself."
We'll see each other again. But would they?
Aokiji silently put on his sunglasses and, after a final look at Z, left the office.
Z stood motionless until the sound of footsteps faded. He turned and rubbed his neck, muttering, "Seriously, my neck is getting stiff…"
"Master," his student said, looking at Z, "why did you deliberately drive him away?"
"Hmm?" Z looked at her in surprise, then burst out laughing. "You've really grown up! How did you see through me?!"
"Don't underestimate me, you old fool!" she said, annoyed.
"What?" Z took a bottle of sherry from a cabinet, leaned back on the sofa, and began to drink. "You think Kuzan has a point?"
"Actually, Master, I've been confused for a long time," she nodded. "Why do you have a good impression of the Curtain Call, but you're unwilling to cooperate with them, instead insisting on taking a more extreme path?" She hesitated for a moment, then added, "And… recently, I've noticed that you seem to be deliberately avoiding contact with them. You rarely even look at the intelligence reports about their movements."
Z looked at her deeply. "You think I'm being emotional? That I can't let go of my pride? That I'm unwilling to serve under someone else? How could that be! It's precisely because I have a high opinion of that kid that I can't get too close."
"Why?" she frowned.
"Because I'm old, and I don't have much time left. And because I've changed. I'm not the same Z I used to be!" Z stared at the smooth surface of the coffee table, at his own aged reflection. "Kuzan is too idealistic. Wait for the Curtain Call to slowly change the world? Wait for the new era to dawn? Do you really think I'll live to see that day?"
"Every day that passes, I can feel myself getting weaker! But the fire of revenge is still burning, the pain is still tormenting me. It's twisted me into something I'm not. I can't put it out!"
"Then what?"
"Before my strength and my conviction become meaningless, I have to hurry and do what I have to do, to fulfill this desire for revenge!"
Master… she bit her lip, her heart aching as she looked at Z's savage, tormented face. She knew he had suffered so much over the years—the senseless death of his family, the annihilation of his students, the loss of his reputation, his own physical mutilation… the endless pain had long since transformed the once-gentle "non-killing Admiral" into a monster consumed by revenge.
"But…" she tried again.
"No buts!" Z snapped. But then he saw the tears in her eyes, and his tone softened. "Cough… if that's not enough to convince you, then there's a second reason."
"Eh?"
"Come to think of it, it was that bastard Garp who secretly told me," Z said, his face dark as he put down the bottle. "The so-called Five Elders are nothing more than stewards. The true ruler of the World Government is far more powerful than anyone can imagine!"
"As long as that person is serious, all the forces of resistance, no matter how powerful they seem, are as fragile as eggs. And you can't put all your eggs in one basket!"
A true ruler of the World Government? Her face changed. It was the first time her master had ever spoken of such a secret.
"If my plan succeeds first, then I will have cleared the biggest obstacle for the Curtain Call, and blasted open the gates of Mary Geoise for them! I will have died with no regrets."
"And if, before that… the Curtain Call is destroyed for being too conspicuous, then the world will still have a second chance!"
"But in that case, I'll get all the credit! The hero Z, who legend says blasted open the Red Line and created a new world! That title will be passed down through the generations! It'll be so cool, right? Bwahahaha!"
Z laughed happily, but she fell silent. After a long time, she sighed and murmured, "So that's why you were so harsh with him… to make him give up on you and lean towards the Curtain Call…"
"Heh, that kid is a lot smarter than you. He probably figured it out a long time ago," Z pouted. "It's for the best. Let him go and see the Curtain Call for himself. It's a much better place than this dump. Maybe he'll even want to join. Better than a great Admiral wandering around on a bicycle like a street loafer. So embarrassing…"
Z muttered, took another swig of ale, and then, as if remembering something, looked up. "By the way, when that kid left, did he ask you for a map? The one on the wall?"
She was taken aback, then nodded. "Yes. The latest 3.0 revised edition, by the famous cartographer, Miss Nami. He said he was a fan of hers and had always wanted to buy this edition for his collection, but it was sold out everywhere…"
"Bwahahaha!" Z burst out laughing, so hard that ale spilled from his mouth. "See! What did I tell you! That bastard totally got my meaning!" A fan? A collection? Who is he kidding? Though that Cat Burglar Nami had become quite famous recently for her beautiful and detailed sea charts, that Kuzan was probably just afraid of getting lost in the New World!
Z wiped his mouth, a look of relief in his eyes. "This place isn't right for him anyway… I hope that kid can find a place where he truly belongs."
She was lost in thought. After a moment, she asked, "Then, Master, our plan…"
"Continue!" Z's smile vanished, and his gaze grew sharp and resolute once more. "The original plan, no changes! Inform them to speed up the collection of the Dyna Stones! We need more teams! The efficiency must not drop!"
"Yes, sir!" She turned and left.
Z sat alone in the office, the setting sun casting a glow on his purple hair. He touched his mechanical arm with his left hand and murmured to himself, "The longer we wait, the more things can go wrong. It's time to act. The old generation should be clearing the way for the young, not waiting in the back to steal the glory…" The sea breeze blew in through the open window, carrying the scent of the distant sea. Exhausted from a long day, Z leaned back on the sofa, the half-empty bottle of sherry in his hand, and closed his eyes.
In his daze, he was back in that day, on the shore of Sabaody, watching in shock as that black-haired young man, in front of the whole world, raised his blade against a god.
Z let out a self-deprecating laugh. "If it weren't for you inspiring me, I probably wouldn't have had the guts…"
Just consider it a scouting mission. I'll go and test the depth of that undying old fossil for you. Good luck, kid.
Ting-a-ling~
The bicycle bell rang again. Aokiji had run into a traffic jam. No, this is the sea. I'm the only one riding a bike. It's a ship-jam.
Aokiji took off his sunglasses and stared at the dense cluster of ships in the sea ahead. He rubbed his eyes. There were ships of all sizes, flying a variety of flags. More than half of them seemed to be pirate ships. There had to be over a hundred of them, completely blocking the channel to the Galaxy Sea.
"Ara…" he scratched his head and said to himself, "Is this some kind of world expo?" Or the World's Strongest Martial Arts Tournament?
"Hey! You in the front, get out of the way!" On a menacing-looking pirate ship, a scarred captain leaned out and yelled, "Don't you know how to queue?! If you want to challenge Lord Shane, get to the back of the line!"
"Challenge?" Aokiji blinked.
"Tch, another idiot," a pirate in a floral shirt on a nearby ship sneered. "Are you for real or are you just pretending? Haven't you read the newspaper? It says Lord Shane has declared that anyone who can take one hit from him will be considered to have defeated him and will be eligible to claim the vacant Yonko position!"
"Beating a powerhouse like that is a dream, but taking one hit? Hehe, who doesn't have the confidence for that?!"
"The entire New World is going crazy, rushing here!"
"Yeah, haha, it's been a long time since we've had a festival like this, since Roger was executed!" another pirate chimed in. "I heard even a few big shots with bounties over 500 million have shown up! I wonder if we'll get a chance."
"Hey, you loser on the broken-down bicycle, now you know what you've stumbled into! Stop ringing that damn bell! Go on, get out of here! If this wasn't the Curtain Call's territory, I'd have blown you to bits by now!"
"Yeah, if this doesn't concern you, then get lost! Don't get in the way of us making a name for ourselves!!"
☆☆☆
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you