As dusk approached, Taro finally put down his pen. He quickly checked over everything, confirmed there were no omissions, then sorted what he had written and placed them into different document folders.
Seeing Betty was still studying those Materials, Taro chuckled.
"In the coming days, you can look around the Special Zone. Combined with those documents, you should discover some things completely different from what you've seen before."
Betty put away the documents, her expression turning serious as she looked at Taro. "What exactly is freedom?"
Taro was taken aback. He never imagined that as a country bumpkin from his previous life, he'd one day be discussing such a profound philosophical question with someone.
"Uh, that's a very broad concept. Everyone's answer might be different,"
Taro frowned in thought before saying, "I've never really thought about it that much."
He paused briefly before continuing, "What I'm doing here is simply showing what a normal world, as I understand it, should look like."
"Philosophical questions like freedom are for scholars to worry about!"
Upon hearing this, Betty's expression grew even more solemn. She nodded. "Peaceful living, each fulfilling their duty!"
Taro raised an eyebrow. "You know that?"
Betty waved the documents in her hand. "These two phrases are mentioned many times in here!"
"I'll stay in Elmar for a while longer, to see with my own eyes the things described in your documents."
Taro nodded. "Mm, I'm about to set sail soon."
As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper, scribbled a few words on it with a flourish, and handed it over. "Take this. You can visit any place in Elmar!"
Betty took it and asked, "For how long?"
"As long as I remain the Grand Executor of the Special Zone, this order remains valid. Don't worry!" Taro said with a laugh, waving his hand dismissively.
"I'm asking how long you'll be at sea?"
Taro was momentarily confused. "Uh, not sure. If you need to leave, you can go on your own. It's fine!"
... Elmar Dock.
"Benz, Ain, the new work plans are in the drawer of my office..."
Taro called the two who had come to see him off to the side and gave them low-voiced instructions.
On the other side, Vivi was also whispering something to Tashigi, occasionally glancing over at Taro.
"Tashigi, let's go!" After finishing his work instructions, Taro walked to the ship's bow and called out to Tashigi.
Vivi spoke extremely quickly to Tashigi, "Remember what I told you."
Although Tashigi was quite puzzled in her heart, she ultimately nodded.
Zephyr, leading three ships, rendezvoused with the warship Taro brought at Nanohana Port, forming a small fleet.
Tashigi disembarked at Nanohana Port; she needed to lead her subordinates back to the G4 Base.
"Now, speak. What you wanted to say earlier." Zephyr sat upright in front of Taro and spoke in a deep voice.
Taro directly carried over a Barrel of Wine, filled Zephyr's cup first, then spoke,
"Teacher, the Marineford Headquarters is about to undergo a major upheaval soon. Aokiji and Akainu are going to compete for the position of Fleet Admiral."
Zephyr nodded. "I saw in the newspaper that Sengoku resigned as Fleet Admiral."
As he spoke, he frowned again. "Kuzan can't be unaware that, given the nature of those old fellows, they definitely won't support his succession. What is he trying to do?"
Taro drank half his cup of wine. "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm curious about. He came to see me at Sabaody Archipelago a few days ago..."
"You mean you want me to persuade him?" Zephyr asked after Taro finished.
Although Aokiji was a student from Zephyr's third training period, their views on justice had always been diametrically opposed. How could Zephyr possibly persuade Aokiji?
Taro was very clear about this. He shook his head. "No, I don't want to interfere with what Kuzan wants to do. It's just that he told me another piece of news that has me concerned."
Then Taro told Zephyr about the warning Aokiji had given him.
After listening, Zephyr's reaction was surprisingly calm. "Hmm, it was bound to happen sooner or later."
He then gave a derisive snort, his tone laced with sarcasm. "CP0 is the spy agency directly under the Celestial Dragons. They wouldn't even trust the Fleet Admiral, let alone you!"
As a former Admiral, Zephyr naturally had some understanding of the World Government's secrets.
"So, Taro, what are your plans now? Leave the Marine?"
Taro tilted his head back and finished the remaining wine. "No, Teacher Zephyr. Maintaining peace on the seas still requires the Marine, especially now, with Akainu about to become Fleet Admiral."
"However, I can't just sit and wait for death. It's time to make some preparations!"
"I want to preserve a spark of vitality for the Marine, to set the world back on its proper course. The World Government can't do this, and pirates can't either. I want to try."
Upon hearing this, Zephyr was slightly taken aback. He had a nascent idea of this nature in his own heart, but his idea was to establish a separate faction, completely severing ties with the old Marine.
"Do you think patching things up within the Marine will work?" Zephyr frowned.
Taro shook his head. "Teacher, what I want to do isn't patching. It's lighting a fire. A single spark can start a prairie fire."
"There are actually many within the Marine who are also reflecting on the justice they've upheld all along. They are forces that can be united."
Smoker, Tashigi, Koby, and the future Admiral Fujitora—their definitions of justice are clearly much more pragmatic.
On his previous Earth, with 70% ocean coverage, the importance of a navy was already beyond doubt.
Not to mention, in this pirate world, the ocean coverage is over 95%.
The Marine is an inevitable necessity. The key question is what role and stance the Marine should exist with.
"Explain your idea in detail." Zephyr downed the wine in his cup in one gulp.
Taro refilled Zephyr's cup, then pulled a chair closer and leaned in.
"Teacher, after Akainu takes over, he'll definitely..."
Taro told Zephyr about how, after Akainu assumed office, the Marineford Headquarters would relocate to the New World and then conduct a World Conscription to replenish troops. Then he began to elaborate in detail on what he wanted to do.
The two communicated while drinking until daybreak, the Barrel of Wine emptied, and the discussion slowly drew to a close.
"Although I think your plan is somewhat fanciful, in Elmar, you've truly shown me what I wanted to see. So, I will cooperate with you."
After pondering for a long time, Zephyr slowly spoke.
Taro also breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Zephyr didn't oppose it, that was good. He had been worried Zephyr might have more extreme ideas.
Although their expectations for a new Marine were largely aligned, the methods they chose to achieve the goal were completely different.
In the original story, Zephyr's "NEO Navy" was weak overall, so he chose an unorthodox path, aiming to end the age of pirates by destroying the New World.
Taro's idea, however, was to guide the entire world onto the path it was originally meant to take.
Thinking of the original story, Taro suddenly remembered something he seemed to have overlooked. His expression changed.
Damn it, Edward Weevil!
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