From Pirate to Revolutionary Mentor

Chapter 71 Kuzan's Suspicion

West Sea, Lasgap Town, Office of the Commander of the 80th Naval Squadron.

"You actually have the leisure to wander around here at a time like this?"

Colonel Nomi looked at Kuzan: "Headquarters received orders from the World Government to block the entrance to Reverse Mountain. It seems your previous operation went wrong."

"And judging from the rumors circulating, it seems like you're taking the blame again? What's gotten into you these past two years?"

Standing by the window, Kuzan looked down at the branch's navy, seemingly oblivious to his friend's words.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "The navy of the 80th branch seems a bit different."

"Of course they're different."

Nomi casually replied, "Compared to the elites of Marine Headquarters, they are far inferior. After all, most of the time when Headquarters sets sail, they encounter the most ferocious pirates in the latter half of their voyages. How can my branch in the West Blue compare?"

Kuzan said in a deep voice, "No, I'm talking about mindset. The Navy of the 80th Branch has a fundamentally different mindset and perspective from that of Headquarters."

For a long time, the office was silent.

Nomi got up and went to Kuzan's side, also looking out the window.

"Marineford... is too close to Sabaody Archipelago. The ugliness and unchangeability of that place would change the mindset of an ordinary navy officer, wouldn't it?"

"In the lawless zone from Zone 1 to Zone 29, tragic things happen every day. Being too close, you're bound to learn something, and ordinary naval soldiers are just ordinary people; they're capable of empathy."

Colonel Nomi sighed: "I can empathize, but I can't change anything. The ideals I had when I first joined the Navy have been shattered. After all... those slaves captured by the slave-catching teams might have been their past too."

After he finished speaking, Kuzan remained silent for a long time.

"It's different here."

Nomi nodded slightly: "Lasgapu Town is different because the navy here knows that pirates are the enemy. They hunt down pirates to protect the people and their hometown."

Kuzan turned around and met Nomi's gaze: "I heard that after Kevin arrived, the funds for exchanging pirate bounties for the 80th Branch have increased significantly. Officially, it's all for pirate hunters, but in reality, all that money is going towards compensation?"

Uh……

Is it really okay to ask such a question openly?

Although it was an unspoken rule within the 80th Branch, it was explicitly prohibited by the Navy Headquarters.

Pirate hunters receive bounties for capturing pirates, but for the Navy, capturing pirates only accumulates merit, not bounties.

Seeing that his friend remained silent, Kuzan continued, "Also, the entrance to Upside Down Mountain has been putting on quite a show these past few days."

Uh……

The entrance to Reverse Mountain is the only illegal passage to the Grand Line, and since the order was given, the 80th Branch has sent more people to guard it.

But these past few days...

Those guys would attack any pirate ship they saw with all their might. But if it was an illegal merchant ship or any other vessel, they would fire a few shots and then pretend to be outmatched and let it pass.

They've even skipped the usual toll collection process; it's blatant hypocrisy.

The West Sea navy also includes personnel from or who have been to Ohara. Nomi had anticipated this, but did not stop it.

"Well... after all, the naval combat capabilities of the branches across the four seas are generally quite low. All they can do is fire their guns and cannons. If they can't win, there's nothing they can do, right?"

Nomi shrugged helplessly: "These caravans sometimes carry firepower stronger than pirates. Add to that the speed of the water flow in Upside Down Mountain, and we can't catch up at all."

At this point, Nomi tentatively asked a question.

"That freak Kevin left, which made me want to seal off the entrance to Reverse Mountain. That way, pirates from the West Blue can't get through, and if they try to force their way through, their ships will be destroyed and everyone will die. But the orders from above don't allow it, do you know why?"

Why?

Kuzan did not reply.

After emerging from the youth training camp as a monster, he saw many things over the years.

During the Battle of Eddwarf, he was puzzled that Garp had once again refused the promotion to Admiral. It wasn't until he himself became an Admiral candidate that he learned that Admirals had the obligation to protect the Celestial Dragons.

And the Celestial Dragons...

Although he did not leak the intelligence in the South China Sea incident, he was deeply moved when he later learned the truth.

The entrance to the Grand Line from the West Blue is very narrow, and every time a ship crosses it, there is a risk of destruction and loss of life. It would not be difficult to build an obstacle in such a passage, but the people above are unwilling to do so.

Why... of course, it's because the higher-ups don't want pirates to disappear completely.

The Grand Line is much smaller than the Four Seas, and countless pirates from the Four Seas flood into the Grand Line every year, burning, killing, and plundering along the way, which makes the existence of the Navy necessary.

At the same time, it also made the Heavenly Gold a necessity.

If they don't pay, they won't have the protection of the navy, and non-member states will become targets of neighboring countries and pirates.

So... is this a self-inflicted wound? Nomi.

"You're still the same as always..."

Kuzan chuckled. "Kevin's promotion is coming. He's been promoted two ranks right after coming out of the academy, becoming the youngest Marine Headquarters captain. After the Ohara incident, he'll become the youngest Marine Headquarters rear admiral."

Nomi was stunned: "That's way too fast!"

Kuzan: "Someone pulled me in. This time, he didn't take the blame with me. He arrived ahead of the CP9 ship and helped capture all the scholars. His contribution this time is enough."

At this point, Kuzan stared at Nomi's face, but couldn't discern anything.

This friend has changed quite a bit; he didn't have this much thought back in the youth training camp.

But the lack of change is the biggest anomaly.

"You should actually have shown anger."

"Um?"

"The Sabaody Archipelago, the guy who trampled you underfoot back then was a member of CP. I still remember your anger, and now..."

"Whoosh."

Kuzan thrust his arm straight at Nomi, but Nomi dodged it by sidestepping.

"Your domineering aura has grown considerably, but I can't find any reason for you to regain your strength here in the West Sea. After all, you've only come to me about one thing all these years."

Nomi scratched his head: "Stop talking nonsense. Out of sight, out of mind. I found my original reason for becoming a Marine here, so I cheered up."

Is that so?

Kuzan's gaze was skeptical, but everything he said was just his guess, based on his past understanding of his friend's personality.

As for Kevin... he is now even more despised by the mid-level Navy. How can such a person inherit Nomi's will?

"I'm leaving."

"Hmm? Leaving already? Not staying a couple more days?"

Kuzan turned and left, waving his hand behind Nomi: "We've dragged this out for so long, going back sooner and getting a scolding will get it over with sooner."

……

(End of this chapter)