Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

Seeing this, Barlow followed suit and also crawled into the cabin.

A temporary silence fell over the dock.

……

Not far away.

Crocodile was wondering what had happened when Rowan patted him on the shoulder, indicating:

"Let's go to the dock."

By the time the group approached, Ballow and the gravel guard had already returned to the deck.

"Glala...sha..."

The Gravel Guard waved goodbye to Balo, then turned back into an ordinary pile of gravel, drifting away in the wind.

As Barlow watched this scene, he couldn't help but reach out and grab a few grains of sand.

Then he saw Rowan and the others walking towards him.

Barlow had already obtained Rowan's photo from Granny Crane, so he recognized him.

He returned to the dock and extended his hand to Rowan.

What's the next step...?

After thinking it over, Barlow suddenly pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and read aloud the words on it:

"Hello, Mr. Rowan, my name is Barlow, and I am the base commander of the Alabasta Special GT Naval Branch."

Rowan shook hands with him and smiled, "Welcome."

Suddenly, Barlow remembered something and turned the paper over to the other side.

"This is information about the GT branch and myself. According to the rules, it should be submitted to the local person in charge. Please take a look."

After reading the note aloud, Barlow jogged a few steps to retrieve his backpack and handed a document to Rowan.

It was a very formal self-introduction; I guess the note was given to him by He.

Luo Wen took the documents and glanced through them.

It was a very detailed document, which even included Barlow's personal information, demonstrating the Navy's sincerity.

Here comes the interesting part.

One line in the document reads:

Barlow – a former bounty hunter and current vice admiral.

as well as……

[Black Wrist] Zephyr's student.

Purple Pen Literature

[Chapter 80: Visitors to the Fishman Village]

Among the naval high command, Sengoku was called the "wise general," while Tsuru was called the "great strategist."

Both are skilled strategists, but their styles of doing things are completely different.

The Warring States period believed in "justice of ruling the world" and was more adept at military strategy. Their methods were fierce and decisive, inspiring fear in countless enemies.

As for Tsuru, she was a member of the Navy during the same period as Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr. Long before the Great Pirate Era began, she was one of the pillars of the Navy, active on the high seas.

Unlike the Warring States period, the crane followed "pure justice".

She rarely participated in commanding a specific war, but in many strategic policy-making processes that influenced the navy and even the world as a whole, He's shadow was always behind them!

For example, on how to deal with the "Four Seas Alliance".

The idea of ​​the Warring States period was to limit the development of the Four Seas Alliance in every way possible, so that it could only play the role of a commercial alliance and could not evolve into a troublesome armed force.

However, the crane gave a clear opinion of opposition.

"Doing that will only make things worse."

She had personally traveled to Alabasta and made contact with Ryan Rowan, so she was well aware of the Golden Dawn's abilities.

It's too late to try and restrict the Four Seas Alliance now...

No.

More accurately, the world government was already a step behind from the moment the idea of ​​the Four Seas Alliance was proposed.

Today, the Four Seas Alliance has connected three islands, including Alabasta, and it's not just the people on these three islands who have been attracted; many foreign caravans have also come, ready to make their mark in the nearby waters.

If we were to intervene forcefully at this point, Ryan Rowan would undoubtedly have countless ways to ignite the "fire" in people's hearts.

Once this fire is started, it is very difficult to extinguish.

While it may temporarily suppress the development of the Four Seas Alliance, it will certainly sow the seeds of future troubles!

Therefore, the crane offered another solution.

It's better to guide than to block—and the navy should help with the "guidance"!

The plan to establish the Navy GT branch was thus finalized.

……

Rowan had to admire Crane's methods, because this naval chief of staff had indeed shown a great deal of goodwill.

Instead of directly appointing a seasoned lieutenant general, she followed the standard procedure and selected one from among many lieutenant generals at headquarters.

The profile provided a detailed description of the naval officer named "Barlow".

He is from the South China Sea and comes from a humble background.

Due to family poverty, they were forced to go out to sea to make a living at a young age.

Thanks to his outstanding physical abilities, Barlow became a renowned bounty hunter in the South China Sea during his youth.

However, Balo became "famous in the South China Sea" in a rather unique way.

No pirate could be handed over to the Navy by Barlow while still alive!

During the years Barlow worked as a bounty hunter, countless pirates died under his fists, all of them "slaughtered" to the point that even some marines couldn't bear to watch.

They tried to persuade Barlow not to indulge himself so recklessly, assuring him that the Navy would give the wanted criminals a fair trial.

But Barlow didn't care about any of that. He just gave the navy a chilling look and continued to unleash his pent-up destructive urges.

Until the arrival of a purple-haired man—

Then-Admiral, "Black Arm" Zephyr.

At that time, Zephyr had just been promoted to admiral and was active on the sea with his powerful Armament Haki. He was also about to marry his lover.

This triumphant admiral defeated countless enemies, yet never killed a single one, earning him the nickname "the admiral who never kills."

When Zefa was passing through the South China Sea, he happened to hear about Balo and went to find him.

Zefa realized that if Balo was left unchecked and allowed to grow wildly, this incredibly talented young man would eventually go astray and be destroyed by his own inner desires.

So Zefa began to try to reason with Barlow and persuade him to control his murderous urges.

One day, after a fight in which one side was beaten up...

Zefa persuaded Barlow.

From then on, Barlow joined the Navy, agreed with Zephyr's views, and began to learn and grow under Zephyr's command.

But a few years later, Zephyr's family was killed by pirates. In order to control the hatred in his heart, the admiral withdrew from the front line and became an instructor, teaching new naval recruits.

It was around that time that Balo officially became Zefa's student.

Time flies, and Barlow grows into a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, while also inheriting Zephyr's belief in "not killing".

Unlike the meticulous Zephyr, Barlow's style of doing things always had a certain...

idiot?

But at the very least, he's far better than that bloodthirsty madman who almost self-destructed in the past.

……

However, Barlow has been worried about one thing.

His teacher, Zephyr, devoted himself to teaching new naval recruits after his family was killed by pirates.

Although Zefa seemed to have "let go" a lot as time went by, Barlow could always see the sadness that Zefa couldn't hide in his eyes.

Later, Barlow will see Zefa alone on the deck, carrying a bottle of wine and silently gazing at the starry sky.

The teacher was probably thinking about her family.

Balor, who was once saved by Zephyr, now wants to try to save his teacher.

He wanted to prove to his teacher that he had been taught very well.

So when he learned that the Navy was going to establish a GT branch, Barlow immediately signed up.

With his extensive resume and good interpersonal skills, Barlow was successfully selected.

……

That night.

Zefa found the crane, looking helpless.

Are you sure that kid is up to the task?

He smiled and asked in return, "What, you don't have confidence in your students?"

“He is very talented, but not talented to be a ‘commander’.”

Zefa sighed. "I'm worried he won't be able to manage so many people."

He casually replied, "Then let him go alone and figure it out himself."

"That's the only way... huh?"

Zephyr was taken aback, then turned to look at the crane. "What did you say?"

"Trust your student, Zephyr."