Pirate: I'm an admiral now, what's wrong with taking a little extra money?

Do you know what you're rejecting? This is a power that so many people dream of having!

"strength?"

Kane chuckled softly, then suddenly raised his head, a chilling arrogance flashing in his eyes.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the bewildered recruits, over the shocked officers, and finally landing on the three men on the ground.

"Teacher, you often taught us not to rely too much on the power of fruits."

"While ability is certainly powerful and can elevate one to great heights in one step, it can also lead to complacency and neglect of physical training precisely because it comes too easily."

"In the New World, even the strongest Devil Fruit abilities will one day be countered. Only Haki... Haki is the power that transcends everything!"

These words struck the hearts of everyone present like a thunderbolt.

Only domineering power can surpass everything!

What profound enlightenment!

This is not just a slogan, but a declaration of a strong person who has absolute confidence in their own strength!

Sakazuki on the ground suddenly opened his eyes, staring intently at the figure backlit by the sun. A mixture of resentment and shock welled up within him. This guy… this kind of spirit…

Zefa was stunned.

Looking at this troublesome person who usually gave him the most headaches, his eyes actually started to well up with tears.

He had always worried that this year's "monster rookies" relied too much on their talent, neglecting the honing of basic physical skills and Haki. Unexpectedly, the one who understood him best and truly embodied his "Black Arm" will was Kane!

"Good! Good! Good!!"

Zephyr said "good" three times, laughed loudly, and slapped Kane's shoulder hard with his large, fan-like hand, almost dislocating Kane's shoulder.

"As expected of the soldiers I trained! You have ambition! Since you firmly believe in your own path of dominance, I won't force you to eat these things!"

Garp, standing in the stands, crushed the senbei to pieces and roared with laughter, "Pfft, hahaha! Sengoku, did you hear that? This kid is just my type!"

In an instant, everyone's gaze toward Kane changed.

The fear of seeing monsters has transformed into admiration for those who are truly strong.

This is a true man who is willing to give up shortcuts in pursuit of the ultimate martial arts!

[Ding! A domineering statement was made, creating a false image of profound wisdom and inspiring worship from the audience!]

[Triggering the "Creative Achievement"! Disciplinary Points +2000!]

Hearing the system notification, Kane was overjoyed.

Don't want the fruit?

nonsense!

The system wheel contained many fruits he had never even heard of before, which were definitely better than these three.

Besides, once I become a marshal, how can I manage without reliable soldiers under my command?

and……

Kane looked at Zeff, whose face was full of emotion, and his expression suddenly turned somewhat lewd.

"Um... teacher, since I'm not eating the fruit, it's like saving the Marine Headquarters a vital strategic resource, right?"

Zephyr, still reeling from the earlier emotion, nodded subconsciously: "Yes, these three fruits are indeed precious. Leaving them for Sakazuki and the others would be an excellent boost to their fighting strength..."

"In that case"

Kane rubbed his hands together, speaking rapidly:

"Could you cash out my spot? I've calculated it, and this fruit is worth at least a billion Berries, right? How about cash, or deposit it directly into my stipend account? Even a 20% discount would be fine, I'm not picky."

The air froze again.

Zefa's smile froze on his face, then gradually cracked.

Sengoku sprayed all the tea he had just drunk onto the back of Garp's head.

“What...did you say?” Zephyr’s voice trembled.

"Cash it out!"

Kane blinked his big eyes and said matter-of-factly, "I earned this reward through my own abilities, so it's reasonable for me to choose to exchange it for equivalent currency instead of a physical reward, right?"

"I've thought it all out. With this money, I'll first buy an estate in Chambord, then hire dozens of maids... cough cough, I mean, hire dozens of sparring partners to hone my domineering aura day and night."

"Reasonable? I think you're just looking to meet your God!"

Zefa finally lost his temper, veins bulging on his forehead, and let out a roar that echoed through the sky.

"I'll teach you to be noble and virtuous! I'll teach you to be domineering and surpass everything!!"

boom!!

With a loud bang, Kane was kicked away by Zeff like a shooting star, turning into a bright star in the sky.

"Wake those three bastards up! The spoils are theirs! Send that bastard Kane to solitary confinement for three days to reflect on his actions!!"

In the air, Kane's increasingly fading screams could still be heard:

"Fine, you won't pay! But why are you hitting me?! I'm going to complain to the World Government!!"

[Ding! A general openly solicited bribes, treating top-tier strategic resources as a monetary transaction!]

[A serious desecration of the sanctity of "justice"! A huge amount of disciplinary points have been awarded: +5000!]

……

Half an hour later, at the headquarters medical room.

The last rays of the setting sun streamed into the hospital room.

Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan sat together, each holding a strangely patterned Devil Fruit, their expressions complex.

They lost.

We lost completely.

But the man who defeated them threw that power, which was enough to start a war on the high seas, at them like trash.

"Is it only domineering power... that is the truth that transcends everything?"

Sakazuki stared at the Magma Fruit in his hand, his eyes filled with a sinister light. Though unwilling, he had to admit that the man's words possessed a chilling power.

“It’s really annoying,” Kuzan said, scratching his head. “It’s like we’re picking up his leftovers.”

"Wow, what a terrifying man."

Borsalino held the Glint-Glint Fruit, lost in thought. "Preferring to trust one's own body rather than take shortcuts... I'm ashamed of my own lack of resolve in that regard."

At this moment, although the three of them still harbored resentment towards Kane, they also felt a growing sense of respect, which they were unwilling to admit but which was undeniably present.

That man, perhaps, really was trying to spur us on...

Just then, a figure with a bruised and swollen face, walking with a limp, passed by outside the window, cursing and swearing.

"Damn Zephyr, that's ruthless... If you don't want to pay, fine, but did you have to kick me in the face?"

"No way, this is a huge loss. We have to sneak into his office tonight and steal all those boxes of special-edition cigars he keeps!"

The sound entered the ward clearly.

The somewhat somber and emotional atmosphere inside the room vanished instantly.

Click.

Sakazuki's apple was crushed.

The three of them exchanged a glance, and several black lines appeared on their foreheads simultaneously.

So what if I'm moved?!

This guy is still the same scumbag!

Chapter 18 Who taught you to negotiate like this?

Time flies, and three days later...

Sabaody Archipelago, Area 13, the edge of the lawless zone.

"Boom! Boom!"

Explosions rang out one after another, and thick smoke billowed straight into the sky.

A pirate ship flying the skull and crossbones flag crashed ashore, smashing half of the commercial street to pieces.

"Hehehehe! Don't move! If anyone moves, I'll crush these pigs to death!"

Inside the shattered auction hall, a pirate captain dressed in a studded leather jacket and sporting a mohawk was laughing wildly.

His legs had transformed into enormous metal springs, constantly compressing and bouncing in place, each landing creating a deep crater in the marble floor.

Dozens of trembling civilians knelt at his feet. Several women and children were being held to the necks by his men, their cries filling the air.

The outer perimeter has been cordoned off by the navy.

"Quickly! Evacuate the crowd!"

"Sniper in position! Don't provoke the pirates inside!"

A warship has just docked at the shore.

Kane, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan stood at the bow of the ship, each with a different expression.

This was a sudden, real-world mission.

Zephyr wanted them to adapt to their newfound power, but he didn't expect to run into a tough opponent as soon as they arrived in Sabaody.

"The situation is terrible."

A branch major in charge of on-site command ran over, and upon seeing these four elite officers from headquarters, he seemed to see them as a lifeline, reporting with sweat pouring down his face:

"The pirates inside are the 'Flea Pirates,' captain Galdo, with a bounty of 6800 million Berries, and a Paramecia-type Spring-Spring Fruit user."

"They took more than a hundred civilians hostage in the auction house and planted a large amount of explosives at the entrance. They threatened to kill them if we didn't have a coated ship and 500 million Berries in cash ready within ten minutes!"

The major's voice trembled: "Just now... they threw out two corpses."