บท 233: Chapter 233: Endless Battle, Triumphant Return.
"998!"
"999!"
"1000!"
After finishing a thousand squats, the Marine officer lunged forward and began training with five hundred push-ups.
In the large white training ground at the back of the warship, it was filled with Marines and officers sweating and full of energy. As the saying goes: life is like that, if you can't resist, just close your eyes and enjoy it.
"One thousand! I finished first!!"
"Damn, how did this happen..."
"I was so close—"
"Stop talking, give me your money!"
"My allowance~~~"
"I'm out of money..."
"No money? We'll deduct it from your military merits!"
Turning training into a bet, everyone started to find joy in their hardship.
Since Roman took them out to sea, everyone on this ship had only four things to do: train, rest, sail, and fight pirates! An endless cycle, making these second-generation Marines realize, "So this world really is full of pirates."
Of course:
That's impossible.
A normal Marine mission at sea for a month might spend over twenty days just drifting, and whether they encounter pirates in the remaining days is uncertain. But on this ship, with Roman's 'radar' search, they went straight to their targets every day! Roman almost cleared out all the pirates on a single route by himself.
And usually, when pirates see Marines, they flee if they see experts. But on Roman's ship...
The highest rank is just a Captain! Pirates with good eyesight can see Roman sunbathing on the deck, with a cute girl officer beside him, and the other Marines looking like fresh recruits without a single veteran. — Isn't this some rich kid out for a joyride? Let's rob him!
Then it turns into:
I was so foolish, really, I shouldn't have charged...
The pirates want to yell at them: This is entrapment! Where's the trust between people? Is there any hope for this world?
And the most ridiculous part is that after a battle, the pirates suffer heavy casualties, while not a single Marine dies. The captured pirates scratch their heads, unable to figure it out.
That's because: Before the battle, Roman gave everyone paper armor, then had Lieutenant Commander Isuka, Captain Bolkin, and a few other strong second-generation Marines engage the enemy's experts. The rest:
Facing Marines with 'buffs' equivalent to a 30 million bounty each, how could the pirates not lose?
"Not bad, leveled up my 'Phoenix Page' quite a bit."
Roman was also pleased. The intense battles not only improved his mastery of the Paper-Paper Fruit but also provided plenty of injured soldiers every day. — Even with Roman's double resistance buffs, injuries were inevitable. And Roman's paper didn't reduce blunt force and impact damage much, so every big battle resulted in a bunch of injured.
After the ship's doctor set bones and treated injuries, it was Roman's turn to level up! Using blood vial paper to provide life force and Phoenix Page to heal with blue flames, one dose got them up, two doses made them lively, three doses made them radiant—
Then back to the training ground to continue training!
It made the Marines feel both heavenly and hellish~~
This was why the warship could maintain such intense battles, but now, with thirteen captured pirate ships, they had reached their limit. — Not because they couldn't keep fighting, but because they didn't have enough crew to sail all the ships.
——————
"Fleet ahead, stop immediately! Repeat..."
"Fleet ahead..."
"I'll repeat! This is Captain Roman leading the 211th Marine Unit, returning... Damn it!"
"I'm Bolkin, my dad is Vice Admiral! Are you deaf and can't recognize my voice?!"
"..."
"Ahem, Captain Bolkin, please calm down. We'll send someone to verify immediately—"
"These office wimps! Useless~~"
Bolkin threw down the Den Den Mushi and cursed loudly, while Roman rolled his eyes. — Weren't you planning to slack off and get a cushy office job half a month ago?
"Alright, I can roughly understand the headquarters' thinking."
Roman calmly waved his hand.
"Seeing so many pirate ships, the headquarters probably thought we were captured and used as a 'battering ram' to infiltrate and cause trouble..."
"Hahaha, what a joke!"
A few second-generation Marines struck various muscle-flexing poses, laughing confidently.
"How could a mere pirates be our match?"
"You guys..."
Seeing this group acting like they could 'punch the Four Emperors and stomp the Seven Warlords,' Roman touched his chin, seriously considering whether to find a 'real expert' next time to show them the harshness of the sea.
Hmm?
Boom—Boom—!
A figure in a Marine coat flew rapidly from the headquarters using Geppo and landed on the deck:
"Hello, Uncle Doberman!"
Led by Bolkin, a group of second-generation Marines saluted in a sloppy manner. The newcomer was Vice Admiral Doberman, dressed in a light purple striped suit and dark blue shirt, with a tie, Mohawk, and beard.
"Mm,"
After a slight nod, this Marine expert looked at the highest-ranking officer on the warship, Roman.
"Captain Roman, about the pirate ships behind your warship—?"
"As I said on the Den Den Mushi, they are all our spoils of war."
Roman stepped aside and gestured towards the ship's hold.
"The captured pirates are in the prison below, Vice Admiral Doberman can go check."
"Mm."
As a Marine elite Vice Admiral, Doberman was undoubtedly skilled and brave, following Roman without hesitation to the prison below deck. As the pirate officers, packed tightly and looking dejected, came into view, Doberman's eyes sharpened!
It wasn't that these were top experts, but the sheer number:
"Ten pirate crews wiped out in half a month, Captain Roman, you are really..."
Vice Admiral Doberman, with only a tuft of hair standing upright on his smooth scalp, didn't know what to say. — If it weren't so unbelievable, Vice Admiral Doberman would have suspected Roman was an undercover pirate, using these 'heads' to gain trust.
But thinking carefully, it wasn't realistic. After all, pirates were a disorganized bunch, and pirates killing pirates was even more ruthless! Only someone at the level of the Four Emperors could gather so many heads in a short time.
"Bounty of 60 million for 'Horn' Danton; 44 million for 'Blood Axe' Richie; 32 million for 'One-Handed' Mara;... Goodness, this is the 95 million bounty 'Plague' Wilson? Even though it's just a body, it's still a great achievement!"
The Marine government locks Devil Fruit users in Impel Down instead of killing them to prevent the Devil Fruits from reappearing and causing more chaos. So, capturing them alive is much more valuable than killing them.
"Capturing pirates with a total bounty of over 400 million in half a month, not bad, very good!"
If Vice Admiral Doberman had any reservations about Roman, the 'parachuted Captain' with a terrifying background, they vanished after seeing the solid 'military achievements.'
"The Marines are lucky to have a rising star like you, Captain Roman."
As Doberman patted Roman on the shoulder with a look of approval, Roman almost blurted out, "To serve the people."
"Let's go,"
Vice Admiral Doberman turned to leave. Seeing the severely injured or dead pirate captains and officers, it was clear this wasn't some pirate trick but real military achievements. So naturally:
"Attention, forward battery, this is Vice Admiral Doberman!"
With the elite Vice Admiral with a Mohawk standing on the deck and picking up the Den Den Mushi, the Marine headquarters' battery received the order.
"Let them through!"
——————
"Wow, 1, 2, 3, 4,... a total of 13 pirate ships?"
"Which Marine officer did this... Look, it's Vice Admiral Doberman!"
"Amazing, it's only been half a month since the 'big event,' and already—"
As the warship slowly entered the port, reporters gathered around: recently, the sea had been in turmoil, with pirates everywhere trying to make a name for themselves by provoking the Marines and attacking towns.
So Marine officers were also out in force, clearing out these pirates. And to capture so many pirates in such a short time, it had to be:
"Everyone, these pirates were not captured by me."
As an elite Vice Admiral, Doberman had no need to take credit for Roman's achievements, especially with so many colleagues' children around.
"This is the work of our new Captain Roman!"
Doberman stepped aside to reveal Roman, "Captain Roman is a strong new force in our Marines! Under his leadership, the 211th Unit has achieved brilliant results. I believe the sea will soon be peaceful again with the efforts of all Marine soldiers."
After saying a few formal words, Doberman turned to Roman.
"Captain Roman, come with me to report to the Fleet Admiral."
"Alright."
As the two left, a series of dejected pirate captains and officers were taken away, and the reporters approached:
"Excuse me, beautiful Lieutenant Commander, can you tell us about this operation..."
"No comment."
"What kind of person is your Captain Roman..."
"No comment."
...
"I'll do it, I'll do it!"
Bolkin ran his fingers through his shiny blond hair. These second-generation Marines had great conditions; with a bit of training, their strength soared, and their military demeanor and handsome faces made them very photogenic.
"You asked the right person!"
"Let me tell you how we, under Captain Roman's leadership, traveled thousands of miles, fought day and night, and defeated ten thousand... cough, ten pirate crews..."
"What do you know about Captain Roman? Let me tell it—"
Surrounded by reporters with pens and camera Den Den Mushi, the group of officers who had just disembarked were beaming.
These second-generation Marines were usually disliked, feared on the surface but despised and cursed behind their backs. They had never experienced such glory before.
The admiring looks, heartfelt applause, and cheers made these second-generation Marines taste the feeling of being 'heroes.'
It made them feel on top of the world!
"Alright, everyone saw that?"
In the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku waved his hand to remind the Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals peeking through the window to mind their manners.
"I told you, Captain Roman is reliable. You didn't believe me?"
"We believe, we believe..."
Their sons and grandsons came back safe and sound, looking stronger and healthier, with obvious improvements in their skills. — Plus, they brought back a bunch of captured pirates.
Who would dare say my son/grandson got his position through connections now? I'll break their legs!
"Alright, everyone, leave."
After Sengoku dismissed them, the Marine big shots left, and Sengoku thought:
This Roman is truly a genius.
What a pity...
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