Chapter 33: Intelligence Brought by Vice Admiral Tsuru

Chapter 33: Intelligence Brought by Vice Admiral Tsuru

The next morning.

After concluding the routine morning assembly and drills, Cui Ze’s "Sea King radar" precisely captured the excitement among the female marines on the warship.

Slightly puzzled, Cui Ze recalled his conversation with Tina from the previous afternoon, and a realization flashed in his eyes.

Vice Admiral Tsuru was arriving today!

Cui Ze did not feel much emotional fluctuation regarding Tsuru’s arrival. In her youth, Vice Admiral Tsuru was undoubtedly a dashing and stunning heroine of the Navy! But this was the Tsuru of advanced years...

It must be said, the world of One Piece is truly cruel to elderly women. It is almost like a "curse of aging." Flashes of various "legendary beauties" now turned into elderly women raced through Cui Ze’s mind, and he couldn't help but get goosebumps.

In the morning, under the expectant gazes of the female marines, a standard Navy warship slowly docked beside the training camp vessel. It was a typical naval ship with no special figurehead, and its pristine white sails bore the simple, massive black character: "Tsuru!"

Facing the respectful, admiring, and longing gazes of the crew, Vice Admiral Tsuru did not delay. She followed behind Zefa, heading toward the main office. Seeing their idol make such a fleeting appearance before leaving, the young fan-girls cast disgruntled glares at Instructor Zefa.

It is amusing to note that the highly respected Zefa was suddenly collectively disliked by the female marines over such a trivial matter.

Inside the main office.

"Tsuru, your prestige among the female marines is no exaggeration!" Zefa poured a cup of strong tea for the Vice Admiral with great enthusiasm while teasing her. "Did you see the way those female marines looked at me before we came up? I imagine they look at bugs or rats with a similar expression, haha!"

"Aren't you, along with Garp and Sengoku, held in the same regard by the male marines?" Vice Admiral Tsuru picked up the teacup, smiled slightly, and then turned to the business at hand. "What is the status of that vicious pirate who ravaged multiple islands?"

The person Tsuru referred to was Muzan, the Oni-race biochemical scientist responsible for the human tragedy on the zombie island. He was a user of the Paramecia-type Virus-Virus Fruit!

"With Seastone shackles on, that fellow can't stir up any trouble!" Zefa shook his head, his expression turning cold. "Besides, that guy has poured almost all his potential into developing his Devil Fruit; as a person, he is just an ordinary researcher with no physical strength to speak of."

Zefa had never held a high opinion of those who focused solely on ability development while neglecting physical conditioning. The primary example of this, in his mind, was Kizaru Borsalino.

Vice Admiral Tsuru agreed with Zefa’s stance. Although she herself was a formidable fruit user, the older generation of the Navy firmly believed in the hard truth that "the body and Haki are everything."

However... in recent years, the Devil Fruit users emerging on the seas were becoming more and more terrifying. Not to mention the pirates, just looking at Borsalino, whom Zefa disliked—the Logia-type Glint-Glint Fruit. Its very existence rendered many physical techniques useless. Whether it was *Soru* or *Geppo*, no matter how fast they were, could they outrun "light"?

Vice Admiral Tsuru silently shook her head, then nodded in agreement. With those few monsters holding the line, a new era for the Navy was indeed approaching.

"I will have Muzan transferred to Impel Down as soon as possible!" Tsuru bypassed the ideological conflict between Zefa and Kizaru. "Based on his bounty, Muzan would normally only be sent to the 'Crimson Hell' on the first level, but considering his fruit abilities and the devastation he caused, being sent to the 'Infinite Hell' on the sixth level is more than justified!"

Zefa and Tsuru chatted for a while longer about the transport of prisoners, then moved on to discuss the newly established Warlord of the Sea (Shichibukai) system.

"So, those old men in the World Government are still planning to fully implement this pirate system?" Zefa slammed his fist onto the desk, making a harsh sound.

"I can't fathom the thoughts of the Five Elders either. Perhaps they were simply triggered by that fish-man, Fisher Tiger... climbing the Red Line with his bare hands and nearly overturning all of Mary Geoise!" Vice Admiral Tsuru shook her head. "The World Government must project enough deterrence to the sea! Otherwise, for every Fisher Tiger, there will be another, and then the face of the World Government will be completely gone!"

"When have they ever cared about such a thing as 'face'?" Zefa scoffed. "They are just afraid of dying!"

"The Warlord system will likely be spread across the entire sea via News Coos by next week," Tsuru said, sharing the latest intelligence received by Navy Headquarters.

Zefa was slightly taken aback. "Have they already found seven great pirates willing to serve as Warlords?"

Vice Admiral Tsuru shook her head slightly. "Great pirates who are both willing to work for the World Government and possess immense fame and strength are far too rare. The World Government’s idea is to first establish a few 'examples'."

Zefa nearly laughed in anger. Examples? Since when did pirates deserve such a title?

"Who are the 'examples' the Five Elders intend to set?" Zefa asked, not without sarcasm.

"There are two currently. The first has been settled, and the second is still under negotiation," Tsuru said unhurriedly. "The first Warlord is the Sand-Sand Fruit user, 'Sir' Crocodile! He once suffered a crushing defeat while challenging 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate—one of the Emperor's defeated subordinates!"

"The second Warlord the World Government intends to invite is the Shadow-Shadow Fruit user, Gecko Moria! He once challenged 'Beast' Kaido, but unfortunately, his entire pirate crew was wiped out, and he was the only one to escape from Wano. Likewise, another of the Emperor's defeated subordinates!"

Zefa rubbed his chin. What appeared in his mind was not the sand crocodile Crocodile, nor the night-bat Moria, but a new recruit currently training on the ship. The Nth Warlord, Navy deep-cover agent Cui Ze Fate, who had once challenged 'Beast' Kaido and failed—another of the Emperor's defeated subordinates!

Did that seem like there was anything wrong with it?

"Zefa, what's wrong?" Vice Admiral Tsuru keenly noticed Zefa’s distraction and asked with confusion. "Is there a problem with these two?"

"No," Zefa regained his composure. "I was just thinking of another suitable candidate."

"Are you talking about those two giants on the Island of the Ancients?" Tsuru assumed he was referring to the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates.

"Hmm..." Zefa vaguely skipped over the question. His plan had not been mentioned to anyone yet; at this stage, it existed only in his mind. Whether this plan would truly be implemented depended not on Zefa’s opinion, but on the strength Cui Ze could demonstrate.

To become a "Warlord of the Sea," having the title of "Emperor's defeated subordinate" was not enough. The sea, after all, speaks through strength!

Zefa changed the subject. "By the way, Tsuru, I encountered a new pirate yesterday who is certain to make a name for himself."

Vice Admiral Tsuru prepared to listen.

"He is a possessor of Conqueror's Haki!" Zefa held up two fingers. "The point is, his name is 'Donquixote Doflamingo'!"