However, not long after the two were about to step inside the G-3 Base,
Sakazuki stopped again and turned to face Gern.
Sakazuki was a direct man. Although Gern's answer had just rejected him, he really liked Gern.
Especially in this era of “Gentle Justice” where his own justice was considered “Iron-Blooded.”
If he had always been alone, it would have been fine, but now, a Gern had appeared.
It was like a companion with the same ambition suddenly appearing on a lonely road.
So, Sakazuki hesitated for a moment and decided to try another method. His tone, uncharacteristically, carried a hint of… enthusiasm.
“Lieutenant Gern, since you are interested in understanding G-3 Base, I can give you a detailed introduction to the work efficiency here.”
“Huh? When was I interested?” Gern was stunned, then after a long pause, he asked, “Efficiency?”
“Gern is like me. If I use the G-3 Base system I built to attract him, it might work.” Thinking this, Sakazuki nodded and said proudly,
“G-3 Base is one of the Marine’s most elite strongholds in the New World. Our mission completion rate is as high as 98.7%, far exceeding other strongholds.”
Gern: “…Oh?”
“The daily training duration is indirectly maintained at 8 hours, and the soldier’s physical fitness qualification rate is 100%.”
“The daily training duration is indirectly maintained at 8 hours?!”
“What? Do you also think it’s short? But I have to follow the soldiers’ training manual…”
“It’s fine, you continue!”
“Hmm.” Sakazuki continued, his tone growing more serious.
“Moreover, our average time for pirate extermination missions is only 3.2 days, which is 47% shorter than the time limit stipulated by Marineford.”
“Holy crap, are the soldiers of G-3 living such a miserable life?”
A drop of cold sweat seeped from Gern’s forehead: “Uh, very, very impressive…”
And Sakazuki, seeing Gern agree with him, his tone became even more relaxed.
“Furthermore, our logistics supply turnover rate is also as high as 80%, which means we are practically in a constant state of combat!
Also, here, you can completely unleash your desire to decapitate pirates.
Aside from those required alive for missions, I can completely turn a blind eye to the others.
Even if you decapitate all the pirates of an entire pirate crew, I agree…”
“Wait!” Gern quickly raised his hand to interrupt, “Colonel Sakazuki, I’m just here to hand over prisoners, no need for such detail…”
Sakazuki frowned, seemingly displeased by his interruption: “Efficiency is the foundation of justice.
If you intend to stay at G-3 Base, you must master all these statistics.”
Gern chuckled twice: “Ha, haha… I’ll consider it.”
“I know you are considering Zephyr’s attitude.” Sakazuki stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly pulled out a thick booklet from his in arms。
“This is my combat report and efficiency analysis from nearly three years of being stationed at G-3 Base. You can review it first.”
Gern: “…”
No, don’t love me! There won’t be any result!!
…
Several days later, in the New World sea, dark clouds gathered, and the sea wind stirred up layers of waves.
Golden Lion’s main ship, the Flying Lion, was quietly anchored on the sea, surrounded by five or six auxiliary pirate ships.
On the deck, the crew members were silent, not even daring to breathe loudly.
The Golden Lion Shiki, in his prime, sat on the throne at the bow of the ship, his golden long hair wildly dancing in the wind, a cigar in his mouth, his face gloomy.
At this moment, the sake cup in his hand had long been crushed, the fragments deeply embedded in his palm, blood dripping down between his fingers, yet he was completely unaware.
“That bastard Newgate…” Golden Lion cursed in a low voice, a brief skirmish with Whitebeard not long ago appearing in his mind.
Although his Flying Sky Pirates had an absolute advantage in numbers and power,
Facing Whitebeard in his prime and his world-destroying Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability, even Golden Lion had to temporarily avoid his edge.
But what angered him even more was that the Whitebeard Pirates, clearly just a group of newcomers, had actually forced back his entire fleet.
Especially Whitebeard’s line: “Shiki, I don’t want to sink you into the sea here.”
This sentence was practically stomping Shiki’s face into the ground!
“Bastard! Ahhh!” Golden Lion shouted, throwing away the already crushed sake cup.
“Fleet Admiral, Fleet Admiral…” At this moment, a cadre cautiously spoke, but was scared into silence by a single look from Golden Lion.
Then, footsteps came from the back of the deck.
“Death Knell” David, who had rushed back, walked over with his head down, the shadow of his hat obscuring his sinister face.
As soon as he reached Golden Lion, he knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse: “Fleet Admiral, I apologize, I’m late.”
Looking at this guy, Golden Lion stared at him coldly, exhaling a puff of smoke, his tone chilling: “David, you’re late.”
David did not argue, only said in a deep voice: “I encountered trouble.”
“Oh?” Golden Lion narrowed his eyes, “What kind of trouble could delay you, the Third Division Commander, for so long?”
David looked up, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes: “That newcomer who joined us, ‘Island Splitter’ Doge… was captured by the Marine.”
“What?!” Golden Lion’s rage instantly erupted, and Conqueror's Haki uncontrollably swept out.
The wooden planks on the deck cracked inch by inch, and several weaker pirates directly fainted.
“Useless!” Golden Lion kicked over the wine table in front of him, sending fragments flying.
“You can’t even protect a newcomer, what use are you?!
I just lost to Newgate, and then a guy who was about to join me was captured by the Marine right in front of my cadre.
What do you take the name of my Flying Sky Pirates for?! Bastard.”
Facing this situation, David gritted his teeth, enduring Golden Lion’s pressure, and whispered: “Fleet Admiral, the Marine who captured Doge… is not simple.”
“Heh heh.” Golden Lion snorted coldly: “Mere Marine, how strong can he be?”
Seeing Golden Lion’s aura slightly recede, David also took a deep breath and slowly said: “His ability… is the same as Whitebeard’s.”
The air instantly solidified.
Golden Lion’s pupils suddenly contracted, and the anger on his face was gradually replaced by a dangerous calm.
Then he slowly stood up, walked in front of David, stepped on his shoulder, and looked down at him from above.
“You, say that again.”
David looked up, his gaze firm: “That Marine’s ability can cause vibrations, and can even shatter space.
Although the way it manifests is slightly different from Whitebeard’s, the essence is extremely similar.”
“Like Newgate…” Golden Lion lifted his foot and was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into loud laughter, but his laughter carried a bone-chilling coldness.
“Interesting, truly interesting! The Marine actually hides such a guy?”
Immediately after, Golden Lion suddenly reined in his smile, his eyes filled with killing intent: “Tell me, what is that Marine’s name?”
“Gern… Gern Reginald Sigma!” David answered honestly, and told him the information he had already investigated on his way back.
After all, the news about Gern was his way to get rid of the blame for his dereliction of duty.
“He is a Marineford Lieutenant, and a few days ago, he was Black Arm Zephyr’s adjutant. I heard he is Zephyr’s direct disciple.”
“Zephyr’s disciple?” Golden Lion sneered, “No wonder he dares to be so arrogant.”
“And… and…”
“Hmmph? What else?”
“This guy fought Whitebeard in the West Blue three years ago!”