Chapter 115

Sengoku's affection and high regard for Karl increased even more, and he even thought that if Karl could grow to the height of an Admiral, he would absolutely be the best choice to become Fleet Admiral!

"Good! Well said! Karl, I am very gratified that you could say these words! If Kizaru and Kuzan could learn from you more, I would be so much more at ease!"

"However! There is a reason for letting you rest..."

Sengoku took out a stack of bounty posters marked with an X and placed them on the table, saying: "Look, these are the results of the past few months. The pirate crews that dared to show their heads recently have basically been captured or killed."

"Aside from the New World, there are basically no big fish worth your effort! Those small-fry pirate crews are more than enough for other officers to handle."

"Your ability should be used for more difficult missions. I can't have a Headquarters Rear Admiral chasing after pirate crews with bounties of ten or twenty million every day, can I?"

Karl frowned. This statement did make sense; a Rear Admiral should do what a Rear Admiral ought to do. He couldn't exactly volunteer to catch those nobodies, could he?

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, in that case, I will go to the New World to execute missions! I'm not afraid of pirates with bounties over five hundred million!"

At this, Sengoku shook his head and said somewhat helplessly: "It's not that I don't want to let you go to the New World, but recently the Bai Huzi Pirates have been waiting for you to go to the New World!"

The Bai Huzi Pirates? Karl frowned slightly. Could it be because of the matter regarding Whitey Bay?

"Is it because of Whitey Bay?"

Sengoku nodded: "Yes! Bai Huzi's protectiveness is not just talk. The New World is full of Bai Huzi's territory; once you appear, it is very likely you will be trapped like a turtle in a jar."

"For the sake of your safety, you need to grow for a while longer before I can let you head to the New World to execute missions."

The subtext was that Karl is very important to the Navy, and going head-to-head with a max-level character like Bai Huzi is not worth it; better to level up first.

Karl was silent for a long while, then continued: "Alright then! Fleet Admiral Sengoku, but I still don't want to go on vacation! How about this!"

"I happen to be very interested in Fish-Man Island. The investigation into the cause of Queen Otohime's death from last time should still be unhandled, right?"

Sengoku paused, then shook his head.

"That's good, I'll take this mission. After the Warlord meeting concludes, I will go to Fish-Man Island to investigate. If I can find out the truth, that's best; if not, I'll just treat it as a vacation. What do you think?"

Tap, tap, tap...

Sengoku tapped his fingertips on the desk, not speaking for a long time, and finally sighed.

"Alright! I will temporarily agree to your request, but for now, everything must prioritize the Warlord meeting. We will discuss this matter later."

Karl breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he wouldn't have to go on a real vacation!

Kizaru, watch and learn! We're both slacking off, but Sengoku still has to praise me!

By the time Karl left Navy Headquarters, an unexpected old friend had been waiting for a long time.

"Hey! Karl, haven't seen you in a few months, and you're already a Rear Admiral, kid!"

After seeing who it was, Karl revealed a smile and walked toward him. When he got close, he pulled a cigar from the man's chest, put it in his mouth, lit it, and blew a smoke ring.

Karl looked at Smoker with an arrogant expression and said: "Is 'Karl' what you call me? Call me sir!"

Smoker was stunned; the cigar almost fell to the ground: "You really are something, Karl, actually playing this game with me!"

"Hahaha! Just kidding. So, are you on vacation?"

At the mention of this, Smoker's expression darkened, and he shook his head: "Not a vacation, it's a suspension."

"Suspension? You've got to be kidding! Why?"

"Some dirty, messy business. It makes me angry just thinking about it, so let's not talk about it! Since we've finally met today, how about you join me for a drink?"

It was exactly noon, and Karl hadn't eaten yet, so he didn't decline.

"Karl, tell me, does the current Navy really deserve the word 'justice'?"

Karl rubbed his chin, thought about it repeatedly, and then said: "The Navy is naturally just, but where the light of justice cannot shine, darkness will naturally breed."

Gulp, gulp, gulp~

Smoker poured all the wine down his throat in one breath, wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and sighed: "Yeah! But there's just too much of this breeding darkness..."

Karl didn't know what kind of darkness Smoker had encountered, but he could be certain that at this moment, he was already somewhat disappointed in the Navy, feeling that it was far from the army of justice he had in mind.

"So, what can a Navy Commander like you change?"

"I... *sigh*... I can't change anything."

Karl smiled and said: "So, cheer up! On the sea, only the strong have the right to speak! Whether it's the Navy or pirates!"

"Since you can't stand that darkness and you want to change it, you must have the capital to change it."

As a ten-year veteran and a transmigrator, how could Karl not know about these twists and turns within the Navy?

But so what if he knows? Before, he was just a branch Captain, willing but unable. Now, although he is a Rear Admiral, he still doesn't have much of a say.

The only thing he can do now is to try his best to improve his strength, his reputation, and his military rank.

Only in this way can he have the right to speak and the ability to change the status quo of the Navy.

Having the ability to change is one thing, but whether to change is another.

For Karl, it actually doesn't matter whether he changes it or not; he's just slacking off anyway.

Smoker frowned, looking at Karl as if he had understood something, but he said nothing, drinking his wine in silence until he collapsed onto the table.

Karl shook his head and sighed, snapping his fingers.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

Karl stood up, pointed at Smoker, and said: "This is Commander Smoker. Today's bill is all on him. By the way, get me another bottle of red wine."

"Understood, please wait a moment!"

Karl picked up a pack of napkins to wipe his mouth, took the red wine handed over by the waiter, and left the restaurant, hiding his merit and fame.

Little did he know, Smoker, who was lying on the table pretending to sleep, had his fists gradually tightening, his heart filled with words that would be censored if spoken aloud.

Trying to be clever only to end up losing out! ===== CHAPTER 117 =====