Kuzan walked on the brick floor next to the rebuilt naval headquarters, yawning lazily as he walked around tricycles piled high with sand or logs.

He's been busy lately, and the Navy Headquarters has asked him to be both here and there, as if hoping that he will be able to teleport.

However, the upside is that the temporary privileges he has obtained are quite high, and as long as he can destroy the lair of the target pirate, the Navy Headquarters will allow him to kill first.

As a result, quite a few pirates in the "New World" suffered.

However, Kuzan is a human after all, not a machine, and he will be tired.

Finally, he was given a half-day off for a short break.

Kuzan returned to the headquarters of the Navy, and after calming down, he began to remember what had happened before.

Unexpectedly, almost three weeks have passed since the "top war" that shook the world, but Kuzan feels as if a few months have passed.

Although he is busy, he actually has a few hours of sleep at night.

He couldn't sleep, though...... Even if he fell asleep, he would wake up from a nightmare, and then he would see the whole room frozen into ice sculptures by him in the dream.

Kuzan believes that this is a stress response to his perception of danger in his dreams.

Fortunately, no outsiders entered the room at that time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.

He began to wear gloves because a dark spot the size of the bottom of a bowl appeared on the palm of his right hand that could not be cleaned off no matter what.

Kuzan had to think that those nightmares of his came from the dark spots in his palms, and he was cursed.

It is said to be a nightmare, but in fact, the content of the dream is half-true, that is, the scene of him being pressed into the sea by David Jones is reproduced over and over again, and many details have changed.

For example, David Jones turned into a monster...... He looked like a monster enough, but he was even more terrifying in the nightmare.

After Kuzan woke up, he also heard that before David Jones left, he took all the souls of the "Top War" and let them swim into the sea.

Although this statement was quickly suppressed by the Warring States Marshal, there was no wind and no waves, and there were too many witnesses that day, and Kuzan believed that most of the situation was true.

The Sengoku Marshal could only say to the insiders of the Navy that it was David Jones' Devil Fruit ability, just like Charlotte Lingling.

People tend to feel fear when faced with the unknown, and this fear is greatly diminished when they know that its entity is a Devil Fruit that can be seen on a regular basis.

But Kuzan knew that David Jones was not a Devil Fruit powerhouse.

So, what is the origin of David Jones' ability?

"General 'Green Pheasant'!"

His musings were interrupted, and he had unconsciously walked to the makeshift camp set up by the Navy Headquarters in Maryford, where the soldiers were saluting him.

In the past, the soldiers saluted him, but not as enthusiastically as they do now.

Because they all know that the future marshal of the Navy is one between him and Sakasky.

Kuzan didn't really have much obsession with the position of marshal of the navy, and the reason why he fought was more because he didn't want to see Sakasky become a marshal.

The two of them have differences in philosophy and action about the justice of the navy.

Kuzan believed that if Sakasky became a marshal of the Navy, he would pull the Navy headquarters into an extreme chariot, slamming on the gas pedal all the way to the end.

For example, when the "Demon Slaying Order" was issued, whether it was the Warring States or Kuzan, they would think twice before acting.

But Sakasky did not hesitate to give orders, even if innocent civilians were among the targets of the bombardment.

Coupled with the fact that Kuzan already had more supporters in the Navy headquarters, he still had the possibility of winning over Sakasky.

Thinking of this, he was a little irritable, and he did have a feeling that he didn't want to see Sakasky again.

It's just that he didn't expect that as soon as he walked into the camp, he ran into the same tall competitor as him - "Akainu".

Wearing a peaked cap, Sakasky dismayed Spandam, who had become a member of the Logistics Department of the Navy Headquarters, and walked to this side, then made eye contact with Kuzan.

"It's ...... you"

The relationship between the two generals was not very good in the past, and now it is even more-for-tat.

They approached slowly, staring at each other without giving in.

Finally, they stopped at a distance of one meter, and the surrounding soldiers did not dare to breathe.

Sakasky pressed his cap and said bluntly: "You should not compete with me for the position of marshal of the navy, you will not be a good commander." ”

"How do you know if you don't try?" Kuzan clasped his hands to his chest, unwilling to give up just like that.

"Try? For the Navy Headquarters, for the whole world, a try is a disaster. ”

Sakasky stared at Kuzan.

"I'm better suited than you, almost all of Whitebeard's serious injuries were caused by me, and you were pushed into the sea by David Jones, and you were defeated."

Kuzan's expression was cold, which really hit his sore spot, so he sneered: "In this way, 'Whitebeard' almost killed you." ”

"It's different." Sakasky's eyes narrowed.

"What's the difference?" Kuzan sneered, "If the Admiral had been selected according to this criterion, we would have been unqualified, but Porusalino would have been qualified." ”

Sakaski disagreed: "He didn't win against Reilly. ”

"But he didn't lose either."

Sakasky couldn't stand the argument with Kuzan anymore, and they had repeated this conversation so many times that they almost quarreled when they met.

He couldn't help but think of the idea that Spandam had proposed to him, simple and crude, but at least it would make the truth clear to everyone in the Navy headquarters who didn't trust him.

"Kuzan, I have a proposal." Sakasky raised the brim of his hat slightly, and said coldly, "Do you know the island that was banned by the World Government after the explosion of the Vegapunk experiment? ”

"I know, that 'Punk Hasad Island'. What do you want? ”

"I'm tired of the war of words, and it's endless. Doesn't the world often say that we are the strongest combat force in the navy? However, there has never been a winner between us. ”

"The strongest combat power should be one, not three."

Kuzan understood what Sakasky meant, but still didn't back down: "Okay. Let's divide the odds on Punk Hazard. ”

——

Ace took off his hat and bowed to Whitebeard's grave, where he, like the rest of the crew, visited at least once a day.

Of course, captains such as "Diamond" Joz and "Foil" Bista are trying their best to keep the little territory left of "Whitebeard", and there is no way to retreat from the front line, which is another story.

After the "Top War", Ace was elected as the leader of the remnants of the "Whitebeard Pirates", and everyone was expected to return.

On the one hand, Ace and "red-haired" Shanks, "Hades" Reilly, "Joker" Bucky, Sabo, and even the big guys know each other.

Among them, "Joker" Bucky is a key figure in the Davy Jones Pirates, and it was Bucky who said that David Jones came to rescue Ace before.

With the bond between Ace and Bucky, it is possible to ensure the connection between the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Davy Jones Pirates.

On the other hand, his main "opponent", Marco took the initiative to withdraw from the competition and chose to assist Ace, ensuring the cohesion of their group to the greatest extent.

Marco definitely didn't want to spoil the unity within the Whitebeard Pirates.

What's more, Ace has the bloodline of "One Piece" Roger, and is the righteous son of "Whitebeard" Newgate, which is simply destiny and more convincing.

At the moment of the great enemy, if Ace and Marco fight over who is the successor of "Whitebeard", then the disintegration of the pirates is a sure thing.

There are too many enemies in the "New World" who are eyeing them, and they must not do such a stupid thing that hurts their relatives and makes their enemies happy.

"Coming to see Daddy again?"

Suddenly, Marco's voice came from behind Ace, and he turned his head to look.

Marco came on foot, within a few hundred meters of the "Whitebeard" cemetery, and he would never fly with his ability unless necessary, which was disrespectful to his father.

"Marco."

Ace sighed, his eyes lowered.

"I'm starting to wonder if it was a bad decision for me to agree to lead the Whitebeard Pirates."

Marco bowed to Whitebeard's tombstone and was silent for a moment before turning around.

"Why do you suddenly think that?"

"Marko, can't you see the status quo? Under my leadership, there are few pieces of Daddy's territory left, and now even the only possible ally, David Jones, has been taken away by me. ”

Marco smiled and shook his head.

"It's not 'there aren't a few pieces left,' it's 'those pieces that can be kept.' David Jones isn't our only ally, so don't be upset by Jinping's call. ”

"Don't you know Bucky? There will be a chance in the future......"

Ace shook his head, fiddling with a string of rubies on his chest.

"I don't have the courage of my dad after all."

(End of chapter)