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"Then it's time to act." After an overnight deliberation and confirming his plan, Law opened his eyes. He, a man with a sword and a gun, walked out of his room.
Target: recruit camp. First, to get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he naturally needed to leave Marine Headquarters and required a Marine ship, preferably one he could use exclusively. As a recruit, he clearly wouldn't have such authority, so he would have to seek Admiral Zephyr's help.
"Bang, bang, bang."
"Come in." Zephyr, who was reviewing documents, looked in surprise at Law, who had entered: "Tsk, tsk. You actually came to see this old man. It's been almost a year, hasn't it?" Zephyr harbored deep resentment; his student never sought his guidance, making him feel like a failure as a teacher.
Before Law could even speak, Zephyr's resentful words poured out: "Law, you rascal, your strength is certainly enough to graduate, isn't it? Two years ago, you were the one who defeated those arrogant branch recruits in the cafeteria, weren't you? You upheld the honor of the Headquarters Recruit Camp, and this old man almost didn't even know any of this. Law, you're too low-key. Many people in the recruit camp are almost forgetting who you are."
Law smiled. He wasn't a low-key person, but what was the point of showing off in the recruit camp? To be high-profile, he needed to be stronger. Only then would it be time to soar, to cause a sensation, naturally a sensation across the entire Grand Line.
"It's been six years. With your strength, Law, you could have graduated long ago. Why are you aging in the recruit camp? You're not actually planning to wait until the nine-year term is up to leave, are you?" Zephyr saw Law only once every few months and held a strong grudge against him.
"..." Law gave a bitter laugh. He really had planned that way; he truly intended to graduate after the nine-year term was up.
"You brat." Zephyr was speechless at Law: "It's a pity I can't forcibly make students graduate, otherwise this old man would make you graduate and become a true Marine. But you're so idle day after day, staying in the safe Marine Headquarters. That can't be good for your strength, can it? How can a strong person not experience battle? Without the baptism of blood and fire, one cannot grow. This old man is preparing to send you out to sea for some experience, as a recruit. You cannot refuse."
"..."
"This old man has even chosen your destination. Since you are still unwilling to become a true Marine, this old man naturally won't assign you to a direct combat fleet. I've decided to send you to Enies Lobby, to enter CP9 as an auxiliary member. CP9 is an intelligence department; you'll experience various missions, but rarely directly confront enemies. Although there are dangers, your safety is somewhat guaranteed. You can handle those dangers, Law, can't you? These missions can quickly boost your experience, Law."
"Enies Lobby?" Law frowned slightly, quickly weighing the pros and cons.
Today, Law's goal was simple: to acquire a Marine ship and get the Rumble-Rumble Fruit as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if Enel obtained the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
"That's right. You brat, you've only been on one external mission in all these years. If this continues, your body will rust. Your current strength is enough for you to go out and perform some necessary missions." Zephyr was indeed considering Law's best interest. There were no strong individuals who hadn't experienced actual combat. A comfortable environment could erode one's fighting spirit.
He frowned in deep thought. Obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was Law's primary goal now. But even after obtaining it, he couldn't immediately possess lightning powers. Law completely rejected the idea of incorporating the Rumble-Rumble Fruit into an object. Although it was simple and easy to do, it couldn't unleash the true power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit; it would be a complete waste. But for him to possess the Rumble-Rumble Fruit himself, the primary condition was to obtain Blackbeard's cells and genes.
Blackbeard was in the Whitebeard Pirates. Although Marine Headquarters' strength surpassed that of the strongest pirate, Whitebeard, the Marines clearly couldn't casually go to war with Whitebeard. Even an Admiral couldn't make such a decision. Law had even less authority to do so. After thinking, Law came up with three methods.
One: secretly wait and plot, inciting a major war between Whitebeard and the Marines, thereby fishing in troubled waters.
Two: still secretly wait and monitor the Whitebeard Pirates. When Blackbeard goes on a mission, seize the opportunity to obtain the genes.
Three: lure Blackbeard away from the Whitebeard Pirates.
All three methods required waiting, and also external assistance. The prerequisite was that Law himself needed to have some authority. A mere recruit simply didn't have the power to plot such a major event. Would Law constantly monitor the Whitebeard Pirates himself in secret? That would be too much of a waste of time and energy. He needed a powerful force to assist him in accomplishing all this.
Law's strength was no longer weak. If he applied for graduation now, he believed he could become a General-ranked officer soon after graduating. But without a foundation, his influence would still be insufficient.
"Enies Lobby, huh?" Law found Enies Lobby to be a good choice. Firstly, although Enies Lobby's status and power were far from comparable to Marine Headquarters, it was still a vast organization. Moreover, CP9 members were a top-tier intelligence agency. With such an intelligence agency, he could quickly learn about some of the Whitebeard Pirates' movements. If he could control Enies Lobby, his influence would definitely be far greater than that of an average elite Vice Admiral. Furthermore, Enies Lobby was an independent organization, naturally subject to fewer restrictions, giving him more freedom to plan his schemes. And leaving Marine Headquarters to enter Enies Lobby didn't contradict his goal for today at all.
"Good." Law finally nodded.
"You brat, you finally can't sit still anymore." Zephyr smiled contentedly: "Go. This old man has already given orders to Enies Lobby. When you return from Enies Lobby, this old man will give you a big gift."
"A big gift?" Zephyr smiled mysteriously, saying no more.
...
Law simply packed his clothes, bringing only his long katana, firearms, and a few changes of clothes.
"Has the peaceful life finally ended?" Boarding the Marine ship, standing at the bow, Law slowly spread his hands. It had been almost six years since he joined the Marine recruit camp. In those six years, apart from the incident in Amazon Lily, which was a close call, he hadn't encountered any danger. It had been a smooth, uneventful life. The uneventful days would no longer exist. This year, Law was an adult, nineteen years old! His strength was no less than that of a low-tier Warlord of the Sea.
"First, to Jaya Island, not Enies Lobby." Before the Marine ship set sail, Law told the ship's commander. This Marine ship's mission was to escort Law.
"Jaya Island?" The commander, a Rear Admiral, frowned slightly. He said something into the Transponder Snail, then reluctantly: "Marine Headquarters doesn't have an Eternal Pose for Jaya Island."
"Then what about Mock Town?" Law remembered that Skypiea was in the sky nearby. He waited for a moment. "Marine Headquarters has an Eternal Pose for Mock Town."
"That's good. Go. Although your purpose is only to escort me to Enies Lobby, the mission has temporarily changed. Give me the Transponder Snail; I will personally report to Sensei Zephyr." Law said to the troubled Rear Admiral. Such a small request, Zephyr clearly couldn't refuse. The Marine ship set sail.
"Rumble-Rumble Fruit, you're mine."