"Governor."
"I'm so sorry."
"Sorry for the trouble."
After T Bone recovered from his injuries, he watched as Rosen traveled thousands of miles to the South Blue to save him from dire straits and then heal every wounded sailor. His self-reproach and shame grew even stronger.
Even though Rosen never blamed him, he still believed that it was his incompetence and weakness that brought shame upon the First Branch of North Blue.
"Alright, that's enough apologies."
"If you really feel guilty, then continue to carry out the unfinished work to the end."
"Can you do it, Penn?"
Rosen sensed the intense self-blame and guilt that lingered in T Bone's heart. He patted the other man on the shoulder, giving T Bone a way to vent his self-blame and guilt.
"I will not let the Governor down."
"I will never return to North Blue until I have swept through the South Blue."
T Bone, with a resolute expression, saluted Rosen.
Having experienced being hunted by the world's strongest swordsman, a normal person would have been left with an unhealable wound in their heart, and would not even dare to go out to sea again.
But he did not; instead, he became even more determined to conquer the South Blue.
In his view, even the world's strongest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, who wields a Black Blade, did not rise to the top overnight, but rather grew step by step from a weak pirate.
T Bone didn't want to see any more pirates from the South Blue emerge who were as unscrupulous as Dracule Mihawk, hunters who preyed on the Marines.
Therefore, he had to nip in the bud some of the pirates in the South Blue who were qualified to venture into the Grand Line.
"Sweeping through the South Blue?"
"This is the kind of magnanimity a Marine should have."
"Then let me lend you a hand, Captain T Bone, as my way of repaying you for your previous vow to cover our retreat to the death."
After overhearing Rosen and T Bone's conversation, Doberman felt a long-lost surge of passion rekindle within him.
"Vice Admiral Doberman, you're exaggerating."
"Any general would have done the same in that situation. To borrow the governor's words, I was just there because I happened to be there."
"As for sweeping the South Blue, it is my honor to have your help. But don't you need to go back to the 38th branch of the Grand Line Grand Line to guard it?"
T Bone was both pleased and somewhat worried about Doberman's strong support.
Every naval branch has its own significance and role.
Especially in the Grand Line series branches in the Grand Line, almost every branch has a Vice Admiral guarding it.
It is easy to imagine the importance of these branches.
"Where is the 38th Grand Line branch now?"
Doberman gave Dracule Mihawk a cold look.
If he hadn't seen Rosen put the collar on Hawkeye; if he hadn't known that Hawkeye was suffering more from being alive than dead; if he hadn't been certain that a living Hawkeye was more useful to the Marine than a dead Hawkeye, he would have really asked Rosen to execute the world's strongest swordsman in front of him.
"this."
Upon hearing this, Doberman glanced at Dracule Mihawk and immediately understood what was going on.
Marine Grand Line Branch 38.
It was probably completely destroyed by Dracule Mihawk with a single sword strike.
If he hadn't been driven to desperation, Doberman wouldn't have led a ship full of Marine to flee the Grand Line.
After all, this is a great humiliation for a hawkish Vice Admiral.
"Don't worry."
"He will temporarily take over the 38th Marine Grand Line Division and guard the Grand Line."
"Until the 38th Branch of the Marine Grand Line is rebuilt."
Rosen's words delighted Doberman.
If Dracule Mihawk were stationed there, the waters near the 38th Marine Division of the Marine would not have been plagued by riots due to the loss of naval presence.
Most importantly, he saw through Rosen's intentions.
It was about restoring face for him, a Vice Admiral at headquarters, and washing away his shame.
Since Dracule Mihawk has destroyed the 38th Marine Grand Line Branch, then let the world's strongest swordsman replace the 38th Marine Grand Line Branch and guard the Grand Line.
This approach was far more effective than simply executing Dracule Mihawk.
Even Doberman, who was recently chased by Hawkeye for thousands of kilometers, thought so.
"But."
Doberman was pleased, but he did not become careless.
He realized something: when Dracule Mihawk was in front of Rosen, he was a collared hound, but once he left Rosen, he became the world's most powerful swordsman.
Can someone like that really be trusted to let the other person guard the Grand Line alone?
"If a stray dog bites someone, I have zero tolerance for it and I'll kill it on the spot."
"However, the Shichibukai are an exception."
"After all, they are domesticated, so I will give them a chance, but only once."
Through his perception of the Observation Haki, Rosen was able to directly read Doberman's thoughts and understand his concerns.
"I see."
Upon hearing this, Doberman felt relieved, thinking of Rosen's godlike power.
As for Dracule Mihawk, who was standing to the side, he remained expressionless and silent.
He knew that Rosen's words, seemingly addressed to Doberman, were actually meant for him.
In response to this.
He appeared completely calm, showing no sign of anger whatsoever.
From the moment he decided to choose to live with submission, Dracule Mihawk was prepared.
He wouldn't break free of the collar around his neck unless he was absolutely certain.
As Rosen said, you only get one chance.
As for secretly seeking revenge against other naval personnel, putting aside the risk of exposure, even if one did do so, it would only be an act of incompetence by the weak.
The person who severed his own Black Blade a second time was not any other Marine officer, but Rosen.
Even if he wiped out all the Marines in this ocean except for Rosen, as long as he couldn't kill this man, the humiliation of having his Black Blade broken twice would forever haunt him.
And because of his act of killing other Marine personnel to vent his anger, he would lose the opportunity to challenge Rosen and wash away the humiliation.
Of course, there is another reason.
That is, Dracule Mihawk was certain that Rosen must have something to rely on to dare to let him leave and set him free.
Thinking back to the opponent's ability to tear through the sky and descend upon the South Blue.
He had no doubt that Rosen could appear before him anytime, anywhere, if he wanted to.
Even if they are separated by the ends of the earth.
As if in response to Dracule Mihawk's conjecture.
At this moment.
Rosen raised his hand and tapped it lightly twice in mid-air.
Swish
A black line suddenly split open in the sky, then extended upwards and downwards, like a sliding door being slowly pulled open.
In the blink of an eye.
Rosen casually opened a Garganta that led from the South Blue to the North Blue, and which was precisely located to the North Blue 1st Branch.
Doberman and T Bone had both witnessed this scene through their binoculars during their escape.
However, observing from a distance and witnessing it up close are two completely different things.
Seeing this scene up close, the intense visual impact brought an unprecedented shock to them and to the Marine present.
"Did you just tear the sky apart with a wave of your hand?"
"By the way, Governor Rosen used the same method to suddenly appear in the South Blue from the North Blue."
"In the blink of an eye, he traveled back and forth between the North and South Blues."
"Is this the power of Governor-General Rosen?"
"Compared to the generals of headquarters, he is no less capable!"
"He's practically a god among men!"
...
Watching Rosen tear through the sky and open the Garganta leading to the North Blue, both the Marines from the 1st Branch and the Marines brought by Doberman were all astonished.
Especially when he looked at Rosen, his gaze was as if he were looking at a god walking among mortals.
And this deity happens to have a strong affinity for the Marine.