"Thank you all for your hard work."
Ten minutes later, Cobra thanked the few people present.
He would secretly settle those pregnant women and infants deep in the palace and take good care of them. Issho would take all the blame for killing Vice Admiral Doberman and his eight hundred soldiers. Broly only needed to return to the warship and continue heading toward Marineford.
Smoker and Hina finally managed to calm their still-shaken hearts.
After a long silence, Smoker clenched his fists. Although his voice still trembled, it revealed a stubbornness that wouldn't turn back even after hitting a wall: "I... I still decided to join the Marines. Maybe it's darker there than I thought, but to practice the justice in my heart, the Marines are the most suitable place right now."
He had already made up his mind. If the Marines were hiding filth, he would uproot this darkness with his own hands.
"H-Hina won't go."
Hina's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, but her thoughts were completely opposite to Smoker's.
After witnessing with her own eyes the Marines treating human lives like grass, her heart had completely died toward that so-called "force of justice," and she couldn't muster even half a thought of joining them anymore.
"Little Hina, if you have nowhere to go for the time being, why not stay in Alabasta?" Cobra gently extended an invitation.
"Alright, let's leave it at that." Broly waved his hand lazily, turned around, and swayed toward the east coast where the warship was docked.
This trip wasn't in vain; he had seen enough excitement.
Seeing this, Smoker silently followed.
Issho chose another path to leave Alabasta quietly, while Cobra returned to the palace with Hina.
At this moment, the gears of fate had shifted violently.
The storm stirred up by the flapping of butterfly wings was growing larger and rolling in a direction no one could predict.
"What? Vice Admiral Doberman... was killed?!"
That night, just as Broly and Smoker boarded the warship, Doberman's adjutant Bastille clutched the Den Den Mushi, crying out in shock, his face full of disbelief.
Smoker's heart skipped a beat, and he guessed instantly.
It must be that Cobra told the fabricated lie to the high-ranking Marines, who then relayed it to Bastille.
An old but still vigorous voice came from the other end of the phone: "Now you take over the ship and lead the remaining personnel back to Headquarters. By the way, is that Broly on the ship?"
Hearing his Fleet Admiral's question, Bastille turned his head to look at Broly who had just boarded. Fear that was hard to conceal flashed in his eyes as he bowed and answered hurriedly, "Yes, he is."
"Let him answer the phone."
Kong's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, carrying undeniable authority.
Broly paced forward and took the receiver. Bastille hurriedly gave up his seat as if avoiding the god of plague, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Broly plopped down on the chair and asked without any politeness, "Who are you?"
The person on the other end paused noticeably, seemingly suppressing his temper. After a few seconds, he said in a deep voice, "Kong—Cyborg Kong!"
Smoker's face changed instantly.
As someone who had wanted to join the Marines since childhood, how could he not know that this was the name of the current Fleet Admiral?
"If you have something to say, say it straight."
"It's not me who has something to say; it's the people above me who want to talk to you." Kong's voice revealed an indescribable subtlety.
As soon as these words came out, the faces of the Marines behind Broly changed slightly in unison.
People above the Fleet Admiral... Looking at the entire world, there were probably only those few.
A rustling sound came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi. Immediately after, the Den Den Mushi's expression changed abruptly, clearly indicating a different person had picked up—
"We are the Five Elders."
A cold and old voice came from the receiver, completely different from Kong's voice, exuding a pressure of controlling everything.
Sure enough, it's the Five Elders!
The remaining two hundred Marines on the warship all gasped in their hearts.
In their cognition, the only ones whose status surpassed the Fleet Admiral were the supreme rulers of the World Government, the Five Elders.
But Broly's response was only a light word: "Oh."
That tone was as if he wasn't talking to the highest power holders controlling the world's lifeline, but just five old geezers with half their bodies buried in yellow earth and one foot in the coffin.
The Five Elders on the other end of the phone fell into a long silence. It was probably the first time in hundreds of years they encountered someone who dared to speak to them with such an attitude.
After a long time, that old voice sounded again, carrying a hint of probing and hidden condescension: "Broly, are you willing to join the Marines? As long as you nod, you can immediately replace Sengoku and serve as a Marine Admiral."
As soon as these words came out, the eyes of the two hundred Marines on the ship almost popped out of their sockets!
Leaving aside the absurdity of letting a three-year-old child serve as a Marine Admiral, this kid had killed the former Admiral Sengoku less than half a month ago, yet the Five Elders dared to extend such an olive branch?
Have these old guys gone crazy?!
But for Broly, a transmigrator from China, such things were already commonplace.
In the history of his previous life, the drama of recruiting surrenderers and accepting rebels had been staged countless times. It was just that the IQ and vision of these Five Elders were worlds apart from those true big shots.
Broly sneered, the contempt in his tone almost overflowing: "The World Government is even stingier than I thought. Do you really think a position of Admiral can buy me off?"
Far away in the Room of Authority in Mary Geoise, the Five Elders looked at each other.
St. Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, dressed in a kimono, gritted his teeth and cursed in a low voice, "This kid's appetite is bigger than expected!"
Another silence followed, and the hesitant and somewhat gnashing voice of the Five Elders came from the Den Den Mushi: "You... want to be the Fleet Admiral?"
The entire warship instantly became silent enough to hear a pin drop. Everyone froze in place, simply unable to imagine the scene of Broly sitting in the position of the Marines' supreme ruler—that would simply be a catastrophe for the Marines!
Kong, who was in the same room as the Five Elders, had an even more fluctuating expression. He wasn't coveting the position of Fleet Admiral, but letting Broly replace Sengoku was already a great humiliation for the Marines. If even his own position was snatched by this monster, it would be the humiliation of humiliations. Where would he put his old face?
The Elder holding the receiver gritted his teeth, his voice full of suppressed anger: "This matter is of great importance. Wait until tomorrow; we will give you an answer."
Even though Broly was the murderer who killed Sengoku with his own hands, as long as he was willing to submit to the Marines, the Five Elders could hold their noses and endure it.
After all, no matter how stupid they were, they could distinguish the weight between a dead Sengoku and a living Broly.
But the position of Fleet Admiral involved too much; they had to weigh it repeatedly.
They might even have to report it to that person.
Smoker, standing behind Broly, was completely confused, as if immobilized by a spell.
Offering the position of Admiral for recruitment was already inconceivable. Listening to this tone, they actually intended to offer the position of Fleet Admiral as well? What on earth has happened to this world?
"Hahahaha—!"
Just then, extremely mocking laughter suddenly erupted from the Den Den Mushi. That laughter was arrogant and ear-piercing, almost shattering the receiver.
St. Topman Warcury, with his big mustache, could no longer restrain himself and shouted angrily, "What's so funny?!"
Broly laughed until he was out of breath, slapping his thigh and teasing, "Do you guys really think I care about the position of your number one lackey?"
"What exactly do you mean?" St. Marcus Mars, with his long white beard, also lost his composure and questioned sternly, the majesty in his tone almost condensing into substance.
"Just teasing you guys!"
Broly crossed his legs, playing happily with the receiver cord around his fingers, his tone lazy and arrogant. "However, if you acknowledge me as your master, it's not impossible to consider.
How about this: put a collar on Little Sister Im, and have her lick my asshole clean after I take a dump every morning. Then I'll reluctantly agree to be your master."