61: Chapter 61 Kizaru's Report, Sengoku's Dilemma

The warship cleaved through the waves of the East Blue, sailing steadily toward Marineford.

On the bridge, Borsalino leaned sideways against the railing, his brown sunglasses sliding down to the tip of his nose, revealing half-squinted eyes.

The sea breeze whipped his yellow-and-white striped suit into a loud flapping frenzy, but he couldn't even be bothered to reach out and hold it down, letting the hem of his jacket slap against his calves.

His adjutant stood three steps behind him, holding the newly compiled inspection report, opening his mouth to speak several times only to stop.

"Admiral," the adjutant finally spoke up, "how do you plan to report the assessment of Rear Admiral Lin Han to Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"

Kizaru didn't turn back, drawing out an "Oh" in a prolonged tone, his fingertips tapping absentmindedly against the railing.

"Just tell the truth. A somewhat talented Ice Ability user who managed to become a rear Admiral at a young age, at best on par with the lower tier of a Vice Admiral."

"His reactions are half a beat slow, he loves drinking tea and sunbathing, and his base is built like a sanatorium."

The adjutant was stunned. "But previous intelligence said that with a wave of his hand, he froze fifty warships."

"That's just an ultimate move he charged up for ages under specific circumstances."

Kizaru let out a sneer and pushed his sunglasses back into place.

"In that place called the East Blue, the pirates are all just small fry. No matter how wildly they're hyped up, when it comes down to the real deal, they're nothing special."

"Didn't you see how pathetic he looked when he caught my speed-of-light kick? He almost took a tumble."

What he said sounded nonchalant, but a sharp glint flashed across the depths of his eyes.

"That kid puts on a pretty good act. After taking a kick with 30% of my power, his arm didn't even tremble once."

"He even forced himself to act out a weak appearance of suffering internal injuries, which is seven or eight parts similar to the virtue of concealing one's abilities when I was young."

"Interesting."

After sailing for five days, the warship finally docked at Marineford.

The architecture of Marineford stood loftily and majestically, the cliffs of the Red Line shimmering with a warm glow under the sunlight.

When Kizaru leisurely strolled into the fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku was buried in a pile of documents.

His goatee bristled with anger, and the stamp in his hand slammed down with a resounding crash repeatedly.

Garp sat on the opposite sofa, holding a bulging bag of rice crackers in his arms, his cheeks puffed up like a hamster's, and crumbs falling all over the documents.

"Borsalino is back." Sengoku looked up, with obvious dark circles under his eyes.

"How was the inspection of the East Blue? That Lin Han, is he really as absurd as the intelligence says?"

Kizaru pulled over a chair, sat down broadly, picked up the teacup Garp had placed on the coffee table, and tilted his head to gulp down a mouthful.

"Oh my, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you mustn't believe those exaggerated intelligence reports."

"That Rear Admiral Lin Han is just an ordinary talented young man. His Ice Ability is practiced decently, but his reactions are a bit slow."

"During our spar, he almost failed to catch a casual kick from me. He's at most at the level of the lower tier of a Vice Admiral."

"The lower tier of a Vice Admiral?" Sengoku frowned, his fingers tapping on the tabletop.

"A 24-year-old rear Admiral, even if his combat power is only at the lower limit of a Vice Admiral, can still rank among the top at this age in Marineford."

"Not to mention his disciple Kuina, who previously handled Arlong single-handedly. Intelligence says that girl is only 12 years old."

"Oh, that girl Kuina." Kizaru wagged his finger.

"She indeed has some talent, and her swordsmanship carries a bit of chill, which should have been taught by Lin Han. However, compared to her master, she's still far behind."

"Oh right, Lin Han's base is built quite nicely, like a nursing home. The soldiers are so idle they're all planting fruit trees."

"They look energetic, but it's too comfortable; it makes people lazy."

"Hmm, that kid Lin Han..."

Garp suddenly swallowed the rice cracker in his mouth and chimed in incoherently.

"He even sent me a letter a few years ago asking how to practice Haki."

"His handwriting was neat, but his questions were silly."

"Like whether Haki can be used as a quilt to cover oneself, or if Observation Haki can tell when the cafeteria serves meals in advance."

"I replied with a letter back then telling him to figure it out himself. I didn't expect this kid to actually make something of himself and become a rear Admiral, hahaha!"

Sengoku glared at Garp and raised his hand to sweep the rice cracker crumbs that had fallen onto the documents onto the floor.

"Can you be a bit more serious? This concerns the defense of the East Blue."

"A rear Admiral capable of freezing the entire sea staying in such a remote place like the East Blue is simply a waste of talent."

"What a waste." Garp fished out another rice cracker and stuffed it into his mouth.

"That kid looks lazy, but he knows what he's doing. When I wrote back asking if he could endure hardship, he said yes, as long as he doesn't have to wake up early, hahaha!"

Kizaru listened from the side with the corners of his mouth twitching continuously, chuckling inwardly: This Lin Han is truly an interesting fellow; he even has his own way of coaxing Garp.

He rubbed his chin and leisurely added another sentence.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, that kid is indeed lazy. When I went there for three days, he spent two and a half days sunbathing on a lounge chair."

"However, his temperament is steady and he can keep things under wraps. If he's transferred to Marineford, it might temper his personality a bit."

Sengoku stroked the beard on his chin, falling into deep thought.

"A 24-year-old rear Admiral, even if his combat power is only at the lower tier of a Vice Admiral, is exceptionally rare within the entire Marine system."

"Not to mention his rare Ice Ability; with cultivation, he might not fail to become a sharp weapon against Logia-type pirates."

"It's just that this temperament is too lazy. If he's transferred to Marineford and loafs around every day, wouldn't that just be adding another Garp?"

"And that girl Kuina, capable of slashing Arlong at 14 years old, her talent is only higher than her master's, not lower."

"Promoting them both to lieutenant commander this time can both appease public sentiment and inject fresh blood into Marineford."

"Hmm." Sengoku finally made up his mind and looked up at Kizaru.

"Let's transfer him back to Marineford to see. At 24, his plasticity is strong; even if his strength is average now, after grinding for a few years he'll be useful."

"His disciple Kuina will be promoted to lieutenant commander and be credited with a first-class merit for pacifying the East Blue this time."

Kizaru was secretly snickering in his heart, but on the surface he remained calm, even putting on an expression of "it should have been like this long ago."

"Oh, transferring him back, huh? Should I make another trip to the East Blue? Their Cloud Mist Tea is quite delicious, and I didn't get enough of it last time."

"Cut the crap." Sengoku glared at him unhappily.

"You went there for half a month last time, didn't do much proper business, and squatted at their base drinking tea and sunbathing every day."

"You wrote your return report like a travelogue. This time, I'll have Tsuru draft the transfer order, and you are not allowed to go to the East Blue to slack off again."

Kizaru shrugged and spread his hands with a look of indifference, while blooming with joy in his heart.

"This is getting interesting. Since that kid hid his abilities so well, once he's transferred to Marineford, he's probably going to put on a daily show of being forced to work."

He wanted to see just how long that kid could keep up the act.

Garp slapped his thighs and laughed from the side.

"Hahaha, transferring him back is great! By then I'll go ask him every day how to slack off, and the two of us can form a lazy duo."

Sengoku rubbed his temples with a headache and waved his hand.

"Alright, alright, get out, all of you. Kizaru, go draft a detailed evaluation report; Garp, go sweep up your rice cracker crumbs."

"The transfer order will be sent to the 18th Branch next week. I want to see if this Lin Han can still be this lazy once he arrives at Marineford."

Kizaru gave an acknowledgment and leisurely strolled out of the office.

In the corridor, he touched the packet of Cloud Mist Tea brought back from the East Blue in his pocket, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Interesting."

Now that kid in the East Blue was probably going to find it hard to sleep peacefully.

At the 18th Branch, the setting sun dyed the courtyard a warm orange.

Lin Han was lying on a rattan chair, having just finished gnawing on a soy-sauce-flavored chicken drumstick. He wiped his greasy hands on his trouser legs and let out a satisfied burp.

Kuina stood nearby, having just finished practicing swordsmanship with fine beads of sweat still hanging on her forehead. Looking at her master's heartless appearance, she shook her head helplessly.

"Master, how do you think Admiral Kizaru will report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku when he goes back?" Kuina couldn't help asking.

Lin Han closed his eyes and lazily waved his hand.

"How else could he report? He'll just say I'm a good-for-nothing who only knows how to drink tea and sunbathe."

"Anyway, I don't want to go to Marineford either. Staying here is so comfortable; pirates don't dare to come, and no one manages my slacking off."

"The sea has been so peaceful lately, I can sleep two hours more tomorrow."

He had no idea that a thousand miles away in Marineford, an order transferring Lin Han back to Marineford was slowly taking shape under Tsuru's pen tip.

In the shadows behind the reefs, that vanished dark figure was encrypting and sending all the information it had spied on to some distant desert kingdom.

A storm was quietly brewing in a place out of sight.

Lin Han turned over, buried his face in the crook of his arm, and muttered a sentence.

"Stop making noise, let me sleep for another ten minutes."

He didn't know that these ten minutes were probably going to be impossible to sleep through anymore.