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The awakening of Kozuki Oden undoubtedly added a powerful force to Kojin's faction.
More importantly, although he could be commanded, he still retained human consciousness and functions, something that could be described as a semi-cyborg.
In Vegapunk's eyes, he was the perfect modified being.
"Codename: Samurai!"
"From today onwards, you will live again in this world as the Chief Instructor of Marine Swordsmanship in West Blue."
Kojin announced Oden's new identity with a smile.
"Marine?"
Muttering to himself, this was undoubtedly a novel experience for Kozuki Oden, who had once lived as a pirate.
"And also… Kaido!"
At the mention of this name, a sharp killing intent instantly filled his eyes. Having been revived through modification from the brink of death, he was no longer the same Kozuki Oden as before!
"Now is not the time. Your son and daughter are safe; they've been sent to the future. When the time comes, you will naturally meet them." Kojin said softly.
"Toki…" Oden murmured, clearly aware of his wife's abilities.
Then he looked at the man before him again, his gaze turning serious.
"What you're trying to do is even crazier than Roger. It's hard to believe! Can it really succeed? With just us?"
Kojin smiled lightly. "Perhaps right now it's only a spark. But Oden, you should know that even a spark can start a prairie fire."
Oden froze for a moment, silently pondering those words, and a trace of awe rose in his heart.
Gol D. Roger had once been a man worth following, full of personal charisma. The young man before him was no less impressive.
What he intended to do was even more shocking.
Oden had initially thought that the words about overturning the world were a joke. But after a brief conversation, he realized that Kojin was completely serious.
The Void Century, the Twenty Kings, the Great Kingdom...
The idea of overthrowing the corrupt system and opening the borders of Wano, along with all the mysteries, felt like it could ignite him.
"To change this world… to overturn darkness and decay!"
"What a noble ideal!"
Oden sighed inwardly.
"If only such a thing could truly be achieved..."
His eyes began to burn with light. Soon after, the two returned to West Blue.
Oden took up the position of Chief Instructor of Swordsmanship at the Marine Academy, while Bullet served as Chief Instructor of Rokushiki, though he was currently away on assignment in Alabasta.
Back in his office, Kojin felt a surge of emotion.
"Finally... I've gained another Admiral-level subordinate!"
Bullet, Crocodile, and Kozuki Oden.
The strength of these three men was equivalent to that of three Admirals, and they were the strongest forces under his command.
Kojin quietly calculated his current power and began summarizing it:
"These three can barely match Admiral-level combat strength. Smoker, Buggy, and Aroshu have also begun to grasp Armament Haki. Plus the Pacifista units and the Seraphim series..."
If they gave it their all, they would be a force to be reckoned with.
Yet to the world, they remained hidden in the shadows.
"I suppose I could be considered an Emperor-level figure within the Marines?"
Kojin smiled faintly. He wasn't proud because he was still far from his ideal configuration. At the very least, he would need five 'War Gods' like the Five Elders, as well as organizations such as the Holy Knights and CP0, before his power could be considered complete.
Only then would he have the strength to openly contend with the World Government.
...
Time continued to pass.
That year, the Sea Train built by Tom's Workshop was completed in Water 7, ushering in a new era of navigation.
That same year, Fish-Man Tom was rescued by a group of vicious pirates while en route to Enies Lobby for execution and disappeared without trace.
Following this incident, the World Government, concerned about the Great Age of Piracy, began secretly discussing the Warlord System proposed at the previous year's Levely.
The tides of the era rolled forward like an unstoppable wheel.
Meanwhile, Kojin remained stationed in West Blue, working tirelessly.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.
The West Blue branch under his command had undergone a complete transformation:
It now boasted a fully integrated power grid, countless flying ships and battleships, and nearly twenty shipbuilding factories.
There was also a Marine Academy with two chief instructors, along with scholars from Ohara serving as teachers.
Every year, elite cadets graduated, becoming fresh recruits for the Marines.
Compared to ten years ago, the military force he commanded had grown exponentially stronger.
Across the entire West Blue, the total number of Marines exceeded 500,000.
The elite forces at headquarters alone numbered 50,000 among them.
Naturally, such achievements required immense financial, material, and human resources. Fortunately, the gold from Skypiea had made this possible; otherwise, Kojin could never have sustained such a massive army.
Without realizing it, he had become the largest and strongest warlord within the Marines.
...
Another year passed, bringing us to Marine Year 1511.
Kojin marveled at how quickly time had flown.
Yet, whenever he looked in the mirror, he felt strangely confused.
Over the past eleven years, his appearance and physical condition had barely changed; he remained at his peak. Moreover, with daily training, he seemed to be growing even stronger.
On this particular day, he received a message from headquarters.
After answering it, Eveya's expression quickly turned serious.
"It's Admiral Sengoku!"
Kojin raised an eyebrow slightly as he took the Den Den Mushi.
"Admiral Sengoku," He said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "It's been a while since we last spoke. To what do I owe the pleasure of speaking to you now?"
Not long ago, during their time in Mariejois, their relationship had eased somewhat. Although the West Blue branch still had little contact with headquarters, they could now communicate directly.
"There's something I may need your help with," Sengoku said in a deep voice.
Kojin narrowed his eyes slightly. From Sengoku's tone, he could tell that the Admiral was not in a good mood.
"Oh? As far as I know, there's nothing at Headquarters that I could help with. If it's just pirates in West Blue, I could help capture them."
Sengoku snorted coldly. "Stop joking, Kojin! What if I told you this matter concerns one of your former subordinates?"
Kojin froze for a moment. Confusion flashed across his face, then suddenly, as if struck by lightning, he saw the face of a young man.
"You mean… Rosinante?"
Sengoku nodded. "That's right."
"I assigned him to a covert undercover mission. But we've lost contact with him recently."
After a pause, his tone became even more serious.
"My informant says he should currently be on Minion Island in the North Blue. And it seems to involve a valuable Devil Fruit."
At this point, there was a trace of confusion in Sengoku's voice.
"You sent him undercover to target his older brother, Donquixote Doflamingo, right?" Kojin replied calmly, smiling faintly.
"Exactly." Sengoku nodded again.
"Doflamingo's identity is special; you should understand that. So we can only monitor him to track his movements."
"But... This time, I'm worried about Rosinante's safety."
He let out a soft sigh.
"After thinking it over, I've decided that you're the most suitable person for this mission."
Kojin chuckled lightly. "Back then, you transferred him away from me without saying a word. And now you want me to clean up this mess?"
Sengoku fell silent.
The sound of fingers tapping against a desk could be heard from the Den Den Mushi, he knew Kojin was thinking.
A moment later, the tapping stopped.
"I can make a trip to the North Blue. That kid still owes me an apology. But after this, he won't belong to you anymore."
Sengoku let out a long breath, his expression easing slightly.
"Alright. I'll leave it to you."
Kojin snorted softly and hung up the Den Den Mushi. He remained seated in his chair for a long time.
"Doflamingo, huh?"
"Let's see just how far you've come."
And whether you're qualified to become one of the 'seeds'."
Slowly rising to his feet, Kojin walked out of the door.
...
North Blue – Minion Island
Snow fell heavily, swirling as it blanketed the ground.
Two figures... one tall, one small... walked across the thick snow towards a town in the distance.
"Don't worry, Law!" The taller figure spoke with a grin. "I've got information that they'll be trading a Devil Fruit here. This fruit will definitely help with your illness!"
"Tch. All your effort is pointless. I won't live much longer anyway." The smaller figure replied casually.
"Damn it! I'm working this hard, and you dare to give up on life?!" The tall man immediately became furious and hit the child on the head.
"Ow!" The child clutched his head and glared in dissatisfaction.
After a few more steps, the child suddenly asked seriously, "Hey, Rosinante... Stealing that fruit is going to be dangerous, right?"
"Relax. Leave everything to me! When the time comes, Law, just hide. I'll handle the rest. After all, I once went through Asura-level training under the strongest Marine in the world!" Rosinante gave a confident thumbs-up and grinned.
"There you go again. The strongest Marine in the world? Asura-level training? I'm not buying those tall tales!" Law muttered disdainfully.
The strongest Marine in the world?
Could he be stronger than Doflamingo?
He was the strongest person he had ever seen.
"That's not an exaggeration! If you ever get the chance to meet him, you'll be shocked by his strength!" Rosinante said with reverence.
Even after nearly ten years, recalling those days still filled him with emotion.
His only regret was that, out of youthful guilt, he hadn't properly said goodbye when he left back then.
"After this mission, I'll go report back to Kojin. He won't refuse me, will he?" Rosinante muttered.
As he imagined their reunion after so long, he couldn't help but smile. However, when he raised his head again and saw how close the town was, his expression turned serious.
"Before that, we need to get that fruit and cure Law's illness."
(End of Chapter)
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