"Nefeltari...?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru lowered her eyes and murmured.
"That's the surname of the Alabasta Royal Family, Grandma Tsuru!"
Sengoku had slipped back to the sofa at some point and leaned in closer, kindly reminding her.
Vice Admiral Tsuru rolled her eyes and glared at Sengoku.
"I am the former base commander of G4. Alabasta was in my jurisdiction. Do you think I wouldn't know? Do I need you to remind me?"
Then, she looked at Taro, her brow furrowing slightly.
"And when did you meet this girl?"
Once Taro spoke Vivi's name, he knew there was a high probability he wouldn't be able to get away unscathed today.
He lowered his head, putting on the appearance of an elementary student being scolded, and replied in a low, submissive voice.
"I... I also met her during the Crocodile incident...!"
"Pfft~ Hahahaha!"
Sengoku's cheeks puffed in and out as he burst into a fit of wild laughter.
"Grandma Tsuru, this kid said 'also,' hahahaha! That means he knows other women too!"
"Taro, your dream really is that 'Sea King' thing you mentioned! Hahahaha!"
Sengoku's explosive laughter made Vice Admiral Tsuru's brow twitch violently.
With a dark expression, she roared at Sengoku.
"Shut your mouth, you senbei-eating old man! Say one more word and get out!"
Sengoku immediately stopped laughing, winked at Taro with a look of someone watching a show, and moved further away.
Vice Admiral Tsuru glared at Sengoku for a while before turning her gaze to Taro.
She stared at Taro until he felt completely uncomfortable before speaking again.
Her tone had become much colder.
"Then what about Hina? Hina, what are you going to do about her?"
Taro lifted his eyelids and stole a glance at Vice Admiral Tsuru's face, his heart pounding with anxiety.
"Grandma... Tsuru, this... I explained it to you before. Between Hina and me... it's a misunderstanding!"
Hearing this, Vice Admiral Tsuru's breathing grew heavy, and she shook her head.
"Hina doesn't know it's a misunderstanding. Besides, her liking you isn't a misunderstanding either! It's a fact!"
Taro looked up in surprise and stammered, "Hina... she still doesn't know?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru's gaze grew even colder, and she gritted her teeth.
"If you don't tell her, how is she supposed to know? Do you expect Garp and me to explain it for you?"
As she spoke, her anger finally became uncontrollable, and she slammed her hand on the desk.
"Taro, do you have no sense of responsibility left in your heart?"
Taro, who had never seen Vice Admiral Tsuru lose her temper, was so startled he almost fell off his chair.
He stumbled, quickly stood up, and stood respectfully to the side.
After a long silence, he was ultimately unable to argue.
"This... well... I'm sorry. It's me, I was wrong!"
Seeing Taro like this, Vice Admiral Tsuru became even more incensed. She raised her arm, hesitating whether to give him a slap.
After hesitating for a long while, she still couldn't bring herself to hit him.
The office suddenly fell silent, the air freezing. Even the sound of Sengoku chewing senbei stopped.
After a long time, Vice Admiral Tsuru's mood finally calmed down, and she spoke again.
"The suspicion from above is growing day by day. The higher your position in the Marines, the more they fear you."
Taro was stunned for a moment. Weren't they talking about Hina? Why the sudden change of subject to this?
He looked up blankly, glanced at Vice Admiral Tsuru, and then quickly lowered his head again.
Vice Admiral Tsuru gave a soft snort.
"Although Garp and I value you, most of our old subordinates don't understand what you're trying to do, and even if they did, they wouldn't necessarily agree!"
"Hina is a standout among the mid-generation Marines. Having served for many years, she has deep connections with my subordinates. In terms of seniority and ability, she is the most suitable person for you. Do you understand?"
Among the subordinates of Vice Admiral Tsuru and Garp, the only general-level officers Taro had interacted with were Yamakaji and Vice Admiral John, and those encounters hadn't been pleasant.
Taro's influence in the Marines was mostly among the ordinary Marine Soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers.
As for the younger generation of Marines like Hina and Smoker, setting aside their strength, their network of relationships was intricate and widespread, reaching almost all middle-ranking officers.
The general-level Marines above them mostly already had their own established views on justice.
Taro had sensed this during the Enies Lobby Buster Call.
Trying to change those people was full of difficulties, almost impossible.
In the words of his past life, their worldviews were fixed and very hard to change!
Taro pondered for a long time before looking up and meeting Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes.
"Grandma Tsuru, I do have the idea of changing the Marines, but I never thought of using marriage as a means!"
"I don't want my feelings to be mixed with other factors. I will naturally take responsibility for the things I've promised, but I never made any promises to Hina..."
"Bang~"
The more Vice Admiral Tsuru listened, the colder her expression became, and her brow furrowed deeper.
Hearing the end, she finally became furious. She raised her hand and struck with a palm, shouting angrily,
"Bastard!"
Taro didn't dodge either, taking Vice Admiral Tsuru's slap head-on. He was sent flying and fell into a corner.
Sengoku watched this scene in shock. His mouth moved, but in the end, he didn't dare to speak.
Vice Admiral Tsuru clearly hadn't expected Taro not to dodge. A flash of regret crossed her eyes as she stared at Taro, who was slumped in the corner, for a while.
"Get out, just get out!"
Taro climbed up from the ground, his head lowered, and didn't say much.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, Inspector General Sengoku, goodbye!"
Then, he moved a few steps to the door, slid it open, and left.
Hearing the change in how Taro addressed her, Vice Admiral Tsuru's breathing hitched for a second. She stared at Taro's retreating back, gritting her teeth and saying nothing.
Sengoku hesitated for a long time before speaking cautiously.
"Grandma Tsuru, why must you do this?"
"Back then, Garp and I advised you. Although Taro usually acts improperly, he still has his own principles in his heart!"
"By pressuring him like this, I'm afraid it will have the opposite effect!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru waved her arm in front of her, and a surge of energy rose, washing away the negative emotions in her heart.
Then, she looked at her right palm, which had just struck Taro, lost in thought.
After another moment, she sighed.
"Hina has followed me for many years. In my heart, she's like a daughter. I can ignore others, but family is different!"
"Taro is the most outstanding young man of this generation. If Hina could be with him..."
"Sigh!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru felt even more frustrated. How many years had it been since she had such intense emotional fluctuations?
One was the young man she favored, and the other was a subordinate she saw as a daughter. Why couldn't the two of them just follow her wishes?
Taro, oh Taro, if you married Hina, I could protect you legitimately!
My subordinates, Garp's subordinates, plus the conscripted Marines led by Fujitora...
Wherever you wanted to lead the future of the Marines, wouldn't it all be up to you?
Why don't you understand!
Sengoku looked at the distressed Vice Admiral Tsuru and felt a sense of sympathy.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's current expression was exactly the same as Garp's expression when facing Ace during the Marineford War.
These two pillars of the Marines, no matter how strong or rational they were...
...would still be at a loss when it came to family!
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