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Chapter 47 is out!!!! +40 advanced chapters monthly
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Throughout the evening, young women constantly shot amorous glances at Hakusui, hoping to catch his eye.
To them, if a man as powerful as Hakusui took a fancy to one of them, the island would be under his protection. They would never have to worry about another pirate attack again.
Unfortunately for the girls, Hakusui acted as if he was completely blind to their batting eyelashes.
He simply continued his cheerful conversation with T-Bone, leaving a crowd of young women stomping their feet in bitter disappointment.
However, seeing Hakusui ignore the advances of the other girls made young Aki incredibly happy.
She wasn't entirely sure why she felt that way. All she knew was that Hakusui had already carved out a place in her heart.
After several rounds of drinks, T-Bone suddenly set down his bowl and asked, "Hakusui, have you ever considered joining the Marines? With your strength and natural talent, your future achievements would be nothing short of extraordinary!"
"Brother T-Bone, spare me!" Hakusui laughed, waving him off. "I'm used to living wild and free. I really don't want to be tied down by a bunch of rules and regulations."
"Of course, that's just how I feel right now. Who knows what the future holds?" he added breezily. "If I ever have a sudden change of heart, maybe I'll march right up and enlist myself!"
He didn't give a hard refusal, leaving the door slightly open for T-Bone. After all, who could truly predict the future?
"Fair enough. Since you have your own plans for your future, I won't force the issue!" T-Bone nodded understandingly. "But if you ever do decide to join the Marines, I will personally arrange it for you. With your heroic deeds today, you'd be guaranteed a commission as at least an Ensign! And given your strength, you'd probably catch up to my rank in just two or three years!"
Truthfully, T-Bone desperately wanted Hakusui to join the Marines.
If a man of Hakusui's caliber were to fall in with a pirate crew, the seas would undoubtedly give birth to another terrifying figure on the level of "Red-Haired" Shanks. T-Bone firmly believed Hakusui possessed that kind of monstrous potential.
"You don't mind if I report your heroic deeds to Headquarters, do you?" T-Bone asked suddenly.
"I don't mind at all, do whatever you want," Hakusui replied, shrugging indifferently. "It's just a minor battle record anyway. Let them look into me if they want—I don't exactly have a shady past to hide!"
Right now, Hakusui had absolutely zero interest in becoming a pirate!
Why go out of his way to suffer and wander the unforgiving seas when he could just enjoy a comfortable life? He couldn't care less about the legendary great treasure, the One Piece.
His life's motto was simple: eat, drink, and be merry.
That was it. If he didn't live like that, he felt like he would be swallowed up by a deep sense of isolation. He hated being lonely. That had been true in his past life, and it remained true now. Even though the heavens had granted him a second chance at life, the fear of loneliness was deeply rooted in his soul.
"Then I am relieved!" T-Bone let out a long breath. He had been genuinely worried that Hakusui would refuse the official recognition.
The celebratory banquet lasted through the entire night.
The next day, by the time Hakusui finally woke up, T-Bone and his Marine detachment had already set sail.
Beside him, Aki was sleeping soundly, a sweet, peaceful smile resting on her face.
Hakusui offered a small shrug and quietly tiptoed away so he wouldn't wake her.
On the path of training, if you aren't moving forward, you're falling behind!
Hakusui knew all too well how terrifying the power ceiling of the One Piece world truly was. If he grew complacent just because of the little bit of strength he possessed now, this world would chew him up and spit him out.
His current strength might be considered formidable in the first half of the Grand Line—perhaps few there could even match him in a fight.
But once he crossed over into the second half of the Grand Line—the New World—his current level of power wouldn't amount to much at all.