One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

Sakazuki couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when the topic shifted from official matters to personal ones. He definitely didn't want to be labeled as someone questioning higher-ups' decisions. However, upon second thought, his expression turned bitter.

Sengoku and Tsuru would undoubtedly use Robin's amusing anecdotes as a mood-lightener, only to then turn around and start teasing him instead.

Sure enough, Sengoku chuckled warmly. "Sakazuki, you have no idea—"

No, I do know, and I also know you made her cry, Sakazuki thought to himself, his eyelid twitching imperceptibly. Wisely, he chose not to voice this aloud.

Sengoku stroked his meticulously braided and rather beautifully styled beard, showing not the slightest trace of embarrassment. "That day, after Garp made little Robin cry, it was the first time I ever saw that old rascal look so flustered.

Even back when Shiki the Golden Lion ambushed Marineford, I didn't see him panic like that. But this time, his expression was like that of a mischievous kid caught red-handed. Hahaha!"

As Sengoku spoke, he burst out laughing, clearly feeling immensely satisfied.

Having completely missed the humor in the story, Sakazuki forced his lips into an upward curve, doing his best to appear as though he was politely laughing along.

Even Tsuru, who rarely smiled, allowed herself a small chuckle as she added, "For someone like Garp, who's always so shameless and carefree, it really does take a little girl to keep him in check."

Sakazuki nodded in deep agreement, recalling how Garp treated his grandson—well, pretty much the same way he dealt with class enemies.

"These past few days, I've had some free time to take Robin around," Tsuru said with a gentle look in her eyes. The warmth uniquely characteristic of women softened her gaze, so much so that the two men before her could hardly reconcile this with the calm and strategic Chief Staff Officer from moments ago.

"She's truly a very well-behaved child," Tsuru concluded, but then seamlessly shifted the topic. "Though we Marines are all family to this child, on paper, it's still you, Sakazuki, who officially adopted her."

Tsuru's eyes then scrutinized Sakazuki's attire carefully. "A crimson floral shirt, dark red slacks, and black leather shoes. Honestly, I'm worried your sense of aesthetics will indirectly affect little Robin's taste."

Being teased about his fashion sense by his female colleague, Sakazuki kept his gaze fixed downward, silently observing proper decorum. His two lifetimes of experience told him this was merely the beginning. If he retorted even once, well, let's say that tonight's plan to drink chilled beer at Jonathan's place would fall through.

"Exactly, exactly! Sakazuki, you really need to step up your game," Sengoku added with a faint grin, not missing the opportunity to pile on. "Especially since you're still single. You have no idea how to take care of a girl."

"..."

Sakazuki glanced at Sengoku's eccentric beard and hairstyle. If memory served, his superior seemed to be single as well.

Finally, Tsuru, well-versed in strategy, threw out her true objective for the day. "You really should consult a female friend for advice. With so many elite women in Marine Headquarters, is there not even one who catches your eye?"

Sengoku suddenly smacked his forehead as if coming to a great realization. "Or is it that you've been holding back out of consideration for appearances? That won't do!"

The battle-hardened commander finally began to understand what was happening. The two before him, seamlessly coordinating, were performing a double act. Hmph, two seasoned actors.

Still, Sakazuki was puzzled. One of them was a Fleet Admiral, his direct superior, and the other was a veteran Vice Admiral with unparalleled prestige and experience. If there were any orders to issue, they would have done so directly, without resorting to such roundabout theatrics. Why go to such lengths for this performance?

Before he could think any further, Tsuru approached with a smile, standing before the steely man. She studied Sakazuki's visibly twitching eyelid and turned to Sengoku with a soft reply: "There are indeed quite a few exceptional women under my command."

Sengoku grinned with satisfaction. "Then this should be easy to handle. Sakazuki, Vice Admiral!"

"Yes, sir!" The instinctive reaction of a career soldier saw Sakazuki stand and salute immediately, only for him to realize mid-action—oh no!

"In order to better fulfill your duties as a qualified guardian! In order to embody the exemplary character of an outstanding Marine officer! As Fleet Admiral, I hereby assign you the task of finding a suitable female companion among your fellow Marines to consult with regularly, improve your sense of aesthetics, and enrich your knowledge. This is a direct order!!"

Sengoku also stood, issuing the command in a stern tone. However, the amusement in his eyes was impossible to hide.

It was over. Truly over. The nights of gathering with the guys to drink beer were now a thing of the past.

The nearly three-meter-tall Vice Admiral felt like he had just fallen into a trap specifically designed for him, one that buried him up to his neck.

A soldier's duty is to obey orders—this principle had always been his guiding rule. If he, himself, didn't follow his superior's commands, how could he earn the respect of his subordinates?

Even knowing it was a trap, Sakazuki the soldier had no choice but to grit his teeth and jump in.

Tsuru didn't know Sakazuki very well. At most, she had heard about his somewhat extreme methods. It wasn't until the O'Hara incident and the speech that quickly spread throughout Marineford that her impression of him improved.

But her cautious nature meant she would never target someone she wasn't familiar with for no reason. Her eyes shifted toward the door to Sengoku's office. Clearly, today's play had been set up for this exact moment—the grand finale.

"Report!" A cold and crisp female voice rang out at the door.