https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1070-Wielding-a-Blade-the-Heart-Turns-to-Bloodshed/13540947/
Chapter 1071
Chapter 1071
Hearing He’s words, Kuro let out a faint smile: “He Popo still has some fight left in him. He can still be our Protect Umbrella for a while longer. Don’t think about retiring so soon.”
“I’ll do my best, old woman that I am. But this world… it’s something you can’t run from forever,” He replied, shaking her head.
Tap tap tap.
Footsteps echoed outside again.
“Oh? You arrived early too?”
Sakazuki strode in, a cigar clenched between his teeth, lifting his gaze toward Kuro and He standing on the balcony.
“Sakazuki, you’re here as well,” He remarked, glancing back.
“Hmph.”
Sakazuki grunted, crossing his arms. “Of course I’d come when Borsalino called.”
He didn’t refer to himself as an “old man” in front of He.
“Fleet Admiral, thank you for gracing us with your presence,” Kuro said, flashing a grin as he took a seat at the largest table. He pulled out two chairs for Sakazuki and He. “Don’t stand there—please, take your seats. These are the honored seats.”
Of course, these weren’t the main seat—the main seat was reserved for Gramps.
Sakazuki and He nodded, sitting down at the chairs Kuro had pulled out.
“Servant! Bring some tea first!” Kuro called out.
There were indeed attendants stationed outside. Otherwise, who would handle the service? The servants heard Kuro’s shout and quickly arrived, carrying steaming teapots with trembling hands.
These were weighty figures—serving them poorly could be disastrous.
“Puhahaha! Everyone arrived early! Is this the place?”
As the tea was poured, another voice boomed from behind. A shockwave of footsteps announced Garp’s arrival at the door. Holding a bag of senbei in one hand, he bit into a rice cracker while waving at He with the other.
“Yo, Little Crane! You’re here too!”
“Oh? It’s Little Crane indeed!”
As Garp spoke, another head popped into view at the doorway—Sengoku’s gray-haired figure emerged, joining Garp’s side and flashing a peace sign.
“And the old man too,” Sengoku added with a grin.
He helplessly rubbed his forehead. “You’re getting more undignified by the day, Sengoku.”
“Haha! An old man’s allowed to relax now that he’s retired, isn’t he?”
Sengoku chuckled, stepping inside. Facing the seated Sakazuki, he remarked, “You know, Sakazuki? Being Fleet Admiral isn’t easy, is it?”
“Hmph.”
Sakazuki snorted, his fist tightening. “You don’t have to keep bringing that up, you half-retired relic.”
“Puhahaha! Half-retired? That’s what you are now, Sengoku!” Garp bellowed with laughter.
“Shut up—you’re no better yourself!”
Sakazuki’s blue vein pulsed as he snapped, “The new recruit training camp’s already complaining about your absences. You vanish for weeks, only showing up for a moment. You’re still their instructor!”
Garp dug his finger into his nose, indifferent. “Just give them the basics, explain the key points, and make sure their foundation’s solid. That’s all they need. The rest takes care of itself.”
“Even so, you’re still slacking off, Garp!” Sakazuki shot back, his voice cold.
“Meh, don’t focus on minor details. Anyway… bring me some tea!” Garp plonked himself down beside the table, waving at the servants.
Of course, no one else was available to serve. The only one they could rely on was Kuro.
Kuro’s lips twitched. Thinking better of dismissing everyone, he called the attendants again. Then, he opened his Transponder Snail and dialed Klah.
“Come up.”
After ending the call without waiting for Klah’s reply, Kuro turned back to Garp and the others. “Training styles vary—each person has their own approach. As long as the results are there, it’s fine.”
“Hahaha! Kuro, you get it!” Garp roared with laughter.
His methods differed from Zeff’s. Zeff taught meticulously, but with too many recruits, personalized instruction wasn’t always possible. Garp, on the other hand, focused on elite training. The new recruit training camp had multiple instructors, but Garp tailored his approach individually. Few recruits caught his eye—he demanded they first master the basics, just like Koby. Once they reached that stage, he’d guide them further. By that point, his presence wasn’t always necessary.
Different methods naturally led to different outcomes. Zeff’s Marine Elite system wasn’t fully structured back then, but now it was well-established with plenty of instructors. Zeff had laid the foundation, but Garp no longer needed to build from scratch. With the Navy’s current training system, occasional visits sufficed.
After all, for unarmed combat techniques and Haki, he was a professional. That was undeniable. He could spot promising recruits easily. As for systematic training, other instructors handled that.
Take his deputy, Bogart—he was now the swordsmanship coach for new recruits. His skills weren’t top-tier by Kuro’s standards, but he was more than capable of teaching basics. Whether recruits advanced further depended on their own talent.
Kuro never believed a swordsman became great through pure training alone. Whether himself or other renowned swordsmen, all had emerged from the Sea of Corpses and Rivers of Blood. Those who’d faced life-and-death battles were worlds apart from those who hadn’t.
After the attendants served the tea, Klah arrived.
Seeing the gathering of heavyweights, Klah first greeted everyone before approaching Kuro. “Kuro, Mr., you summoned me?”
“Stay on standby here. Respond to any needs.”
Kuro said this and grabbed a chair for himself.
Klah: “…Understood, Kuro, Mr.”
He obediently stood behind Kuro, waiting on standby.
Garp took a sip of tea, then bit into a senbei. “Puhahaha! Kuro, I heard you destroyed my G-3 base!”
“What do you mean your G-3?”
Kuro frowned, clearly displeased. “It was my G-3 base after you gave it to me! And it wasn’t I who destroyed it—it was Marshall D. Teach! He fed me wrong intel, moved all the personnel, and targeted me directly! If I hadn’t reacted fast, I’d be dead meat!”
Last time, that bastard Marshall D. Teach had relocated everyone to Arabasta, making them eat sand for ten days while he ambushed G-3. Though Kuro had survived the trap, the grudge remained fresh.
Sakazuki’s fist clenched tighter, his crimson aura flaring as smoke rose where his hand crushed the table.
(End of Chapter)
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