"Ah..."
Lafitte knew Taro and had witnessed his great battle with Blackbeard. Knowing he was no match, he instinctively let out a scream when he saw Taro make a move.
However, after the scream, he realized there was no pain. Opening his eyes, he saw that Hawkeye Mihawk had drawn his blade in a flash to block Taro's strike.
Taro and Hawkeye held their blades against each other. Ultimately, the Standard-issue saber in Taro's hand was no match for Hawkeye's Black Blade, and with a "crack," it shattered.
"You need a good blade!"
Hawkeye withdrew his Black Blade and spoke while gazing solemnly at Taro.
Taro didn't speak, only staring hatefully at Lafitte, the killing intent in his eyes laid bare.
"Taro, what are you doing!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed the table in anger, standing up and roaring.
"Killing a pirate, what of it?" Having failed to kill Lafitte in one strike, Taro's temper flared, and he turned back to snap at Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Everyone present was stunned. Several Marine Vice Admirals gaped in shock, first at the fact that Taro actually had the strength to clash swords with Hawkeye—and that if not for the disadvantage of his weapon, the outcome would have been anyone's guess.
Then, they were shocked that Taro actually dared to talk back to the Marine Fleet Admiral.
Hawkeye Mihawk was not annoyed at being ignored by Taro; instead, he continued to size Taro up with great interest.
Kuma also looked toward Taro, his expression unreadable.
Mingo, on the other hand, chuckled wickedly again, eager to see the world in chaos.
Lafitte, having survived the ordeal, saw the conflict between Taro and the Marine Fleet Admiral, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
Vice Admiral Tsuru stood up and first tugged at Fleet Admiral Sengoku's sleeve, signaling him to sit down, but she was unsuccessful.
Helpless, she walked over to Taro. "Taro, apologize to the Fleet Admiral!"
Taro stiffened his neck and looked directly at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, showing no intention of backing down.
"Get out, get the hell out!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku let out another roar of anger.
"Hmph."
Taro threw the hilt of the sword in his hand onto the floor and strode outside.
Reaching the door, he suddenly turned back and stared fixedly at Lafitte.
"My name is Taro. Remember it!"
"Sooner or later, I'll slaughter every single one of you and your crew!"
Lafitte was turned pale with fright by Taro's words, his body swaying as he nearly collapsed to the floor.
Seeing this, Taro let out a disdainful sneer. "Is that it?"
Then, he strode away without looking back.
It wasn't until long after Taro had left that Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally sat down under Vice Admiral Tsuru's repeated soothing.
At this moment, a Marine Vice Admiral who had regained his senses looked at Lafitte and said, "Your name is Lafitte, right? The once-famous Sheriff of West Blue."
"You were expelled from your country for excessive violence during law enforcement. What are you doing here?"
Lafitte, whose courage had been shattered by Taro, no longer dared to put on an act. "I have come to recommend a man to become a Shichibukai..."
Mingo had originally been somewhat interested in Lafitte's arrival, but seeing the man's performance in front of Taro, he was greatly disappointed.
"A man?" Mingo turned his head. "A man like you? Hmph, hahahaha!"
Hearing Mingo's ridicule, Lafitte's confidence weakened even further, losing all the composure he had when he was posturing earlier.
"My Captain, Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, recommends himself to become a Shichibukai."
"In exchange, we will capture a pirate with a bounty of over one hundred million as soon as possible and hand them over to Marineford."
As soon as Lafitte finished speaking, Mingo began his mockery again. "Isn't that the traitor who fled from Whitebeard's ship?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku contemplated for a moment and pointed to an empty space in the meeting room. "You, just stand there."
...Taro left the meeting room and returned all the way to the Warship.
Mike looked at the furious Taro and was greatly alarmed. "Com—Commander, what happened?"
Taro's eyes were bloodshot as he turned to glare at Mike. Seeing Mike break into a cold sweat from fear, he regained his senses.
He took several deep breaths and then gently patted Old Mike's shoulder. "Sorry, I lost control of my emotions and scared you. I'm very sorry."
Mike breathed a sigh of relief as the redness in Taro's eyes dissipated. "Commander, it's good that you're alright. Has... has the meeting already ended?"
"No, it's not over," Taro shook his head. "I was just kicked out."
"Ah?"
"It doesn't matter, you don't need to worry. I'm tired and going to rest now."
Taro walked straight into his lounge. Mike instinctively turned his head to look at Mary Geoise, worry gradually surfacing in his eyes.
It wasn't until he returned to the lounge that Taro's anger truly subsided, and the surge of Internal Energy caused by his emotional fluctuations calmed down.
He had offended Akainu, and today he had talked back to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Thinking about his future days in the Marine, they likely wouldn't be very easy. It was time to arrange a way out for himself.
Thinking this, Taro sat down at his desk, took out a pen and paper, and began writing.
He wrote for several hours until finally, the speed of his pen grew slower and slower, sometimes even requiring long periods of thought before he would move it again.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The door to the lounge was knocked, startling Taro from his contemplation. He packed away the things he had written and then opened the door.
"Commander, Vice Admiral Tsuru requests your presence."
Mike stood outside and gave a salute, speaking respectfully.
Taro nodded. It seemed he was to be held accountable. He had long expected this... "Come in."
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked up from a desk piled with documents and books, gazing at the young man who was somewhat apprehensive yet still somewhat defiant.
"What, are you angry?"
Taro was a bit startled, hearing that Vice Admiral Tsuru had no intention of reprimanding him.
"No, I'm not."
Taro denied it directly, but seeing Vice Admiral Tsuru looking at him with a smile, he sighed again. "Alright, a little."
"Hahahaha!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru laughed heartily, which was rare. "That's what it means to be young. It's so good to be young!"
Taro's mind stirred. Hmm? It really seems she isn't here to punish me?
"Grandma Tsuru is still very young too!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru reached out and pushed away Taro, who had leaned in closer. "Go on, get away with you. Trying to fool me with such nonsense."
Yet the smile in her eyes could not be hidden.
"Tell me, why were you so impulsive today? Don't give me that nonsense about him being a pirate and you being a Marine!"
"Words like that can't fool Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and they can't fool me!"
Taro lowered his eyes in thought for a moment before raising them again, looking solemnly at Vice Admiral Tsuru. "Vice Admiral Tsuru, I believe you and Fleet Admiral Sengoku have seriously underestimated Blackbeard's ambition."
"He will never be content with just being a Shichibukai. If he grows powerful, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"To have such ambition, he must also have the strength to match it." Vice Admiral Tsuru's tone was actually quite indifferent, which surprised Taro.
"He does..."
Just as Taro started to speak, Vice Admiral Tsuru waved her hand to stop him. "I understand your point. You don't need to worry about the Blackbeard matter; Fleet Admiral Sengoku will handle it."
"I called you here to inform you of another matter."
"Hawkeye, Dracule Mihawk, wants to see you. I have already agreed to it."
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