Super Card System - Chapter 496

Chapter 496: Back to Being an Instructor

Marine Headquarters, Marineford, was a natural harbor with a crescent-shaped inner bay where numerous Marine warships were anchored. Along the inner curve of the bay, the Marines had constructed formidable defense fortifications, with cannons of varying calibers distributed among these defenses. It could be said that this place was an impregnable fortress.

After leaving the dormitory, Ian was accompanied by Kuzan, who silently trailed behind him. Sengoku’s intention was simply to keep Ian within Marineford; it wasn’t that he couldn’t move around at all. They just needed someone to monitor him closely and prevent him from seizing an opportunity to leave.

Ian pretended to wander aimlessly while taking in the sights of Marineford. At the same time, he was mentally confirming his plans. Within the crescent-shaped harbor, he also spotted his ship, the Ark Maxim.

“Admiral Kuzan!” Ian pointed to his ship and said, “I don’t mind staying here, but as you can see, my ship is made of gold. If anything happens to it, the Marines will have to compensate me!”

“What could possibly happen to your ship?” Aokiji, despite his lazy demeanor, became irritated at this comment. He glared at Ian and retorted, “What could possibly happen!?”

Ian shook his head and clicked his tongue, saying, “You never know. What if someone in your ranks pilfers it?”

“Shut up!” Aokiji responded irritably. “This is Marine Headquarters. Don’t think a few provocations will work here!”

Ian shrugged and decided not to agitate him any further. Instead, he asked, “Speaking of which, you’re a high-ranking Marine Admiral. Is it not a waste of your talents to follow me around all the time?”

“This is Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s order!” Aokiji replied. “And in my opinion, having a Marine Admiral follow you is not a waste of talent at all!”

Ian pretended to be frustrated and said, “But how am I supposed to use the restroom with you following me? Are you going to come in with me?”

Aokiji was left speechless, not knowing how to respond to that question. He decided to use the powers of his Ice-Ice Fruit and released a strong chill, saying, “If you freeze solid, you won’t need to use the restroom…”

“Come on, you really have no sense of humor!” Ian chuckled and patted Aokiji’s shoulder. “Don’t be so serious. After all, we’ve become acquainted, and you even enjoyed a free meal on my ship back then. I didn’t complain, did I?”

After that, Ian stopped making jokes with Aokiji and pointed to a crowded area ahead filled with Marines. He asked Aokiji, “What’s going on over there? Why are there so many people? What’s that place?”

Aokiji glanced ahead and replied, “That’s the base training ground. Perhaps there’s a competition going on.”

“A competition?” Ian rubbed his hands together. “It must be a sparring match, right? I’ve noticed that many Marine officers from different branches have arrived at Marine Headquarters recently. Are they here for training and exchange?”

Aokiji nodded in agreement.

Ian felt a spark of excitement within him, realizing that this might be his opportunity to find Kuina. He asked Aokiji excitedly, “Would it be okay if I spar with some of your officers? I mean, just for fun?”

“You!?” Aokiji looked at him in surprise and said. “Even Vice Admirals couldn’t defeat you. What are you planning by challenging them?”

“Don’t say it like that! You’re coming too, aren’t you?” Ian shrugged. “I can’t possibly harm them right under your nose, can I?”

Aokiji thought for a moment and nodded, saying, “Alright then. If that’s the case, help train them a bit!”

In truth, Aokiji also wanted to take this opportunity to gauge Ian’s current strength.

So Ian headed towards the training ground. The Marine officers who had been watching the commotion around the training ground immediately made way for Ian and Aokiji upon seeing them approaching. They also saluted Aokiji.

However, Ian shamelessly waved and greeted the Marine officers, saying, “Hey there! Hardworking folks! How’s everyone doing?” This earned him some strange looks from the Marine officers.

In the middle of the training ground, two Marine Colonels who had been sparring with swords stopped their match and looked curiously at Aokiji, wondering why he had brought Ian, one of the Seven Warlords, with him.

Meanwhile, Ian, acting as if he belonged there, casually cracked his knuckles, making a popping sound, and addressed the Marine officers present, “Oh, it’s a sword fight? I love those! Who wants to exchange a few moves with me?”

Upon hearing Ian’s words, the Marine officers regarded him with even more bewildered expressions and then turned to look at Aokiji.

Aokiji scratched his head and said, “Why are you all looking at me? If you want to challenge him, go ahead!”

With that, the Marine officers exchanged glances, and a Marine Colonel who carried a massive sword on his back stepped forward. He drew his sword from its sheath and declared, “I’ll do it! It’s a rare opportunity to spar with one of the Seven Warlords!”

Ian observed the sword in the Marine Colonel’s hand; it was a thick and weighty long sword tailored for powerful slashing attacks. Glancing at the Marine Colonel, who appeared robust and formidable, it was clear he was a strength-oriented combatant.

Without a word, Ian beckoned with a finger, signaling the Marine Colonel to make the first move.

Ian’s youthful appearance contrasted with the much older and imposing Marine Colonel. Ian’s gesture, however, carried a touch of mockery, which quickly irked the Marine Colonel, intensifying the taunting effect.

“Yaaah!” The Marine Colonel roared, gripping his longsword tightly with both hands. He charged towards Ian, swinging his sword down with all his might.

This strike was a display of his full strength, with the entire blade transforming into a white streak of power. It bore down on Ian with incredible speed and force.

Although Ian hadn’t moved an inch and appeared unfazed, the surrounding Marine officers secretly cheered for the Marine Colonel’s thunderous attack, believing it might just teach Ian a lesson.

However, Ian remained locked onto the descending sword, not moving until the very last moment when the blade was nearly upon him. In a sudden burst of motion, he drew his sword.

Holding the hilt of the “Thousand Cherry Blossoms” with one hand, Ian exerted his strength without reservation and unleashed a powerful swing to meet the Marine Colonel’s strike.

Clang! The two blades clashed, creating a deafening noise, followed by a powerful shockwave that erupted from their point of impact.

The intense gust of wind sent the surrounding Marine officers stumbling, struggling to maintain their footing.

Under Ian’s feet, there was no movement at all, but the unfortunate Marine Colonel felt a different fate. He could only sense an overwhelming force emanating from Ian’s sword, and in the next moment, he was sent flying backward!

With a resounding crash, the Marine Colonel was flung a considerable distance, sending plumes of dust swirling into the air as he impacted the ground. When he finally landed, the sky seemed to spin in his vision, and a severed portion of his sword plummeted from the sky, landing with a sharp thud into the ground.

Ian had executed just one strike, but it had been enough to cleave the Marine Colonel’s sword in two!

This awe-inspiring display left the assembled Marine officers in stunned silence, and the training ground fell eerily quiet.

“Who’s up next?” Ian chuckled. “This reminds me of when I used to teach swordsmanship at the Marine Base in Loguetown. Good old times! Oh, by the way, you can all come at me together if you want; I don’t mind!”

The Marine officers exchanged nervous glances, some even contemplating the idea of attacking Ian together. However, they also recognized that, among their ranks, only a handful possessed the requisite skill and power to stand a chance against Ian. The enthusiasm that had been present moments earlier now waned.

“I’ll go!” At that moment, a Rear Admiral stepped forward from the crowd, nonchalantly holding a toothpick in his mouth. As he stepped forward, he casually spat it out and drew a long knife from his waist.

Ian noted that as this Marine Rear Admiral unsheathed his weapon, it turned black. It seemed that this Rear Admiral could wield Haki, but the extent of his mastery remained unknown.

Seeing this Rear Admiral volunteer, the spirits of the surrounding Marine officers were lifted, but Aokiji, on the sidelines, shook his head. He understood that even this Rear Admiral would be unable to defeat Ian. In the current scenario, only Vice Admirals or higher had a chance to hold their own against him.

But Aokiji seemed to have a sense of Ian’s underlying motive. Ian was likely using this method to vent his frustration over being confined by Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Considering this, Aokiji hesitated about whether to allow the Marine officers to continue challenging Ian.

As expected, after the Marine Rear Admiral rushed forward, his outcome was almost identical to that of the previous Marine Colonel. Ian struck with a single swing, swiftly cleaving the Marine Rear Admiral’s weapon in two!

It seemed that, while the Marine Rear Admiral possessed the ability to wield Haki, his Haki mastery paled in comparison to Ian’s. In a direct clash, Ian prevailed using the same approach.

The Marine officers found themselves in an awkward situation. In Ian’s hands, both Colonel and Rear Admiral ranks appeared equally powerless.

Though they had only witnessed two brief encounters, the Marine officers quickly abandoned their judgments based on appearances. Despite Ian’s youth, his displayed strength unquestionably justified his title as one of the Seven Warlords.

Though somewhat embarrassed, the Marine officers present were all elite members from various branches. They were not fools and immediately realized that this was an excellent opportunity to spar with a formidable opponent. Perhaps by engaging in combat, they could identify their weaknesses and gain valuable experience, ultimately benefiting their future growth in strength.

As a result, an unexpected scene unfolded. After Ian defeated the Rear Admiral, the remaining Marine officers surprisingly stepped forward, eager to take on the challenge. This took Aokiji by surprise, but he also felt a sense of satisfaction. He let go of his earlier intention to discourage these sparring matches and focused on observing Ian’s interactions with the Marine officers.

Ian, in turn, welcomed each challenger. Though these Marine officers were not as powerful as him, defeating them offered valuable experience. With so many Marine officers to spar with, Ian anticipated accumulating a large experience income.

However, what surprised Ian was the shift in the demeanor of these Marine officers as the bouts continued. At some point, they began to display politeness. Before engaging in combat, each Marine officer first saluted Ian and introduced themselves, saying, “I am so-and-so from such-and-such branch. Please guide me!” It felt as if Ian had once again become a Marine swordsmanship instructor.

Discovering this change, Ian couldn’t help but reflect on the situation. It seemed that the Marines were not as he had imagined. Despite their defeats at his hands, they showed no signs of losing face. Instead, they approached these sparring sessions with humility and a willingness to learn. Ian realized that the Marines had a group of lower-ranking officers who embodied humility and an eagerness to refine their skills, shedding light on the legitimacy of their strength.

Having spent a considerable time at sea and encountering numerous Marines, Ian had gained a more objective perspective on the organization. While there were certainly black sheep and ruthless individuals among them, not all Marines fit that mold. Some of them were genuinely honorable individuals.

As Ian pondered these thoughts, a familiar voice suddenly rang out beside him, saying, “Marine Staff Officer Commander Kuina, reporting for a challenge!”

Hearing this voice, Ian couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. He fixed his gaze and indeed spotted Kuina standing not far from him, ready for a challenge.