Although Robin's question was both tricky and abrupt, who was Sakazuki?
Culturally, he could chat and laugh freely with the Five Elders, the highest administrators of the World Government; martially, he could fight back and forth with the undisputed hegemon of the New World, Whitebeard Edward Newgate.
How could he fear such a small problem?
"Kuzan, won't you get thirsty eating something so salty?... I'll go get you some drinks." Sakazuki immediately got up, attempting to squeeze out of the crowd.
But unexpectedly, just as his backside left the bench, a dazzling light abruptly appeared before his eyes.
Borsalino, carrying a six-pack of beer, smiled so harmlessly: "Eh, Sakazuki, come come come, the drinks you ordered."
Borsalino.... you damned monkey!!! Sakazuki felt the veins in his temples twitching restlessly.
The expressionless big boss of the Burning Legion wished he could pin this damned thing to the ground and beat him up. But in front of so many people, when someone "kindly" brings you drinks, beating them into the wall isn't appropriate, right? Surely not appropriate?
"Senior Brother, continue talking, you haven't answered beautiful girl Robin's question yet." Benefiting from Borsalino's brilliant assist, Kuzan poked where it hurt, heartlessly reminding him again.
"Sakazuki, I heard your Deadline is approaching..." Borsalino pursed his lips into a strange shape. This was top-secret information he obtained through means written as [inquiring] but read as [peeping].
According to an anecdote from the higher-ups and revelations from internal sources, a certain dog who drank the water of life was helped back, full of heartache, by a certain Big Rabbit who rushed over upon hearing the news.
A certain Fleet Admiral who wished to remain anonymous stated that he seemed to faintly see Sakazuki tightly clutching a piece of paper in his hand at that time. Simultaneously, a certain Admiral who wished not to expose their identity also stated they seemed to have seen similar writing when peeking at Little Tsuru's diary.
Borsalino, hearing it as amusing gossip, keenly sensed that perhaps a massive conspiracy was brewing within.
Willingly risking the immense danger of being caught by Sakazuki and killed with one punch, the light-speed gossip reporter, taking advantage of the gap while the other was out at sea with Sengoku on official duty, slipped into Sakazuki's cabin.
Subsequently, in a hidden locked drawer, Borsalino found the legendary unequal agreement.
Seeing his dark history about to be exposed, Sakazuki's cheek twitched. He quickly stuffed a can of beer into Borsalino's mouth just as he was about to speak.
"Drink, drink, what Deadline? We had a great chat on the Great Staff Officer's ship that time. I even learned a rather unique Oolong tea recipe. I'll let you guys try it later," Sakazuki suggested through gritted teeth, clearly this monkey had seen or heard something from somewhere.
Borsalino glanced at the hesitant Kuzan and the curious Robin, readily nodding at Boss Saka, "Eh? Then I'd like to taste it."
Sakazuki looked somewhat suspiciously at Borsalino, who seemed eager to [court death]. This guy's behavior today was full of incongruity. With his slippery, trouble-avoiding personality, why would he repeatedly stir things up?
Unable to figure it out, and the desire to punish these two坑货 (pit goods/troublemakers) momentarily suppressed his rationality, the irritable big brother stood up, "...Wait a moment, I'll go to the bar on the second floor to get you Oolong tea."
Watching Sakazuki tinkering at the second-floor bar, Monkey D. Kizaru, having successfully lured the tiger away from the mountain, looked somewhat distressed: "I say, Junior Brother Kuzan, for the sake of letting you two know this huge secret, I even agreed to that kind of unreliable-sounding drink. Hmm, when the Oolong tea arrives later, you drink first."
"Hurry up, we finally managed to send Senior Brother away. Quickly tell us what that Deadline is?" Kuzan, usually slow, spoke almost twice as fast.
Borsalino glanced exasperatedly at the surrounding Marine calves intending to overhear big news, leaned his lips close to Kuzan's ear, and Robin simply grew a small ear right next to Kuzan's ear.
Borsalino lowered his voice: "Sakazuki is getting engaged this month."
Kuzan understood immediately: "Oh oh oh, that really is a Deadline. Entering the grave of marriage?"
"That doesn't seem right... Why do I feel Vice Admiral Borsalino didn't mean it that way..." The meticulous Robin was indeed more reliable than a certain ice sculpture figure king. The girl didn't detect the slightest hint of schadenfreude in Kizaru's tone.
Just as her voice fell, a mountain-like shadow stood behind them.
Shimatta... (Damn it...)
Shimatta...
We're screwed...
Borsalino slapped his forehead in annoyance. It was all the fault of these noisy little calves around them; how could he forget to check with Observation Haki.
The demon whose secret was exposed held two cups of dark brown liquid and slowly placed them in front of Aokiji and Kizaru: "Come try it. Coincidentally, you two just scooped some hot pot base earlier. This kind of Oolong tea is most suitable for drinking when eating spicy food; it can achieve a floating, liberated feeling."
"Speaking so artistically, does it mean it can alleviate the spiciness?" Kuzan, who had been severely burned by spice earlier, didn't even smell it, picked up the cup, and took a big gulp.
Borsalino and Robin stared in horror at the Ice-Ice Fruit user who instantly activated full-body elementalization. Even though Kuzan cleverly activated elementalization, the initial feeling of Saka-style Oolong tea flowing through the mouth and esophagus couldn't be faked.
The Ice-Ice Fruit user stared blankly at his most trusted senior brother. After a long time, he threatened with a voice already somewhat hoarse from being burned by the water of life: "Sakazuki, if you were a woman, I'd do you right now, believe it or not?"
Robin blushed crimson at this straightforward and bold declaration. She hadn't expected the seemingly herbivorous Kuzan to suddenly pull this move.
Borsalino, who had spent the most time with them, didn't misunderstand: "No need to be so subtle, Kuzan. If you want to curse, just curse. Beating around the bush like this will corrupt the young lady."
"Fuck!" Concisely summarizing what he wanted to say earlier, Kuzan expressed the fucked-up feeling deep in his heart.
Remembering Borsalino's earlier words, and with the dark thought of 'can't die alone', Kuzan picked up the cup in front of Kizaru: "Drink up, it'll evaporate if you delay."
So this damn thing is Oolong tea!!? Borsalino was caught between laughter and tears. Although he estimated Sakazuki would hit them hard, this kind of thing... was absolutely not for humans to drink!!
"Drink up. I drank it earlier too, Kuzan drank it too, now it's your turn. Go on, drink.." Sakazuki felt no shame in stealing the classic line from "The Hunt", persuading kindly.
Borsalino's desire to survive was extremely strong. He waved his hands repeatedly: "Old man actually wanted to help you... Look, engagement requires a ring."
As soon as these words came out, Sakazuki immediately realized this guy had definitely peeked at the guarantee letter he had hidden extremely secretly.
"Cut the crap, I can naturally buy a ring." The stubborn Mr. Saka actually already knew what Borsalino was referring to.
Hearing this, Kizaru let out a sneer: "Stop joking, Sakazuki. Where would you get the money to buy a ring? Don't think I don't know, your monthly military salary, after deducting Robin's living expenses, is mostly used to support the families of your subordinate Marines who died in battle!"
"...There's also this matter?" Kuzan was stunned upon hearing this. He finally figured out why Borsalino, who usually disliked trouble, was almost pestering unreasonably today just to expose Sakazuki's secret.
If not mentioned, his senior brother, this stubborn blockhead, would probably just muddle through the engagement like that.
And the other Marines still watching were even more bewildered.
Borsalino sighed: "You let that little fox under you handle this matter anonymously for you, but you forgot he also worked under me for several months."
This time, Sakazuki didn't retort, because this was indeed what he had arranged for Lindeman to do. He didn't know if the original Akainu would do this, but since he came, something should change.
Sakazuki said softly: "As their general, those kids entrusted their lives to me. Even if I train them strictly, on the complex battlefield, a few are lost inadvertently... then a few more. Who knows which day the one you worry about most might be gone...."
He looked around at the young faces surrounding them: "Soldiers dying on the battlefield is natural and right. Sometimes, if we soldiers don't die, the unarmed civilians behind us will die."
He sighed deeply, but his tone was exceptionally firm: "That meager death gratuity... cannot support a broken family that lost a father or a son. As long as their cause of death wasn't desertion, then I, as their general, have the responsibility to handle their affairs properly in their stead."
There were no more noisy sounds in the crowd, only scattered sounds of choking and sobbing.
Borsalino patted Sakazuki's shoulder and said seriously: "I'm not blaming you for doing wrong. Perhaps Gion wouldn't mind if you just used a pull-tab ring as a token of affection, but a woman only gets one grand wedding in her lifetime."
Kuzan also joined the "denunciation": "Gion has already given so much for the military. No wardrobe full of beautiful fashionable clothes, no luxurious jewelry. Leaving behind some of the most beautiful memories is always good."
The supreme commander of the Sanctuary Watcher Legion downed the cup of Oolong tea in one gulp, then put on a pained expression: "I know, if Teacher Zephyr and Mr. Sengoku pooled money for you, you stubborn blockhead would never agree."
This senior brother, appearing the most mature and experienced, still wearing that somewhat lewd smile, ruffled Sakazuki's hat: "Don't blame me for embarrassing you in front of little Robin today. Doing so many unreliable things deliberately today was just to make you understand—Kuzan and I are able to tease you together, prank you together, fight together, face everything together..."
The eldest brother among the three paused slightly, and high-fived the youngest Kuzan heavily: "Brothers."
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