One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 174 I Want to Pay a Bribe

In the office during the Warring States period, both Roman and Borsalino suffered heavy losses, with neither gaining any real advantage.

This was an opportunity for both of them to make a name for themselves.

However, they all preferred to give this opportunity to someone else.

Because both of their tasks were fraught with difficulties, and a slight misstep could lead to the failure of all their previous efforts.

Borusalino had to prepare to set sail very early in the morning.

There was nothing they could do; the Warring States period had already given the order.

It's not a problem if you don't execute well, but if you don't even execute, you're just asking for trouble.

Borsalino squinted leisurely as he watched the busy rank-and-file soldiers at the port.

The advantage of having an official position is that you can watch others do their work, and you always feel particularly happy when you do that.

It must be said that this form of entertainment, which involves exploiting the pain of others to increase one's own pleasure, is very much in line with Borsalino's style.

However, her mood, which had been improving, was dampened upon seeing a figure.

Roman.

She is walking along the harbor at this moment.

Borsalino quickly turned his gaze away, not daring to look any longer.

After numerous clashes with Roman, the best outcome was always a lose-lose situation; provoking her would likely only bring more trouble for himself.

But out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but glance at Roman, and he wasn't the only one.

Given that Roman was carrying a backpack that was at least two meters long and looked like it was on the verge of collapsing, it's easy to imagine that Roman's bag probably contained quite a lot of things.

Roman always had his own unique ideas behind everything he did, Borsalino knew this very well, so he was damn curious again and again.

Curiosity killed the cat, and who knows, curiosity might also kill a monster general.

But Borsalino really wanted to know what Roman was up to.

Roman, who was attracting a lot of attention on the street because of his huge luggage, also felt a particularly familiar gaze.

Having been subjected to this probing gaze many times before, Roman knew without turning around that it was Borsalino's eyes.

It seems that the Sengoku general was urging them quite urgently, otherwise Borsalino wouldn't have been preparing to set sail so early in the morning. Borsalino, who would have delayed as much as possible, would never have been so proactive if not for the pressure of the situation.

Roman turned around and gave Borsalino a friendly smile, but it sent chills down Borsalino's spine.

"Colonel Roman, what's in all these bags of yours?"

"Just food."

So much food?

Roman is still growing, but even a growing kid can't eat this much in a short time!

Seemingly sensing the lieutenant general's confusion, Roman began to explain.

"It wasn't for the food, it was for bribery."

? ? ? ? ? ?

A barrage of greetings had already exploded in Borusalino's head.

Bribery? She said bribery? She just said bribery?

Is this something I can say?

Was it a slip of the tongue?

Or has she gone mad?

While Borsalino doesn't care about such behavior and wouldn't mind if someone offered him a bribe, Sakazuki would be in trouble just for hearing such words, let alone bribing him.

Such potentially private activities are being openly and publicly displayed...

Such remarks are a disservice to the intelligence that Roman has consistently displayed.

Despite having many complaints, Borsalino quickly asked a crucial question: "Who are you bribing?"

“Bribed Lieutenant General Kuzan.”

Well, it seems she wasn't crazy enough to bribe Sakazuki.

But bribing Kuzan?

Borsalino suspected he had fallen asleep while the other party was offering a bribe, and then asked with a dazed look, "Excuse me, what did you just say? Say it again!"

Because it was necessary to train fishman soldiers, and Sengoku's plan was for Kuzan to lead this force.

So Roman was transferred to Kuzan's side again.

The hawks were dissatisfied with Sengoku's actions.

After all, if it's about training combat forces, Sakazuki is the most suitable person to lead it.

However, those hawkish individuals who hate evil are clearly not the right people for these matters. Borsalino is also unlikely to take on this hot potato. Kuzan is tolerant enough, but if you ask him to train people, he'd probably fall asleep halfway through!

That's why Roman is needed to help Kuzan. After all, she's the key figure in getting the fishmen to join the Navy.

Well, Mr. Sengoku really thinks things through very clearly!

"Oh, right, and merman soldiers too," Roman added.

"What exactly do you want?"

"This task is not easy. If I don't think of a special method, I'm afraid I'll be in trouble. Bribery doesn't actually require much; just something the other party likes will do."

As the saying goes, food is eaten one bite at a time, and a road is walked one step at a time.

To solve this difficult problem, Roman could only proceed gradually.

However, Kuzan needs to play a key role in order to achieve his goals.

She needs to emphasize a few points.

Although Roman knew that Kuzan had charisma, strength, and was considerate of his subordinates, his lazy demeanor made it easy for new recruits to think that the Navy Headquarters was unreliable.

Moreover, getting along well with hundreds of merman soldiers is also a difficult problem.

Although she believed Jinbe would help her, that was only a temporary solution. By controlling Jinbe, she could not truly control the other fish-men; her authority would be insufficient to cover all aspects of their lives.

She needed to establish connections with the soldiers, including her superior, Kuzan.

To tame a group of people, both candy and fists are indispensable.

As for whether doing this has any bottom line...

"The saying goes, 'There's a method to getting things done, but flexibility is key.' Don't you agree, Mr. Borsalino?"

Tsk tsk, what an amazing kid.

She probably already had it all planned out.

"Colonel Roman, that's terrifying. You've thought it all through so clearly. It seems like nothing is difficult for you."

"How could that be? In the end, I'm just a human being, not a god high above."

That's that line again.

However, Borsalino didn't have time to think too much; he should set sail.

But the moment he stepped onto the warship, Roman suddenly spoke up: "Vice Admiral Borsalino, because Mr. Sengoku was worried that you would not complete the mission well, he asked me to convey that you should capture at least ten pirates with bounties of 700 million or more. I hope you will do your best."

Borsalino, who was walking normally, almost twisted his back because of this news.

That's ruthless, Roman!!!

You can tell without even looking that his expression must be quite distorted right now; it's a pity I can't see it for myself.

Roman thought with a hint of regret.