An Unexpected Encounter!

May 2nd, 1493 in the Sea Circle Calendar, was the day when the 800-person-class warship No. 404 set sail for the first time with its new master.

Vidal sat comfortably in his cabin office, the view of Marineford stretching back beyond the basin-sized window.

"Ah, I'm finally free! This past year has been incredibly tough!"

From the very first day he entered the Zephyr Training Camp, he had been looking forward to this day. For him, his true naval career had officially begun from this moment on.

This time, their destination was the Alabasta Kingdom, something they had arranged with Yixiao long ago; they had spoken on the phone three days prior.

As Brook was searching for Moonlight Moria, Yixiao smiled and said he would rush back to Alabasta immediately and wait for him there.

Of course, if they encounter any pirate ships on the way, they should capture them if possible, as a way to give their subordinates, who are extremely hungry for military achievements, a taste of the thrill.

Speaking of subordinates, there are no other officers of the rank of colonel on this warship besides Vidal.

Below him, Captain Rogers is one of the highest-ranking officers, but only one of three, because there are three other Captains in total.

The rest were all Lieutenants, Second Lieutenants, sergeants, and privates, and none of them were older than twenty-three, which is quite young.

This was also Vidal's intention, although the Major officers would weaken the overall military strength considerably.

However, he felt that in this 'Paradise' place, if he encountered any weaker individuals, he would be there to look after them, and with Captain Rogers, who Awakening both types of Haki, leading the way, they would be able to handle anything.

However, if you encounter an exceptionally strong opponent, even a colonel-level officer won't be of much use. Of course, this refers to ordinary colonels-level officers; the likes of Sakazuki and Borsalino don't count.

Therefore, he hoped to personally cultivate his own elite officers from among these young subordinates!

After all, Vidal didn't want a few of his men to betray him when the time really came.

With this sudden moment of free time, Vidal stared blankly out the window, his mind filled with memories of the past few days.

That day, when I left Zephyr's office and returned home, I saw the table covered with dishes that my mother Enid, had carefully prepared.

Father Cornell sat at the head of the table, Mother Enid was busy in the kitchen, and Bullet, a big man, carefully carried the plates.

Rosinante, dressed in new clothes, and Enel- chan huddled together on the sofa, giggling incessantly, the lights above them so warm.

Vidal felt he would never forget this scene, which had long since become a clear photograph, stored deep within his heart.

These are his family members!

At that moment, Vidal glanced at the desk piled high with documents. In its upper left corner was a framed photo of the six of them together that evening.

His life's mission was not only to achieve his own ambitions and goals, but also to enter the new era intact together with his family.

The thought of this unharmed figure brought to mind Gecko Moria's hateful face, which caused a chilling killing intent to flash in Vidal's eyes.

"Moria, you'll show your face sooner or later, and then it will be your death day!"

However, he quickly suppressed his murderous intent. After all, Cornell's life was no longer in danger, and there was another thing worth mentioning: the day Zephyr came to visit.

Zephyr's arrival surprised and delighted Cornell and Enid.

Although many people in Marineford have seen Fleet Admiral and Admiral a few times, very few families can actually invite them to their homes!

Unsurprisingly, the Forest family, who have only recently moved here, will soon become famous among their relatives.

Father Cornell quickly brought out all his treasured wines, which were old wines he had collected more than ten years ago when he was working at Navarone Fortress.

Zephyr wasn't interested in the fine wines and food; he preferred chatting with the two kids, Enel and Rosinante.

During their conversation, when he learned of their tragic experiences, his eyes were filled with deep pity.

For some reason, he seemed particularly sentimental that day. Vidal felt very guilty, thinking it was because his previous words had touched a nerve with Professor Zephyr.

So he immediately picked up Enel and Rosinante and placed them in Zephyr's arms, saying with a smile, "Master, why don't you take them as your disciples?"

"When they are a little older, you will pass on your 'Black Arm' skills to them, which will be considered as them inheriting your mantle."

Zephyr jokingly scolded him for being cunning, saying that he himself had become Sengoku's disciple, Bullet was about to become Garp's disciple, and now he even wanted him to be the master of his two youngest sons.

So, does that mean the entire top tier of the navy belongs to his family?

How about we take in another daughter someday and make Tsuru her master?

Despite his scolding, he didn't loosen his grip on the two children, and he didn't utter a single word of complaint even when he left.

Thus, Vidal, Enid, Cornell, and Bullet all understood that Zephyr agreed!

Enel and Rosinante were still quite confused at the time; had the adults found them a teacher?

What should we teach them?

That night, the curtain fell on the two little children staring at each other in silence.

During the rest of the voyage, Vidal's life became more structured. In the mornings, he would process the documents sent by Sengoku, and in the afternoons, he would teach Rogers shield techniques while also instructing his personal guards on the Three-Three System Tactics.

Along the way, we encountered two groups of pirates. The captains' bounties were not high, only around ten or twenty million Beli. However, they were pirate crews with two or three hundred crew members.

That's just how it is with pirates in this era; elite crews aren't popular, and sheer numbers are what matters.

Vidal did not participate in the battle directly, but instead provided his personal guards with wooden armor and shields, and had Rogers lead them up to practice the Three-Three System Tactics in actual combat.

Of course, if any truly deadly danger arises, he will use the power of the Woods-Woods Fruit to lend a hand, as long as no one dies.

Thus, they have been sailing at sea for three days, and will reach the waters off Alabasta in another day or two, provided they do not encounter any major climate changes.

That morning, Vidal was sitting in his office reading documents and writing reports when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door, followed by a series of knocks.

"Come in."

Vidal didn't look up at first, but the door opened automatically. He looked down and asked, "What's the rush?"

"Reporting to Colonel Vidal, the World Pirates' ship has been spotted at sea and is heading this way!"

Vidal's ears twitched, and he abruptly raised his head. "What pirate crew did you say?"

"It's the World Pirates! Their captain is Bundy Byrnndi World, whose bounty is a whopping 200 million Beli!" the First-Class Seaman shouted in a panic.

[Call out--]

[Boom!!]

Just then, a loud explosion rang out outside the window, but before the tall wave could fall, several more waves exploded up, causing the warship to shake violently.

"Pass down the order: evacuate immediately to any island, whether inhabited or uninhabited, as long as it's an island!" Vidal solemnly commanded.

"Also, have the communications soldier request reinforcements from headquarters and the nearest branch!"

"Yes, sir!!" The marine rushed out, not even bothering to close the door.

Vidal was oblivious to all of this at the moment, turning his head to look out the window at the sea, where a dark figure was indeed approaching.

"I didn't expect to run into you again so soon, what a surprise."