Teffimoe Yaen

"Teffimoe Yaen!"

Sengoku propped his chin up with both hands, staring at Yaen with a stern, dignified gaze as he asked, "Are you ready to join the Marines and offer your life to justice?"

Meeting Sengoku's gaze, Yaen calmly closed the office door, soundproofing it to some extent so Sengoku would not lose face in front of Colonel Hope. Then he answered without hesitation, "No."

Sengoku could no longer hold back his expression. He slammed a palm onto the desk, sending the documents, fountain pen, teacup, and everything else on it flying into the air as he shouted, "Damn it! No matter what, you're joining the Marines today!"

Yaen instantly put on a frightened expression, shrinking back as he said, "Old Man, are you trying to send me to my death? You know what my body is like. My physique isn't even half as strong as Brother Corazon's, and I can't master the Six Powers. I really can't handle that kind of fighting and killing."

"The seawater is cold, the sea wind is fierce, and the pirates are so brutal. I don't mind sacrificing my limited life for the cause of infinite justice, but I'm afraid you'll have to bury your own son, Old Man!"

"You pulled me out of the sea back then, so you raised me and gave me a debt I can never repay. I was still planning to be filial to you and look after you in your old age."

Seeing Yaen's tearful expression, Sengoku let out a long sigh despite knowing that it might all be fake. His stern gaze filled with helplessness as he said, "I know your body was ruined by being tossed about in the waves when you were young. Even after all these years of hard training, you're still unbearably frail. But a man can only grow stronger step by step through trials. Iron Fist and physical strength can only break through their limits again and again amid blood and fire."

Yaen helplessly curled his lips and said aggrievedly, "But, Old Man, that isn't my dream. You taught me before that a true man must pursue his own dream, didn't you?"

At those words, Sengoku's forehead bulged with veins, as if he had remembered something unbearable. His helplessness instantly turned to rage, and he cursed furiously, "What kind of bullshit dream is that? You keep shouting about finding a wife stronger than yourself. That can be called a dream? Who filled your head with such an idea? I'll blast him into the sky!"

Yaen let out a long sigh and said, "Old Man, it can't be helped. You know my stomach has been weak since I was little. I can't eat much at each meal, so I'm frail and sickly."

"In this dangerous sea, all I can do is hope that I'll have a powerful wife by my side to protect me in the future. I only want to survive in this sea, Old Man. Is that wrong?"

For a moment, even Sengoku, who was in the middle of a fit of rage, was left speechless.

Compared with Corazon, Yaen had had a terrible appetite since childhood. He would often eat only a small bowl of rice at a meal, or a "small" piece of meat, before he could no longer eat another bite.

Because of this, Sengoku had worried that Yaen might be suffering from something like "anorexia." He had even taken Yaen to see all kinds of doctors, but the conclusion they reached in the end was that Yaen's constitution was different from ordinary people's.

However, "different from ordinary people" meant that he had been born with a weak physique, insufficient bone density, an underdeveloped digestive system, and various other problems.

In truth, Yaen had really wanted to argue that he was the normal one and had merely wandered into this abnormal world.

The strong people of this world ate dozens of kilograms at every meal on average. Their digestive abilities were unbelievably powerful, and their physiques were strong enough to use mountains as punching bags. They were practically monsters.

Even though Yaen had pushed his physique as a Blue Star person to its limits, and even surpassed those limits,

compared with the monstrous physiques of this world, Yaen could only be considered frail and sickly.

Therefore, even though the destructive and lethal power Yaen could unleash with the help of his Golden Finger was extremely high, he did not dare to be careless in the slightest because of his own fragile body.

For now, Yaen could only hope to find an immensely powerful partner who could protect him at his side at all times.

The kind who never left his side, day or night!

After all, as a man, Yaen did not want to die inexplicably in bed.

Hmm...

Yaen was referring to spies like those from the CP Organization, who disregarded honor and launched sneak attacks at night.

Faced with Yaen's gloriously phrased dream, Sengoku was furious beyond measure. He wanted nothing more than to slap Yaen across the face, but he was also afraid of actually killing the frail Yaen.

"Damn it! So you're determined to find yourself a powerful wife?"

"It can't be helped, Old Man." Yaen spread his hands, looking like he only wanted to live off his wife.

"Fine! Since that's the case, I'll satisfy you!"

To Yaen's surprise, Sengoku changed his tone and agreed outright.

For a moment, Yaen could not help becoming wary of Sengoku. After all, as far as Yaen knew, he was not someone who could be persuaded so easily.

Sengoku then came around from behind the desk, grabbed Yaen by the shoulder, and dragged him toward the office door.

"Old Man, what are you trying to do?" Yaen asked.

"As your father, naturally I'm going to fulfill your wish."

Sengoku shot Yaen a glance, then stopped speaking as he dragged him all the way toward a certain place.

Before long, Sengoku had pulled Yaen to an open area that resembled a training ground.

"Little Crane, sorry for the wait."

Two people were already waiting in the training ground. One was Vice Admiral Tsuru, whom Yaen had seen many times in the photographs Sengoku kept in his collection. The other was a beautiful woman around his own age.

Vice Admiral Tsuru nodded at Sengoku, then turned her wise and gentle gaze toward Yaen and said, "So you're the Yaen boy you're always talking about? You're quite handsome, and you look refined."

Hearing this, the corner of Yaen's mouth twitched slightly. Before Sengoku could speak, he turned to Sengoku and asked, "Old Man, is she the owner of that huge pile of photographs you keep hidden at home—Vice Admiral Tsuru?"

??!!

Sengoku.

"Damn it, what nonsense are you spouting?!" Sengoku questioned Yaen somewhat frantically.

"Heh heh~"

Vice Admiral Tsuru chuckled kindly and said, "Sengoku, please invite me over for tea later. I'd like to see what photographs you've kept."

Sengoku gave an awkward chuckle and said, "That... Little Crane, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. This brat made it up. They're just a few ordinary photographs of us when we were young."

"I hope that's really all they are..."

Vice Admiral Tsuru narrowed her eyes slightly, then said, "However, I still have official business to handle later, so let's deal with the Yaen boy's matter first."