The Shift in Attitude, Roaring Ambition

"What? You killed Mihawk?!"

G-10 Branch fortress, base commander's office.

Bald Zero stared at Ron in stunned disbelief, hoping for a denial.

Half a step behind him, Rob Lucci wore the same incredulous expression, his face filled with shock.

However...

Clink, clank.

Amid the crisp sounds of impact, the black blade that symbolized a swordsman's supreme glory was tossed before them.

The chipped edge and cracked hilt told Zero and Lucci what it had been through, as well as the deeper meaning of its presence here.

"Mihawk is a government-affiliated Shichibukai, Azure Dragon... do you know that what you did was a slap in the government's face?!"

Zero took a deep breath, forcing his gaze away from the black blade as he asked solemnly.

Even when beating a dog, one had to consider its owner, much less when the Marines themselves were one of the "dogs."

Ron grinned disdainfully at that question.

"He was just a Shichibukai. So what if I killed him?"

The "Marines" were dogs, but he, the "Azure Dragon," was not.

"He came looking for trouble and challenged me to a duel in his personal capacity. Was I supposed to avoid the fight?!"

"Where would the Marines' dignity be then?!"

"If we don't even dare kill an enemy who comes knocking at our door, what gives us the right to represent the government and guard the Four Blues and the Grand Line?!"

As he spoke, Ron slowly stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray and exhaled a cloud of white smoke.

"Or are we supposed to rely on your incompetent CP0?!"

"You...!!"

Zero was both shocked and enraged as he stared at him in disbelief.

He was furious because Ron, a mere Marine vice admiral from a subordinate organization, dared to speak this way to him, the