East Blue Governor Shocked, Full Force Recruitment!

East Blue Governor's Office, Commodore Karen's office.

"Good, good! That bastard Don Krieg is finally dead!"

Karen laughed heartily.

He uncorked a bottle of champagne and clinked glasses with several subordinates beside him in celebration.

The Krieg Pirates had pillaged, murdered, and committed every conceivable evil in the East Blue. The people of the East Blue had been deeply dissatisfied, and the damage they caused had been extremely severe.

Karen should have been promoted to rear admiral and transferred back to Marine Headquarters for further training.

Yet because of the Krieg Pirates, Marine Headquarters had rejected it, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku had even reprimanded him.

Karen had gritted his teeth in hatred. He had deployed troops many times, yet could do nothing against the cunning Krieg Pirates.

Now that Luo Wen had wiped out the Krieg Pirates, it was no wonder Karen had opened champagne to celebrate.

"Still, this Luo Wen is truly astonishing."

Holding a newspaper and looking at the powerful, heroic figure printed on it, Karen could not help feeling emotional.

"Half a year ago, when he first appeared, he could only go after pirates with bounties in the hundred-thousand range."

"Half a year later, he has already grown to this extent and easily dealt with the Krieg Pirates."

As several subordinates reviewed Luo Wen's intelligence, they realized they had never seen such an outrageous rate of growth.

"In just half a year, he transformed from an inexperienced bounty hunter into the nightmare of pirates."

"Even I might not be his match."

Karen fell silent for a while before speaking slowly.

In his hand was a photograph of Luo Wen cleaving a pirate ship apart with a single slash.

Several subordinates wanted to flatter him some more, but when they recalled the young man in the newspaper who had destroyed a ship with one strike, they could not bring themselves to say it.

Even though they knew Karen was an elite from Marine Headquarters with the strength of a Marine rear admiral, they did not think Karen would be a match for Luo Wen.

"He has already reached the level of a Swordmaster. Even among Headquarters vice admirals, that is rare."

Karen drained the champagne in his glass, his feelings too complicated to describe.

He specialized in swordsmanship, so he could naturally see Luo Wen's attainments in the sword.

Luo Wen had clearly comprehended the Breath of All Things and could cut steel with a wooden sword. That was precisely the realm of a Swordmaster Karen had always dreamed of.

After training for years, he still could not compare to Luo Wen's growth in half a year.

Was this what a genius was?

Luo Wen's performance reminded him of his former classmates, now the World Government's highest military powers: the Navy's three admirals.

At Zephyr's training camp, the three admirals had been like an impassable chasm. Karen could only look up at them.

Karen felt bitter inside.

After so many years, Luo Wen had once again reminded him of the terror of being crushed by geniuses.

Seeing Karen's dispirited expression, his subordinates did not dare speak. They held their glasses as if savoring the champagne's taste.

For a time, Karen's office fell silent.

Only after quite a while did Karen recover.

"Pass down the order. Any East Blue branch that encounters Luo Wen must extend him an invitation and promise him no lower than the rank of colonel!"

"I will submit an application to Marine Headquarters and do everything in my power to recruit Luo Wen into the Marines!"

Karen's words were firm and decisive, filled with unwavering determination.

Such a terrifying genius was bound to become a central figure of these seas.

If they could bring him into the Marines, then in the near future, the Marines would gain another figure on the level of an admiral.

Thinking of the new generation of Marines, which was lacking capable successors, Karen became even more eager for Luo Wen to join them.

Karen even thought that if Luo Wen became a Marine admiral someday, his own status would rise along with him.

Karen's subordinates were all somewhat incredulous upon hearing his order.

Being granted the rank of colonel upon joining was far too outrageous.

The Marines had never had such a precedent!

But when they recalled the slash in the newspaper that had obliterated the flagship, it seemed reasonable again.

"Lord Karen, we'll relay the order to the branches at once."

Several subordinates turned and left, leaving Karen alone in his office to think.

Meanwhile, Luo Wen, who had shaken the entire East Blue, was drifting across the sea.

On the small boat, Luo Wen took out the chest containing the bounty and deposited 28 million Beli into the system.

Looking at the system panel, Luo Wen felt a trace of worry.

[Host: Luo Wen]

[Template: Berserker Class · Heracles]

[Role-play Progress: 34%]

[Beli: 5 million + 28 million]

[Strength: B]

[Endurance: B]

[Agility: B]

[Mana: B]

[Luck: A]

[Noble Phantasm: A+]

[Personal Skills]: Battle Continuation (B), False Clairvoyance (B), Bravery (A+), Divinity (A), Mad Enhancement (B)

[Noble Phantasms]: Twelve Labors (B), Nine Lives (C-A+)

"Fighting an opponent like that did not raise it at all."

Luo Wen sighed.

At first, fighting pirates with bounties worth tens of thousands could increase his role-play progress.

Later, he needed pirates with bounties in the hundreds of thousands, then hundreds of thousands, then millions, to gain role-play progress.

Now, even fighting Don Krieg, who had a 17 million Beli bounty, did not raise it in the slightest.

Luo Wen understood as well that someone he could kill in a single strike could not possibly help him improve.

There was no need for a battle lasting ten days and ten nights, but at the very least, an opponent needed to be able to exchange a few moves with him before they could increase his role-play progress.

"Consume 30 million Beli to increase role-play progress."

The system panel blurred, then quickly changed.

[Host: Luo Wen]

[Template: Berserker Class · Heracles]

[Role-play Progress: 37%]

[Beli: 3 million]

[Strength: B↑]

[Endurance: B↑]

[Agility: B↑]

[Mana: B↑]

[Luck: A]

[Noble Phantasm: A+]

[Personal Skills]: Battle Continuation (B), False Clairvoyance (B), Bravery (A+), Divinity (A), Mad Enhancement (B)

[Noble Phantasms]: Twelve Labors (B), Nine Lives (C-A+)

Luo Wen's attributes strengthened once more, but he was still some distance from a breakthrough.

"Every 25% of role-play progress brings a qualitative transformation. To achieve a major improvement, I still need 13% more progress."

After calculating carefully, Luo Wen determined that he only needed 130 million Beli to reliably reach 50% role-play progress.

If he could fight stronger opponents, that progress would come even faster.

"In the East Blue, opponents like that cannot exist. It seems heading to the Grand Line needs to be put on the agenda."

Luo Wen made up his mind. He would head to the Grand Line as soon as possible.

There were more spectacular sights there, as well as more powerful opponents.

At the same time, the Grand Line's weather was unpredictable, and its routes were filled with dangers.

Without an excellent navigator, one could barely take a single step.

"Then my navigator should take her place too."

Thinking of Nami, who had secretly run off from the sea restaurant, Luo Wen smiled.

Luo Wen steered his small boat, occasionally sending a slash across the sea as he sped at full speed toward Cocoyasi Village.

Cocoyasi Village was in the Sambas Sea, not too far from Luo Wen's current location.