Colonel Naito! One After Another!

Doflamingo tilted his head. "If you're not satisfied, come try again-"

Whoosh.

A dark figure suddenly flashed in front of Doflamingo.

Doflamingo's pupils contracted.

"Serious Punch."

A pitch-black iron fist wreathed in surging Haki smashed into Doflamingo's face.

Whoosh.

A black streak shot across the coast and slammed straight into a distant mountain peak.

Boom!

Amid the exploding dust, the peak collapsed.

Everyone stared at Naito, dumbfounded.

Even a hard-bitten soldier like Akainu could not help widening his eyes.

Naito reached out and caught the Den Den Mushi that had fallen from Doflamingo's hand. "Everyone heard him," he said with a sigh. "He asked for it himself."

"Tsk, what a greedy little kitty."

Chapter 34: Colonel Naito! One After Another!

Silence immediately fell over the coast.

Then, hearing Naito's words, the Marines recovered from their initial shock. At that moment, all of them found their shoulders shaking.

Even the corners of Zephyr's mouth curled up, and Akainu pulled down the brim of his Marine cap.

Doll laughed silently and gave Naito a thumbs-up.

"Major Naito, correct?"

One of the Five Elders spoke calmly through the Den Den Mushi.

"That's me."

Naito answered lazily, "You can't blame me for that, Elder. He asked for it himself."

"Youthful impetuousness is understandable, but rules must be followed. Don't let it happen again."

The Elder's tone betrayed neither anger nor pleasure. "This matter ends here."

"Understood."

Naito readily agreed.

See? What did I say before?

Do you understand how much the Marines' future star is worth?

"Zephyr!"

The Elder suddenly called him by name. "We cannot accept so much information falling into that group's hands! This is our last and best chance. Charlotte Linlin and Kaido's people are searching for them too. Continue the pursuit!"

"Of course!"

Zephyr did not hesitate. "That was my objective in the first place!"

It was at that moment-

"Brat!!!"

With an enraged roar, the collapsed mountain in the distance turned into strings. Doflamingo shot into the air, then flew toward them.

Naito could not help clicking his tongue. Doflamingo could really take a beating.

Doflamingo was in even worse shape now. Naito's punch had caved in part of his face and shattered his trademark sunglasses.

Unfortunately, his entire face was a bloody mess, so his eyes were still impossible to make out.

"I'll kill you!!"

Nearly mad with rage, Doflamingo charged straight at Naito like a gale.

How dare this brat!

How dare he!!

Twice! This is the second time he's attacked me out of nowhere!!

Naito did not react, because-

"Hell Hound."

A magma fist shot past the side of Doflamingo's face.

In that brief instant as it passed, the hair on one side of Doflamingo's head was scorched.

"..."

His anger vanished in an instant. Seeing Akainu standing in front of Naito, black smoke still billowing from his right hand, Doflamingo's eyes suddenly cleared.

"Doflamingo, this matter ends here."

The Elder's voice came at just the right moment from the Den Den Mushi in Naito's hand, making Doflamingo grit his teeth even harder.

"Fine. Fine!!"

Doflamingo stared fixedly at Naito.

Naito mockingly raised his middle finger at him.

How about that? What can you do?

Brat!!

Just you wait!

Without another moment's hesitation, Doflamingo soared into the air like a great bird and flew away.

If I don't leave now, am I supposed to stay here and keep being humiliated?

On a ship's deck by the nearby shore, Vergo watched him leave, his heart about to break.

Doffy!!

How dare you humiliate my lord like this! Marines, I'll blow up with you!

Then he saw Akainu, Zephyr, and Naito on shore and immediately lowered his eyes.

I'd better stay undercover and wait for Doffy's orders.

"Forget Doflamingo. Do what you're supposed to do."

On shore, the Elder hung up after those final words.

"Don't be so impulsive next time, Naito."

Teacher Zephyr offered a token criticism. "That was one of the Five Elders."

"Oh, the highest authority in the world. How scary."

Naito sighed and casually sat down.

"Well done, Naito."

Akainu looked back, his eyes full of approval as he regarded Naito. "That's how you deal with trash like him!"

"It was nothing."

Naito smiled.

Akainu was actually quite contradictory. He was indeed a hard-bitten soldier, but in the original story, he supported the Seven Warlords of the Sea system.

"No wonder Teacher Zephyr thinks so highly of you,"

Akainu said. "I'm starting to look forward to your future too!"

There was so much admiration in his voice that he might as well have put his Marine cap on Naito's head.

Faced with the Admiral's praise, Naito shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "Akainu, senior, you're a little slow. Who wouldn't think highly of me and look forward to my future? It's only natural."

Even Akainu, a veteran of countless battles, paused for a moment before he could not help smiling. "Interesting young man."

Zephyr wore a somewhat odd expression, a mixture of embarrassment and pride.

Not long afterward, the Marine Guerrilla Unit's fleet and the G-1 Base fleet arrived almost together.

The Guerrilla Unit's soldiers brought the captured Leonard Pirates ashore.

After taking the pirates into custody, the G-1 Base Marines handed their ammunition and supplies over to the Guerrilla Unit, which had not yet resupplied.

By the coast, Akainu and Zephyr stood side by side, teacher and student smoking together.

Akainu puffed on a cigar. "Teacher Zephyr, I can't leave for now. Be careful out there."

If Teacher Zephyr were still in his prime, there would naturally be nothing to worry about.

But with Teacher Zephyr as he was now, facing that group—and quite possibly the Charlotte Family and the Beasts Pirates as well-even someone as cold as Akainu could not help feeling concerned.

"Don't worry."

Zephyr simply said, "I've been rehabilitating all this time, and the results have been remarkable."

"That's good."

Akainu nodded slightly.

After a pause, he suddenly added, "That boy Naito is quite something."

"Everyone says so."

Zephyr smiled.

He took a deep drag and blew a smoke ring. "I'll train him into a Marine who surpasses all of you."

"Is that so?"

A smile appeared on Akainu's stern face. "Then tell him to come at me whenever he's ready."

Then the Marine Guerrilla Unit's five warships set sail once more, pursuing their quarry in the direction Doflamingo had indicated.

At the same time, the World Government's intelligence network had also begun a search across a vast stretch of sea ahead.

In the dining hall aboard the Marine Guerrilla Unit's ship number one.

Naito was stuffing himself.

The long journey, followed by his fight with Doflamingo, had taken quite a lot out of him.

"So, Naito, did you really beat up that Shichibukai, Donquixote Doflamingo?"

Beside him, Binz, who had arrived late and missed everything, was beside himself with excitement.

Naito was too busy wolfing down his food to pay him any attention.