NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 28: Intercepting Tashigi
"World Military Draft?" The Marines, about to depart, were dumbfounded, their heads shaking in disbelief.
"Indeed, a global recruitment drive. If we can gather enough powerful individuals, who needs the Seven Warlords?" Ian declared, his interest piqued by the prospect of monstrous figures like Green Bull and Fujitora.
Most Marines either joined voluntarily or were rescued from pirates and chose to enlist to prevent others from suffering the same fate.
Conscription occurred occasionally, but it was limited in scope, only when additional personnel were urgently required. It primarily targeted ordinary citizens and individuals with the potential to reach Commodore rank.
But global conscription? Who would willingly volunteer for such a dangerous profession unless absolutely necessary? This was precisely why they hadn't implemented a global draft before. They wouldn't have attracted exceptional individuals.
Fujitora and Green Bull, those monstrous figures, only joined the Marines after the Paramount War, when Aokiji left and Akainu became Fleet Admiral, creating two vacant Admiral positions.
Realizing the dire state of the Marines, they had reluctantly agreed to a worldwide conscription.
"Boy, I'm more curious about why you're suggesting a global draft right after proposing Ace's candidacy for Warlord."
Akainu paused, his eyes fixed on Ian with intense scrutiny.
"You all disagree with abolishing the Seven Warlords? As for Ace, I believe he's a valuable asset. Offering him the position of Warlord, while acknowledging his status as a pirate, is easier than recruiting him directly into the Marines, wouldn't you agree?"
Ian met Akainu's stern gaze without flinching. He couldn't reveal his true motives - gaining favor with Garp and Sengoku - but his words were genuine. Judging Ace solely based on his lineage and claiming his accomplishments as superior to those of a Marine was absurd.
Even though he knew his proposal was unlikely to be accepted, he had to try.
After all, he didn't yet possess the power to overthrow the World Government, defeat the Four Emperors, or conquer Marine Headquarters.
"Is that so? It seems I was overthinking it. You're still a rookie." Akainu scoffed.
He turned and left. Even if the Seven Warlords issue was resolved, Ian was still a mere recruit.
Having an outside perspective and experiencing things firsthand were two entirely different things. He had a long way to go.
The Vice Admirals behind Akainu followed suit, shaking their heads. Despite his potential, he was inexperienced and lacked understanding of the current situation. It was best to remain silent. However, his proposal wasn't entirely flawed. He had grasped the essence of the matter.
He was worth nurturing. Only Gion, Sengoku, Tsuru, and Ian remained.
"The rookie has a good eye for detail. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. Don't be shy."
Tsuru departed as well. Gion, however, remained. She had brought Ian here, and she wouldn't leave until his situation was resolved. It was time to await Sengoku's arrangements.
"You brought him here. You handle the arrangements..." Sengoku said, passing the responsibility to Gion.
"..." Gion was speechless. Was he being serious?
"Just kidding… However, all Commodores, Rear Admirals, and Vice Admirals have an assistant. Coincidentally, we have a new batch of graduates from the training camp. Take a look and see if anyone catches your eye… I'll make the arrangements."
Sengoku retrieved a thick stack of reports from a pile of documents and handed it to Ian.
"You're in luck. Most Vice Admirals are assigned assistants, but you get to choose your own..." Gion remarked.
This privilege demonstrated Ian's potential. Others either had connections or were assigned assistants based on compatibility.
Ian accepted the reports and began flipping through them. Fortunately, there were photos and brief introductions. Otherwise, selecting solely based on names could lead to awkward situations.
He skimmed through the first few dozen profiles before pausing at number 35.
He barely recognized any of the graduates. This was likely a consequence of the "protagonist effect." Living in the same era as Luffy and his crew meant that there weren't many standout Marines.
Smoker, Hina… they were all over a decade older than him. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to showcase their skills if he had been captured right from the start.
"This one." Ian handed the report to Sengoku. Both Sengoku and Gion were surprised.
He had skipped several pages. The ranking must be quite low. Wasn't he selecting based on strength?
While this would reduce envy from other Marines, a low-ranking assistant wouldn't be a good match for his Vice Admiral level strength and Admiral level potential.
"Tashigi, 18 years old, proficient in swordsmanship…"
Sengoku read the profile aloud. Gion immediately understood.
So he wasn't choosing an assistant, but rather a concubine for his harem. She recalled mentioning the various benefits of joining the Marines when recruiting Ian.
Renowned swords, Rokushiki, Devil Fruits, Haki… none of it had piqued his interest. Only when she mentioned the presence of beautiful female Marines had he shown any reaction. And now he had chosen a recent graduate. She gave him a knowing look.
"Uh… Don't look at me like that. I'm new to the Marines. How am I supposed to know anyone? I might as well choose someone who's pleasing to the eye. Besides, this Marine excels at intelligence gathering. I'm more of a fighter… We complement each other perfectly." Ian declared righteously, maintaining a serious façade.
"I don't believe you for a second. It's her gender, isn't it? I'm warning you, she's an 18-year-old girl. If you take advantage of her innocence and naivety, I'll personally make sure you regret it..." Gion warned, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
This kid was definitely not a saint. Ian felt a chill down his spine, realizing that she was serious. He couldn't help but retort playfully.
"I'm 18 too, strong, handsome, and with limitless potential… What if she's the one interested in me?"
His words earned him a furious glare from Gion.
"You shameless scoundrel! Spouting such nonsense with a straight face. I knew you were trouble..." Gion was about to unleash another barrage of punches.
"Alright, you've made your decision. I'll assign her to you. While your motives might be questionable, she's a good fit for you. She can help you familiarize yourself with Marine Headquarters. I'll have her deliver your Vice Admiral uniform as well."
Sengoku intervened, preventing their playful banter from escalating. He had a different perspective. He wasn't concerned about Ian's peculiar interests. He was more worried about him being emotionless and lacking desires.
After all, powerful individuals often exhibited their true nature, sometimes even transcending their species.
Ian, at least, seemed relatively normal. He instructed Gion to take Ian to choose a Vice Admiral office. To his surprise, Tashigi hadn't been assigned to the East Blue. She had previously served at Marine Headquarters as an Ensign.
Marine Headquarters was teeming with beautiful women, but he only recognized a few.
Hina was with Smoker, and Gion was old enough to be his mother… While all intriguing options, his upbringing and morals prevented him from pursuing such relationships. Based on the timeline, Luffy would set sail in two years.
Tashigi was indeed 18 years old, perhaps even younger, slightly younger than him.
She was kind, compassionate, and an exceptional worker, making her an ideal assistant.
He vividly recalled the scene in Alabasta, where he had witnessed Tashigi, a Lieutenant Junior Grade at the time, pay for Luffy and Usopp's drinks after they had run off without paying, despite her limited salary.
That moment had left a lasting impression…