Chapter 145: Acknowledge

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A large space was cleared in the courtyard, transforming into a sparring ground. 

Colonel Bill, who was also a swordsman, was visibly excited. 

"Base Commander Byakuya, if I defeat you, will I become the base commander of the G5 branch?"

"That's right," Byakuya confirmed. 

"But even then, you'll only have control within the G5 branch. Outside, I'll still be the official base commander."

"That's more than enough!" Bill exclaimed as he swiftly drew his sword and lunged forward, hoping to catch Byakuya off guard.

However, against Byakuya, such tricks could have been more useful.

Byakuya calmly pulled out a small knife, no more than 20 centimetres long. 

It looked perfect for cutting fruit but utterly ridiculous for combat. Yet today, Byakuya had deliberately chosen to fight with a fruit knife.

If Dracule Mihawk could make a spectacle of fighting with a small sword, so could Byakuya. 

He didn't believe his swordsmanship was any weaker than Mihawk's.

Seeing Byakuya take out such a tiny knife, Bill's eyes lit up with delight, thinking this was his opportunity. He didn't have the slightest complaint.

From Bill's perspective, the more Byakuya underestimated him, the greater his chances of victory. 

As he approached Byakuya, his longsword flashed several times, creating multiple blade shadows that made it hard to tell which strike was real. 

Bill, filled with excitement, shouted, "Base Commander Byakuya, forgive me!"

In an instant, several blade shadows lunged toward Byakuya at high speed, each aimed at a vital point. But Byakuya didn't seem to mind. 

After all, Bill was the weaker one in this fight, so he had no choice but to go all out; otherwise, he was certain to lose. 

Bill was fast, but Byakuya was faster. Though Byakuya's small knife appeared motionless, it shattered Bill's attacks in the blink of an eye. 

Before Bill could even react, the blade was already at his throat. The cold steel sent a chill down his spine, causing his hair to stand on end. 

Bill's life would be over with just a flick of Byakuya's wrist. In a panic, Bill pleaded, "Base Commander Byakuya, I-I was wrong! Please, don't slip!"

The surrounding soldiers, familiar with Bill, began to laugh. "Bill, didn't you claim to be the best swordsman in the G5 branch? Why did you crumble so easily?"

"Base Commander Byakuya, Bill dared to challenge you! He didn't take you seriously."

"For a traitor like him, you should finish him with one strike!"

Hearing his comrades teasing him, Bill angrily cursed, "You bastards! I swear I'll cut you all down later!" 

He turned back to Byakuya, begging, "Base Commander Byakuya, I promise to behave from now on. Please, let me off this time!" 

If he had known Byakuya was this strong, he wouldn't have been the first to step up and challenge him. 

Not only had he failed to make an impression, but he'd also lost face completely. Now, he wasn't even sure if he'd survive.

Seeing Bill's terrified expression, Byakuya smiled, sheathed his knife, and looked around at the other soldiers. "Anyone else want to challenge me?"

Bill sighed in relief as Byakuya put away his blade, realizing how close he had come to death. 

He hadn't expected the young base commander to be so powerful. 

Bill's title as the G5 branch's top swordsman wasn't just for show—he was truly skilled. 

Yet, even he had been effortlessly defeated by Byakuya. Seeing this, the other soldiers didn't dare challenge him anymore.

Laughter erupted among the troops. "Base Commander Byakuya, your strength is undeniable. We accept you as our commander."

"That's right! From now on, whatever you say, we'll follow!" For them, nothing was more convincing than sheer strength. 

They reasoned that if they were ever faced with an attack by a Yonko's crew, the stronger their base commander was, the better their chances of survival would be. 

They understood this clearly. Seeing that everyone had accepted him, Byakuya smiled and said, 

"All right, I've secured my place as base commander. As for the rest of the positions, feel free to decide among yourselves."

"But remember, don't kill anyone. As long as you take this medicine, you'll survive."

Byakuya, now well-equipped, had just redeemed a thousand healing potions from the system store. 

The soldiers' fighting spirits were reignited with Byakuya's permission and the assurance of the healing potions. 

Especially after seeing one severely injured soldier recover most of his wounds in just a short time, they gained even more confidence. 

The fact that their young, strong, and generous base commander was willing to share such valuable healing items with them made them even more loyal to Byakuya.

Byakuya returned to the high platform, leisurely watching as the soldiers fought amongst themselves. 

By observing their battles, he realized that while the G5 branch had a bad reputation, their combat skills were far superior to those of soldiers from other branches. 

Perhaps this was the source of their defiance and arrogance. Vergo, standing nearby, gave Byakuya a surprised look. 

He never expected Byakuya to use such a method to tame these unruly soldiers. 

The approach was simple and brutal but quickly subdued these fearless men. 

However, for a Marine officer to use such a method was quite unconventional. 

Byakuya's tactics seemed more in line with pirate behaviour than Marine discipline.

The soldiers had plenty of energy from sleeping all day because they fought from the afternoon until late into the night. 

Nearly everyone participated in at least one fight. 

Since Ain and Tashigi were women, many assumed they were weaker than the other colonels and eagerly challenged them. 

However, those who fought them soon realized that Ain and Tashigi were not only beautiful but also incredibly strong.

As the G5 branch's so-called "top swordsman," Bill couldn't resist the urge to challenge Ain and Tashigi, both swordswomen. 

However, after being trained by a master swordsman like Byakuya, Ain and Tashigi's swordsmanship was far beyond what Bill, who had honed his skills on his own, could compete with. 

Naturally, he was thoroughly defeated.

Bill felt utterly defeated. In just one day, the title of the G5 branch's top swordsman had slipped from his grasp, leaving him as the fourth-best swordsman. 

To make matters worse, the three swordsmen ranked above him were now Ain, Tashigi, and Byakuya—two women. 

This was particularly humiliating for Bill, as female swordsmen were generally considered physically weaker than their male counterparts. 

His defeat left him feeling deeply ashamed. Bill contemplated whether he should start working harder and try to impress Base Commander Byakuya. 

Perhaps if Byakuya saw that Bill was diligent and serious, he might give him a few tips, which could greatly benefit Bill's swordsmanship. 

If Byakuya knew what Bill was thinking, he would probably sigh and think, "No matter where I go, there's always someone willing to be my lackey. What a dilemma!"

A week passed uneventfully at the G5 branch, leaving Byakuya somewhat bored. 

He had expected that after arriving at G5, Doflamingo and Vergo would have some plan for him. 

But now, it seemed like they had no plan at all. Vergo behaved like a subservient lackey at the base, and even when working with Fergus, he was extremely polite. 

There was no sign that Vergo intended to harm Byakuya. Even Fergus frequently praised Vergo in front of Byakuya.

Something didn't seem right. Could it be that Doflamingo wasn't behind the decision to transfer me to the G5 branch? Did I misjudge him? 

While Byakuya was puzzling over this, Doflamingo and Vergo were actually in a state of panic. 

According to Doflamingo's plan, Vergo was supposed to use some random excuse to lure Byakuya out of the G5 branch and bring him to a predetermined ambush location. 

This would prevent the Marine Admirals from arriving in time to rescue him. Then, they would team up with the Beasts Pirates to kill Byakuya. 

The plan was simple and direct, with Vergo, a high-ranking officer inside G5, acting as an inside man. It should have been easy to execute.

The key element of the plan was to collaborate with the Beasts Pirates to kill Byakuya. In Doflamingo's mind, this would be no problem. 

Knowing Kaido's personality, he figured that since Kaido's subordinate had been captured and a great deal of effort was spent rescuing him, Kaido must harbour a deep hatred for the Marines who captured his man. 

Given the opportunity to kill that same Marine, Kaido would certainly take action.

However, when Doflamingo contacted the Beasts Pirates and suggested the plan to kill Byakuya, he realized that he had oversimplified things. 

Kaido wasn't as easily enraged or manipulated as he appeared to outsiders. 

He flatly refused Doflamingo's plan and demanded that Doflamingo quickly send another batch of SMILE Fruits. 

Because the last transaction had failed, Kaido wouldn't pay Berry for this new batch, drawing the Marines' attention. 

If Doflamingo refused, Kaido wouldn't mind killing him for the trouble. After saying this, Kaido hung up with a mocking laugh.

During their last effort to rescue Jack, Kaido had launched an assault on a Marine base in the New World. 

The plan succeeded—they rescued Jack and even managed to kill a Marine Vice Admiral and severely injure another. 

However, the Marines retaliated by sending an Admiral after the Beasts Pirates. 

Admiral Akainu fought Kaido for three days and nights. 

The result? Four pirate crews under the Beasts Pirates were completely wiped out, and one of the top officers under Kaido's Three Disasters was killed. The losses were significant.

If they attacked and killed another newly appointed Marine Vice Admiral, it would certainly provoke another round of Marine retaliation, and the cost would be too high. 

Furthermore, according to Jack, this Marine Vice Admiral named Byakuya wasn't as simple as he seemed. 

It was even possible that he possessed the combat strength of an Admiral. 

Given these circumstances, Kaido had no interest in provoking more trouble for the Beasts Pirates.

Since the Beasts Pirates refused to act, Doflamingo's plan remained at a standstill, leaving him deeply frustrated. 

It was as if fate were playing a cruel joke on Doflamingo, as something disastrous for him was about to unfold.

On Punk Hazard, a purple figure stood gazing at a hidden structure in the island's centre. 

Pulling out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, he made a call. Byakuya's voice came from the receiver. 

"How are things? Do you have any leads yet?"

"Yes, I've found the island," replied Sonic, the "Solitary Ninja," who had been tracking Caesar's whereabouts.

<End Chapter>

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