A Bunch of Fools

"Well, well, if it isn't Lieutenant Colonel Jon Lyons—the coward who abandoned his comrades and ran for his life. Tell me, how do you still have the guts to show your face in public?"

Just as Jon was chatting with Dragon, an irritating voice suddenly rang out. The words hit hard, making Jon's expression darken instantly.

Even though it had been years, he immediately recognized the voice—Wittes, his old classmate.

Turning his head, he saw Wittes striding over, draped in a Marine "Justice" coat, accompanied by several Marine officers. His gaze was fixed on Jon, filled with mockery and disdain.

Dragon frowned, his tone displeased. "Wittes, watch your mouth."

"Oh? What's this, Dragon? Are you standing up for him?"

Wittes snorted in annoyance. He disliked both Jon and Dragon, not just because they were strong, but because they had powerful connections and drew the attention of high-ranking officers—something that filled him with jealousy and resentment.

A sharp glint flashed in Dragon's eyes. He usually kept a low profile, but that didn't mean he was soft-tempered.

"Wittes, are you under the impression that you're qualified to act tough in front of me now?"

Wittes' expression turned cold, but deep down, he didn't dare go too far with Dragon.

For one, he wasn't sure just how strong Dragon really was.

For another, Dragon was Vice Admiral Garp's son—a man far beyond his ability to offend.

"This has nothing to do with you, Dragon. I'm talking to Jon, so stay out of it."

Having said that, he turned his eyes back to Jon, sneering.

"What's the matter, Jon? Still hiding behind others? Figures. Spending every day surrounded by women—can you even call yourself a man? I—"

His words were cut short.

A look of terror flashed across Wittes' face as his eyes darted to the side in horror.

"Oh? Why'd you stop talking, Wittes?"

Wittes swallowed hard—how the hell could he keep talking when a laser was aimed right at his head?

"Borsalino?! What the hell do you think you're doing?! I never did anything to offend you!"

Standing right behind him was none other than Borsalino (Kizaru), who had moved so fast that no one had noticed his arrival—until he had his laser-finger pressed against Wittes' skull.

Borsalino pursed his lips, humming playfully. "You didn't offend me, but you sure offended my little buddy here. Funny, I never realized you were so skilled at running your mouth. Talking is easy, but if you've really got the guts, why don't we find a spot for you and Jon to settle this in a fight?"

Wittes' heart pounded in fear.

If it were anyone else, he wouldn't be scared—this was Marine Headquarters, after all. Attacking fellow Marines wouldn't end well, and any sane person wouldn't actually start a fight.

But Borsalino?

This guy was a lunatic.

He was completely unpredictable and could do whatever the hell he wanted.

Wittes had no problem mocking Jon and even arguing with Dragon, but against Borsalino?

That was an entirely different level of danger.

"Borsalino, don't mess around! Even if I wanted to fight, Jon wouldn't dare accept the challenge."

"Wouldn't dare?" Borsalino chuckled. "No need to ask him. I'll accept on his behalf. So, where do you want to fight?"

Wittes choked on his words.

He had only wanted to insult Jon for fun—he never actually planned to fight him!

At a different time, in a different place, he might have been fine with it.

But right now, with the entire Marine force preparing to set sail, he had zero desire to escalate things.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Borsalino smirked. "You know, Wittes, there's a saying: 'A dog that barks doesn't bite, and a dog that bites doesn't bark.' So tell me—which one do you want to be?"

Wittes' face turned purple with anger. He wanted to lash out but couldn't—not with a laser still aimed at his head.

"Borsalino, that's enough. Don't push your luck! I'm not afraid of you!"

"I never said you were afraid of me," Borsalino replied casually. "But if you don't like it, I can let you go, and we can fight right here, right now."

"You—"

Wittes clenched his fists, shaking with frustration.

Going up against Borsalino, an absurdly strong and completely unpredictable opponent, was beyond his pay grade.

"Oi, oi. Are all you young people really this energetic?"

A lazy, yet booming voice suddenly interrupted them.

Walking toward them, arms swinging wide, was none other than Vice Admiral Garp—munching on a steamed bun as he spoke.

The moment Garp arrived, the entire atmosphere shifted.

Borsalino immediately withdrew his laser, grinning as he patted Wittes on the shoulder.

"Ah, Vice Admiral Garp! We were just messing around. See, Wittes here didn't believe my light was bright enough, so I had to show him. Even in broad daylight, my light shines strong, isn't that right, Wittes?"

Under Borsalino's menacing gaze, Wittes had no choice but to grit his teeth and answer, "Yes… very bright… even in the daytime."

Watching the scene unfold, Jon's lips twitched uncontrollably.

Having Borsalino as a "friend" could be a pain, but at times like this, it was also reassuring.

"Ah, young people sure are lively," Garp muttered. "Since you all have so much energy, why not put on a little demonstration for me?"

"Vice Admiral Garp, these guys are all my seniors. If I got the chance to see them fight, that would be an honor!"

The enthusiastic voice belonged to none other than Kuzan (Aokiji)—a third-generation student of Zephyr's class and an absolute prodigy.

Jon was surprised to see him here.

He hadn't expected Kuzan to already be working under Garp, which clearly meant the old man saw potential in him.

Others who weren't familiar with Kuzan simply stared in disbelief—unable to handle the sheer amount of idiocy on display.

Seeing that no one was actually going to fight, Garp lost interest.

"Tsk. Kuzan, listen up! Don't learn from these idiots. They talk too much and never throw a punch. Remember— in this world, strength is everything!"

Kuzan immediately snapped to attention and responded loudly, "Yes, Vice Admiral Garp! I hear you loud and clear! From now on, if I can punch first, I won't waste time talking!"

The sheer stupidity of this master-student conversation was too much.

The first to break was Wittes and his men.

Stepping forward cautiously, Wittes bowed respectfully to Garp. "Vice Admiral Garp, we'll be heading to our ship now."

Garp blinked. "Wait a second—you're not on my ship?"

"Uh… no, I'm—"

"Then why the hell are you here? Trying to cause trouble?!"

Garp's expression flipped instantly, his tone turning fierce and aggressive.

Wittes nearly collapsed in fear. "S-Sorry, Vice Admiral! I must've taken a wrong turn!"

"Then get the hell out of here before I feed you a bun!"

"Yes! We're leaving immediately!"

As Wittes fled in terror, Garp turned to Jon, grinning.

"Well, Jon? Wasn't I cool just now?"

Jon chuckled. "Very cool, Vice Admiral."

"Haha! Remember, kid—if anyone picks on you, they're picking a fight with me!"

"Understood, Vice Admiral Garp. You're the best!"

"Wahahaha! That's right!"

----------

Powerstones?

10+ Advance Chapters: patreon.com/milezen

Make Sure to give a Review!

Collections please!

Check out I Became a Digimon and Change Worlds Every Month