Chapter 56: A Facade of Peace

"When will this ever end...?"

Renji sat on the ship, surrounded by the vast ocean.

He quietly sat by the ship's railing, feeling the cool sea breeze brush against his face. Closing his eyes, he listened to the sound of the waves crashing against the hull.

Before him stretched the endless sea, its waves turbulent and seemingly infinite. The surface of the water rose and fell, sometimes gently lapping against the ship, other times surging forward with force.

"I told you I didn't want to come out," Doflamingo muttered, his face filled with despair as he continued to complain.

The vastness of the ocean inspired awe, as if standing on the edge of infinite time, gazing into the unknown distance.

But within this boundless sea, one could also feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness, as if they were the only existence in the world, cut off from everything else.

"I really don't get it. I could've been resting at home, enjoying some tea and life, but because of you, all my plans are ruined!" Doflamingo glared at Renji, who sat by the railing.

"The strong never complain about their environment," Renji said calmly, removing his sunglasses.

This only made Doflamingo explode further:

"When have you ever treated me as strong?"

"And besides, I'm still just a kid..."

His current situation perfectly matched the saying: "Follow Renji, and you'll starve five times in three days." Although he wasn't literally starving, he felt even worse than if he were.

They had already visited over ten countries, and Doflamingo was utterly sick of life at sea. Every day, all he saw was the ocean, and nothing but the ocean...

"..."

"Don't you like the sea?"

Doflamingo knew who had spoken without turning around. Behind him stood a tall, imposing man.

Seeing him, Doflamingo's mood visibly improved. On this naval ship, Kuzan was the one who treated him the best, often chatting with him and keeping him from feeling too bored.

The ship was filled with Marines, each busy with their own duties.

Only Doflamingo was left alone, with nothing to do...

Except for the guy lying on the deck chair, who didn't move a muscle all day...

Looking at that man, Doflamingo was reminded of a term his mother once mentioned: a "mountain hermit."

"Even the most beautiful things become tiresome if you see them every day," Doflamingo retorted. "You don't seem to mind being at sea for long periods, though?"

Kuzan nodded in agreement:

"Of course. I know that every time we set sail, we can do many meaningful things."

"Meaningful things?" Doflamingo's lips curled into a faint, ambiguous smile. "But from what I've observed during this time, it seems like many kingdoms prefer to put on a facade..."

To deal with the Navy's inspections, every kingdom showcased its best side, using superficial prosperity to mask the truth.

Kuzan's expression darkened, but he didn't refute Doflamingo's words. He had noticed the same thing, but there was nothing he could do to change it.

No one could change it...

"Don't you two get tired of talking about these things all day?" Renji lazily interjected.

A facade of peace was still peace. At least those kingdoms were making an effort to hide their problems. If they didn't even bother to pretend, it either meant the country was on the brink of collapse, or the people no longer cared about the law.

Renji saw things clearly: in life, you can only shine as brightly as your energy allows.

"Our Captain Renji is so insightful," Doflamingo sarcastically complimented.

Renji glanced at him. This kid's personality was probably beyond fixing. He really was the type to cause trouble if left unchecked.

Kuzan looked at Renji, who was still lying on the deck chair, and sighed. "If you keep lying around like this, you'll give the Marines a bad impression."

In Kuzan's eyes, Renji was excellent in every way, except for his laziness, which tarnished the heroic image he had of him.

The childhood admiration was slowly fading...

"Don't talk nonsense."

Renji didn't even change his posture. He knew exactly what kind of image he had among the Marines.

The winds of the South Sea were always fierce, carrying not just physical force but also a corrosive power that ate away at one's spirit.

That's why he chose to be lazy. Renji firmly believed this.

And so... he chose to continue lying low.

Faced with someone so indifferent, Kuzan was at a loss. As the saying goes, you can force a melon to grow, but it won't be sweet. Yet, if the melon was empty inside, what could Kuzan do?

Shaking his head, Kuzan turned to Doflamingo. "You mustn't end up like him."

Doflamingo quickly wiped the smirk off his face and nodded seriously.

"Since you're bored, why not train with me? You have good potential. It'd be a waste not to use it," Kuzan suggested, suddenly struck by an idea.

"Huh?"

Doflamingo was stunned. He had been enjoying the drama, only to find himself dragged into it.

"We'll start tomorrow. Today, you should prepare yourself," Kuzan said sternly. "The Navy's training is tough, and I'll be keeping a close eye on you."

If he could nurture a promising talent like Doflamingo, it would reflect well on him in the future.

Just imagining the envy and jealousy of his fellow Marines brought a smile to Kuzan's face.

"It's settled, then."

Kuzan walked away, already planning to make the most of tomorrow's training.

"Hahahaha!"

Doflamingo glared at the source of the laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, just... thought of something amusing," Renji said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

"You... just you wait!" Doflamingo gritted his teeth and stormed into the cabin.

So what if it was Navy training? How hard could it be? He refused to believe that mere training could break him.

"..."

Renji closed his eyes, pretending to rest, but his mind was preoccupied with something else.

The system had given him a note instructing him to come to this part of the sea in half a month, promising information about a missing island. He had even asked the navigator to take a detour to reach this remote area near the Calm Belt.

But so far, they had found nothing. The area was desolate, and their ship was the only sign of life on the vast ocean.

"The vanished island..." Renji murmured.

He believed that anything the system rewarded him with had to hold some special significance.

Killing a Celestial Dragon had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it was also the one that aligned most with his desires.

And the moment the Celestial Dragon died, the system, which had been silent for so long, suddenly rewarded him with a plethora of valuable items.

That's why he had stayed in this area, waiting to find the island. He was determined to keep waiting.

...

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