One Piece: I Start with a Married Woman, I Am the Evil Admiral!

Chapter 272 The Empress Appears

Aokiji's eyes revealed a clear displeasure, obviously disgusted by Aini's underhanded tactics; while Garp's expression was even more undisguised, his naked disdain and contempt making Aini feel somewhat embarrassed.

However, despite differing opinions on Aini, no one voiced their opposition.

After all, Garp's stance is what it is. He can't possibly voice his opposition to proposals that benefit the Navy, no matter how much he disagrees with them.

Not to mention criticism.

Lieutenant General Tsuru's eyes revealed a hint of solemnity.

She pondered to herself that for the past few days, the group had been racking their brains trying to find a suitable solution, but they had not yet succeeded.

However, this seemingly unremarkable fellow so easily pinpointed the crux of the problem, which was quite unexpected.

Either this guy possesses an extremely powerful intelligence network, even knowing the details of their discussions over the past few days, which is why he was able to come up with a countermeasure so quickly, because he had already started thinking about how to deal with Whitebeard; or this guy is just exceptionally intelligent, able to see the essence of the problem in an instant.

Neither possibility is what Lieutenant General Tsuru wants to see. It means that their opponent is not only powerful, but may also possess unfathomable intelligence resources or extraordinary wisdom.

Or even both.

Like the Warring States period, she showed a look of apprehension.

.......

Time flies by like an arrow, and the next day arrived in the blink of an eye. At the port, everyone was on high alert, and the atmosphere was so tense it was almost suffocating.

The three Marine Admirals, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji, remained firmly seated above, exuding a powerful and unsettling aura.

Originally, Sengoku arranged for Enni to stay by Ace's side to ensure that nothing unexpected would happen to Ace.

However, Aini resolutely rejected this arrangement. He didn't want to merely play the role of a guard; he sought real achievements…

So, Aini chose to stand in the harbor and wait with the other marines.

Then, among the numerous naval personnel, he spotted two familiar figures. His eyes lit up, and he strolled leisurely through the naval ranks, as if nothing here concerned him. Wherever he went, whether vice admirals or ordinary naval soldiers, they would respectfully make way for him, clearing a wide path for him.

This shows what position Ani held in the Navy at that time.

A short while later, Aini arrived in front of a man and a woman.

The man had short silver hair, wore a large coat with the word "Justice" written on the back, goggles around his neck, and held a Seastone jitte in his hand. He looked dashing and heroic. Without a doubt, this man was Smoker.

The woman standing next to Smoker was Tashigi. She had grown her hair long and tied it up behind her head, making her look less innocent and more spirited than before.

"Long time no see! Smoker, Tashigi!" Enni greeted them warmly with a smile.

Smoker and Tashigi had actually noticed Enni's arrival long ago, but their expressions were somewhat complicated.

It's important to understand that initially, Ani was just an ordinary subordinate of Smoker, and not even a particularly important one. His rank was only slightly higher than Tashigi's.

Tashigi glanced at her shoulder insignia, confirming that she was now a major. In just one year, she had risen from corporal to major, a speed that was remarkable even in the entire Navy.

Of course, Smoker's focused training played a significant role in this. However, his own abilities also improved rapidly during this period.

However, when she faced the man before her, all her achievements seemed insignificant.

Tashigi quickly composed herself, stood at attention, gave Enni a crisp military salute, and loudly proclaimed, "Greetings, General Candidate!"

Compared to Tashigi's meticulousness, Smoker's attitude is much more casual.

He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and said to Aini with a half-smile, "Aini, you really are so shocking, it makes me question my existence!"

Although the statement had a slightly sarcastic tone, the surprise it conveyed was unmistakable.

Throughout the year, Aini seemed possessed by a war god, constantly redefining everyone's expectations of his strength with astonishing victories. However, these seemingly glorious achievements were fleeting, like a mirage, and would soon be overturned by new challenges...

All of this was undoubtedly a huge shock to him and Tashigi.

After all, Aini had once been their subordinate and colleague. And this former subordinate and colleague, in terms of both ability and rank, had left them far behind.

How can we expect them to take this in stride?

Therefore, they had never worked so hard in the past year. They trained day and night, constantly improving their strength, while also relentlessly hunting down pirates and fighting to maintain peace at sea.

It was precisely because of this relentless effort that their strength improved rapidly, and their military ranks rose accordingly. Tashigi was successfully promoted to major that year, while Aini jumped from major general to lieutenant general.

At this moment, Aini also noticed the two men's ranks. Staring at their brand-new insignia, a sense of astonishment welled up within him. He had never imagined that his very existence and influence could cause such a dramatic change in the trajectories of these two men's lives. The speed of their promotions was simply beyond imagination.

"Huh..."

Just then, Enni's gaze was drawn involuntarily to the other side, as if by a magnet. There stood a group of eye-catching figures—the current Seven Warlords of the Sea.

The first figure to catch the eye is Hawkeye Mihawk, whose sharp gaze seems to pierce the soul, making it impossible to look directly at him. Next is Bartholomew Bear, whose massive physique gives off an aura of invincibility.

However, what truly caught Annie's eye was Boa Hancock. Her tall figure stood out in the crowd, a full 191cm, and her physique was breathtaking. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, styled in an elegant hee cut, adding to her noble air.

Hancock's forehead was slightly broad, but smooth and flawless. Her deep blue eyes were like the deep ocean, with long, delicate corners and an almond-shaped gaze that hinted at a cold indifference, as if she were unconcerned about everything around her.