Uehara Naraku really has no sense of shame.
Clearly joined Baroque Works to set up Sand Crocodile Crocodile, but now he's speaking as if he and Sand Crocodile just fell out.
And this guy is unbelievably petty!
"Alright, let's consider the matter with Crocodile as your twisted sense of humor then!"
Aokiji rubbed his forehead, helplessly continuing to ask, "So, do you want me to provide anything? I follow a lazy justice, so I'm not very informed about Navy affairs, and the Headquarters at Marinford doesn't seem to take you guys seriously either..."
"..."
Uehara Naraku thought for a moment, shaking his head.
At least it seems like he doesn't really need this Navy Admiral for anything right now, considering they are a small organization lying dormant...
Even if Yakushi Kabuto infiltrated the Navy, there's no need to involve Aokiji for now, since currently Yakushi Kabuto is just a third-class soldier... Perhaps when Yakushi Kabuto is promoted to Vice Admiral, then they might need Aokiji's help!
Aokiji this chess piece...
Needs to stay hidden for now.
Perhaps manipulating Akainu later on, this pawn could become Navy Admiral?
"Let's lie low for now!"
Uehara turned to look at the black wall painted with red clouds, casually waving his hand saying, "A Navy Headquarters Admiral can't be used for trivial matters, when I need you, I'll send someone to find you."
"Hmm..."
Aokiji scratched his head, casually remarking, "Seems like when you come looking for me, it'll probably mean big trouble, huh!"
"Perhaps..."
After speaking, Uehara Naraku slowly stretched out his hand, a golden light shot from his fingertips, suddenly piercing the white wall painted with a peace dove.
Uehara Naraku's face suddenly showed a smile: "Mr. Kuzan, to prevent you from feeling too lonely in the Navy, I'll do my best to find more companions for you there..."
"Hmm?"
Aokiji raised his head in confusion.
This Navy Admiral pondered for a second, immediately understanding Uehara Naraku's intention, is this guy planning to target more Vice Admirals or even Navy Admirals?
Looking at Uehara Naraku's previous actions...
His next target... could it be Admiral Kizaru!
Honestly speaking, Aokiji suddenly felt that Kizaru, that indecisive guy, truly might be playing both sides.
After all, Kizaru that person...
Has always been quite unscrupulous.
If in the future, among the three Navy Headquarters Admirals, two are Uehara Naraku's spies, their Marshal Sengoku and colleague Akainu might go insane, right?
Blurp blurp...
Blurp blurp...
Just as Aokiji wanted to say something, his Radio Snail suddenly rang, under Uehara Naraku's playful gaze, Aokiji reached out to answer his Radio Snail.
It was a call from Navy Admiral Sengoku.
"Kuzan, where are you now?"
Navy Admiral Sengoku's voice had a tinge of urgency: "Portgas D. Ace has declined the Seven Warlords of the Sea's invitation, Borsalino rushed to Shampodi ahead of time to capture him, but Ace was rescued by a pirate called Uchiha Sasuke!
That damned Uchiha Sasuke pirate even directly sank a small island in Shampodi, Borsalino got seriously injured while protecting three Heavenly Celestial Dragons!
That pirate named Uchiha Sasuke is a member of the Black Spade Pirates, return to Marinford immediately, we need to plan a new operation to capture the entire Black Spade Pirates!"
No wonder Sengoku was anxious.
Sengoku's plan was prepared perfectly initially.
If only Portgas D. Ace accepted the Seven Warlords of the Sea's invitation, naturally nothing would go wrong; but even though he rejected the invitation, deploying an Admiral and Vice Admiral Garp to capture him into the underwater prison was feasible.
But now, not only was Ace not captured, an Admiral got injured, and more importantly, the pirate who injured the Admiral joined the Black Spade Pirates!
"...I understand."
Aokiji hung up the Radio Snail, his brow slightly furrowed.
Is something wrong with the sea, he just got beaten utterly by Uehara Naraku here, and over there, Admiral Kizaru got injured...
Aokiji turned to look at everyone present, only to see Uehara Naraku and three others listening to his Radio Snail, their expressions seemed somewhat odd.
The situation...
Seems a bit off?
Blurp blurp...
Blurp blurp...
Uehara Naraku held his forehead, as if wanting to say something to Aokiji, when his own Radio Snail rang, it was Uchiha Sasuke calling.
"Hey, Uehara, under Black Zetsu's arrangement, I've successfully joined the Black Spade Pirates, these guys are really dumb, didn't suspect me at all."
Uchiha Sasuke seemed slightly displeased, when talking about the Black Spade Pirates, his voice was filled with disdain: "Since I joined using my ninja and Sword Master identity, that guy Ace seems very interested in Ninjutsu, keeps pestering me, so I haven't had time to contact you guys."
People on this vast ocean are always intrigued by new things.
Like Uchiha Sasuke the ninja, Ace naturally wouldn't pass up such a crew member, besides Sasuke was warmly welcomed when he joined the Black Spade Pirates.
Uehara Naraku fell silent for a while, softly saying: "But I just heard you injured Navy Headquarters Admiral Kizaru, and almost killed three Heavenly Celestial Dragons... Has nobody in the Black Spade Pirates suspected you?"
"Don't worry."
Uchiha Sasuke's voice grew colder: "I've become this ship's Vice Captain within two days of joining the Black Spade Pirates... I have control over most matters on this ship."
Uchiha Sasuke's voice grew even more disdainful: "And these guys, do they even know the meaning of suspicion? Now they're pestering me to learn Ninjutsu every day... Do I really have to hide among this bunch of idiots? These guys are even dumber than that idiot Naruto!"
Truth be told.
Uchiha Sasuke is truly disdainful now.
Although Akatsuki members can be silly at times, most of them have functioning intellects, but the members of this Black Spade Pirates are totally brainless!
They used to flee at the sight of Navy ships...
Even fled when pursued by a female Navy lieutenant...
As a result, facing the attack from the Navy Headquarters Admiral Kizaru at Shampodi, those guys surprisingly urged their captain to challenge the admiral, after all, they were all Logia-Fruit Ability users...
Darn it, they didn't have any clue about each other's intel or the enemy's strength and just rushed to challenge an admiral?
In the end...
If it hadn't been for him, the vice-captain, taking immediate action, using the admiral's protection of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon to stop the pursuit, the Black Spade Pirates might have been forced to disband today!
A bunch of idiots.
Among this group of idiots, Uchiha Sasuke, who seemed reliable, stood out like a crane among chickens, a vice-captain in name, but essentially the pirate gang's babysitter.
"... "
Uehara Naraku fell into silence.
Indeed, some people in this world are simpler than imagined. They'll never doubt their companions, making them easy to exploit.
However, Uchiha Sasuke is even more capable than he imagined!
Why had this guy barely joined the Black Spade Pirates for a few days but already became the vice captain, while he only remained an intermediate agent after joining Baroque Works...
That bastard Crocodile!
Can't he learn from Ace properly!
At the very least, he should let Uehara Naraku have a go as the vice president of Baroque Works! Although the current vice president, Nico Robin, is his person...
Uehara Naraku quietly said: "Alright, then just stay well hidden by Ace's side. Don't go too far; the power in this world is beyond your imagination..."
"I get it."
Uchiha Sasuke nodded and then said in a deep voice: "That admiral's Storm Release Bloodline is really strange, and his character is quite insidious...
But this time, he just got lucky. I already know his abilities. The next time I meet him, I'll definitely kill him!"
Uchiha Sasuke had learned about the Glint-Glint Fruit's abilities, yet he stubbornly believed that Admiral Kizaru only had a normal Storm Release Bloodline within him.
"Oh, there's no need to kill Kizaru."
Uehara Naraku shook his head listlessly and said: "Perhaps by the next time we meet, he'll already be one of us..."
After saying that, Uehara Naraku glanced at Aokiji standing beside him, continued saying: "By the way, there might be an admiral named Aokiji coming to hunt you down. Your abilities match his very well. Remember to go easy on him since he's one of ours now..."
"... "
Uchiha Sasuke fell into silence.
After a long pause, Uchiha Sasuke gloomily said: "Uehara Naraku, you... are you planning to manipulate everyone in the world as your pawns again?"
"No, I won't."
Uehara Naraku shook his head, sighed quietly, and said: "Why would you think such dangerous thoughts... I'm a righteous person!"
"... "
Uchiha Sasuke, enraged, directly hung up on the Radio Snail.
We're all on the same side, why does Uehara Naraku have to act like this again?
"Seriously..."
Listening to the sound of the call being disconnected, Uehara Naraku couldn't help but sigh again: "We're all companions, why don't they trust me?"
"... "
Everyone had lines of frustration on their foreheads.
Aokiji, having just listened to the entire conversation between Uehara Naraku and Uchiha Sasuke, scratched his head and couldn't help but ask: "That person who hurt Borsalino... is also one of your subordinates?"
"Hmm..."
Uehara Naraku nodded without denying it: "You could say they're a junior from the family! Kids you know, they can be a bit rebellious, insisting on joining a pirate gang and going to sea... When you hunt them down, be gentle..."
"... "
Aokiji fell into contemplation.
Honestly, if he hadn't overheard everything just now, he really might have believed Uehara's nonsense mindlessly!
Clearly, the person didn't want to stay with the Black Spade Pirates; it's you who insisted on placing them as an undercover!
This Uehara Naraku...
Is really no good...
"Alright, let's part ways here!"
Uehara Naraku glanced at Aokiji, then at Nico Robin, his lips curled slightly: "Robin, I'll leave the task of keeping in touch with Admiral Aokiji to you from now on..."
"Yes."
Nico Robin nodded.
When they were ready to part ways.
Uehara Naraku and Hoshigaki Kisame boarded their small boat.
Nico Robin went alone to bid farewell to Aokiji. She lifted her head to look at the tall Navy Admiral, solemnly advising: "Aokiji, make sure you don't do anything foolish in the future... No matter what happens, you must live well!"
If Aokiji did anything foolish, he might surely die!
Nico Robin believed she understood Uehara Naraku well enough; such a proud person would never let go of anyone who betrayed him!
As long as Aokiji dared to betray him and break his agreement with Uehara Naraku, even if the consequences weren't as terrible as Uehara said, he would surely be killed by Uehara!
Moreover, Nico Robin had seen...
Aokiji had no power to resist in Uehara Naraku's hands.
"Ah, forget it..."
Aokiji initially wanted to say something, but upon seeing Nico Robin's expression, he just shook his head to himself.
The two ended up talking about past events...
Their relationship seemed to be becoming more and more subtle.
The next moment, Aokiji extended his hand, his broad hand covered Nico Robin's hair, and this man not very good at expressing emotions patted Robin's head.
"I understand... you should live well in the future too... and, don't get involved in too many dangerous things with them."