Mosen’s eyes softened immediately. Yeah, this kid had always been so strong-willed.
Even though Mosen had always treated Vincent like his brother, his Marine duties often kept him away from home; he forgot that Vincent didn’t have the same mature soul in a young body as he did.
Moreover, Vincent’s talents were only slightly above average, with some promise in swordsmanship, unlike Mosen’s current body, which, while not on par with the likes of the Monkey family or Big Mom, was not weak.
It seemed he had overlooked Vincent’s inner world. Mosen fell into deep thought.
…
At the orphanage in the base town, established jointly by the Marines and the townsfolk to care for orphans, those with talent were sent to the Marine academy, while the others would eventually join the base’s ranks.
“Vincent, look what I brought you to eat. Huh, this kid isn’t here again. He’s probably forgotten the time while training,” Mosen said.
Mosen often did odd jobs in the kitchen at the Marine base, and every time he was on leave, he would bring Vincent plenty of tasty food.
This time, the fleet had luckily caught a miniature Sea King. Not only was its meat delicious, but it was also packed with nutrients and energy.
Mosen had secretly kept some while helping out, intending to give Vincent a nutritional boost.
When he finds Vincent, the boy is practicing swordsmanship with a wooden sword—a training sword from Mosen’s base.
“Vincent, stop training. I’ve told you many times not to overtrain. It’s bad for your health,” Mosen said, grabbing the wooden sword and giving Vincent the food.
Vincent’s small face showed no emotion as he sat silently beside Mosen, eating.
Since witnessing their parents’ tragic deaths, Vincent, who had once been cheerful and gentle, had become gloomy and withdrawn. He rarely spoke and spent all his time practicing the basic sword techniques taught at the orphanage with a wooden stick.
“You’re such an impolite kid. Even to your big brother, you should know to say thank you.”
Realizing Vincent’s condition, Mosen buried his hatred deep inside. He tried to guide Vincent with a happy, humorous tone.
“Thank you,” Vincent muttered.
Mosen patted Vincent’s head, smiling. “Well, well, aren’t you cold, my dear brother?”
Vincent’s mouth twitched, and he dodged Mosen’s head pat.
In the pitch-black room, Mosen quietly got out of bed at night. He glanced at Vincent on the upper bunk and sneaked out the door.
On the upper bunk, Vincent opened his eyes, watching his brother leave with a determined look in his eyes.
…
“Hey, Vincent, look what I brought you—a real sword! This is my prize. It’s yours now!”
“Thank you.”
“You brat, you’re my brother. How many times have I told you to learn to smile? Otherwise, you’ll end up with a permanent scowl.”
“There’s blood on your back. What happened?”
“Oh, this? Just some scratches. Your big brother killed an 18-million bounty pirate, so these small fry are nothing.”
This was when Mosen was ambushed from behind while pursuing a pirate. He was lucky not to get killed.
“Be careful.”
“Are you actually worried about me? It seems my teaching is effective!”
Mosen didn’t see Vincent’s tears silently falling after he left, his teeth almost grinding to pieces.
…
“How can you be a burden, you idiot? The Higuma Pirates are all wiped out. Aunt Merry and Uncle’s revenge has been taken. Aunt Merry wanted you to be a man!”
“But I’m useless. I couldn’t even help with the revenge. I’m too weak,” Vincent sobbed uncontrollably, his years of pent-up emotions exploding, unable to maintain his cold facade.
“Listen, kid. Not everyone can become an admiral or the strongest on the seas. Strength isn’t everything. You need to understand what you really want, your dream. Don’t let hatred consume you!” Mosen’s tone was uncharacteristically stern. He didn’t want Vincent to exhaust himself trying to catch up to him.
Once they reached the headquarters, he should try to get Vincent a Devil Fruit.
Mosen looked at little Kino standing nearby, her face full of confusion. His tone softened.
“Kino, don’t follow Vincent’s example. Do what you want to do.”
Kino glanced at Vincent, who had stopped crying and whispered, “I… I want to follow Vincent. Whatever he does, I’ll do.”
Mosen nearly choked on his spit. Seriously?
Kino, did you even think about it? I’m the big brother here. I’m the strong and good-looking one. What does my ice-cold brother have? Why don’t I have a cute little girl following me around? Should I go and kidnap a couple of girls to raise?
Hmm, that’s a dangerous thought. Better to spend the time finding good food instead.
At that moment, Vincent said, “You can’t follow me. I’m going to be a Marine, an admiral!”
Next to him, Kino also raised her hand, “I don’t care. I’ll be a Marine and an admiral too.”
Mosen sighed. Do these kids think becoming an admiral is like playing house? It’s not just a title; it represents the most potent force in the Navy.
It’s like when I dreamed of getting into Tsinghua or Peking University but only managed to get into an ordinary 985 university after working my butt off.
But isn’t it an exciting thought?
“Being an admiral isn’t that easy!”
Mosen decided not to crush their dreams yet. They could realize the difficulty as they grew older. If they still held on to their dreams, he would help them then.
“Can you tell me why you suddenly want to be an admiral?”
Vincent wiped his tears and looked up at Mosen, “I’ve realized that now that Mom and Dad’s revenge is taken, I can’t live in the past. I need to fulfill my own dream, protect defenseless people, and send brutal pirates to hell.”
“I’ve asked Uncle Franca to take me to the Marine academy. I don’t want to rely on you for everything. I want to get stronger. When you’re fighting, I want to help you, not be your burden.”
Mosen looked at Vincent, feeling a mix of emotions. The little brat who once rejected him and then followed him everywhere was growing up.
Though he wished Vincent could stay a carefree troublemaker, this harsh world made such wishes unrealistic.
“You’ve really grown up, Vincent.” Mosen looked at Vincent, reaching his shoulder, and encouraged him, “Then fight for your dream. No matter what, your big brother supports you.”
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