The sun was just right.
This time, Levi was sitting by the door, lazily basking in its warmth, staring blankly at the waves, pondering the complex problem of how to effortlessly get the next fruit to his mouth.
Vice Admiral Tsuru did not approach immediately.
She observed the young man from afar—handsome, but a profound, unshakable laziness clouded his features, his eyes hollow as if he had no interest in anything in the world.
She smiled slightly and said to her adjutant beside her, "Wait for me here."
She walked forward slowly, alone.
She could feel that the closer she got to the small house, the more "stagnant" the atmosphere became, with a drowsy feeling permeating the very air. Her powerful willpower, however, was like a rock, steadily resisting this invisible erosion. She only felt a little "unmotivated," far from being sleepy.
Levi noticed the extraordinary old lady approaching. He frowned, said nothing, but his face clearly telegraphed, "Here we go again, so troublesome."
Vice Admiral Tsuru stopped at an appropriate distance, her voice gentle and direct: "Levi, is that right? I am Vice Admiral Tsuru of Marineford."
Levi didn't even lift his eyelids. "Oh... here to ask about the pirates? It wasn't me, I don't know anything, and I'm very sleepy."
A standard three-part refusal from a slacker.
Vice Admiral Tsuru chuckled. She had seen countless people in her long life, and this pure, undisguised laziness was, she had to admit, interesting.
"I'm not here to assign blame. On the contrary, I'm here to thank you. The Black Shark Pirates have been a menace in the West Blue for a long time; you've done us a great favor."
"Oh... you're welcome," Levi's reaction was as bland as water. "Can you leave now? You standing there... is blocking my sun."
Her adjutant's mouth twitched; few people dared to speak to Vice Admiral Tsuru like that.
Tsuru, however, didn't mind. She deployed the temptation she had carefully prepared, a veritable finishing blow for someone like Levi:
"I've looked into your situation. Living alone, isn't it inconvenient? Eating is also a problem. Always wild fruits, not enough nutrition."
Levi's action of biting the fruit paused mid-motion.
"Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, has the best cafeteria in the entire organization. It's open twenty-four hours a day. Steak, roasted meat, seafood, ramen, ice cream... an unlimited buffet, with a different menu every single day."
Levi's ear twitched almost imperceptibly.
"There are also single dormitories, facing the sea, with private bathrooms. The mattresses are specially made, said to be among the most comfortable in the world, exceptionally suitable for... resting."
Levi's eyes opened slightly, forming a narrow slit.
"If you are willing to join the Marines, you won't need to charge into battle or even report for duty. I can arrange a special position for you, such as... 'Special Advisor to the Strategic Logistics Support Department'."
"Your only job will be... to offer 'suggestions' when we encounter situations we truly cannot solve. Otherwise, you are completely free to manage your own time."
Vice Admiral Tsuru watched the subtle wavering on Levi's face and delivered the final, decisive blow:
"In other words, you can move to a new place and enjoy the highest standard of... 'lying flat'."
"All your daily troubles will be handled by the Marines. You only need to occasionally 'feel troubled' when a very few, very specific 'troubles' arise."
"How about it? Will you consider it?"
Levi completely forgot about the fruit in his hand.
His brain, usually in low-power mode, was now undergoing an extremely intense, energy-consuming internal struggle:
**Option A:** Stay here, continue eating wild fruits, live in a leaky shack, and be disturbed at any time by new troubles (pirates, Marines, curious townspeople).
**Option B:** Go to Marineford, live in a sea-view room, sleep on a high-end bed, eat unlimited delicacies from a buffet, have all daily chores handled, at the small cost of occasionally having to "feel a little troubled."
This... was this even a choice?
For the sake of long-term, high-quality, sustainable "lying flat," the temporary inconvenience of moving seemed... tolerable.
He took a deep breath, summoning the greatest determination he had shown all day, looked at Vice Admiral Tsuru, and tried to make his expression seem less eager.
"The cafeteria... is it truly unlimited? Steak, all you can eat?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru nodded with a serene smile. "All you can eat. The head chef is an old friend of mine; I can have him prepare special meals just for you."
Levi remained silent for a full three minutes, as if making a difficult decision that could alter the fate of the world.
Finally, he sighed, and in a tone that sounded like he was suffering a great loss, he slowly said:
"Sigh... fine..."
"It sounds... like it might be... slightly less troublesome than staying here."
"When do we leave?"
"...Can it be quick? I'm a little hungry."
Vice Admiral Tsuru's smile deepened.
"The ship is docked at the harbor. Do you have any luggage?"
Levi pointed to the faded old clothes he was wearing. "Just this... the rest is too troublesome to bring."
And so, amidst the mixed gazes of surprise, doubt, and "finally, he's gone" from the residents of Maple Leaf Town, Levi, the laziest "recruit" in Marine history, boarded the warship bound for Marineford. His life goal remained unchanged: to coast through life and "lie flat" until old age. He had simply moved to a higher-class, more comfortable "fish pond."
The warship sailed steadily through the Calm Belt. Giant Sea Kings swam in the distance, but they showed no interest in the ship's hull, which was encased in Sea Stone.
Levi was specially arranged in a quiet corner of the officers' mess hall. The chef, clearly having received special instructions, served a meticulously prepared steak. It was seared on the outside and tender on the inside, accompanied by golden potato wedges and vibrant green vegetables (which Levi ignored).
The aroma finally brought a faint glimmer to his hollow eyes. But as he looked at the whole steak and the knife and fork, his brows furrowed again.
"So troublesome..."
He mumbled, and the strong thought of "too lazy to move" was issued.
The next moment, a bizarre scene unfolded. The steak seemed "too lazy" to remain whole, silently and automatically separating into evenly sized, bite-sized pieces. The gleaming silver fork, as if picked up by an invisible hand, floated lazily, speared a piece of meat, and delivered it precisely to his mouth.
Levi only needed to open his mouth to receive the food. He chewed, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction, like a cat being petted.
Vice Admiral Tsuru sat opposite him, holding a steaming cup of tea, calmly taking in the supernatural scene.
"Using your ability for everyday chores is quite unique," Tsuru's voice was gentle.
"Mmm..." Levi mumbled in response, focusing on the meat. After swallowing, he slowly added, "Energy replenishment... is necessary for survival... reducing process consumption... is very important."
Another piece of meat was delivered to his mouth.
"Once we reach Marineford, the cafeteria will have even more variety."
"Oh..." Levi's reaction was still bland, but his chewing sped up slightly. He yawned, tears of drowsiness welling in his eyes, and asked a pressing question: "The dormitory... is it single? The bed... is it really... as comfortable as you said?"
"A hundred times better than your leaky straw mat," Tsuru's tone was firm. "I guarantee a softness and quiet you've never experienced."
"That's good then..." Levi's head began to nod. "Don't lie to me... otherwise... I'll feel... very, very 'troubled'...."
His voice grew softer, the last few words almost a mumble. Having completed this monumental task of communication, he leaned back, found a languid angle, and instantly fell asleep on the chair, his breathing becoming even and long.
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at the young man, a faint, genuine smile finally appearing on her lips. This trip to the West Blue was far more interesting than she had expected. She waved gently to her adjutant, signaling for quiet.
The warship cut through the deep blue waves, carrying this unique "strategic talent"—who was the least like a Marine in history—towards what he believed to be his ultimate paradise of slacking off: Marineford.