"Please understand, I really couldn't refuse. That guy Vinsmoke Judge brought along several kings from allied nations to apply together—and even invoked the name of the Celestial Dragons…"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, a high-ranking official of the World Government sounded a bit helpless. Normally, he wouldn't have to give much face to the kings of allied nations.
But unfortunately, not long ago, the Five Elders had decided to increase the Celestial Tribute for the year, and the kings Judge brought in to speak on his behalf were all his former clients.
It wasn't hard to imagine what kind of people would be willing to cooperate with Germa 66, an infamous mercenary army.
Ironically, these very same kings were among the most proactive in paying their Celestial Tribute. On top of that, the World Government needed their support in the upcoming Reverie.
Of course, the most crucial detail was that the World Government official all but said outright that this was the will of the Five Elders. Otherwise, even the name of the Celestial Dragons wouldn't carry that much weight in front of high-ranking officials and the Fleet Admiral of the Marines.
"…Why is Vinsmoke Judge suddenly so eager to attend the ceremony?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku fell silent for a long while. In the end, he couldn't reject the request as decisively as before.
Not everyone could be like Kizaru, standing firm even in the face of the Five Elders.
Though Sengoku upheld the ideal of "Justice reigning supreme," he was still flexible where compromise was possible.
What truly unsettled him was the suspicion that Germa 66 might have some hidden agenda in attending the ceremony.
"Their stated reason is to build good relations with the Marines and seek opportunities for cooperation and technological exchange."
At this point, the World Government official's tone turned somewhat strange. A collaboration between the justice-driven Marines and the notorious war machine Germa 66? No matter how you looked at it, it seemed absurd.
But no one really knew what Judge was thinking—he came knocking with such confidence.
If the official weren't an old friend of Sengoku's, he wouldn't even know how to persuade the Marines.
"…I understand. I'll find a way."
Sengoku rubbed his forehead. He had already stepped down from the position of Fleet Admiral, so why was he still dealing with such troublesome matters?
If it were Kizaru, he'd probably reject them without a second thought. But Sengoku had to weigh the pressure coming from both the Five Elders and the World Government.
"I'm counting on you. I really don't know what I'd do without you."
The World Government official finally let out a sigh of relief. Sengoku was indeed more reasonable. Still, the mere thought of having to deal with Kizaru in the future gave him a headache.
"I'll try to convince Kizaru… but you'd better remind those kings that Marineford is no place for them to act recklessly!"
Hearing the relief in the other's voice, Sengoku could easily guess what he was thinking. With a hint of dissatisfaction, he issued a stern warning.
Looking at the big picture isn't a bad thing—but turning it into a habit could eventually become his weakness.
Fortunately, he was about to step down as Fleet Admiral. From now on, all this nonsense wouldn't be his problem.
That thought lifted Sengoku's mood a bit. He casually picked up the cloak from the rack and prepared to go talk to Kizaru.
Unlike those obsessed with power and status, Sengoku had quickly adapted to his new role. A Grand Inspector of the Navy should behave like one.
Convincing Kizaru would be his job. All Sengoku needed to do was clearly explain the pros and cons.
On the other side, after receiving Sengoku's reply, the World Government official couldn't wait to notify Vinsmoke Judge that the application for several member-nation kings to attend the Navy Headquarters' promotion ceremony had been approved.
"I see. Much appreciated, Your Excellency. We and the other kings will fully support the matter of the Heavenly Tribute."
Judge was in high spirits upon receiving the good news and patted his chest, making a firm promise to the official.
The Germa Kingdom had no vast territory and only a pitifully small population. Its tribute payments were already in the lowest tier, and even if doubled, the amount wouldn't be significant.
As for the kings he pulled in to attend the ceremony with him—as long as they still needed to hire Germa 66's army, none of them would dare stir up trouble at a time like this.
"That's good. But don't say I didn't warn you—Kizaru is not Sengoku. That guy's tolerance—no, that guy doesn't even know what 'tolerance' means. You'd better behave."
Perhaps because Judge was being respectful, the World Government official even gave a kind warning before hanging up.
"Haha, no matter how crazy someone is, they wouldn't go to Marineford just to die... except for Whitebeard, maybe."
Judge, in a great mood, cracked a rare joke, which made the World Government official laugh heartily.
Whitebeard's death had not only greatly reduced the Navy's pressure, but also removed a thorn in the World Government's side. Otherwise, even for the sake of Pure Gold, the Five Elders wouldn't have compromised again and again with Kizaru.
"Father, are we really going to Marineford to attend the ceremony?"
Reiju, who had been silent, couldn't help but speak up only after Judge ended the call.
Even now, she couldn't understand why her father believed it was possible to convince Kizaru to support Germa's restoration.
Even though she had only interacted with Kizaru for less than a week—and never saw him again after learning his true identity—that didn't stop her from firmly believing Kizaru was just a scumbag who pretends not to know you once his pants are on.
Hoping that such a scumbag would support Germa's restoration? Reiju couldn't think of any word other than "delusional" to describe it.
"I believe this will be the first step toward rebuilding the Germa Kingdom."
Judge replied simply. If the Navy was willing to support Germa's restoration, he was even willing to help them fight pirates.
At worst, getting the Fleet Admiral's support was ideal. But even if that failed, acquiring the new admiral's genetic lineage would still be a great outcome.
After defeating and killing two Yonko, Kizaru was now recognized as the strongest person in the world.
If they could use his lineage factor to create even stronger clones, then perhaps Germa 66 could restore its nation with its own strength.
Of course, there was no need to tell Reiju about this—after all, acquiring Kizaru's lineage factor would start... with her.
At this moment, Reiju had no idea that her own father was already planning to sell her out. She was still agonizing over how to deal with that scumbag when the time came.
Back then, she had resolutely told him she never wanted to see him again. And now, she had to shamelessly go knocking on his door. Just thinking about it made her scalp tingle.
Yet, whether Reiju liked it or not, time marched on. In the blink of an eye, the day of the Navy Fleet Admiral's inauguration ceremony had arrived.
Marineford wasn't as bustling as it had been during the Summit War, but tens of thousands of headquarters and branch marines had gathered. The number of warships docked in the harbor even surpassed that of the Summit War.
The old execution platform, hastily erected back then, had been torn down and replaced with a far grander stage. Over two thousand Den Den Mushi speakers were placed throughout Marineford to ensure that no matter where one stood, they could clearly hear the new Fleet Admiral's speech.
The Navy's ceremony was far simpler than the World Government's. And in such a solemn atmosphere, no one dared to stir up trouble. Over ten thousand marines stood in perfect formation across the plaza, awaiting the start of the inauguration.
The first to arrive were nine giant vice admirals, each nearly twenty meters tall. Notably, the recently returned Vivienne had used her sheer strength to convince—by the traditional "giant persuasion" method—the other giant vice admirals to let her claim the center position.
Following them were twelve vice admirals stationed at Marineford and twelve guarding branch fortresses. They lined up in a predetermined order in front of the stage.
Candidate Admiral Gion, who had recently been chasing down escaped Impel Down prisoners, stood solemnly before the stage with her hand resting on her sword. Her beautiful features, however, betrayed her pride and excitement.
To Gion, Borsalino was more than just her fiancé—he was the man she had always admired and followed. Otherwise, no matter how slick Borsalino's flirting was, it wouldn't have been so easy to win her over.
Next came Vice Admiral Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and the retired Admiral Zephyr. These veterans took positions on the stage toward the rear.
A stir swept through the marines in the plaza. Whether it was Garp the Hero or "Black Arm" Zephyr, they were all idols to countless marines. Even Vice Admiral Tsuru had a huge fanbase among the female soldiers.
"It's really Admiral Zephyr! I didn't think he'd show up at Fleet Admiral Borsalino's inauguration!"
Koby, standing toward the front of the plaza, was visibly excited. He had just been promoted to lieutenant commander thanks to his contributions during the Summit War. As Vice Admiral Garp's direct subordinate, there was no way he'd be left standing in some obscure corner.
For someone who had idolized the Navy since childhood, both Garp and Zephyr were living legends to Koby.
"Well, that makes sense. In a way, Admiral Zephyr was Fleet Admiral Borsalino's teacher, you know."
Helmeppo added in a low, proud voice, clearly flaunting some recent insider info. The once-spoiled rich boy had become a capable marine in his own right under Garp's "Iron Fist of Love."
Not long after Garp and Zephyr stepped onto the stage, Admirals Akainu and Aokiji also ascended from the sides and stood on either end of the stage, like guardians flanking the center.
If Garp and Zephyr were the marines' idols, then Akainu and Aokiji were the embodiment of the Navy's current peak combat power.
Countless marines looked up at the star-studded stage with awe, dreaming that one day they too might stand upon it…
No, even just standing in front of it alongside the vice admirals would be enough!
The atmosphere was so electrifying that even the most well-trained marines struggled to contain their emotions. The plaza buzzed with excited voices.
The chatter of ten or even a hundred marines wasn't enough to stand out in the vast expanse of Marineford.
But when a thousand, or even ten thousand marines all started murmuring in excitement, no matter how softly they spoke, it inevitably turned into a tidal wave of sound.
°°°
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