Clack clack clack…
Just then, as a series of soft yet firm footsteps echoed, the noise in the plaza gradually faded.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the tall, commanding figure slowly ascending the podium—Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha.
In terms of combat feats, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had never produced results as flashy as Kizaru's. Even his career highlight—taking down the Golden Lion who had stormed Marineford—was done alongside Garp.
In terms of popularity, compared to the dazzling Marine Hero Garp, Sengoku had always been the one working quietly in the background. Even during the war at the Summit, which he personally orchestrated, the spotlight had ultimately landed on Kizaru.
But in the eyes of every Marine, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was the most trustworthy commander. As he stepped onto the podium, Marineford's plaza fell into absolute silence.
Even the guests attending the promotion ceremony—including Judge of the Vinsmoke family—had been seated far from the stage in a designated viewing area.
This way, even if any of them tried to cause trouble, the Navy would have enough time to respond.
"That guy's the Fleet Admiral? Yeah… he does look like someone terrifying," muttered Yonji, who was usually reckless and lawless, upon seeing how quickly the crowd had fallen silent.
To avoid potential conflict, Judge had only brought Reiju and the relatively obedient Yonji on this trip. Even so, after arriving in Marineford, the foul-tempered Yonji had already gotten into a few minor altercations with the Navy.
But now that the Fleet Admiral's inauguration ceremony had begun, even Yonji dared not act out. As a modified human, he lacked emotion and fear—but that didn't mean he lacked intelligence.
If he caused trouble now, Judge wouldn't forgive him, and with the dozens of powerhouses surrounding the stage, even a single one could wipe the floor with him.
Reiju, sitting beside him, didn't bother acknowledging her foolish little brother. Her beautiful eyes were too busy scanning the stage, searching for a familiar figure.
"Shut up," Judge growled, glaring at Yonji.
In his eyes, nothing was more important than restoring his kingdom. For that goal, he would sacrifice even his own children without hesitation. The only thing he ever weighed was whether it was worth it.
Swallowing hard under Judge's glare, Yonji finally quieted down and pretended to vanish.
By now, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had begun his speech. This ceremony wasn't just to celebrate Kizaru's promotion—it also marked Sengoku's farewell as he officially stepped down from the role of Fleet Admiral.
The Navy had chosen to combine the two events, with the former Fleet Admiral personally passing on his authority to his successor—an act symbolic of the Navy's unique tradition of inheritance.
Sengoku briefly recapped his career, from the time he joined the Navy to becoming Fleet Admiral.
All of the sea's top powerhouses were legends in their own right. Even though Sengoku skimmed over most of it, his brilliant history still left countless marines filled with reverence.
But Sengoku wasn't recounting the past to glorify himself. With the authority and respect he commanded in the Navy, he had no need for such gestures. His real purpose was to lay the foundation for the next part of his speech.
"...The execution of Gol D. Roger did not extinguish the pirates' delusions. The bloodline of evil continues... In order to uphold justice and eliminate the pirate threat once and for all, Marine Headquarters launched an offensive against the Whitebeard Pirates…"
Standing on the podium, Fleet Admiral Sengoku wore a solemn expression. After reviewing the past, he affirmed the Navy's current achievements.
The Summit War had crippled two of the Four Emperors' pirate crews. Even the former "Strongest Man in the World," Whitebeard, fell at Marineford. Such accomplishments were undoubtedly a source of pride for the Navy.
The marines in the plaza couldn't help but stand up straighter with pride.
Especially those elite marines who had participated in the Summit War—they lifted their heads high with a shared sense of honor.
The only regret was that the original execution target, Ace the Fire Fist, had managed to escape in the end. If not for Kizaru slaying Whitebeard first and then severely injuring Red-Haired Shanks, his overwhelming performance would have left the outcome of the war more ambiguous.
As Fleet Admiral Sengoku delivered his impassioned speech from the stage, the vast majority of those present listened with full attention.
It wasn't just out of respect for Sengoku—it was because he was now speaking of the vision for the Navy's future.
Although Kizaru would soon be in charge of the Navy, the vision presented by former Fleet Admiral Sengoku also served, in a way, as a blueprint for what was to come.
After all, before outlining his vision, Sengoku would certainly have consulted with Kizaru.
The audience was filled with either marines or monarchs from World Government-affiliated nations. Even the war-mongering Germa 66 needed to understand the Navy's future goals. So almost everyone listened very seriously.
The only exception… was Kizaru, waiting in the lounge for his grand entrance.
"Brings back memories... Feels like it all passed in the blink of an eye,"
Kizaru muttered from the large sofa in the rest lounge, watching the live broadcast screen with a nostalgic tone.
Back then, he'd been in the plaza watching Fleet Admiral Kong and Fleet Admiral Sengoku pass the torch to the next generation—and now, it was Sengoku handing the Navy over to him.
Nicknamed the "Ageless Admiral," Kizaru still looked like a 17- or 18-year-old youth, yet here he was sighing about the years flying by. The contradiction was almost comical.
"But you literally look younger than me!"
Sitting across from Kizaru was Shiho Miyano, also known as Ai Haibara, now restored to her original form. Hearing Kizaru's nostalgic musings, the genius girl couldn't help but poke fun at him.
Thanks to Ain's Return-Return Fruit, Haibara Ai successfully reverted to her original pre-APTX4869 state.
It was the first time Ain had ever used her ability and watched someone grow older instead of younger. The experience nearly shattered her confidence.
Thankfully, in the world of pirates, Devil Fruits came in all shapes and absurdities. Kizaru brushed it off with ease and made up a plausible-sounding explanation.
"Experience has nothing to do with appearance. Didn't you say that once you returned to your original form, you were going to leave?"
Dressed in the Marine Admiral's uniform, Borsalino shrugged lazily. Sengoku's retirement speech was still ongoing, and once it ended, it would be his turn to take the stage. But knowing Sengoku's reputation for long-winded speeches, Borsalino wasn't in any hurry.
"I want to bring my sister back to life. Compared to Orochimaru's Edo Tensei, Devil Fruits might offer a more viable path…"
Shiho shook her head. After witnessing the absurdity of the Return-Return Fruit firsthand, she'd begun to place her hopes on the countless mysterious powers within this world.
If a fruit that reverses time exists, then resurrection may not be as impossible as it seems.
"A fruit that can bring back the dead, huh? Honestly, I only know one: the Yomi Yomi no Mi… but that one can only bring the user themselves back."
Kizaru lightly tapped the armrest of the couch. To be frank, he didn't hold much hope that Shiho would find a way to truly bring someone back to life. And even if such an ability did exist, it was most likely already in the hands of the Celestial Dragons—or worse, Imu.
At the very least, the Five Elders surely didn't possess it. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so obsessed with Pure Gold.
"There's still hope. Also… if possible, I'd like to meet Vegapunk."
Shiho's expression softened with longing. If it meant she could see her sister again, there was no price too great.
"Hmm? Where'd you hear about Vegapunk?"
Kizaru narrowed his eyes. As far as he could recall, he hadn't mentioned Vegapunk in the group chat. Not even once.
Vegapunk's abilities were far too special. Depending on how you looked at it, his Devil Fruit could very well be considered one of the strongest. The only other person in the chat who knew about it was random guy, but after being warned by Orochimaru, he had stopped casually "spoiling" future events.
Unless she had been specifically chatting with Kizaru, there was no reason for her to learn about Vegapunk from the group.
"Ain's a pretty good conversation partner. But… her curiosity can get the better of her. And she's, well—somewhat naive."
Shiho chuckled softly, tapping her chin with a finger.
Unlike Zephyr, who was used to Borsalino being surrounded by women, Ain was still a bit shy and overly curious about everything regarding her Admiral.
She didn't dare approach Borsalino directly, so she turned to Shiho—someone she'd just interacted with—in an attempt to learn more about him.
Unfortunately for her, Shiho was a former member of the Organization. And even though she was primarily a scientist, she'd still been trained in basic interrogation resistance and psychological reading.
In the end, the naive Ain got nothing out of her—while Shiho casually pried loose a handful of secrets without much effort.
°°°
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