"Ohhh… Kai-kun, now that we're both Admirals, take care of me, won't you?" Kizaru drawled, his trademark sleazy grin plastered across his face. Kai felt a twitch in his fist, fighting the urge to deck him right then and there.
"The title 'White Dragon'… Hm, gotta admit, it sounds way cooler than ours," Aokiji Kuzan chimed in lazily from the couch.
Kai paused, mulling it over.
White Dragon, huh?
No question—it had a ring to it. Much better than Akainu, Kizaru, or Aokiji. But the World Government never handed out Admiral titles at random. Every name carried meaning.
Aokiji—'Ao' for blue, like the icy sea after it freezes, cold and serene, matching Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit. 'Kiji' meant pheasant—a bird, wild and free, reflecting Kuzan's personal take on justice. The Government called it "unhurried justice," but anyone who knew Kuzan saw it for what it was: lazy justice. Whether letting Nico Robin escape at Ohara, leaving the Navy after Marineford, or even joining Blackbeard, Kuzan drifted like a bird with no fixed path—a perfect fit for his moniker.
Akainu—'Aka' for red, the color of magma, fiery and unyielding. 'Inu'—dog. The Government's official line was "justice that turns the tide," but Sakazuki himself called it "absolute justice." No room for shades of gray—he was justice, and anything against him was evil. Like a rabid dog, he would hunt down anything he deemed criminal, no matter what.
Kizaru—'Ki' for yellow, the color of his Light-Light Fruit's brilliance. 'Saru'—monkey. Officially, his justice was "calm in crisis"; unofficially, it was ambiguous, and honestly, he was the ultimate fence-sitter. Like a monkey, unpredictable and slippery—whether he was letting Luffy go or staying detached during the war, you could never quite pin him down.
Every Admiral's title was a reflection of their power, their personality, and their brand of justice.
So what did the World Government see in Kai?
If 'White' was meant to represent his ability, shouldn't it be a color linked to fire? He'd made his flame powers clear—so why 'white'? Unless… the Five Elders somehow knew he hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit. That was intriguing. How did they know?
And 'Dragon'—a legendary creature, rare even in the world of pirates. Dragons meant mystery, the unknown. Maybe the Five Elders couldn't quite figure out Kai's true nature or the justice he held in his heart.
The more Kai thought about it, the more interested he became in the Five Elders. They'd never met him, yet somehow, they knew more than they should. Eight centuries of experience—these old monsters were something else.
"Alright, Kai, get ready for your inauguration in three days. Everyone, dismissed." Sengoku's voice snapped Kai out of his thoughts.
"Got it." "Mm." "Understood."
The Admirals filed out of the Fleet Admiral's office.
Three days flew by.
Marineford Plaza.
Under the watchful eyes of countless Visual Den Den Mushi, Kai accepted the cloak of justice from Sengoku. Then came the long, formal speech. In that moment—broadcast to nearly every corner of the world—Kai Mitarashi officially became the Navy's fourth Admiral.
East Blue, Foosha Village.
The entire village squeezed into Makino's Party Bar—after all, it was the only place with a Visual Den Den Mushi. Everyone crowded together, watching Kai's inauguration, swept up in celebration. No matter how you looked at it, Kai was their own—Foosha Village's Navy Admiral.
Makino stood with hands on hips, pointing at Kai's image. "See, Kai's already an Admiral! You should stop dreaming about being a pirate, Luffy!"
"Big Bro Kai is awesome!" Luffy's eyes went wide with awe. Then he bounced onto the table, shouting, "I'm gonna be Pirate King!"
"Little Luffy still wants to be a pirate, huh? Better hope Kai doesn't catch you!"
"That's right, that's right…"
The villagers teased him, and Luffy puffed his cheeks in frustration.
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 13.
Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
"Never thought that Navy kid could actually beat Whitebeard and become an Admiral," Shakky mused, propping her chin on the bar as she watched Kai's image flicker in the Den Den Mushi.
"That kid Kai… he's something special," Rayleigh smiled, keeping the deeper secrets—like the boundary between man and god, or Conqueror's Haki—to himself. Some things were best left unsaid.
No surprises. The ceremony ended smoothly.
Half a month passed. The seas grew eerily quiet. No one wanted to be the first to test the new Admiral's authority—no one wanted to get caught in his crosshairs.
"Admiral Kai Mitarashi, Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants to see you."
A Navy Sergeant, eyes shining with admiration, delivered the message. Kai's popularity among the younger generation was unmatched—even Sengoku couldn't compete.
"Understood," Kai replied, smiling.
He knew exactly what Sengoku wanted. On his very first day as Admiral, Kai had exercised his new authority—issuing a summons.
He ordered the Seven Warlords of the Sea to report to Marineford within half a month!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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