Though enemies meeting would naturally see tempers flare, both Michael and the Five Elders chose to temporarily set aside their grudges for the moment.
It was simply a matter of timing not being right yet.
Of course, neither side was eager to force an awkward reconciliation, so they simply ignored each other.
Michael merely nodded at Sengoku before leaving.
His encounter with the Five Elders was but a minor interlude.
Overall, the period leading up to the promotion ceremony was one of rare jubilation in Marineford.
After all, this was one of the few major celebrations the Marines had seen in years.
Ever since the execution of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, at Loguetown ushered in the so-called "Great Pirate Era," the Marines had been in desperate need of a morale-boosting event.
Thus, nearly all high-ranking Marines had returned to headquarters.
But with so many gathered… some chaos was inevitable.
"Hey! Where's the team in charge of setting up the promotion ceremony venue!? The entire stretch of red carpet outside the main entrance has been completely ruined by Vice Admiral Garp! Hurry up and get a new one! Otherwise, when the ceremony starts, the admirals and fleet admiral will have to walk across a floor battered into uneven terrain by Garp's fists!"
Outside the promotion ceremony venue in Marineford, a large group of Marines scrambled about, shouting and bustling.
Their faces bore the unmistakable frustration of overworked laborers.
"What the hell is going on this time!? Can't Vice Admiral Garp just behave himself!? Can't he act with some dignity!? He's the Hero of the Marines! But he acts like a damn manchild all the time! What kind of nonsense is this!?"
"Don't ask me—who the hell can control that guy?"
"I already got the full story. Vice Admiral Garp said he spotted suspicious individuals and rushed over in a frenzy. He claimed he was protecting the venue's security—and the Five Elders—so he took action."
"Wait, really? Then why isn't he around now?"
"Oh, well, he did attack them… but it turned out they were actually the most elite warriors from Amazon Lily who recently enlisted in the Marines at Sabaody. Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Chief of Staff Tsuru personally invited them to attend the promotion ceremony, where they're supposed to receive their official ranks… So now, Vice Admiral Garp's been dragged off by Tsuru and Momousagi to apologize."
"Hey, watch your words! It's still Admiral Sengoku for now!"
"Eh, at this point, what's the difference? He's basically been acting as fleet admiral for years anyway."
"...Hah, fair enough."
Marineford, as the headquarters and true stronghold of the Marines, wasn't usually this lively—given its nature as a military base.
But at least Garp's series of blunders had injected a bit of laughter into the otherwise tense atmosphere.
Still, the overall pace remained frantic.
Especially for Tsuru, who was coordinating everything.
The unflappable old woman, who could face the Five Elders without batting an eye, was now sweating from sheer exhaustion.
And just when things couldn't get worse, Garp had to pull another ridiculous stunt—nearly wiping out the entire contingent of female Marines from Sabaody in one go.
"Ahem, ahem… Tsuru-chan, considering our years of friendship, letting me off the hook this once shouldn't be a big deal, right?" Garp trailed behind Tsuru with an ingratiating smile.
"I promise I won't cause any more trouble today—and honestly, what just happened wasn't really my fault! I know Amazon Lily is now one of our recruitment bases, but when I suddenly saw a group of people without Marine uniforms, of course I had to consider whether someone had snuck in to disrupt the promotion ceremony!"
"Are you done? If not, pick up those old legs of yours and go greet the delegation from Ryugu Kingdom."
"Alright, alright, leave it to me."
Garp exhaled in relief, as if granted a pardon, then vanished in a flash.
Tsuru shook her head and turned back to her busy preparations.
This promotion ceremony wasn't just attended by Marine personnel—several allied nations with deep ties to the Marines had also been invited, such as Amazon Lily, Alabasta, and the Ryugu Kingdom from Fish-Man Island.
Initially, Tsuru had worried whether the arrival of Ryugu Kingdom might spark conflict with the Five Elders.
After all, one was the perpetrator of a conspiracy, the other its victim.
When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred…
But seeing even Michael manage to flash the Five Elders a somewhat unsettling yet technically passable smile, Tsuru decided not to overthink it.
******
Garp jogged all the way to Marineford's harbor—arguably the largest port in the entire One Piecec World.
Countless warships stood in orderly rows, their hulls gleaming like a steel continent rising from the sea.
The sight never failed to stir a surge of emotion in Garp's chest.
But today, the soldiers at the dock were even more awestruck than he was.
"Whoa!"
"That's one luxurious ride!"
"I was gonna ask if the royals of Ryugu Kingdom would just swim up from the seabed like the mermaids or fish-man warriors… Guess I was dead wrong!"
"A chariot pulled by Sea Kings… Now that's a spectacle."
Garp quickened his pace just as Neptune and Queen Otohime disembarked from the underwater chariot.
Jinbei, clad in a Marine officer's uniform, stood guard beside them.
"Wahahaha! Neptune, you sure know how to make an entrance!" Garp boomed, striding forward to shake Neptune's hand.
"It's been a while—Fish-Man Island has really turned things around since we last met."
"Hohohoho! All thanks to Vice Admiral Michael!"
Neptune's grin was utterly genuine.
Six months ago, Fish-Man Island had been pushed to the brink of collapse by the World Government's betrayal—only for Michael to revive it with an unprecedented united front strategy, sparking an unstoppable resurgence.
Now, Fish-Man Island was rolling in wealth and influence.
Even the World Government, which had stabbed them in the back, had begun courting them again—promising to restore Ryugu Kingdom's right to attend the Reverie, and vowing to let fish-men and mermaids live freely under the sun, with the entire race under the World Government's protection.
All for the sake of taking a share from Fishman Island...
Even attempting to claim the lion's portion for themselves.
However, when faced with the World Government's conditions, Neptune mastered Michael's essence.
Neither agreeing nor opposing.
"Heh."
"By the way, Neptune, I must remind you..."
"For this promotion ceremony, all Five Elders are present."
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