Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Warships glided into the harbor, their hulls gleaming in the late afternoon sun. Along the docks, a sea of Marines stood shoulder to shoulder, craning their necks for a glimpse of the returning heroes.
News of Golden Lion's fleet being wiped out had flashed across the world in a single day—photos, headlines, and rumors spreading like wildfire. That was why the port was packed to bursting, every Marine eager to witness history.
Atop the fortress, Fleet Admiral Kong watched it all unfold, a rare smile tugging at his lips.
There would be someone to carry the torch.
Beside him stood Garp and Sengoku.
Garp munched on a donut, laughing so loud it echoed over the harbor.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! That kid Sakazuki sure knows how to draw a crowd!"
Sengoku's eyes narrowed, and he nodded thoughtfully. He'd been part of the whole operation—start to finish. Looking back, it was all… a string of coincidences.
Kong gave the order, he and Garp did the fighting, Sakazuki swept up the glory, and the government handled the headlines.
Honestly, aside from commanding a few warships, there was nothing Sakazuki could have planned or controlled. Yet, fate handed him a mountain of fame on a silver platter.
It was… a little hard to swallow.
With the wisdom of a Buddha, Sengoku had turned it over in his mind a thousand times—conspiracy theories, coups, all sorts of wild ideas. But when he really looked, he realized Sakazuki hadn't schemed at all.
It was like shadowboxing for an audience of the blind.
No wonder it left a bitter taste.
Watching Sakazuki being mobbed by the crowd below, Sengoku let out a silent sigh.
Maybe… I'm just overthinking it.
He set his doubts aside—for now—and allowed himself a small smile. After all, with both Whitebeard and Golden Lion's crews crushed (even if Golden Lion escaped), the pirates of the world had taken a gut punch.
The seas would be a little calmer for a while.
—
Fleet Admiral Kong declared a day off for all headquarters personnel—a celebration and, more importantly, a chance to build up Sakazuki's legend.
There were speeches, interviews, and endless ceremonies. These stories would dominate the headlines for weeks, maybe months.
By the time Sakazuki finally escaped the public eye and made it home, dusk was falling.
He tossed his white "Justice" cloak onto the sofa and collapsed after it, sinking deep into the cushions.
"Whew—"
He let out a long, weary breath.
This… was more exhausting than any battle.
All day, the roar of the crowd had buzzed in his ears. Even now, he swore he could still hear phantom voices.
Click-click—
The doorknob turned.
Enel burst in, a flash of lightning that zipped across the room and reformed on the little sofa beside Sakazuki. He flopped down, grinning from ear to ear.
"That was awesome, old man!"
"There were so many people out there!"
He waved his arms wide, trying to capture just how massive the crowd had been.
"All day, the academy kids wouldn't stop talking about you!" he bragged, chest puffed up with pride.
After all, with his connection to Sakazuki, he'd been the center of attention—basked in envy all day long.
Sakazuki shook his head, a helpless smile on his face. He pushed himself up and glanced toward the doorway.
"Vice Admiral Morris."
Ward Morris strode in, grinning as he pushed Sakazuki right back down onto the couch.
"You've earned a break. Take it easy for once."
"So—how's it feel to be a hero?"
Sakazuki covered his face, sighing.
"Too noisy… My ears are still ringing."
Morris burst out laughing.
"Haha! That's normal."
"The Marines need a new hero—to inspire every Marine and every citizen out there. The last guy to wear that title was Garp—but he's too wild, too unreliable. The higher-ups in the Holy Land have been grumbling about him for years."
"This is our chance to make you the new face of the Marines."
"I know you'll do even better."
"It's more than just a title—it's a chance to set the standard for the whole Navy. Your story, your will—they'll echo through the next generation. The impact is impossible to measure! Hahaha!"
He couldn't help but laugh, the sound booming with satisfaction. What was destiny? When you needed heads, the enemy delivered them; when you needed resources, your allies made way. It felt like the world itself was rooting for them.
Sakazuki chuckled too.
"Yeah. The future of the Marines."
They shared a laugh, and only then did Morris remember why he'd come in the first place. He called out to the hall, and a line of soldiers marched in, arms full of steaming dishes.
"Come on, eat up—there's a banquet tonight."
Sakazuki groaned, covering his face again.
"A banquet?"
Morris grinned.
"Of course! We're building you up as the new hero. Fleet Admiral Kong even invited a bunch of officials from the Holy Land. They need to see just how strong the Navy's future really is. Eat up—you'll need your strength. Half the generals in the place will be there. Give them something to remember!"
He gave Sakazuki a meaningful look.
Sakazuki just sighed, resigned, and headed for the table.
"But… Vice Admiral Morris—why invite so many from the other two branches?"
Morris chuckled.
"Show of force. The Marines aren't the only ones with a new generation, but we're the only ones making headlines. And, well, it's never too early to start competing for the Supreme Commander of the Three Forces."
Sakazuki raised an eyebrow.
"The Supreme Commander, huh…"
Morris nodded, a hint of gravity in his voice.
"Yeah. Not long ago, the current Supreme Commander nearly died—old injuries flared up. Luckily, he was saved just in time. I heard he even mentioned retirement to the Five Elders while he was in the hospital."
"When word got out, the other two branches rushed to show off their strength. We Marines were caught off guard. But this time, our main goal isn't just to flex."
He finished with a sly, satisfied grin.
Seeing Morris's mischievous smile, Sakazuki remembered that Kong wouldn't take the top job for another decade or two…
He caught the subtle twist in Morris's words.
"Nearly died… but he's fine now?"
Morris laughed.
"Yeah. Those idiots heard his organs were failing and thought he was a goner. Tried to get the jump on us—but remember those scientists we caught last time?"
Sakazuki instantly understood.
Artificial organs… what rotten luck. If the old man had died, that'd be one thing—but he didn't.
Sakazuki couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
Even after dinner, both men had grins tugging at their lips.
It was just… too funny.
Still chuckling, they headed off to the banquet hall.
—
The Next Day.
Grand Line, Minehis Island.
Sakazuki's warship glided into port.
The ships under Karol's temporary command docked for supplies.
Karol clapped his hands, rallying the crew.
"All right, everyone—half a day's rest. Go stretch your legs and resupply!"
The soldiers erupted in cheers.
"Yeah!!"
They scattered, eager for a break.
Karol glanced at Barrett, who stood unmoving, a faint smile on his lips.
"Barrett, aren't you going shopping?"
Barrett shook his head.
"I'm going to train."
Karol shrugged.
"All right, I'll head down first."
Barrett nodded and made for the training room.
Then Karol's voice drifted down the hallway, sing-song and teasing:
"Heard a rumor~ Minehis Island's desserts are to die for~"
Barrett froze. Desserts…
"Strawberry mousse~"
His throat bobbed.
"Chocolate sundae~"
He held his breath.
"Rainbow cotton candy~~~"
Karol's voice faded away.
Barrett hesitated for a second… then spun on his heel and marched after him.
—
Minehis Island, a shadowed alley.
Cloaked and hooded, Karol slipped through the gloom, a case in hand.
He followed a secret mark to a door deep in the alleyway.
As agreed, he knocked in a coded rhythm.
A slit opened. The man inside spotted the case, grinned greedily, and whispered,
"Hurry, get in."
Karol stepped inside.
In the dim light, he set the case on the table. The other man's eyes never left it.
Karol smirked.
"You did well spreading the word. Golden Lion learned of the Marines' 'weakness' and assembled his fleet yesterday. This is your reward from the big boss."
He smiled meaningfully.
The greedy man licked his lips.
"Win-win~ Win-win~"
He'd been holed up all day, still clueless about Golden Lion's defeat.
He lunged for the case, surprised at how light it felt. A bad feeling crept in—but greed won out.
He yanked it open.
Inside was nothing but a newspaper.
The headline screamed:
"Golden Lion's Fleet Annihilated—A New Marine Hero Rises!"
He glared at Karol.
"You—!"
Schlick.
The blade slid home. A head toppled to the floor.
Karol wiped his sword clean, then draped the blood-stained newspaper over the corpse.
Buru buru—buru buru—
A Den Den Mushi rang in the darkness.
Karol smiled, pulling the snail from his cloak.
"Moshi~ Moshi~"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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