Reid and his companions returned to Skypiea, docked the Ark Maxim, and then transferred back to the Blue Maria Jackson. Time flew by, and before anyone realized it, the agreed-upon date had arrived.
(I said there would be no buildup. I did not lie.)
Boom. Whoosh.
As the Blue Maria Jackson slowly entered the harbor of Marineford, the entire Marine Headquarters erupted into activity.
Cannons fired in salute. Streamers filled the air. Sengoku stood at the very front, wearing a smile so brilliant it was almost painful to look at.
How could it not be painful? He had been chasing Reid since the days of his own mentor. After becoming Fleet Admiral, Reid had become his primary target. Back then, this young man had even destroyed half of Marineford itself.
Behind Sengoku stood the three admirals in a neat line.
Aokiji yawned lazily. Kizaru tilted his head and picked at his teeth. Akainu clenched his fists so tightly that cracking sounds echoed from his knuckles.
Only the world of suffering created by Akainu ever truly came to pass. Really, why risk your life for a fixed salary?
"Welcome, Your Majesty Reid, on your distinguished visit!" Tokikake's voice rang out, loud and full of energy.
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku naturally could not shout.
Reid stood at the bow of the ship, his blood mist cloak whipping violently in the wind. He scanned his surroundings, then suddenly clutched his chest.
"Oh my, how terrifying! So many elite Marines. For someone like me, the king of a small affiliated nation, this is truly an overwhelming honor!"
Enel scratched his ear. "Tch. This god could split this run-down harbor in half with a single bolt of lightning."
Tesoro pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "Mind your behavior. Right now, we are a law-abiding delegation from an affiliated nation."
Just then.
Smack.
Sengoku's smile froze.
At some point, Reid had already flashed in front of him. A small hand formed from blood mist was patting Sengoku's shoulder in a friendly, almost intimate manner.
"Little Sengoku," Reid chuckled, continuing to pat his shoulder. "Thanks to you all, my country has remained so stable. You have truly worked hard. I am genuinely moved."
The blood mist hand did not stop, blurring into an afterimage.
"Hahaha. Of course not. Protecting affiliated nations is the duty of the Navy," Sengoku replied, staring at Reid.
If not for monsters like you pirates, the seas would be far more peaceful.
"I am standing inside Marine Headquarters, the so-called bastion of justice at sea. I will not be threatened here, will I?"
"Of course not! We will ensure your absolute safety and personally escort you to Mary Geoise," Sengoku laughed stiffly.
Why did that sentence sound more unsettling the more he thought about it?
Suddenly, Sengoku spun around and roared, "Logistics division! King Reid is here for an inspection. Make sure to prepare the finest meals!"
Reid nodded with satisfaction. "Oh? Looks like that money was well spent."
What else could Sengoku do? The Navy truly had no other reliable source of income.
Was it that Sengoku lacked the ability to generate revenue? Of course not. As a master strategist, he had ideas. But the World Government did not allow it.
"So then," Reid asked lightly, "who will be my bodyguard?"
Akainu's magma fist erupted with a thunderous blast. "I will."
"I will do it," Kizaru said, flashing next to Reid in an instant. "I will do it."
After all, Kizaru had only experienced one life-threatening encounter with Reid. Precisely because of that encounter, he had earned himself a very long vacation.
Reid plus Kizaru equaled the perfect excuse to slack off.
Sengoku stepped forward, glaring at both Akainu and Kizaru. "Because His Majesty's status is so exalted, we must all give this our utmost attention. This matter has not been finalized yet. For now, Admiral Kizaru will escort you on a tour of Marine Headquarters. That way, you can see that every coin you donated was put to good use."
Reid thought to himself that these little pirates had no idea who they were dealing with. The Fleet Admiral personally welcomed him with a smile, and Admiral Kizaru himself would guide him around Marineford. If everything went smoothly, those pirates would probably still be sneaking around like stray dogs. Reid had long forgotten about a certain man named Bon, with no idea where he had gone.
Reid and Kizaru strolled through Marine Headquarters. That blood mist hand poked here and touched there from time to time. As they passed the training grounds, a thunderous roar suddenly rang out.
"Justice is not a slogan! It is a belief that must be defended with your lives!"
Zephyr stood atop a platform, his purple hair fluttering in the wind.
"Remember this! Clench your fists!"
He slammed a punch into a training dummy. The shockwave of Armament Haki sent the front row of recruits' hats flying.
"Your existence is meant to protect the innocent!"
The recruits were ecstatic. "Yeah! Instructor Zephyr!"
"Too quiet!"
Kizaru followed lazily behind, pulling out a nail clipper to trim his nails. "Ah, this really brings back memories."
"Louder! Instructor Zephyr!" the recruits shouted.
Reid stood not far away, watching with clear interest and a faint smile on his lips.
He glanced sideways. "Uh. Should we go say hello?"
"No need," Kizaru waved his hand. "He is busy raising the next generation."
At that moment, Zephyr's gaze swept across the training field and met Reid's eyes. The air seemed to freeze for an instant.
Zephyr's expression turned cold, but he quickly pretended not to see Reid and turned back to the recruits.
"Remember this! Pirates are pirates. No matter how they disguise themselves, no matter where they stand," his right hand clenched tightly, "they can never change their nature of trampling justice!"
The recruits exchanged glances. Some of the braver ones even sneaked a look toward Reid.
To be fair, the current government's ideological work was extremely effective. Look at that. Reid became the king of an affiliated nation, and his public reputation rose immediately.
Dragon, you really should learn from the World Government when it comes to controlling public opinion.
Reid laughed softly. Not only was he not angry, he even began to clap.
"Well said, Mr. Zephyr."
Without turning his head, Zephyr replied coldly, "Pirates are not welcome here."
Kizaru scratched his head. "Ah, how awkward."
"Oh my," Reid stepped forward slowly. Blood mist spread beneath his feet, forming a crimson carpet. "As expected of Black Arm Zephyr. Your Observation Haki is still as sharp as ever."
The training grounds exploded into chaos.
"The Mist Emperor?"
"Why is he here?"
Zephyr raised a hand to calm the recruits. Armament Haki already coated his fist. "Reid. Are you here to provoke me?"
"How could I be?" Reid spread his hands. "I am a lawful king of an affiliated nation, here to attend the World Council." He pointed behind him at Kizaru. "This is my bodyguard."
Kizaru raised a hand cooperatively. "Oh. What a troublesome job."
Zephyr's expression darkened even further.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Reid, however, did not care. He turned to Kizaru and said, "Let's go, Borsalino. How about we check out the cafeteria? I hear the Navy food is pretty good."
Kizaru shrugged. "At least I do not have to pay."
After they left, the tension on the training grounds slowly dissipated. A recruit asked carefully, "Instructor Zephyr. That man really was…"
Zephyr remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"Focus on your training."