The office door clicked open. Borsalino's hand, raised to knock, froze mid-air. His eyes widened slightly.
"Joy Boy," Nico Robin's voice drifted through the gap. "The Will of D. The Poneglyphs. Ancient Weapons."
The Admiral's mind reeled. Each word was a bombshell that could shatter the world. If these secrets leaked, the entire global order would collapse. And then came the critical blow.
"Your Arms-Arms Fruit," she stated, her tone calm yet sharp. "Your Zanpakutō. Losing them would cripple you by at least forty percent."
Borsalino held his breath. The implications were staggering.
"What will you do, Admiral Rosen?"
Inside the office, Rosen sat behind his desk, expression unreadable. Robin crossed her arms, staring him down. Whether driven by gratitude for his protection or a desire to avenge Ohara, she refused to let history repeat itself.
"Have you ever seen me at my prime?" Rosen asked casually.
Robin froze. Gion, standing nearby, smiled. Even Borsalino, still in the doorway, felt the tension dissolve.
Admiral Rosen at his peak. Who had witnessed it? During the war that obliterated Whitebeard and Big Mom's crews, his Conqueror's Haki was already unprecedented. Now? No one could guess how far he'd grown.
"Joy Boy was the strongest in his era," Robin said, her gaze intense. "He possessed three Ancient Weapons and lost to the Celestial Dragons. Are you so sure you won't repeat his mistake?"
"The strongest can lose," Rosen said, rising from his chair. Gion immediately draped his Justice Coat over his shoulders. "But I will not."
He walked past Robin, his voice a low, unshakable promise.
"I won't repeat anyone's mistake."
At the door, Borsalino stepped back as Rosen approached. Though both were Admirals, the Vice Admiral bowed slightly, the way one would for an emperor.
"It's time," Rosen said.
"Indeed, Junior."
The four of them moved through the massive corridors, past towering doors, and entered a conference room that resembled a grand cathedral. At its center stood a round table bearing the Marine seagull emblem. Dozens of chairs surrounded it, with additional rows extending outward.
Every seat was filled.
Sengoku, Garp, and Sakazuki occupied the inner ring. Beyond them sat kings, queens, princesses, and princes from over a hundred nations—humans, merfolk, long-armed tribes, dwarves, and more.
Rosen walked to the center chair and sat.
The moment his gaze swept the room, a palpable weight fell over the assembly. Kings stiffened. Dwarves trembled. Mermaids gasped for air. It wasn't Haki—just his presence.
Is this the strength of the world's strongest? they thought, sweat beading on their brows.
"Welcome to Marine Headquarters," Rosen said. His voice wasn't loud, but it resonated like a cannon blast. "When I graduated from the Academy, Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Instructor Zephyr planned a ceremony for me."
He paused, letting the silence hang.
"I refused."
Sengoku's eyes narrowed. Zephyr, seated at the inner table, watched intently.
"They asked why," Rosen continued. "My answer was simple: I wanted every Marine across the world to witness my commission as an Admiral."
A murmur rippled through the room. That ceremony—broadcast globally, witnessed by millions—had been legendary.
"But there was another reason I didn't mention then," Rosen said, his voice dropping an octave.
The room fell deathly silent.
"I wanted the Seven Warlords, the Four Emperors, and the Three Admirals present... to witness my ascension to Fleet Admiral."
Boom.
The atmosphere cracked. A shadow split the air—a Garganta tearing open.
First, the Warlords stepped through: Boa Hancock, Bartholomew Kuma, Donquixote Doflamingo, and Gecko Moria. The only absentees were Dracule Mihawk, Jinbe, and Crocodile—all defeated in the war against the Emperors.
Then, two figures emerged from the void, frozen in ice: Edward Newgate and Charlotte Linlin. Kaido had escaped prison; Wang Zhi's body was shattered. The Yonko had arrived—posthumously.
The kings gasped. Even Sengoku's composure faltered.
He summoned them. The dead Yonko, the collared Warlords—all brought here by the Marine King's will.
Gion stared at Rosen, realization dawning. No wonder he refused the graduation ceremony. His ambition was never just to become an Admiral. It was to command the world itself.
"Ah la la la!" Zephyr laughed, tears of pride glistening. "That's my student!"
"Only he would dare," Kuzan muttered, shaking his head. "And only he could succeed."
Borsalino marveled internally. Now I understand. His Haki didn't just grow—it was forged by this spirit from the start.
Sakazuki smiled—a rare, genuine expression of admiration.
"There's one more thing," Rosen said, drawing every eye back to him.
The room waited, hearts pounding.
"I once told Sengoku-sensei and Zephyr-sensei: I would become the strongest. I would make the Three Admirals, the Four Emperors, and the Seven Warlords bow before me."
He stood, the Justice Coat billowing behind him.
"Now, I have done it. And I will go further."
Rosen's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"The World Government has outlived its purpose. The Celestial Dragons' rule ends today. From this moment forward, the Marines belong to no one but justice."
He raised his hand. Above him, the Garganta swirled wider, revealing a glimpse of the chaotic void beyond.
"And if any dare challenge that justice... let them come."
The room erupted—not in panic, but in awe. The kings, the Marines, even the Warlords felt it: the dawn of a new era.
The Marine Era had truly begun.
—-
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