Although enemies were meeting, and their eyes burned with hostility, neither Michael nor the Five Elders chose to act on their hatred immediately.
It was simply a matter of timing not yet being right.
Of course, neither side was eager to make the first move, so they simply ignored each other.
Michael only nodded toward Sengoku, then left.
His meeting with the Five Elders was just a small side note.
Overall, the period before the promotion ceremony began was actually quite cheerful at Marineford Headquarters.
After all, it had been a rare joyful event in recent years.
Ever since executing the Pirate King Gol D. Roger in Loguetown and ushering in the so-called "Great Pirate Era," the Navy was in urgent need of a morale boost.
So almost all of the prominent Navy figures had returned to headquarters.
But when the crowd grew… there were inevitably a few comical incidents.
"Hey! Whoever's in charge of setting up the promotion ceremony venue!?"
Outside the ceremony hall at Marineford, a large group of Navy personnel were shouting and scurrying about, faces showing the faint but unmistakable frustration of overworked staff.
"The red carpet outside the venue just now… Vice Admiral Garp completely ruined it! Hurry up and get a new one! Otherwise, during the ceremony, the Admirals and the Fleet Admiral will be stepping onto the uneven, dented surface left by Garp!"
"What's going on now!? Can't Vice Admiral Garp behave even a little? Can't he be dignified? He's a Navy hero! But every day he acts like some mischievous old man! What the heck!"
"You ask me, I ask who? Who can control this man?"
"I already went to investigate in detail. Vice Admiral Garp said he spotted suspicious individuals and rushed over immediately! To protect the safety of the whole venue, and the Five Elders, he took action."
"Ah? Then why has Vice Admiral Garp disappeared now?"
"Oh, although Garp did intervene, he later realized that these people were some of the most outstanding warriors recruited from the Amazon Lily Navy after joining the Sabaody Archipelago forces… They had been invited personally by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru to receive their official promotions during the ceremony. So now, Vice Admiral Garp has been apprehended by Vice Admiral Tsuru and Vice Admiral Momousagi and is being taken to apologize."
"Hey, mind your words! It's still Admiral Sengoku now!"
"Well, it won't make much difference… After all, in recent years, what's really the difference between Admiral Sengoku and the Fleet Admiral?"
"…Well, when you put it that way."
Marineford, as the Navy's headquarters and real base of operations, was generally not this lively. Its nature didn't exactly lend itself to chaos…
But thanks to all of Garp's old antics, the place had gained a bit of laughter and cheer.
Still, the overall pace was quite urgent.
Especially for the coordinating commander, Tsuru. Even with her usual calm expression in front of the Five Elders, she was now sweating from the stress…
Particularly since Garp had just caused a major incident, almost taking out all the female marines from the Sabaody Archipelago in one go.
"Ahem ahem ahem, Tsuru, after all these years of friendship, can't you let me off the hook just this once?"
Garp followed at Tsuru's side, a fawning smile on his face.
"I promise, I won't cause any more trouble today… And really, this wasn't entirely my fault, right? Even though Amazon Lily is already part of our manpower pool, seeing a group of people without Navy uniforms suddenly appear, of course I had to check if someone had infiltrated the ceremony to sabotage it!"
"Do you have anything else to do? If not, lift those two old legs of yours and go greet the representatives of the Ryugu Kingdom."
"Alright, alright, leave that to me."
Garp heaved a sigh of relief, as if pardoned, and then vanished in a flash.
Tsuru shook her head and turned back to continue her busy work.
This promotion ceremony would not only be attended by various branches of the Navy, but also by closely allied nations.
For example, Amazon Lily, Alabasta, and the Ryugu Kingdom of Fish-Man Island.
At first, Tsuru had been concerned whether the arrival of the Ryugu Kingdom might conflict with the Five Elders.
After all, one was the implementer of a conspiracy, the other its victim.
Enemies meeting, and their eyes burning with hostility…
But seeing Michael even manage a slightly creepy, yet almost smile-like expression toward the Five Elders, Tsuru didn't bother worrying anymore.
...
Garp jogged all the way to the Marineford port.
This was perhaps the largest port in the world of One Piece.
Countless warships were arranged like scales on a dragon, in perfect formation.
From a distance, it looked like a stretch of steel rising from the sea.
Whenever Garp saw this scene, his heart would swell with excitement.
But now, even more thrilling than that was the soldiers at the port.
"Wow! What a luxurious carriage!"
"I thought the royal family of Ryugu Kingdom would come swimming up from the ocean like the merfolk or Fish-Man warriors, but that was way off!"
"A chariot drawn by Sea Kings… truly spectacular."
Garp quickened his steps and just then saw Neptune, and Queen Otohime descend from the carriage.
Jinbei, dressed in a Navy officer's uniform, stood by as their guard.
"Wa ha ha ha! Neptune, this display is really something!" Garp laughed heartily and stepped forward to shake Neptune's hand. "It's been a while since we last met. Fish-Man Island has really bounced back during this time!"
"Ho ho ho ho! All thanks to Vice Admiral Michael!"
Neptune's smile was genuine. Half a year ago, Fish-Man Island had nearly collapsed due to betrayal by the World Government, but Michael had single-handedly revived it with an unprecedented united Fish-Man front, unstoppable from that point onward.
Now, Fish-Man Island was flush with wealth.
Even the World Government that had betrayed them had resumed contact.
Not only promising to restore the Ryugu Kingdom's right to attend the World Summit, but also ensuring Fish-Men and merfolk could live openly under the sun, with the entire race under the protection of the World Government.
The goal was to take a share from Fish-Man Island… perhaps even to seize the larger portion for themselves.
But facing the World Government's conditions, Neptune had learned Michael's approach.
Neither agreeing nor opposing.
If you ask again, I'll just say…
"Hehe."
"By the way, Neptune, I must warn you…"
"This time, the Five Elders will all be present at the promotion ceremony."
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