By the time Jonathan arrived at the G-8 fortress harbor, the Crocodile had just finished docking. His expression was serious, a hint of tension lingering beneath his calm demeanor. Drake stood right behind him.
Since Drake wasn't familiar with the legendary figure his superior kept talking about, he wasn't particularly nervous. Instead, he was mostly curious. This was the first time he had ever heard that Marine Headquarters supposedly had a fourth Admiral, and that the man aboard this very ship was said to be the strongest of them all.
The sea breeze swept in, rustling their coats. Jonathan stood perfectly straight. Even though he was already a Vice Admiral, a true pillar of the Marines, he still didn't dare show the slightest disrespect toward the people on that ship.
In fact, he felt the exact same nervousness he had experienced as a young officer meeting his superiors for the first time.
The warship bearing the golden scepter insignia slowly settled into place. After another dozen seconds or so, a tall, powerfully built figure appeared on deck. He wore a spotless white Marine uniform with a sword hanging at his waist, a faint smile resting on his face as he casually surveyed his surroundings.
The man's physique was so imposing that his normally loose Marine uniform looked as though it might burst at the seams at any moment. His eyes carried a smile, but when his gaze landed on Drake, it brought an invisible weight with it. The Admiral insignia on his shoulders only added to the overwhelming sense of awe.
This was an Admiral whose name wasn't widely known among ordinary Marines, but among the older generation of officers, he was practically a legend. Even Vice Admiral Jonathan was visibly breaking a sweat. Drake could clearly sense that the moment Jonathan saw the man, the seasoned Vice Admiral somehow seemed to shrink a little.
Soon, the gangway connecting the ship to the shore was lowered. The muscular figure strode down first. Following closely behind him were several people wearing Marine uniforms, all expressionless and serious.
"Crocodile."
"Doflamingo."
"They're actually wearing Marine uniforms?!"
When Drake saw the two men emerge, he was completely stunned. What's more, their ranks were Rear Admiral and Lieutenant Colonel, both higher than his own. For a moment, Drake felt entirely bewildered. What in the world had happened to the Marines?
As more people disembarked, Drake noticed all kinds of strange-looking individuals wearing Marine coats. The sight left him even more confused.
"They don't look like Marines at all. They look more like pirates..."
Jonathan, on the other hand, remained much calmer. Back when he was still young, rumors had circulated throughout the organization that Vice Admiral Kojin had a habit of "persuading" pirates to turn over a new leaf. Looking at the scene now, it was obvious that habit hadn't changed a bit.
"Jonathan, I remember you," Kojin's laughter rang out as his towering figure approached. "You used to be pretty close to Sakazuki, didn't you?"
At three and a half meters tall, he was already enormous compared to ordinary people, yet the pressure and presence he exuded were even more overwhelming. It felt as though a mountain was bearing down on them. For a moment, both Jonathan and Drake found it difficult to breathe.
Jonathan froze, sweat quickly forming on his forehead. "Admiral Kojin, it's been a long time. More than twenty years have passed, and you still look just as young as ever."
He didn't dare answer the question directly and quickly changed the subject. Deep down, he knew perfectly well that if the man before him wanted to act against him, he wouldn't hesitate for a single second. And considering the terrible relationship between Akainu and this man, the chances of that happening weren't exactly low. At this moment, caution was his only option.
"Heh. Why are you so nervous?" Standing before him, Kojin looked down at the Vice Admiral and smiled. "You think just because you were close to Sakazuki, I'd take it out on you? I'm not that petty."
Jonathan's expression stiffened. There was no way he would believe that so easily. Back then, everyone who knew Kojin understood one thing: his sense of justice might not be as absolute as Sakazuki's, and his unique ideals inspired fierce loyalty from countless followers, but when it came to raw forcefulness, he wasn't a single bit weaker than Sakazuki.
In fact, his sheer charisma surpassed almost everyone in the entire Marine organization.
More than twenty years had passed, and Kojin was now at the absolute peak of his life. Even Admiral Sakazuki would probably have to lower his head a little when facing him. The title of the Marines' strongest fighting force was no joke.
"Enough small talk," Kojin spoke casually. "You've probably noticed that I've got a whole ship full of people waiting to eat. My ship happened to pass by your base, so I figured we'd stop for supplies."
His eyes briefly swept over Drake before moving away. The name was nearly identical, but this Drake was clearly not the person he was familiar with from his memories.
"That's not a problem, is it?"
Only after hearing that explanation did Jonathan finally relax. "Of course not. Please make yourselves comfortable, Admiral Kojin, and everyone accompanying you. The G-8 personnel will take care of the ship's maintenance and resupply immediately."
Kojin nodded, then followed Jonathan into the fortress reception room.
Jonathan clearly didn't dare neglect anyone. Whether it was Admiral Kojin, his subordinates Crocodile and Doflamingo, or even Rosinante, Buggy, Kuina, and the others, he greeted each of them with the utmost respect.
Sometimes, being a Marine wasn't just about strength; you also had to know how to deal with people. If not for that knack for diplomacy, the moment he met the man today, he probably would have been in serious trouble.
"Vice Admiral Jonathan, your life as the commander of G-8 looks pretty comfortable," Kojin spoke with a sigh of nostalgia. "It reminds me of my days as a Vice Admiral commanding a base in West Blue."
"You flatter me, Admiral Kojin. How could I possibly compare to you?" Jonathan replied cautiously.
"Why not?" Kojin raised an eyebrow. "You're friends with Admiral Sakazuki, and you're stationed in the relatively peaceful first half of the Grand Line, dealing mostly with rookie pirates. With your abilities, Vice Admiral Jonathan, your job should be a breeze. Unlike me. Back when I was a Vice Admiral commanding West Blue, there was an endless pile of problems to deal with. I was busy every single day. Then I finally got promoted to Admiral, only to be assigned to Impel Down for suppression duties. It wasn't until recently that I was transferred out and got to see the sunlight of the outside world again. You've had it much better than I have."
The words were accompanied by a warm smile, but Jonathan's heart skipped a beat. Sweat instantly broke out on his forehead, and a cold chill ran down his spine.
'Good grief,' he thought. 'He's casually tossing around Impel Down's top-secret matters?'
This Admiral really had no taboos whatsoever. And that only confirmed Jonathan's suspicion; the man's visit definitely wasn't as innocent as a mere pit stop.
'Is my life more comfortable than yours? What exactly is that supposed to mean?'
"Someone as capable as Vice Admiral Jonathan shouldn't be wasting away here," Kojin continued. "Doesn't it feel like a waste of your talents? A waste of your life? Have you ever considered going to the New World and fighting real battles against the great pirates? Putting your abilities to proper use?"
Jonathan's face stiffened. For a moment, he didn't even want to answer. This was the voice of a devil tempting him.
"When I return to Headquarters in a few days, I'll put in a recommendation to Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Kojin sighed emotionally. "I'll suggest transferring Vice Admiral Jonathan to a more important position. Someone with your capabilities shouldn't be living such a comfortable life. After all, with great power comes great responsibility!"
'Do you even hear yourself right now?' Jonathan was cursing him up and down in his mind, but he still forced a polite smile onto his face.
"Admiral Kojin is absolutely right."
He genuinely wanted to swear. He had been enjoying life at G-8 just fine, and then this guy showed up out of nowhere, first asking for supplies, and now trying to force a promotion on him. Have some humanity, will you?
Sure enough, none of the Admirals were good people.
Only after hearing Jonathan agree did Kojin finally reveal a satisfied smile. Behind him, Crocodile and Doflamingo both curled their lips upward. This was clearly one of their superior's more twisted hobbies.
The resupply of the Crocodile didn't take long. The shipwrights at G-8 replaced a few worn-out parts, and the maintenance was quickly completed. After all, when the ship had originally been built, only the best labor and materials had been used, following the recommendations of the expert shipwrights within Kojin's organization.
Large quantities of food, clothing, and daily necessities soon filled the cargo holds to the brim. Jonathan had already issued strict orders: nothing was to be neglected, and everything had to be done perfectly.
The next day, the Crocodile departed.
"Haaah..." Jonathan let out a long breath, but his expression remained grim.
"The moment he came back, he started clearing away potential opposition. What a ruthless, iron-fisted man." Though he muttered the words aloud, his heart felt heavy.
Kojin's return would almost certainly stir up a massive storm within the Marines. After all, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was getting old and nearing retirement, meaning the day of the next Fleet Admiral selection probably wasn't far away.
Jonathan's friend, Admiral Sakazuki, better known as Akainu, was one of the leading candidates. Now that Kojin had returned, he would undoubtedly become a powerful contender as well.
"A storm is coming," Jonathan murmured to himself. "When two such dominant figures collide, what kind of upheaval will the Marines face in the future?"
Just thinking about it made him feel utterly suffocated.
…
Three Days Later - Long Ring Long Land
The Crocodile arrived at Long Ring Long Land, and Kojin's group disembarked. Kuina, Tashigi, and a few others were immediately fascinated by the island's unusually long creatures and ran off to explore. Crocodile and Doflamingo, however, showed absolutely no interest.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Kojin suddenly looked toward a certain direction. A moment later, a smile appeared on his face.
"The Slow-Slow Fruit... now that's an interesting ability."
Lightning suddenly flashed around his body. With a sharp crackle, he shot into the sky and vanished from everyone's sight in an instant.
Meanwhile, on a street in Long Ring Long Land, Kuina and Tashigi were staring excitedly at the various strange animals around them.
"Everything's so looong! They're adorable!" Tashigi exclaimed.
"The animals here are all so tall," Kuina nodded in agreement. Suddenly, she seemed to sense something and snapped her head around.
At the far end of the street, a man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and carrying a massive, cross-shaped sword on his back was walking calmly toward them. As if noticing her gaze, he looked up at the exact same moment.
"A swordsman!" Kuina's pupils contracted. "And a great swordsman!"
She could feel the incredibly sharp, oppressive aura emanating from him.
Beside her, Tashigi cried out in sheer shock. "The World's Greatest Swordsman! Dracule Mihawk, Hawk Eyes!!!"
Instantly, Kuina's entire posture changed.
(End of Chapter)
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