The street was still.
Not quiet, fear never truly allowed silence. But frozen, as though the entire world was holding its breath after what had just occurred.
Tashigi was the first to move.
The moment her shock loosened its grip, she broke into a run.
"Captain Tenjin!" she shouted, panic sharp in her voice. "Are you okay?!"
Tenjin turned around at her call, expression calm, almost relaxed, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He gave her an easy smile.
"Don't worry," he said lightly. "I'm fine."
Relief surged through Tashigi, only to die instantly.
Her eyes dropped.
"—!"
She froze.
Tenjin's right hand was completely shattered.
Not bruised. Not cracked.
Shattered.
The bones sat at wrong angles beneath torn skin, fingers bent unnaturally, blood slowly dripping down his wrist and onto the stone below.
"YOUR HAND!" Tashigi screamed.
Tenjin blinked, then glanced down as if only just noticing.
"Oh. Yeah," he said thoughtfully. "That."
He flexed his fingers slightly. The motion sent a faint grinding sound through the air.
"I think I shattered it when I punched that agent's Haki-coated fist head-on," he added, scratching his cheek with his other hand. "That was… probably dumb of me."
Tashigi's face went pale.
"We—we have to get it treated!" she said urgently. "Right now!"
Tenjin waved his uninjured hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about it. It'll heal on its own after some time."
"That is not how injuries work!" Tashigi snapped.
She stepped closer, eyes blazing with determination.
"This is not up for debate."
Tenjin stiffened.
He looked at her properly then, really looked, and for the first time since arriving on the island, he found himself caught off guard.
"…Oh," he said awkwardly. "O–Okay."
Before anything else could be said, soft footsteps approached.
Nina's mother stood before him, clutching her daughter's hand so tightly her knuckles were white. Tears streamed freely down her face as her shoulders shook.
"Captain Tenjin…" she whispered.
Tenjin turned toward her.
Without warning, she bowed deeply.
"Thank you," she cried. "Thank you so much, Captain Tenjin. I thought… I thought I was really going to lose my daughter."
Tenjin startled.
"H-Hey, please don't—" he said, waving his one working hand. "You don't need to thank me. I was just doing my job."
Nina tugged gently at her mother's hand, then bowed as well.
"Thank you, Captain," she said, voice small but sincere.
Tenjin's expression softened.
He crouched down despite the pain, bringing himself to Nina's eye level. With a warm smile, he gently patted her head.
"Don't worry," he said. "I promise I'll always protect you, okay?"
Nina's eyes lit up.
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
Tenjin chuckled.
"Good."
Tashigi watched the scene unfold, warmth spreading quietly through her chest. Before she realized it, a small smile had formed on her lips.
Nina and her mother bowed one last time before leaving, disappearing into the thinning crowd.
When they were gone, Tashigi turned back to Tenjin. Her expression was conflicted, emotions swirling behind her glasses.
"…Thank you, Captain Tenjin," she said quietly.
Tenjin tilted his head.
"For what?"
"I couldn't do anything," she admitted. "I just stood there and watched as a child was almost taken away. I couldn't move."
Tenjin shrugged.
"Don't worry too much about it."
She hesitated, then asked, "Captain… what are you going to do now? A Marine Admiral might come here."
Tenjin looked at her directly.
"Tashigi," he said evenly. "When I became a Marine, I resolved myself to protecting the people."
His gaze hardened, not with anger, but with conviction.
"I didn't sign up to protect so-called gods."
He straightened.
"If doing my job means I have to fight the government's strongest forces…" he said, voice steady, "then bring it on."
Tashigi's breath caught.
Her cheeks flushed before she could stop herself.
She quickly turned away.
"A-Anyway!" she said hastily. "Let's go get your hand treated. I don't see you beating an Admiral with just one hand."
Tenjin laughed.
"Oh? Tashigi," he teased. "Are you blushing? I was pretty cool just now, wasn't I?"
She turned beet red.
"IDIOT!" she snapped. "Why would I blush for you?!"
She started walking quickly.
"We should get you treated before you get an infection!"
But as she walked ahead, her voice softened, barely audible.
"…You looked cool, Captain Tenjin. Really cool."
Tenjin, smiling to himself, never heard those words.
---
Marineford.
The air was tense.
Sengoku sat hunched over a chessboard, sweat dripping down his temple as he stared at the pieces before him.
There is no way, he thought desperately, that I lose to Garp. No way.
Across from him, Garp leaned back in his chair, grinning confidently.
Tsuru, watching from the side, sighed.
"Sengoku," she said calmly. "It looks like you're going to lose."
"I won't!" Sengoku snapped.
Garp laughed.
"You underestimated me, Sengoku," he said smugly. "I've been practicing chess with Bogard, you know."
Sengoku gritted his teeth, frantically trying to think of a way out.
Just then—
The door flew open.
Vice Admiral Momonga stepped inside.
"Fleet Admiral—"
"Momonga!" Sengoku shouted.
He stood up so abruptly that he knocked the table over, sending the chessboard and pieces flying across the room.
Garp stared.
"SENGOKU!"
Sengoku rubbed the back of his head, feigning embarrassment.
"Ahaha… sorry about that, Garp. Total mistake. Looks like the game's void now."
Tsuru covered her mouth, chuckling inwardly.
He did that on purpose.
Garp glared.
"You know that wasn't a mistake," he said. "You did that on purpose."
"What are you talking about?" Sengoku argued. "I'm human. Humans make mistakes."
Garp laughed, digging his pinky into his nose.
"Well, since I was about to win anyway," he said cheerfully, "that means I win, right?"
"That's not how it works!" Sengoku shouted. "The game is void! We restart!"
Momonga cleared his throat.
"…Am I interrupting something?" he asked. "I can come back later if I am."
Sengoku looked at Momonga and waved a hand calmly.
"No, you can come in, Momonga," he said. "Have a seat."
He lowered himself back into his chair, folding his arms as the room settled.
Momonga stepped forward with measured steps. He stopped a few paces away, straightened his posture, and saluted sharply.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," he said. "You had asked to see me."
Sengoku nodded.
"Yes. I wanted to ask you how you would feel about escorting your previous apprentice, Tenjin, when he comes here for the trainee program."
For a brief moment, the rigid composure Momonga was known for softened.
"…Escort Tenjin?" he repeated.
A nostalgic smile spread across his face, unguarded and genuine.
"Of course, Fleet Admiral," he said. "I'd be more than happy to."
Sengoku smiled in return, clearly pleased.
"I knew you would," he said. "Actually, I spoke to Tenjin a few hours ago. He's grown into such a mature boy."
Momonga's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"Oh?" he said. "You did? What did you talk to him about?"
Sengoku leaned back in his chair.
"Well, a World Noble was shipwrecked in the North Blue," he explained. "So I contacted him and asked him to help guarantee the noble's safety. He was very cooperative. Truly behaving beyond his age."
The atmosphere shifted.
Momonga's smile faded. His jaw tightened, and a shadow crossed his face.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," he said carefully, "that may not have been the smartest idea."
Sengoku frowned.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Momonga took a breath.
"Tenjin's sense of justice runs deep," he said. "Too deep. If that World Noble were to do something detestable in his presence… I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from acting."
Sengoku waved the concern away.
"Nonsense," he said. "We spoke to Tenjin and explained everything to him. He understood the situation and was fine with it."
Before Momonga could respond—
Buruburuburu.
The Den Den Mushi on Sengoku's desk began to ring.
Sengoku reached for it, still wearing a confident expression.
"This is Fleet Admiral Sengoku," he said.
The voice that answered was strained, sharp with panic.
"Is this Marine HQ?! I—I am King Hanatama of Knveel Kingdom!"
Sengoku straightened slightly.
"Yes," he replied. "This is Marine Headquarters."
The voice continued, rushed and agitated.
"I am calling to report that Captain Tenjin has brutally punched Saint Paul! Saint Paul is in critical condition! I am requesting that an Admiral be dispatched immediately to deal with the perpetrator!"
For a split second, the world seemed to freeze.
Sengoku shot to his feet so fast his chair scraped loudly against the floor.
"TENJIN DID WHAT?!" he roared.
The Den Den Mushi trembled in his grip.
Across the room, Momonga closed his eyes.
I warned you.
Then—
"Hahahahaha!"
Garp burst into laughter, loud and unrestrained, tears already forming at the corners of his eyes.
"Good!" he boomed. "Good! I think I like this Tenjin kid!"
Sengoku spun toward him, face thunderous.
"THIS IS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER, GARP!"
But Garp only laughed harder, clutching his stomach.
"I told you," he said between laughs. "That boy's got something special in him. Something honest."
Tsuru, standing quietly to the side, exhaled slowly. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a faint tension in her eyes.
"So it's begun," she murmured.
Sengoku clenched his fists.
"…Prepare an Admiral," he said grimly. "This situation cannot be allowed to escalate."