Chapter 412: Aftermath of the War
Marineford · Fleet Admiral's Office
A week passed quietly.
With the collaboration of Vegapunk's technology and various Devil Fruit users, Marineford had been reborn from the rubble and ruins.
The ruins were reforged into an iron fortress. Hidden artillery batteries and energy shields were silently embedded into the thick, heavy walls, making the entire stronghold more heavily guarded and imposing than in any previous era.
Although the World Government made no public statement, they quietly used financial sanctions as a blade to sever the Marines' lifeline—drastically slashing their financial support in an attempt to choke the throat of Justice through economic means.
However, Gild Tesoro's golden torrent flooded in against the tide. Especially after learning that Roy had slain one of the Five Elders, his financial backing became even more frenzied, supporting the Marines almost at all costs.
At the same time, under the secret coordination and screening of the Revolutionary Army, Fish-Man Island and numerous allied nations that had undergone revolutions gradually learned the truth. One after another, they secretly funneled funds and supplies to the Marines.
All of this occurred within a quiet undercurrent, sustaining the massive Marine machine and ensuring the foundation of "Justice" remained unshakeable.
—Calm on the surface, but with undercurrents violently churning below.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, documents were piled up like small mountains. The scent of ink mingled with an atmosphere of intense irritation.
Sengoku's brow twitched violently, his veins popping as his roar rattled the window frames:
"ROY!!! If you're that bored, go handle the aftermath logistics! Law is so busy he's about to cough up blood!!! Why are you just standing around here being an eyesore?!!"
Roy was lazily nestled in the sofa, unhurriedly brewing a pot of tea. The fragrant steam curled upward as he sat there with absolute composure, completely ignoring Sengoku's fury.
"Oh come on~ I already went," he said, throwing his hands up in a lackadaisical manner. "But Law complained that I was just making a bigger mess of things and kicked me right out. The three Admirals all have their own missions, and the officers below are working themselves to death... As for me, I can only come here to your place for a breather~"
"YOU—!!!" Sengoku nearly fainted from pure rage.
He slammed his hand heavily on the desk, bellowing, "Where are Garp and Zephyr?! Where did those two old bastards disappear to?! Why aren't they back yet!!!"
Roy took a sip of tea, casually blowing away the foam, his tone breezy: "Oh, them... It seems they went on a group tour with my parents. I heard they're somewhere in the East Blue, enthusiastically fishing for those super small Sea Kings~"
CRACK—!!!
The fountain pen in Sengoku's hand was completely crushed, ink splattering all over the desk.
His face cycled between shades of green and white, nearly passing out from sheer anger. "Those two irresponsible old geezers!!! The world is about to flip upside down, and they actually went off to go fishing?!!"
Roy shrugged. With a twirl of his fingertips, a brand-new fountain pen materialized out of thin air and landed steadily in Sengoku's palm.
He smiled unhurriedly. "Calm down, Fleet Admiral. The situation is relatively stable now, so just let the old folks relax a bit~"
Sengoku's beard trembled with anger. "Stable my ass!!! I'm going to be angered to death by you bunch of troublesome bastards!!!"
"I'M AN OLD MAN TOO—!!!"
Roy smacked his lips, suddenly remembering something. "Right, the 'Diva's' concert at the Sabaody Archipelago is in the next day or two, right? Who did you arrange to go over there? After all, she's coming under the banner of cheering for the Marines' victory. It wouldn't look good if something happened at the venue."
Sengoku's pen moved like the wind as he answered without even looking up: "I had Nami lead Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and an elite squad to accompany her. Right now, besides you, who in the entire army isn't rushed off their feet? Even Chopper has been stuck in the hospital for a week straight without closing his eyes!"
"PFFT—!!!"
Roy violently spat out the tea he had just swallowed, the mist blooming like a crystalline flower in the sunlight.
He froze for a second before his shoulders shook with laughter. "Luffy went to the concert?! HAHAHAHA—That concert is definitely going to be lively now!!!"
Sengoku paused, shooting him a suspicious glance. But seeing Roy laughing like someone expecting a good show, though he felt a bad premonition, he truly couldn't spare the energy to interrogate him. He could only bury his head back into the suffocating mountain of paperwork.
Roy shook his head with a smile, suddenly standing up and walking over to Sengoku's document-piled desk.
With a twist of his fingertips, a Devil Fruit covered in spiral patterns materialized out of thin air, landing gently on top of the document pile.
Sengoku's pen abruptly stopped, his pupils shrinking violently. "This is...?!"
"World's—the Moa Moa no Mi (More-More Fruit)." Roy's tone was flat, as if casually mentioning a trivial matter.
"A rule-class ability that can multiply strength, speed, and size... an absolute weapon of mass destruction."
"WH—!!!"
Sengoku stood up so fast his chair legs screeched harshly against the floor. He stared dead at the fruit, his breathing turning ragged.
"This is... a genuinely powerful, top-tier combat fruit!"
The corners of Roy's lips curled up. "Which is why I'm leaving it to you. I'm counting on you, Lord Fleet Admiral~"
Sengoku frowned, confused. "Counting on me? You mean..."
Roy nodded.
A sharp gleam suddenly flashed through Sengoku's eyes. "Indeed... with Garp's monstrous iron fists and combat style, this fruit is practically tailor-made for him."
But before he even finished, his brow furrowed fiercely again. "But with his stubborn temper..."
"That's why you'll have to put some effort into convincing him, Fleet Admiral~"
Roy yawned, turning toward the door and waving his hand casually.
Staring at his back, Sengoku suddenly called out, "Wait!!! And about that other matter... have you thought about it?!"
Roy's footsteps paused.
Sengoku took a deep breath, his voice solemn, yet carrying a trace of anticipation: "The position of the Fourth Admiral... the entire Marine Headquarters is waiting for your answer."
The room fell into a brief silence.
Roy looked back, his expression looking extremely troubled. "About that... let's just put it on hold for now. Mostly because..."
Halfway through, he suddenly burst into loud laughter. His figure flashed out the door, leaving his final sentence drifting in the wind:
"I really haven't figured out what my codename should be yet~"
Sengoku stood stunned for a long moment. Looking at the empty doorway, he couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.
He looked down, his fingertips gently stroking the Moa Moa no Mi with its peculiar patterns, murmuring softly, "That brat..."
Though he complained out loud, he was very clear in his heart.
In the current Marines, the only person capable of facing the "Master of the Empty Throne" head-on was Roy alone.
No matter how much Roy slacked off or joked around, he was ultimately the irreplaceable pillar of the entire Marine Headquarters.
...
Sabaody Archipelago · Concert Preparation Venue.
A crystal stage, as beautiful as a dream, was being rapidly constructed. Giant light pillars pierced the night sky, and colorful screens of light slowly swirled in mid-air.
The tens of thousands of audience seats were brilliantly illuminated. The interweaving of cheers and soundcheck melodies created a fiery, festival-like atmosphere.
Nami led Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp to the backstage area to coordinate security details with the "Diva's" team.
When people saw that the famous "Rear Admiral Flame Dragon" had arrived, accompanied by several of the new generation's rising stars celebrated both inside and outside the Marines, the backstage area instantly erupted into a frenzy.
"It really is Rear Admiral Flame Dragon!!!"
"And the new generation of Marines...!!"
"This lineup is too stacked!"
The staff chattered excitedly, raising their Camera Den Den Mushi, unable to wait to take commemorative photos with these young heroes.
The backstage atmosphere boiled over in an instant.
However, deep behind the curtains, away from the clamor, a slender figure stood quietly.
Uta lowered her long eyelashes. Through the sheer, gauze-like curtain, her gaze fell upon the black-haired boy standing beside Nami, who was still grinning widely with eyes blazing with passion.
In that instant, her breath seemed to catch, and her entire being froze slightly.
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