Kojin!
This was a name of extraordinary significance within the Marines, one deeply buried in the hearts of countless people.
Just as the Pirate King Roger represented an era, Kojin represented the ideals hidden deep within the hearts of many Marines.
Without question, Kojin was a great Marine.
Anyone who truly understood him would acknowledge that from the bottom of their heart.
As time passed, people had nearly forgotten him, and the world had gradually become calm and peaceful once more.
Yet today, that name echoed once again in everyone's ears.
"Y-You're joking, right?"
"That man… wasn't he imprisoned in Impel Down?"
"I personally saw him enter Impel Down back then, his arms shattered and Seastone shackles locked around his legs!"
"To think I'd hear his name again in this lifetime!"
"A legend among the Marines, a man almost as famous as the Marine Hero himself, has actually returned to the world!"
"For the Marines, no, even for the entire world, this is earth-shaking news!"
"..."
For a moment, every Marine present revealed expressions of utter shock, as though they could not even believe the news.
After all, when they themselves were still young, that man had already stood at the pinnacle of Marine power.
He had also been the object of admiration and reverence in the hearts of countless people.
Even among peers of the same generation, he remained a dream they could never reach, a figure whose back they could only vaguely glimpse from afar.
At the end of the long table closest to Sengoku, Kizaru appeared as though he had just awakened from a daydream. A trace of surprise and absent-mindedness appeared on his face.
"It's been many years since I last heard that man's name."
"So… is this good news?"
"Or does it signify an even worse future?"
Hearing those words, Sengoku's eyes narrowed slightly.
It could be said that Kojin had always been accompanied by enormous trouble.
Every war connected to him had been enough to shake the world, and this man had never been someone content with staying quiet.
The "equal justice" he believed in and promoted had once stirred tremendous waves throughout both the Marines and the world itself.
Back then, he had even aspired to reform the Marines entirely, guiding them toward a more righteous and truly just direction.
But as time passed, the helplessness of reality had repeatedly left him disappointed.
Justice was not something one could simply speak of lightly.
Behind it lay far more complex matters.
Even someone with the lofty status of Fleet Admiral of the Marines still found it incredibly difficult to truly carry out justice.
"Where is he now?" Sengoku asked in a deep voice, his gaze sharpening.
"We haven't yet determined Admiral Kojin's whereabouts. The jailers of Impel Down also didn't dare ask too many questions." The field officer replied nervously.
"You may leave. Since he has come out, he must have many matters to deal with. In the future, we'll have plenty of time to catch up with him." Sengoku said calmly.
A glint flashed through his eyes.
Based on his understanding of Kojin, the fact that the man had once endured devastating injuries and willingly entered that dark, damp prison while bound in Seastone shackles…
Meant that if he now dared to emerge again, then he undoubtedly possessed even greater strength than before, and the confidence to confront even the Five Elders directly.
"So then… What exactly will you do next?"
A trace of curiosity arose within Sengoku's heart.
"But for the Marines… This is undoubtedly good news!"
Back when Sengoku first became Fleet Admiral, the Marines had possessed four Admirals.
At that time, he had firmly believed that the leadership generation under his command would become the strongest era in Marine history.
But reality had betrayed those expectations.
That sudden incident eventually occurred, leading to Kojin entering Impel Down and the Marines losing one of their absolute greatest powers.
Without question, Kojin had been the strongest among the new generation of four Admirals.
And now, with him stepping out of Impel Down once more, it meant that the Marines might finally return to the vision Sengoku had once dreamed of.
"With him here… Even if the enemy is Whitebeard…"
A cold gleam flashed through Sengoku's eyes as excitement surged within him.
For the first time, he seemed to glimpse a possibility, a chance to break apart the complicated deadlock of the current world.
Moreover, given Kojin's personality and the path he followed, perhaps the things Sengoku had failed to accomplish during his own tenure could one day be achieved by him instead.
After taking a deep breath, Sengoku swept his gaze across the gathered Marine officers, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.
"Perhaps…"
"Our plans for the future should undergo some changes."
"This meeting is adjourned."
"Dismissed!"
None of the Marines present voiced any objections.
They all stood up one after another and quickly departed.
Every officer wore a different expression, solemnity, excitement, nervousness, exhilaration, shock.
But soon, they all disappeared from the room.
It could be said that Kojin's reappearance had profoundly shaken every person present.
Sengoku was the last to leave the conference hall.
When he returned to his office, his expression relaxed slightly as he immediately instructed the officer before him:
"Find out Admiral Kojin's whereabouts immediately and establish contact with him by any means necessary."
"Yes, sir! I'll handle it at once!"
The officer's heart tightened as he turned and hurried away.
Then Sengoku sat silently in his chair.
After pondering for a moment, he slowly picked up a Den Den Mushi and placed the call.
"You'll never guess the kind of news I'm bringing you, Garp!" A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he spoke softly.
"Oh? Then stop keeping me in suspense. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense, Sengoku!" Garp replied.
"Kojin… He's come out." Sengoku said with a smile.
"Kojin?!" Garp was clearly stunned for a moment, followed by a long silence.
It seemed that the old friend on the other end of the Den Den Mushi was shocked and unable to believe the news.
Only after quite some time did loud laughter finally ring out.
"Hahaha! For an old man like me, this really is pretty good news!"
"That brat!"
"When I see him again, I'm definitely going to let him have a taste of my Iron Fist!"
Sengoku smiled faintly, though his tone carried a trace of mockery.
"The current you might not necessarily be his opponent anymore."
"That brat really was monstrously strong. Even ten years ago, beating him up had already become somewhat difficult for me. But since he walked out of that prison on his own initiative…"
Garp's voice gradually turned deeper.
"Then that undoubtedly means he already has the confidence to face every danger head-on."
"What kind of signal that represents… You should understand better than I do, Sengoku."
Sengoku nodded lightly.
"Of course I understand. Think carefully about how to make use of his strength."
"This world has been quiet for far too long. Now that that brat has come out, things will probably be turned upside down very soon!"
There was obvious amusement in Garp's voice.
"He was never the type to stay obediently in line!"
Hearing this, Sengoku first frowned slightly before laughing as well.
"I'm actually extremely curious about what he'll do next."
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford, outside the Gates of Justice.
The golden scepter gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
The Sander, with its streamlined hull, resembled a twisting bolt of lightning as it skimmed rapidly across the ocean surface at an almost unbelievable speed.
The beautiful ship was wrapped in threads of golden lightning, like a spirit born to command thunder itself.
In the blink of an eye, the vessel arrived before Kojin and the others.
"Zzzzt! Zzzzt!"
Arcs of electricity flickered continuously, as though expressing excitement and joy.
Kojin's expression turned nostalgic as he looked at the battleship specially crafted for him by a shipbuilding factory in the West Blue.
The Sander.
Also known as the Golden Scepter.
A scepter symbolized authority, and in mythology, it was the weapon held by the God of Thunder, the emblem of supreme status, belonging to the ruler and king of the gods.
With a light leap, Kojin landed atop the golden scepter at the bow.
Fisher Tiger, Buggy, and Kuina quickly followed onto the deck.
As they looked at the battleship covered in mysterious golden patterns stretching across its surface and deck, admiration and surprise filled their eyes.
A massive "Justice" was emblazoned across the white sails, while the mast flew the iconic Marine anchor flag.
At first glance, it appeared to be a rather simple battleship.
Yet its elegant exterior and noble interior made it anything but ordinary.
What was even more unbelievable was that the man standing atop the scepter merely needed a single thought for the vessel to automatically turn and transform into a streak of light racing across the sea.
"Where are we going?" Buggy shouted loudly over the sea breeze.
"Haven't decided yet! Wherever we arrive, that's where we'll go!" Kojin grinned.
The sea wind swept across him, lifting his black hair.
The familiar scent of the ocean filled his nose and lungs, causing his heart to stir deeply.
It was obvious that he was greedily savoring every breath of the outside world.
After so many years, he needed to rediscover this world properly.
The battleship continued speeding across the sea.
Inside the cabin, Kuina found a brand-new Marine uniform for Kojin to change into.
…
Seven days later, the battleship arrived at Water 7.
After briefly resupplying, they did not stay long and quickly departed once more.
By now, Kojin already had a destination in mind.
The sea breeze fluttered the white Marine coat draped behind him as he stared at the latest newspaper in his hands.
Suddenly, a faint smile curved across his lips.
"This storyline feels strangely familiar." He sighed softly before handing the newspaper to Buggy.
The latter glanced at it curiously, and his eyes immediately widened into circles.
"How is this possible?!"
"That Straw Hat brat Luffy actually defeated Crocodile?!"
The smile on Kojin's face deepened, though immense confusion also surfaced in his mind.
Before Crocodile entered Alabasta, he should already have known Cobra's identity and understood Kojin's plans.
So why had events still developed to the point where Crocodile fought Luffy again?
And even more interestingly,
With Crocodile's strength, how could he actually lose?
Kuina listened to their conversation and curiously glanced at the newspaper.
The headline immediately entered her sight.
"Warlord Crocodile Defeated by Rookie Straw Hat Luffy!"
"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Sand Crocodile, Suspected of Being Involved in a Conspiracy Scandal, May Be Stripped of Warlord Status and Arrested by the Marines."
Kuina froze, confusion filling her eyes.
"The Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
"What's that?"
(End of Chapter)
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