Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the air was thick and oppressive, filled with the smell of old parchment and bitter coffee. Commander-in-Chief Kong and Admiral Sengoku were both slumped in their chairs, rubbing their temples in a synchronized attempt to stave off a mounting headache.
Documents were piled like small mountains across the mahogany desk. Each piece of paper represented a violent incident significant enough to make an ordinary Base Commander's head spin with stress.
Kaido had recently invaded some unfortunate kingdom for yet another failed suicide attempt, casually leveling a fortified city in the process. Elsewhere, Charlotte Linlin's Tea Party had issued a new round of death invitations; no one knew which unlucky king would be the next to suffer her wrath.
The sea in this era was a giant powder keg waiting for a spark. The Marines were nothing more than overworked firefighters rushing frantically to put out blazes, yet they were perpetually short-handed and exhausted.
Sigh, that bastard Garp has disappeared into thin air again...
Kong let out a long, weary sigh and reached for the cup of hot tea on his desk.
Just then.
Bang!
The heavy office door was slammed open with enough force to dent the wall. A messenger stumbled into the room, practically crawling and rolling across the floor, his face a frantic mask of terror and wild, uncontained joy.
Kong... Fleet Admiral Kong! A major incident has occurred! A heaven-shaking incident!
What is with this panic!
Kong's brow furrowed deeply as the overwhelming spiritual pressure of the Marine's supreme commander poured out, filling the room. He was in no mood for theatrics.
Speak up! Has the sky finally fallen?
It is... even... more exaggerated than the sky falling!
The messenger tremblingly held up a small visual den den mushi toward the desk.
You... please, you must look at this!
Kong took the snail skeptically and pressed the play button on its shell. The screen flickered with static for a brief moment before the image stabilized.
When the apocalyptic battlefield appeared, showing the charred earth and the figure kneeling miserably in the center of the ruins—
Clatter!
The porcelain teacup in Kong's hand slipped through his fingers and shattered into a hundred pieces on the hard floor. Scalding tea splashed onto his pants, but he did not even flinch or notice the heat. He froze in place as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.
On that usually majestic and solemn face, the muscles began to twitch uncontrollably and violently.
Ro... Roger?
His voice was dry and raspy, filled with a level of disbelief he hadn't felt in decades.
And when Kane's young face, covered in dark bloodstains, occupied the entire frame—shouting to the world in a hoarse voice filled with endless, raw power, "The chaos of the sea... must end!"—Kong stood up so abruptly that he knocked over the Fleet Admiral's chair behind him.
The chair, a symbol of supreme power, clattered to the floor unheeded.
Kane?!!
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
That was Gol D. Roger! The arch-rival who had fought Garp, Sengoku, and Kong himself for the better part of their lives! The man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of this era!
Arrested him single-handedly? What kind of international joke is this!
Just as Kong's mind went blank and his entire worldview was on the verge of total collapse, a world-shaking burst of laughter suddenly erupted from the hallway outside the office.
Wahahahahahaha!
Boom!
The sturdy office wall was smashed open from the outside, creating a huge hole with debris and dust flying everywhere. Garp, his mouth stuffed full of senbei crackers, strode in through the new entrance. He held a large bag of snacks in one hand and waved a fresh newspaper in the other.
Kong! Sengoku! Did you see it! Did you see it yet!
Garp was flushed red with excitement, spit flying everywhere with every roared word.
That kid Kane! He actually captured Roger! Wahahahaha! Beautifully done! As expected of the young man I have such high hopes for!
Garp! Shut your mouth for one second!
Kong used a roar of his own to force his brain back into gear. He lunged forward and snatched the newspaper out of Garp's hand. It was an emergency extra edition issued by the World Economic News Agency, sporting a headline that screamed across the page.
The Fall of a King, the Birth of a God! Marine Hero Kane Single-Handedly Ends the Great Pirate Era!
In the center of the paper was the large photograph of Kane leaning on his black blade, looking like a weary god. Behind him, Roger knelt in chains, and in the far distance, the retreating back of Rayleigh added a sense of tragic finality to the scene. The image delivered an unparalleled visual impact.
Something is not right here...
The silent strategist Sengoku was now standing, staring intently at the photo. His eyes were as sharp and calculating as an eagle's.
This is very wrong.
What is wrong with it? Garp stuffed another handful of crackers into his mouth and mumbled unclearly. It just means that kid Kane is even stronger than we thought! He is a total monster!
It is not a simple question of physical strength! Sengoku growled, his mind working through the tactical impossibilities. It is a question of pure logic! You and I know Roger's strength better than anyone! Even if he is terminally ill, it is absolutely impossible for him to be defeated by one person, in such a short amount of time, in this specific manner!
He pointed a finger at the ruins in the photo.
Look at this battlefield; this level of environmental destruction can only be caused by natural disaster-level power. Although Kane's fruit ability is strong, but...
But what?
A powerful, gravelly voice came from the doorway. Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr had appeared, standing there with his arms crossed. His expression was a complex mix of a teacher's pride and a hint of unavoidable, lingering worry.
I, for one, feel that nothing is impossible for that boy.
Zephyr slowly walked into the office, his presence grounding the chaotic energy of the room.
That kid's growth rate has exceeded every law of common sense since the very first day he entered my training camp. Perhaps we have all been underestimating him this entire time.
At this exact moment, the entirety of Marineford had completely exploded with wild excitement. Countless Marine soldiers rushed out of their barracks and swarmed the central plaza. They were hysterically chanting Kane's name, waving their fists in the air, and weeping with the relief of a long-awaited victory.
The capture of the Pirate King was an unprecedented triumph for them! It was the loudest and most inspiring declaration of the word "Justice" the world had ever heard.
...Holy Land, Mary Geoise. Pangu City, Room of Authority.
The Five Elders, the men standing at the absolute pinnacle of world power, were watching the large visual den den mushi screen in front of them. Inside the Room of Authority, even the air seemed to have shed its usual heavy, ancient weight and become lighthearted.
On the screen, the image remained frozen on Kane's blood-stained, righteous face and his deafening, heroic lines.
Pfft...
Satan Saint, the God of Science and Defense with his long white curly hair, let out an irrepressible chuckle. His cane tapped a cheerful, rhythmic beat on the expensive carpet.
What a performance... If I had not seen that kid's greedy, calculating face before today, even I might have believed his righteous nonsense.
Hehehe, but this is exactly the kind of hero we need right now.
The blond giant Saint Peter held his red tea with a steady hand, the corners of his mouth curling up in an expression of total ease and control.
Even if his heart is actually full of Berries and a lust for power, he can still shout for the greater good until he is hoarse. This kind of clever person, who has both supreme strength and understands how to follow the rules, is ten thousand times more useful to us than the stubborn types like Sengoku and Zephyr who only have justice in their heads.
One billion Berries.
Saint Woguoli, the God of Legal Affairs, leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa. His fingers gently stroked his chin, his tone sounding playful.
We only gave him a single billion in annual operational funds, and in return, he delivered us this grand gift of Roger's head.
The bald God of Finance, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nasujuro, who was holding the first generation oni-giri, also slightly retracted the sharp glint in his eyes. He pushed up his glasses, scrutinizing Kane's figure on the frozen screen.
The power of the Storm-Storm Fruit has indeed been developed to a fearsome level... one could even say that if this specific power were in anyone else's hands, it would be a massive headache for us. But precisely because the one wielding this power is Kane, it has become our greatest fortune.
His tone shifted, carrying an absolute arrogance that suggested total control over all things in existence.
The more powerful a weapon is, the more it needs an obvious, exploitable weakness. And this kid's weakness is far too obvious for us to ignore—greed, ambition, and a pathological desire for personal power.
As long as we still sit in these positions, and as long as we can give him exactly what he wants, this sharp blade will be devotedly used for our sake.
Indeed.
Saint Woguoli nodded, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.
Since he wants fame and status so badly, we shall give it to him. Send down the order immediately.
The God of Finance made the final decision, his voice booming and echoing within the Room of Authority.
Let that old fellow Kong personally go to the harbor to welcome our hero. Make the spectacle as large and loud as possible; let the whole world see clearly how glorious it can be to be loyal to the World Government!
Furthermore, preparations for the public execution of Gol D. Roger can begin at once. Since Kane is such a useful blade, we will use the Pirate King's blood to sharpen his edge even further!
And while we are at it... we shall initiate a new era of absolute justice, completely under our control!
...Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
An encrypted den den mushi suddenly rang out; Kong answered it instantly. From the other end came the steady, cold voice of the Gorosei, which he would never dare to disobey. After the call was hung up, Kong was so excited that his whole body was trembling slightly.
The Marines needed this victory too badly! The Great Pirate Era represented by Roger had caused the Marines' prestige to drop to a freezing point. Now, Kane had captured Roger; this was not just a merit! It was a potent shot of adrenaline for every demoralized soldier!
Kong turned abruptly to face everyone in the office, his eyes burning.
Prepare the highest-specification welcoming ceremony immediately; I will personally go to the harbor to welcome our hero's return!
His voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement and fanaticism.
Additionally, notify everyone to prepare for a major promotion ceremony! The sea needs a new hero, a new... supreme combat power!
The Marines! Are about to have a third Admiral!
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion