The Grand Line — A Sealed Island's Harbor
The smoke of battle had yet to fully disperse.
Enel idly toyed with arcs of lightning dancing between his fingertips, boredom written all over his face. At his feet lay more than a dozen charred CP agents, their bodies strewn haphazardly across the dock.
"Such boring insects," he yawned."Even their screams all sounded the same."
At the edge of the pier, Gern Reginald Sigmar stood with his back to the sea. The ocean wind lifted the hem of his coat, making the word "Justice" ripple like a living thing.
Behind him, Marine soldiers were escorting women and children back toward the town. Every person who passed unconsciously cast him a look filled with awe and reverence.
"Report!"A communications officer hurried over, lowering his voice."Vice Admiral Gern, we've just received an urgent transmission from Headquarters. Admiral Sengoku requests that you—"
"No need to acknowledge it," Gern interrupted calmly, his fingers lightly tapping the hilt of the black blade Eight Desolations."Proceed according to the predetermined plan."
Marineford — Marine HeadquartersFleet Admiral's Office
Steel-Bone Kong stood before the window, his back to Sengoku, eyes fixed on Marineford's harbor beyond the glass.
"Fleet Admiral Kong!" Sengoku said angrily."Sending Gern on this mission was a mistake from the start."
"And more importantly—!""He hung up on me! Thirty times in a row!"
With that, Sengoku dropped heavily onto the sofa, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Fleet Admiral, you know full well that with Gern's personality, he would never follow the World Government's orders to the letter.Sending him on a mission like this would only deepen the rift between him and the Government!"
"A rift?" Kong suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp, a cold laugh escaping him."That rift became unavoidable the moment the World Government rejected Gern's promotion to Admiral!"
Sengoku froze.
"Sengoku," Kong walked to the desk and slammed his fingers down hard."Do you think I don't know what you're worried about?You're afraid Gern's actions will worsen the relationship between the Marines and the World Government. But let me tell you—"
"That is precisely what's necessary."
"Necessary?" Sengoku's frown deepened.
"Yes." Kong took a deep breath, his tone softening."Because this is also for your sake."
"For… me?" Sengoku blinked."Fleet Admiral, let's not say things that could be misunderstood."
Kong: "..."
"Ahem.""It's already June of Year 1499," Kong continued."My term only has a few months left."(Kong's tenure as Fleet Admiral would end in the year 1500.)
"Fleet Admiral…"
"In a few months, it'll be your era."Kong sat back down, his gaze profound.
"No faction within the Marines can be allowed to dominate completely.I have no doubts about your ability to manage that internally."
"But between the Marines and the World Government…""There also needs to be a buffer point."
"You mean…" Sengoku's pupils contracted slightly.
"Gern is that buffer," Kong said gravely."He belongs neither to the doves nor the hawks.His 'Natural Disaster' faction exists outside the traditional Marine power structure.
"The World Government fears him—yet cannot function without his strength.And the Marines need someone who dares to stand up to the World Government."
"So…"After a long silence, Sengoku spoke slowly."You deliberately sent Gern on this mission?"
"Sengoku. The future Fleet Admiral is you," Kong replied, not answering directly."And you need to understand something…"
"Some contradictions must be allowed to exist."
At that moment, outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, heavy clouds surged and rolled, as if pushed by an unseen hand, slowly devouring the blazing sunlight.
The room darkened abruptly.Shadows crept across Sengoku's face, deepening his expression.
His keen political instincts picked up on another, extremely dangerous implication hidden within Kong's words.
"So, Fleet Admiral Kong…"Sengoku raised his head slowly. In the dim light, a cold glint flashed across his lenses.His voice remained steady, but carried an edge that could not be evaded.
"Explain this to me."
"What exactly do you mean by—'The Natural Disaster faction exists outside the Marine system.'"
The air froze.
Kong's pupils shrank slightly.A bead of cold sweat slid silently down his temple.
Shock.Relief.And even… a trace of reassurance.
As expected—The strategist he had bet on was now truly ready to take full control of the Marines.
"After the 'Admiral Contention' duel between Gern and Kuzan…"Kong finally spoke, his voice firm.
"I will use the final authority of my administrationto issue a major decision."
"A major decision?!"Sengoku leaned forward instinctively, his fingers tightening against the edge of the desk.
Kong's next words struck like a warhammer.
"I will formally grant Gern Reginald Sigmar—'Independent Subordinate Autonomy.'"
BOOM!!!
Sengoku slammed his palm onto the desk.The solid wooden surface shattered instantly, cracks spiderwebbing outward as splinters flew!
"Have you lost your mind, Kong?!"Sengoku's roar exploded through the office, rattling the window frames.
Politeness abandoned him entirely. He pushed himself up violently, his Justice coat billowing like a furious lion's mane.
"Do you even understand what that means?!"His finger nearly stabbed into Kong's chest.
"Independent subordinate autonomy—do you know what's included?!Independent fleets! Independent decision-making! Independent appointments! Independent deployments! Independent execution!
"If you do this, Gern's power will expand beyond anything we've ever seen!"
"In other words—during my tenure, he would become a walking bomb!""That brat would turn into an uncontrollable beast within the Marine system!"
Kong silently watched Sengoku's fury, his gaze unyielding like an anvil.
"Sengoku," he said slowly, his voice as deep as an undersea current."Do you really believe the Marines still have someone who can wield the blade of absolute justice?"
(Not Sakazuki's philosophy of 'Absolute Justice,' but the absolute authority to define justice itself.)
The air solidified.
Sengoku fell silent.
Kong stood and walked back to the window. His back, silhouetted against the fading light, looked aged—yet carried a decisive, razor-sharp resolve.
"The World Government is already secretly siphoning elite forces from the Four Blues branches.CP0's tentacles have even reached into the elite recruit training camps."
Kong clenched his fist hard, knuckles cracking.
"During this transition period—this vacuum of power—Not only are factions within the Marines fighting for control, the World Government is moving as well!"
"The five old men don't just want obedient dogs anymore," he said coldly."They want watchdogs with their fangs pulled out."
Sengoku's face darkened like storm clouds, yet Kong's words continued to cut like blades.
"Is Gern a bomb? Yes.""But right now, the Marines need exactly that kind of bomb—One that can blow apart conspiracies."
He turned, locking eyes with Sengoku, a gambler's fire burning within them.
"Rather than watching our power be eaten away piece by piece—It's better to draw the sword ourselves!"
"But that sword is impossible to wield!" Sengoku snapped.
Kong suddenly laughed.
The sound sent a chill down Sengoku's spine.
"That depends on how the next Fleet Admiral chooses to use it."Kong lightly patted Sengoku's shoulder.
"After all… even in the worst possible outcome…"
"The Marines will still be the Marines."