As Rehn piloted the Gran Tesoro at a speed that nearly tore the golden behemoth apart, streaking across the sea like a bolt of golden lightning toward G-5, the news printed in the newspaper he held had already grown wings, flying to every corner of the world.
The world was in an uproar.
The seas fell into a strange, absurd silence, before erupting into unprecedented chaos.
....
Unlike the usual solemn atmosphere, today's mood was different. He crawled over and gently shook Renzo.
"Lord Renzo… wake up… this is huge news."
"Mmm…"
Renzo lazily cracked one eye open, yawning, his gaze unfocused.
"Ah… Rehn… you're back? What about Tesoro? Taken care of?"
"No! Lord Renzo!"
Rehn abruptly unfolded the newspaper and thrust it in front of him.
"Look! Your plan! It worked!!"
"Huh? Plan?"
Renzo rubbed his eyes and looked at the paper.
When he saw that familiar, somewhat sleazy face, he froze.
"Huh?"
He took the paper and read the headline carefully.
[Shocking! Admiral Kizaru Becomes the New Fleet Admiral…]
"Pfft-"
The tea in Renzo's mouth nearly sprayed out.
"Borsalino… that guy? Fleet Admiral?"
Renzo blinked and checked again.
"For real? Didn't that old geezer say he'd never take the job even if you killed him?"
"It's real! Lord Renzo!"
Rehn said excitedly, "This must be your behind-the-scenes strategy, forcing the Five Elders to compromise! Look, Akainu lost! That overtime-loving maniac is out!"
"This is a victory for efficiency! A victory for the spirit of G-5! A great victory for your laz-ahem pacifism!!"
In Rehn' mind, an epic scene had already formed, Renzo secretly playing chess against the Five Elders and overturning the world order.
"Oh…"
Renzo's expression turned strange.
"So that old guy really became Fleet Admiral…"
"Doesn't that mean he won't even be able to slack off anymore?"
"Man, that's tragic."
He genuinely felt sympathy for his best vacation buddy.
"Monet," Renzo suddenly called.
"Yes, Lord Renzo! What are your orders?" Monet set down her book and replied.
"Check my schedule for the next few days."
"Yes!" Monet opened a small notebook. "Tomorrow, routine G-5 patrol. The day after, new weapon testing. The day after that…"
Her voice suddenly stopped as she saw a small line in the newspaper.
"The day after that… Marine Headquarters, the inauguration ceremony of the new Fleet Admiral, global live broadcast…"
Rehn immediately "helpfully" chimed in:
"Don't worry, Lord Renzo! I've already prepared 108 excuses for you!"
"We can say you got injured by gold while counting it and need rest! Or that you're allergic to broadcast lighting! Or-"
"Not going?"
Renzo interrupted him.
"Huh?"
Renzo sat up from the sofa and stretched, his bones cracking loudly.
"Can't do that."
He walked to the window, looking at the golden warship outside and the familiar sea of G-5.
"That guy Borsalino is probably hiding in his office right now, staring at piles of paperwork with a miserable face."
"At a time like this…"
Renzo turned around, revealing a rare, almost blinding, genuine smile.
"At the unluckiest moment of his life, if I, as his friend, don't show up to support him, and maybe laugh at him a bit, that wouldn't be right."
"..."
"..."
Rehn and Monet froze.
'W-wait…?'
'Lord Renzo… what did you just say?'
'You're… going?'
'To Marineford?'
'To attend that most troublesome, boring, time-wasting ceremony?!'
Rehn' worldview collapsed.
'This… this isn't efficient!'
"L-Lord Renzo…" Rehn' voice trembled.
"Y-you're serious? That means standing for hours! Facing cameras from all over the world! That's… that's way too troublesome!"
"Yeah, it's troublesome."
Renzo shrugged.
"But if I don't go, that old guy will probably hold a grudge forever. Next time I visit Marineford for the hot springs, he'll definitely raise the price."
"So, Rehn."
"Y-yes!"
"Stop making excuses."
Renzo waved his hand and flopped back onto the sofa.
"The day after tomorrow, prepare the ship."
"Oh, and bring a pair of sunglasses."
"…?"
"I'm going to support my unlucky friend."
"And take a nap… under the gaze of the whole world."
"..."
Rehn' mouth hung open for a full ten seconds.
Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, his eyes bursting with fanatical realization!
"I get it!! I totally get it now!!"
"Lord Renzo!"
"You're not going to attend the ceremony!"
"You're going to declare sovereignty!!"
"You're going to stand beside the new Fleet Admiral in front of the entire world and tell the seas, Look! This guy! He's under my protection!!"
"This is… such high-profile! Such dominance! Such efficiency!!"
"Ah! Lord Renzo! Your wisdom shines brighter than gold!!!"
Renzo pulled down his sleep mask, "…Zzzz…"
The atmosphere became… subtle.
"What an… unexpected outcome."
.....
Mary Geoise, Room of Authority
Saint Nusjuro carefully wiped his Shodai Kitetsu, his voice low.
"Hmph." Saint Ju Peter snorted. "Borsalino? That man who only knows how to slack off? Where is the dignity of the Marines?!"
"But this is the best choice."
Saint Mars took a sip of tea. "Sakazuki's absolute justice is too extreme. After the Marineford War, what the seas need is not flames, but… moderation."
"Moreover," Saint Warcury, who had remained silent, finally spoke, his voice echoing.
"In Sengoku's final report before retirement, he strongly opposed Sakazuki's succession."
"But the real question is…"
Saint Nusjuro paused and looked up.
"Why did Borsalino agree? He's not the type to take on trouble willingly."
"…Perhaps," Saint Mars looked out the window, "he simply felt that accepting it was less troublesome than refusing."
"Then the inauguration broadcast…"
"Proceed as planned. We must show the world that justice still stands firm."
"Including… that variable from G-5?"
At the mention of G-5, the room seemed to grow colder.
"He… is Borsalino's friend."
"Hmph. Birds of a feather."
.....
New World, A Volcanic Island
Temporary base of former Marine Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki.
When the News Coo nervously dropped the newspaper, the island's volcanoes seemed to stop erupting.
Crackle,
The newspaper turned to ash midair.
Sakazuki stood bare-chested by a river of magma.
His face showed no emotion, but the air around him warped from the heat.
"Borsalino…"
He muttered the name.
"Fleet Admiral…"
"Heh…"
A low, ambiguous chuckle.
BOOM!!!
The volcano behind him erupted violently, a pillar of magma shooting into the sky!
"So this is… your choice?!!"
"So this is… the future of justice?!!"
His roar was filled with fury and unwillingness.
He wasn't jealous of the position.
He was enraged at the weakness of the Marines!
Entrusting justice to a man who only says "How scary"?!
"Kuzan… Borsalino… and…"
A face flashed in his mind, the man who, during the Marineford War, dared to snatch his "prize" in front of the whole world and even mocked him for working overtime.
"RENZO!!!"
"You bunch of… lazy parasites!!!"
Rumble!!
The entire island trembled under the fury of absolute justice.
...
Revolutionary Army Headquarters
"Kizaru? That light?"
Dragon stood on the deck, facing the wind, his expression grave.
"This is harder to predict than Akainu taking the position. He is light, not scorching, not cold, but… everywhere."
Sabo said, "He's the one who crushed us at Sabaody…"
"No." Dragon shook his head. "He was just doing his job. Now, he's the one assigning the jobs. That's what makes it troublesome. And he has a close relationship with Renzo of G-5…"
....
New World, Wano Country, Onigashima
"Wororororo!!!" Kaido slammed his kanabo onto the ground.
"That glowing guy became Fleet Admiral?! Are the Marines out of people?!"
"Worororo! What a joke!!"
"Men! Throw a banquet! Celebrate the birth of the weakest Fleet Admiral in Marine history!!"
"Mamamama…"
Big Mom enjoyed her sweets.
"Kizaru? That tasteless one… what are the Marines thinking? Perospero, should we invite this new Fleet Admiral to my tea party?"
The entire sea boiled with reactions.
Pirates mocked, believing Marine deterrence would plummet.
Kings of nations worried, unsure how this lazy justice would protect them.
And at the end of every report was a single line:
[In three days, Marine Headquarters Marineford will broadcast live worldwide the "Inauguration Ceremony of the New Fleet Admiral."]
This was unprecedented.
Previous transitions were internal affairs.
But this time, Sengoku and the Five Elders agreed, only a global broadcast could stabilize the world and declare: The Marines remain the strongest shield of the seas.
...
G-5 Base, Renzo's office.
Rumble!
A small quake shook the port.
Everyone rushed out in panic, only to stare in shock at a massive golden ship, larger than the base itself, drifting aggressively into the harbor.
"W-what is that?!"
"Gold!!"
"My god! The Golden Emperor's ship! Boss Rehn… stole it?!"
Ignoring the cheers, Rehn clutched the still-warm newspaper and charged like a cannonball toward Renzo's office.
BANG!!
The door burst open.
"LORD RENZO!!!!"
Rehn dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"We won! Lord Renzo! A total victory!!"
"Huu… Zzzz…"
The only reply was peaceful snoring from the sofa.
"…Lord Renzo?" Rehn froze.
"Keep it down, you idiot!" Nami hissed, calculating with a golden abacus. "Renzo's asleep! Wake him up and this loot, no, my salary, you won't get a single coin!"
"But Miss Nami! Th-this is huge news!"
Rehn whispered, his entire body trembling with excitement.
....
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu