The enormous Gates of Justice stood silently upon the sea, mist drifting around them. Through the gap between the giant doors, the neatly arranged buildings of Marineford could be vaguely seen.
It had been a very long time since Kojin had entered the world's greatest fortress; after leaving Impel Down, he had gone straight to Alabasta, and only now was he finally returning. The warship moved forward steadily, sending ripples across the water.
Crocodile stood at the bow, a cigar between his lips and a Marine coat draped over his shoulders, staring at the towering Gates of Justice as memories surfaced in his mind.
More than twenty years ago, he had been an ambitious young pirate with grand dreams and boundless confidence. Then he met Kojin.
That encounter became the turning point of his life; one punch from Kojin had left him with amnesia. Afterward, he had joined the Marines and become one of them.
Even though he eventually recovered his memories, by then his former life was already a thing of the past. He didn't dislike being a Marine; in fact, he quite enjoyed serving under that man.
As the years passed, he developed his Devil Fruit to its peak, pushed his body to its limits, and mastered both forms of Haki.
He had even successfully become one of the Seven Warlords while working undercover, earning a reputation as one of the most famous pirates on the seas. By all accounts, his life had already reached its peak.
Slowly raising his head, Crocodile looked at the massive fortress ahead and smiled. No, his life was truly beginning only now, the moment he stepped into Marineford again. He knew very well that this man's return would never be peaceful.
Twenty years of preparation and twenty years of growth had allowed the power Kojin had accumulated in the West Blue to become enormous, and the people gathered under him had long since become a terrifying force. They had returned for one reason: to take hold of this place.
Turning his head, Crocodile's gaze swept across the people standing behind him: Buggy, Smoker, Rosinante, Kuina, Fisher Tiger, Tashigi, Rob Lucci, and Daz Bonez. This group had already grown into an incredibly powerful force, one that could only be described as terrifying.
"Will it shake this fortress?" Crocodile muttered to himself, before answering his own question with absolute confidence. "It will."
The wind seemed to grow stronger. As the warship approached the Gates of Justice, it entered the massive sea current that flowed through them; only by following this current could ships reach Marineford and the destinations beyond.
Gradually, the warship arrived before the giant gates. Above the wall, Marines peered down through binoculars, and the moment they saw the warship with the golden scepter figurehead at its bow, their pupils shrank.
"Open the gates immediately! Notify Headquarters! Admiral Kojin has returned!"
The shout rang out at once, and the Marines behind him looked stunned before hurrying into action. If there had still been people who didn't know Kojin's name not long ago, that would have been understandable.
But now, throughout Marineford, there was practically no one who hadn't heard of him; his glorious achievements and legendary record had all been dug up and spread throughout the base.
To be fair, a large part of that was thanks to Sengoku. The Fleet Admiral had been preparing in advance for the future selection of the next Fleet Admiral and had deliberately been building Kojin's reputation.
Originally, Sengoku's preferred successor had been Aokiji, but after Kojin's return, that choice had changed. Compared to Aokiji, Kojin was clearly better suited for the position. As for Sakazuki, he was the candidate favored by the World Government.
When news of Kojin's return reached Marine Headquarters, the previously calm building erupted into activity.
"What? Admiral Kojin is back?"
"That man has finally set foot in Marineford again!"
"I heard he went to gather his former subordinates after leaving Impel Down. It looks like he's brought all of them back."
"His return is bound to trigger major changes within Headquarters."
"I can already feel an earthquake coming."
"A tsunami inside the Marines is about to begin."
Every Marine officer had their own thoughts about Kojin's return, but one thing was undeniable: it was a piece of news that weighed heavily on countless minds.
Just two minutes after the report arrived, five Vice Admirals emerged from Headquarters.
"Vice Admiral Momonga!"
"Vice Admiral Strawberry!"
"Vice Admiral Comil!"
"Vice Admiral Maynard!"
"Vice Admiral Bastille!"
"I heard these five have been loyal followers of Admiral Kojin ever since he first became an Admiral! They're the first ones out here to welcome him back!"
"And behind them are many veteran officers, including Rear Admiral Shinbu. Even though he hasn't reached Vice Admiral rank, his reputation and prestige are no less impressive!"
As the group of officers hurried out of Headquarters, the surrounding Marines immediately began whispering among themselves.
"Even after being gone all these years, Admiral Kojin's influence inside the Marines hasn't declined at all," someone sighed in admiration.
"Of course not! That's Admiral Kojin we're talking about, the legendary figure who captured the Pirate King Roger and personally defeated Golden Lion Shiki!"
"Time has passed, and even Marine Hero Garp is now an old man with white hair. The older generation is gradually stepping aside. Now the brightest stars are the four Admirals led by Kojin, all of them in their prime. They're the Marines' strongest shield, the greatest military force protecting the world. They're the ones maintaining the balance of the seas and standing against the most dangerous pirates."
The young Marines watched the gathering officers while discussing the same legendary figure.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the sea breeze rushed in through the open window, causing the curtains to billow violently. Sengoku stood by the window, looking out toward the Gates of Justice.
The scene felt strangely familiar; he vaguely remembered witnessing something similar once before, but times had changed, and the emotions he felt now were completely different.
"Has that terrifying monster finally returned? Heh... it's actually making me a little excited," Kizaru chuckled, lounging in a chair with his legs resting on the desk, dressed in his yellow-striped suit and wearing sunglasses.
Sengoku leaned out the window, searching for the approaching warship.
"That guy is finally back," he said, unmistakable excitement and nostalgia in his voice. The Marines' strongest fighting force had finally returned, and for Sengoku, it was unquestionably something worth celebrating.
"From today onward, these seas are probably going to become a lot quieter," Kizaru smiled before adding, "The only concern is the World Government."
He stopped there. The succession incident from years ago was still vivid in his memory; the Five Elders, the five men with the highest authority in the world, had gathered together solely to suppress a newly appointed Marine Admiral. No matter the era, that was an unbelievable event.
"Hmph," Sengoku snorted. "Why do you think Kojin dared to come back?" Though his tone sounded dismissive, there was a smile on his face.
Kizaru froze, a look of shock flashing through his eyes. "Don't tell me... has he become even stronger during his years in Impel Down?"
Sengoku watched the warship with the golden scepter figurehead pass through the Gates of Justice and enter the Inner Bay, a smile spreading across his face.
"I can't think of any other explanation, and that only proves how frightening Kojin truly is. More than ten years ago, he had already reached that level, yet he's still managed to go even further. The world can no longer imagine how powerful he really is."
"That's quite a shocking thought," Kizaru murmured. The scene from the Ohara Incident, where Kojin had fought all three of them alone, still felt fresh in his memory. Years had passed, and the three of them had each reached the peak of their own abilities, yet that man continued climbing toward even higher summits. It was absurd.
"I can't help looking forward to it," Sengoku smiled. "To seeing what changes he'll bring to the Marines from today onward."
Kizaru could clearly hear the ease in Sengoku's voice, and he understood why. For someone like Kojin, simply returning was enough to solve countless problems.
---
In the Inner Bay of Marineford, the warship sailed forward slowly, sending ripples across the water. Kojin quietly observed everything ahead.
Compared to the Marineford of years past, there weren't many major changes; only a few repaired sections hinted at past damage, and the world's greatest fortress still stood proudly where it always had.
One imposing warship after another was docked around the harbor, and shouts echoed everywhere as officers directed their men.
"Hisashiburi dana, Marineford," Crocodile spoke softly beside him.
Kojin chuckled. Without even turning around, he could imagine the expressions on Rosinante, Smoker, Buggy, and the others.
Nearby, Rob Lucci and the rest of the former CP9 members stood on deck wearing Marine trainee uniforms, staring at the magnificent fortress before them.
"From today onward, we're Marines," Kalifa adjusted her glasses and muttered quietly.
"Not a bad beginning," Jabra looked excited. He had witnessed the strength of the Marines and seen the grandeur of Marineford with his own eyes. More importantly, under Kojin's protection, they no longer needed to worry about their survival.
With a gentle sway, the warship finally came to a stop. Standing at the bow, Kojin looked down at the officers who had been waiting for him for who knew how long, and a smile slowly appeared on his face.
The moment they saw that smile, the solemn expressions on the Vice Admirals' faces vanished, replaced by pure excitement and emotion.
"I'm back, my friends."
The simple words immediately drew excited roars from Maynard and the others.
"ADMIRAL KOJIN!!"
"We've been waiting for you for a long time!" Bastille shouted excitedly.
Kojin jumped down from the bow and landed in front of them. "Sorry to have kept everyone waiting. But believe me, all waiting is worthwhile. A flower waits so it can bloom."
His calm words shook everyone to the core, and Maynard and the others clenched their fists tightly as he delivered the final promise.
"And our fruit..."
"...will ripen very soon."
(End of Chapter)
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