Meanwhile, on a sunlit patch of lawn below the office building, three figures had gathered in a rather peculiar formation.
Bartholomew Kuma sat upright on a specially reinforced stone bench, his posture steady and composed. His usually expressionless, square face carried a faint—almost gentle—hint of relaxation. In his massive hand, he held a strawberry milk popsicle that looked comically small by comparison.
To his left, Lilbo crouched on the grass, her fluffy long ears drooping comfortably. She clutched a carrot-shaped popsicle in both hands, happily nibbling away, her cheeks puffing adorably with each bite.
On Kuma's right, also squatting, was Enel.
The self-proclaimed god had completely abandoned any semblance of dignity. Wearing his Marine cap crookedly, he lazily licked his own popsicle while staring up at the sky, looking utterly bored.
"Gern's shouting again!" Lilbo suddenly stopped chewing, her ears perking up as she glanced toward the window. She blinked. "Sounds… even more desperate than yesterday. He hasn't even been sleeping with me these past few nights—I've been all alone."
"Normal," Enel replied without even turning his head, lazily taking another lick. "If he doesn't howl like that at least three times a day, I'd start wondering if he's already dropped dead under that mountain of paperwork."
He snorted.
"Fleet Admiral? Sounds impressive. In reality, it's just a glorified paperwork slave. Back when I was a 'god,' life was way more comfortable."
Kuma chuckled softly at that, the tiny popsicle looking even smaller in his enormous hand.
"Enel, Gern works very hard," he said gently. "The Marines' independence—there are countless matters that require his decisions. He's already been very considerate toward us."
Thanks to the Mother Flame, Ginny had joined the Marines' experimental division, while Bonney entered Zephyr's training camp. With his family finally given a stable and hopeful future—and with his own immense strength and unique spatial abilities—Kuma now held an exceptional position within the Marines.
Aside from major missions, he even served—somewhat inexplicably—as a kind of "spiritual counselor" within the organization. Though he himself didn't fully understand what the role entailed, people seemed to enjoy confiding in him or seeking comfort.
A peaceful life, a warm home, and the chance to serve a cause he truly believed in…
For someone who had endured so much suffering and displacement, it felt like a dream.
Because of that, Kuma held a deep, unwavering loyalty and gratitude toward Gern—and toward the Marines who had given his family this chance.
Enel, however, had little interest in Kuma's simple contentment. He had other priorities.
"I've already submitted my application!" Enel suddenly straightened up, tossing aside his finished popsicle stick with a smug grin.
"Now that Gern's Fleet Admiral, the Admiral position is open! In terms of strength, experience, and contributions—who else could it possibly go to but me?!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became. Faint arcs of lightning flickered in his eyes.
"I've even picked my title—'Thunder God'! How's that? Sounds way better than 'Akainu,' 'Aokiji,' 'Kizaru,' or 'White Kirin,' right?"
He burst into laughter, clearly envisioning himself draped in an Admiral's coat, commanding awe and respect.
"Hahaha! When I become an Admiral, Barrett—that muscle-headed brute—will still just be a Vice Admiral! Let's see how he acts then! I'll outrank him by a whole level! No explanation needed!"
He laughed louder, utterly immersed in his fantasy.
But after a few seconds, he noticed something was off.
Kuma and Lilbo weren't laughing.
In fact, both had stopped eating and turned their heads in perfect unison to stare at him.
Kuma spoke first.
"Enel… Barrett submitted his application for Admiral a week ago. And due to his performance escorting the Mother Flame—where he directly repelled a member of the God Knights—along with his prior record… his application has already passed the first round of review."
Lilbo licked her popsicle thoughtfully and added, "Yeah, Uncle Barrett was the first to apply. Former Fleet Admiral Sengoku even praised him—said he's 'finally learned to take responsibility proactively.'"
Enel's grin froze instantly.
His mouth remained stretched in laughter, but his eyes widened in shock—his pupils trembling violently.
Sparks crackled uncontrollably around him, singeing the grass at his feet.
"…."
Silence.
A suffocating silence.
Only distant training chants and the cries of seagulls broke the stillness.
Then—
"WHAT?!" Enel exploded, leaping to his feet so suddenly his cap nearly flew off.
"That bastard Barrett?! A week ago?! He dared to get ahead of me?!"
Enel had officially lost it.
"How dare he! I hadn't even applied yet! On what basis did he jump the line?! Does Gern know about this?! Are they playing favorites?!"
He began pacing furiously, pointing toward the office building.
"That muscle-brained war maniac—what does he know about the responsibilities of an Admiral?!"
Kuma and Lilbo replied in perfect sync:
"Like you do?"
Enel ignored them entirely, spinning in place in agitation.
"No! I'm going to find Gern! Right now! Immediately! I'll confront him face-to-face! The Admiral position must be decided fairly!"
Lightning crackled violently around him.
"In terms of speed, Devil Fruit mastery, and strategic destructive power—what part of me is inferior to that brute?!"
Kuma calmly took another bite of his popsicle before adding, almost as an afterthought:
"Oh, and according to unofficial reports… Dracule Mihawk was jointly recommended by Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru for Admiral candidacy."
"The reason being: 'The world's greatest swordsman joining and stabilizing in such a role would greatly enhance the Marines' top-tier combat image and deterrence.'"
Enel froze.
Completely.
Lilbo patted his shoulder with a sympathetic look.
"But don't worry! He refused," she said cheerfully. "I heard Perona complaining—apparently he said being 'World's Greatest Swordsman' sounds better than being an Admiral."
Enel turned to stone.
Barrett had already made his move.
Mihawk had been recommended.
Tesoro had become Chief of Staff.
So it wasn't just one empty seat waiting for him—
The competition had suddenly become brutally intense.
His dream of becoming "Admiral Thunder God" and suppressing Barrett hadn't even properly begun…
"Un… unforgivable…" Enel growled through clenched teeth, lightning snapping wildly around him.
Then he stomped his foot—
—and transformed into a bolt of lightning, vanishing with a crack.
Only his furious declaration lingered in the air:
"The title of 'Thunder God' Admiral belongs to me alone!!"
Silence returned to the lawn, leaving only Kuma and Lilbo behind.
Kuma slowly finished his popsicle, carefully setting aside the small wooden stick. He looked at Lilbo.
"Enel is… very energetic."
Lilbo devoured the rest of her carrot popsicle in a few quick bites, then stretched lazily, her fluffy ears twitching.
"Yeah… but I think Uncle Barrett might actually succeed this time. Enel really needs to step up."
She tilted her head, then added curiously:
"By the way, Kuma, have you ever thought about applying? Your abilities are amazing—teleportation, healing, repelling attacks…"
Kuma shook his head, smiling warmly.
"I'm content as I am. Protecting the people I care about, carrying out important missions, listening to others' troubles…"
He paused gently.
"Being an Admiral… that kind of responsibility is too heavy."
"And Bonney said she doesn't want her father to work too hard."
Lilbo nodded, then sighed softly.
"Lilbo doesn't want Gern to be so tired either… I really don't want to keep sleeping with Torritoma anymore~"
...
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