Chapter 17

[3 Days Later]

"FORWARD!!!"

On the third day since my arrival at Marineford, the majestic view was unveiled before my eyes, where the incredible number of marines simultaneously marched forth, under the command of Marine Warrant Officer, whose name was unknown to me.

I, along with my colleagues: Bastille, Doll, Maynard, Akehende, Shu, Dalmatian, and Cancer, were watching the introductory phase of the Grand Ceremony, from the roof of the same Training Facility three days ago. The service of those whose ranks were 'Chore Boy' or below, weren't needed in this Ceremony; the only exception was Hina,

who was currently standing ahead of all those marine soldiers and right behind the Marine Warrant Officer, wearing all-black attire. In her hands were flowers of unknown identity, clenched tight. Full of emotion, she seemed to be crying silently. Between Hina and numerous marine soldiers, there was one coffin, held by six marine soldiers.

What a triumphant march it was. I never expected such a grand gathering of marines, and the feeling of mightiness that this march seemed to be conveying, surely reached me.

"Wow," Bastille, who seemed to be feeling the same as me, whispered behind his usual metal mask.

Doll, whose eyes were headed at me, chuckled before pointing her finger out, "...Do you see that Den Den Mushi over there?"

Following Doll's finger, I came to sight the Den Den Mushi whose body was coloured yellow, opening its eyes wide while gazing the march from above. I then noticed that such Den Den Mushi was held by one nimble-looking Marine Officer, who moved around from building to building like a ninja, recording the scene.

"That's Cameko. Cameko records the video, and transmits it to Proko, who probably is in Sabaody Archipelago at the current moment—"

"Tch, shut up for a second, Doll."

Doll's explanation was cut off by Dalmatian, who frowned in annoyance.

Doll, looking at me, simply shrugged while giving the middle finger at Dalmatian, before shifting her eyes back at the ceremony.

Following her suit, I saw that the march has finally come to an end. On the sides, the Marine Officers, ranging all the way from Ensign to Vice Admirals, were standing strictly, with their justice coats on.

With the Marine Warrant Officer moving to the side, Hina walked along with the six coffin-holding marines behind her, through the gap betwen the Marine Officers. Those whom Hina passed by bowed in a respectful way, sending away one of the renowned marine.

Within the line of Vice Admirals, my eyes stopped upon locating the particular man whose face seemed to be in a default frown. He wore a standard marine cap and a plain hoodie over it. Although he stood with the other Vice Admirals, he, in my sight, stood out from the rest, giving off the intensive vibe the I couldn't explain.

"That's Vice Admiral Sakazuki, code name Akainu (Red Dog)," Doll, noticing my attention on that man, whispered. Eager to explain, she looked at Dalmatian warily for a second before beginning her explanation, "Vice Admiral is the rank known to be right below Admiral, right? There are two main qualifications that are required of the Vice Admirals to be approved as the potential Admiral candidates: strength and leadership. Strength is astutely judged by that Vice Admiral's feats, while the leadership is spoken by the voices of other marines, who've spent a good amount of time with the candidate. Code name is only granted to the Admirals, and possession of it serves as the proof that one deserves the title of an Admiral."

Doll paused momentarily to take a breath, before continuing,

"Currently, there are three Admiral candidates: Vice Admiral Hanazumi, code name Haironezumi (Grey Rat), Vice Admiral Sakazuki whom you currently are looking at, and Vice Admiral Borsalino, code name Kizaru (Yellow Monkey). Thanks to this system, even if one Admiral were to leave the service, the seat can immediately be filled with another."

"Haironezumi?"

Doll pointed her finger at one man, who had a very long grey-coloured beard and a shiny bald head. He, in my eyes, looked like Genryusai Shigekuni... uh, whoever he was, from the anime named Bleach.

Past those Admiral candidates, at the end of two lines of the Marine Officers, there stood two most renowned Marine Vice Admirals: Monkey D. Garp the 'Marine Hero' and Tsuru the 'Great Advisor.' With justice coats draped over them, they looked at the coffin solemnly.

Walking past them, Hina and six coffin-holding marines began to climb up the staircase that lied at the end, leading to the higher platform. And there, I saw the current three Admirals, slightly bowing their head as the coffin behind Hina passed by them.

"...Don't tell me that you don't know the infamous three Admirals." Doll, noticing my gaze on her, said with a disbelief.

Bastille, having heard Doll's whisper, turned and whispered at me with shocked demeanour, "What? You don't even know the current Admirals? Damn, that sucks."

"Well, I know one, Admiral Sengoku over there," I shrugged, causing Doll to shake her head with a faked disappointment.

"Then let me tell you, the three strongest Marine Officers of the current time,"

I found it quite funny. Doll tried to act cool, but it was evident just how she was yearning to talk about this; I wondered if she was a fan-girl for all the marine-related stuffs.

"The first and foremost, Admiral Blaise, code name Seidohebi (Bronze Snake)."

Following where her eyes were headed at, I looked at the seemingly middle-aged man with long orange-coloured hair and brown-coloured eyes.

"If I were to summarize him in one word... dark-horse." Doll whispered with an evident blush on her cheeks, "He only joined the Marine around five years ago, and climbed all the way to Admiral within such a short time. Besides,"

Her lips trembled, as if she was unable to conceal her excitement,

"He managed to make the devil fruit that everyone believed it to be underwhelming, into an incredible one."

I raised my eyebrow, "What can it be?"

"The Jacket Jacket fruit."

In a complete shock, I found my jaw dropping.

"...No way," I couldn't help but mutter, to which Bastille too nodded while patting my back.

"That's what I too thought at the start. Anyway," Bastille then pointed at another Admiral who stood above another, "why don't you look at her?"

It was the only female Admiral. Tall and stoic, yet there existed a sense of elegance. Although the wrinkles on her face indicated that she was quite old-aged, her vibrant blue-coloured eyes and grey hair, suggested that she was a beautiful one at young age.

"Admiral Anastasia, code name Ginkiji (Silver Pheasant)," Doll stated with her fists clenched, "she, along with Vice Admiral Tsuru, is an idol to all female marines like me. Coupled with the strength amplified by her Iron Iron fruit, she is invincible."

"It's Logia-type, just saying." Bastille muttered from the side, "So cool..."

Now that I looked at, all the other boys here with me, seemed to be staring at her in awe.

'Geez,' I couldn't help but think with an inward laugh.

"And finally, we have Admiral Sengoku the 'Buddha,' code name Kinyagi (Golden Goat)—"

"Ah thanks, but," I interrupted Doll, "I know him already. No need."

Doll, who grew a tickmark on her forehead, nonetheless continued, "If Vice Admiral Garp mainly chased after the Pirate King, Admiral Sengoku was the antithesis of none other than Whitebeard, the Strongest Man in the World. That alone is enough to show just how strong Admiral Sengoku is."

'I see that he hasn't become the Fleet Admiral yet,' I thought as Hina, with six coffin-holding marines behind her, now reached the top of the staircase, where the current Fleet Admiral of the Marine, Kong, was standing.

The six marines moved ahead of Hina and placed the coffin down between Hina and Kong, before silently standing by the side. Subsequently, Hina placed the flowers in her hands down, before moving to the side as well. Finally, Kong has begun to speak,

"Here lies Vice Admiral Nigirizushi, the righteous man who served in the Marine for the past forty-three years. His firm belief in justice was firmer than anyone else, and his virtues knew no bound. Mighty and brave, he caught countless pirates and rescued countless civilians; I express nothing but grief that we have to send away such a formidable marine. Nonetheless, we, the Marine as the whole, sincerely hope that he will rest in peace, now that he reached the resolution to his commendable life.

Once again, may you rest in peace, my friend Nigirizushi."

Then, the sounds of trumpets were heard, as the six marines lifted the coffin back up and walked beyond the Fleet Admiral Kong, with Hina following from the behind. They will now head to the Marine Cemetery, which is located at the edge of the Marineford.

When the trumpets stopped playing, the whole area was filled with silence. Kong, with his eyes closed, stood still, as if grieving over the death of Hina's grandfather.

Then, his eyes opened. Subsequently, his mouth too opened, and he stated,

"And as the conclusion of Vice Admiral Nigirizushi's funeral has been reached, I would now like to make a major announcement."

All marines looked at Kong with their body still. My friends and I who still are at the roof of the Training Facility, watched the scene in anticipation, afraid to let out the sound of breathing even.

"With the death of the Pirate King, the new era has risen. I too have grown old, and I recently felt my sense of judgment failing... I believe, that my time to retire has come. The flower that fully bloomed now awaits for nothing but death, and it is the seed born from it that replaces its place."

Bastille, Doll, and all others around me, gasped in a shock.

'What a shrewd man Kong is. He speaks as if he is withered, but after retiring from the position of the Fleet Admiral, he becomes the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, the position that stands higher than the Fleet Admiral in some people's perspectives...' I thought while gazing at Kong with narrowed eyes, 'but regardless, if this is the case, then the next Fleet Admiral is...'

"Starting from today, I officially step down from the seat of the Fleet Admiral!" Kong declared in a firm tone, "and such title will now be entrusted to the remarkable marine—Admiral Sengoku!"

I currently was witnessing one of the One Piece world's biggest event.