Chapter 26: Headquarters Meeting

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At the same time, Ian was awestruck by the sheer scale of the structure before him. This was Marineford, the site of the Paramount War, capable of hosting 100,000 elite Marines and the 43 allied crews of the Whitebeard Pirates, a total of over 150,000 combatants. It was a sight to behold.

Even the Fourth Great Ninja War in the Naruto universe, with the combined forces of the Five Great Nations, had only mustered around 80,000 shinobi to face off against the 100,000 White Zetsu of the Akatsuki.

Seeing it in person was a completely different experience.

Gion led a somewhat bewildered Ian through Marine Headquarters. Along the way, they encountered curious glances from passing Marines, who nodded in acknowledgment of Gion's presence before moving on without paying much attention to Ian.

It was common for Marines to return with individuals from their missions. As for Ian's unusual appearance – pale skin, green eyes with distinct tear marks, a partial horned skull helmet – it didn't raise any eyebrows.

The Grand Line was a vast and diverse place, home to fish-men, minks, giants, long-armed tribes, long-leg tribes, and various other races with unique physical characteristics.

Perhaps he belonged to a newly discovered race. Moreover, some individuals preferred to maintain their Devil Fruit transformations, and the sword at his waist… Was that a Meito? He seemed to be a swordsman.

"Well, well, if it isn't Vice Admiral Gion. Welcome back. Is this the swordsman with the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, the powerful rookie that Sengoku mentioned?"

A group of large, burly men approached them. One had multiple arms, while another resembled a Dalmatian with mink-like features.

Onigumo, Doberman, Yamakaji, Dalmatian… Familiar faces. They were particularly interested in Ian because, within the Marines…

Most of their abilities revolved around Haki, Rokushiki, swordsmanship, and relatively Devil Fruits. Ian, however, possessed not only a rare Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit…

But also a Great Grade sword, one of the 21 O Wazamono, the renowned Wano treasure, Shusui. His future achievements were bound to surpass theirs. For these Vice Admirals, information about Ian was readily available.

"Welcome back. Let's go together. Sengoku is holding a meeting, and it's actually about you two. Right on time, as a matter of fact."

Gion was about to inquire about their destination when she received this unexpected answer.

"I can't believe you caused such a stir so soon after arriving. But at least it's not a bad thing…" The Dalmatian, Doberman, remarked, leaning down towards Ian.

"Us?" Both Gion and Ian were taken aback.

It wasn't difficult to deduce the reason. It was likely about Ian's fate and the vacant Warlord position left by Moria. As for Crocodile and his "meeting of the kings" with Whitebeard…

They were uncertain about the outcome. After all, Ian had been engaged in battle with Moria at the time. Crocodile had likely retreated upon encountering the Marines. As for Crocodile's plans to overthrow the Alabasta Kingdom and acquire the ancient weapon, Pluton, while he hadn't obtained any concrete answers…

The timing aligned with the current events in the story. A meeting of two powerful pirates was no small matter.

It usually involved a conspiracy of some sort. The original story didn't mention any connection between Crocodile and Moria, but as individuals who had failed in their bids for power in the previous era, Crocodile had clearly…

Underestimated the psychological impact of Kaido's victory over Moria, driving him to seek refuge in the shadows, creating an army of zombies.

They continued their journey, entering a massive meeting room with a ceiling over ten meters high, designed to accommodate the Marines' giant members.

Several giants, renowned for their combat prowess, held the rank of Vice Admiral. Elbaf was a warrior nation, after all. Familiar faces became increasingly frequent.

A seagull perched atop the head of a Marine with a goat by his side, his uniform adorned with countless medals, as he pointed a stick at a map detailing recent events in the Grand Line.

*Munch, munch…* Garp, his hair completely white, continuously stuffed senbei crackers into his mouth, earning him a glare from Sengoku. After a brief pause…

Garp resumed his snacking, much to Sengoku's annoyance. The constant crunching was distracting, but after realizing his glares were ineffective, he simply endured the noise and continued with his explanation.

*Munch, munch…* Sengoku finally snatched the bag of senbei from Garp, ate a few himself, and tossed the rest to the goat, leaving Garp with tears welling up in his eyes.

But they seemed to be tears of laughter. The scene left the assembled Marines bewildered. The Fleet Admiral and the Hero of the Marines acting like mischievous children?

Their personalities were complete opposites. One was calm and composed, while the other was impulsive and boisterous. They were each other's foils, yet they complemented each other perfectly. In times of peace, they were each other's rivals, but in times of crisis, they were the Marines' strongest shield.

"Alright, let's get down to business. We have several matters to discuss…" Gion and Ian entered the meeting room, drawing curious gazes from the assembled Marines. They took their seats among the Vice Admirals.

"Who's that kid? Why's he sitting up front?" One of the giant Vice Admirals in the back row inquired.

The giants sat in the back to avoid obstructing the view of others, a testament to their humility. But who was this young man, dressed in casual attire, sitting among the high-ranking officers?

"I heard he defeated Gecko Moria and was discovered by Vice Admiral Gion. He's a rookie, so he's probably not familiar with protocol. Don't worry about it."

"Sengoku will explain everything."

Their disciplined training prompted them to cease their conversation after a brief exchange. The benefits of a well-structured hierarchy. Any questions would be addressed in due time.

As a newcomer, Ian wasn't eligible to participate in these meetings. However, today's discussion revolved around him.

Taking his seat among the Vice Admirals, he noticed several familiar figures seated before him. Tsuru, a veteran Vice Admiral and strategist from Garp and Sengoku's generation, glared impatiently at Garp, who was chattering incessantly beside her.

Seated at the forefront were Akainu, with his stern and unwavering demeanor, and Kizaru, the ever-so-casual Admiral, seemingly content to collect his paycheck and fulfill his duties with minimal effort. Aokiji was absent, likely wandering aimlessly somewhere, much to Akainu's annoyance.

Akainu harbored a deep dislike for Aokiji's lazy and carefree attitude. Their ideologies of justice clashed, and Aokiji's blatant disregard for protocol, even as an Admiral, the highest-ranking combatant in the Marines, was an embarrassment. If their positions weren't equal…

Akainu would have stripped him of his rank without hesitation. He noticed Gion and Ian's arrival, glancing at them briefly before turning away. Weaklings didn't deserve his attention.

He focused solely on the major threats, the Four Emperors and the Warlords. Kizaru, however, casually remarked, "An interesting rookie."

Akainu glared at him. A Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit user with a Meito… He definitely had the potential to become an Admiral.

But he had to survive long enough to reach that level. The Grand Line was a dangerous place, and countless promising individuals had met their demise prematurely. They weren't gods.

They couldn't guarantee anyone's safety. Otherwise, they would have eradicated the Four Emperors and all pirates long ago, retiring to a peaceful life.

"Gion, welcome back. Everything went smoothly?" Tsuru inquired, her white hair neatly styled. Gion smiled warmly. "Yes, Tsuru."

Their relationship resembled that of sisters. Ian, however, was speechless. Both Tsuru and Gion were clearly from his mother's generation.

Could Ain have truly used her Devil Fruit to rewind their ages? Were their true appearances similar to Tsuru's?

"Gion, I was worried sick about you!" A short, middle-aged man with a cheerful demeanor approached them. Gion, however, ignored him completely. It was Chaton, the persistent Vice Admiral who had proposed to her over a hundred times.

He was considered one of the strongest Vice Admirals and a potential Admiral candidate, although he couldn't compare to Garp, who held the same rank but was widely regarded as a hero, on par with Sengoku in status.

And Zephyr… He was likely leading his Neo Marines on a crusade against pirates somewhere.

"Is this the rookie?" Tsuru turned her attention to Ian. "Work hard, young man. You have potential."

Garp clapped Ian on the shoulder, a wide grin on his face. If not for Ian's 35% fusion rate, granting him strength comparable to a Sweet Commander, a Calamity, a pirate with an 800-900 million berry bounty, or a formidable Vice Admiral…

He would have been sent flying by the strongest hand-to-hand combatant in the Marines. Garp, however, was surprised. Even though he hadn't used much force, his strength was still considerable. This kid was tough!

"You have potential. You'll definitely become an Admiral someday… Unlike those two brats of mine, who decided to become pirates. Next time I see them, I'll give them a good dose of my love fists!"

"..." Garp's declaration left the Marines speechless. Was it really appropriate to boast about his pirate grandsons in this setting?

Fortunately, he was a hero, and Sengoku and the others were there to cover for him.

"Damn you, Garp…" Akainu clenched his fists. Aokiji and Garp were his least favorite individuals. Both were lazy and carefree, and Garp had even raised a revolutionary son and a pirate grandson. Where was his sense of justice?

Ian could only shake his head. While Akainu's actions were understandable, his methods were too extreme…

"Ah, was I not supposed to mention that? My apologies…" Garp chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head.

"..." The Marines wanted to facepalm. He had already said it!

In contrast, Sengoku simply nodded at Ian before continuing with the meeting agenda.

He seemed to have anticipated Garp's outburst, and the other Marines weren't surprised either. After all, they were all powerful individuals who had faced countless dangers on the Grand Line. If this were the Ian from a few days ago…

He might have felt intimidated by the atmosphere, but now, he knew that only Garp, Sengoku, the three Admirals, Gion, Chaton, and Tsuru… those who rivaled the Admirals in strength, could defeat him.

Moreover, he was here to join the Marines, not cause trouble. As long as he wasn't foolish, there wouldn't be any issues.

"Now, we have three announcements. Firstly, after careful consideration, headquarters has decided to promote Vice Admirals Gion and Chaton to Admiral candidates, codenamed "Pink Rabbit" and "Brown Pig," respectively."

The announcement wasn't met with any objections or expressions of surprise. Their strength had long been acknowledged. They simply lacked the necessary achievements for a formal promotion. Ian, however, had a suspicion…

Based on the story's timeline, this promotion was premature. It was supposed to occur after the Paramount War, when Akainu and Aokiji clashed for the position of Fleet Admiral, resulting in Aokiji's departure and Akainu's promotion, leaving two Admiral positions vacant.

The initial plan was to promote both Gion and Chaton to Admiral, but their strength, while impressive, wasn't quite at that level. They were merely one of the strongest Vice Admirals, lacking the necessary experience. Therefore, the World Military Draft was initiated, bringing in Fujitora and Ryokugyu, two exceptionally powerful individuals.

One possessed the Zushi Zushi no Mi, a Paramecia Devil Fruit that could manipulate gravity, while the other wielded the Mori Mori no Mi, a Logia Devil Fruit that could control plant life. Their abilities resembled Madara and Hashirama's Chibaku Tensei and Wood Release, respectively, from the Naruto universe, or the three Admirals' ice, magma, and light powers.

They were all devastating forces of nature. Gion excelled in swordsmanship and Rokushiki, while Chaton specialized in hand-to-hand combat, both possessing strong Haki. Their power rivaled that of an Admiral.

However, even within each power tier in the One Piece world, there were several sub-tiers, with vast differences in strength.

And they were talking about a major tier jump.

While the title of "Admiral candidate" might seem disrespectful, the world was overrun with pirates.

Marines faced constant danger, their lives perpetually on the line. It was necessary to have backup candidates ready to fill the vacant positions. This applied not only to Admirals but also to the Fleet Admiral, who could be replaced at any time.

Therefore, Gion and Chaton weren't offended by their titles. If they wanted to secure their positions, they simply had to become stronger.

Strength was paramount in this world.

Gion's promotion was partly due to Ian. She had not only discovered a potential Admiral candidate but also uncovered Crocodile's conspiracy. These achievements, coupled with her already impressive track record, had accelerated her promotion.

Chaton had benefitted from the situation as well. He was capable of handling various tasks and missions, and his strength and reputation were on par with Gion's. Moreover, he was pursuing Gion romantically, so he was unlikely to cause any trouble.

Several other Marines received promotions as well. This was Sengoku, the "Buddha," in action. Major decisions were handled with ease, his every move calculated and decisive.

He had resolved these matters swiftly and efficiently, without any opposition.

"Now, for the second announcement. Vice Admiral Gion has brought back a promising rookie."

"We've decided to grant him the rank of Vice Admiral, along with all the privileges and responsibilities that come with it… Please welcome and support him. His name is Ian… Everyone, give him a warm welcome!"

Sengoku finally revealed Ian's fate. Ian maintained a neutral expression. It seemed he wouldn't be attending the recruit training camp after all.

Without Zephyr, the legendary instructor who had trained numerous Admirals and Vice Admirals, the camp held little appeal. He wanted to learn swordsmanship and Haki.

As a Vice Admiral, he would have access to the three Admirals, Garp, Chaton, and even Sengoku himself. And Gion, who had brought him here, would undoubtedly offer her guidance. His success reflected well on her, and she was a kind and compassionate individual.

Was this Sengoku's solution? The Moria incident had likely altered their plans. Why send someone who could defeat a Warlord to a training camp for rookies? As for his supposed bloodlust, wouldn't joining the Marines and receiving proper guidance address that issue?

Garp slapped Ian on the back, exclaiming, "Good job, kid!"

"..." Ian was speechless. Couldn't the old man express his approval without resorting to physical contact?

"Actually, there's still a chance…" Sengoku, observing Garp's enthusiasm, suddenly felt a sense of unease.

After all, Garp was the one who had raised a revolutionary son and a pirate grandson.

"What? Granting him the rank of Vice Admiral right away? Are you serious? While a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit has potential, and his swordsmanship is impressive…"

"He also defeated Moria, but we didn't witness it ourselves. Who knows if it's even true?"

"It seems even the Marines have their fair share of jealous individuals." Ian chuckled. After all, they were only human. Some had dedicated their lives to the Marines and yet hadn't achieved the rank of Vice Admiral.

While strength reigned supreme in this world, there were still those who resorted to jealousy and scheming. He wasn't bothered by their doubts. Instead, he turned his attention to Sengoku.

He was confident in his strength and wasn't afraid of causing trouble. He was curious to see how Sengoku would handle this situation..

His pale, demonic face, coupled with an amused yet chilling smile, exuded an aura of menace and disdain…

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Word Count [2672]

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To Be Continued..

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