Kozuki Toki's Oto and Kogarashi struck the still-sheathed Shodai Kitetsu.
Though Nusjuro blocked the attack, the reverence in his eyes remained, so he merely defended without countering.
Meanwhile, Imu continued to look down from above at Kozuki Toki and Nusjuro below the platform.
"Enough, Nusjuro. You've been too rude to my guest."
"Imu-sama, I deserve death for my transgression."
Without hesitation, Nusjuro turned and knelt on one knee before Imu, lowering his head.
Thus, he exposed his completely defenseless back to Kozuki Toki.
She was absolutely certain that Nusjuro had fully relaxed his guard at this moment...
If she struck now, she could undoubtedly kill him.
But...
Kozuki Toki slowly sheathed the two short broadswords that had accompanied Shiki and Michael for years.
Killing Nusjuro or the like...
No longer mattered.
Her target now... Was only one.
Imu, the one seated upon the Empty Throne.
"I know exactly what you're thinking... Toki. Dare you follow me?"
As Imu spoke, they rose from the Empty Throne and walked toward the Flower Room.
"Very well, Nusjuro, you may withdraw... If you act without orders again, I truly will kill you."
"Yes, Imu-sama." Nusjuro trembled, then stood and left the palace.
"Are you really not coming?"
Kozuki Toki frowned in thought, then looked up at Imu, whose entire body was concealed by a black robe, revealing only a pair of eyes...
She lifted her foot and ascended the steps of the platform.
Following Imu, she entered the Flower Room.
Upon entering, Kozuki Toki froze in place.
The space was filled with countless flowers, some delicate, others vibrant.
And without exception... Every single one was a species from eight hundred years ago.
Long extinct in the seas of the present day.
At the center of the floral arrangement stood a stone pedestal.
Upon it rested an enormous straw hat.
"This is... Joy Boy's straw hat!"
"Correct. This is Joy Boy's straw hat... and also a trophy collected by the Twenty Kings." Imu stepped forward, gently patting the hat.
"Seeing this brings back memories... Tch, how nostalgic."
"You... know Joy Boy?"
"To be precise, I know Joy Boy, I know Michael, and I even know you, Toki."
"But I... don't know you."
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Imu froze momentarily before bursting into prolonged laughter.
The laughter lasted a long while before gradually subsiding.
"This is truly... the greatest joke of all."
With that, Imu turned around.
And removed the black robe shrouding their entire body.
"Toki... it's been far too long."
"YOU..."
In that instant, Kozuki Toki seemed petrified where she stood.
Because in her eyes...
The person before her was absolutely impossible to still be alive!
...
"Seriously? We're just here for formal negotiations with the Revolutionary Army about merging forces. Do we really need all us old-timers mobilized to welcome them?"
Garp dug his nose boredly, his brows furrowed with impatience.
"Garp, you make it sound like this is just some casual family dinner," Zephyr quipped beside him.
"This is literally one of the most significant events in Marine history, on par with the Marine's independence!"
"Bullshit! The Revolutionary Army's leader is my damn son! Since when does a father have to grovel welcoming his own kid? I've got pride too!"
"Your pride is worth less than their shoe inserts," Zephyr smirked, chuckling quietly. "You'd better think about how you'll face your son after the N.E.W Marine merges with the Revolutionary Army! Remember you're just a vice admiral, while he leads the Revolutionary Army—that puts him on equal footing with Sengoku!"
At this, not just Zephyr laughed.
Even the surrounding high-ranking Marine officers couldn't help but crack smiles.
Especially Aokiji, who actually burst out laughing.
Garp immediately redirected his irritation.
"You ungrateful disciple! When your master gets humiliated, instead of standing up for him, you're over there covering your mouth and laughing! What kind of admiral are you?!"
"Well... the admiral's duties never specified we can't laugh at our masters," Aokiji coughed, straightening his expression.
"But honestly, Garp-san isn't the only one who should be annoyed. Michael is the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff, yet he told you and Zephyr-sensei—fine—but then also told Sakazuki and Borsalino... And worst of all, he told them but didn't inform Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
"Kuzan?!" Sengoku whipped around, glaring at Aokiji in exasperation. "You just had to bring that up?!"
As the Marine's top brass bantered about Monkey D. Dragon and Michael's relationship with Garp and Sengoku, the Revolutionary Army's flagship gradually sailed into Marineford's harbor.
The sight was undeniably historic.
At least for most Marines outside the leadership, this moment drew unprecedented awe.
Many had interacted with Revolutionary Army members before returning to headquarters.
Some had even maintained private contacts afterward.
Yet none had ever imagined witnessing the Marine and Revolutionary Army merging one day.
As Winter Grama docked...A blazing orange flame streaked across the sky before spiraling down to the ground of the harbor, coalescing into the form of a stunningly beautiful woman with a fiery figure.
"This! This is the legendary Revolutionary Flame! The Flame-Flame Fruit user! Commander of the Revolutionary Army's Eastern Army—Ginny!"
After Ginny's dramatic entrance, other Revolutionary Army cadres began descending from the Winter Grama one after another.
At the forefront walked a hooded figure who only slowly revealed his face upon reaching the Marine leadership—a face marked with cryptic tattoos now visible to all.
Monkey D. Dragon...
Labeled by the World Government as "the world's most dangerous criminal."
Yet here stood the Revolutionary Army's leader, nodding with a smile toward Garp.
"Father... it's been too long."
A single sentence that instantly sent shockwaves through the crowd.
The Revolutionary Army's leader... was actually the son of the Marine hero!?
The Marines' reaction was precisely as Dragon had anticipated.
Though he'd served briefly in the Marines years ago, his early departure and solitary nature meant few beyond high-ranking officers knew of his familial ties to Garp.
"Dragon, where's Michael? Shouldn't he be with you?" Sengoku blinked curiously.
"Michael?" Dragon chuckled lightly at Sengoku's question.
"Him? He went fishing."
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator