"Ah…"
Under the warm, slightly dim light, the dignified yet bashful young man caught Sengoku off guard. For a moment, he simply stood there, unable to react.
Only after a short pause did Sengoku feel a warmth bloom in his chest. Holding back the sudden urge to tear up, he asked:
"You little brat… is this to celebrate my promotion to Fleet Admiral of the Navy?"
"More or less…"
Arms crossed and eyes drifting toward the window, Yahn muttered half-heartedly.
"Well, partly. Honestly, I just thought—since I'll soon be the adopted son of the Fleet Admiral, I couldn't help feeling a little happy."
Sengoku froze. Strangely, a wave of nervousness and uncertainty washed over him.
Could it be that this kid, after traveling with Kuzan, has finally matured? Has he come to understand justice in a new light—and feels proud that I've become Fleet Admiral?
But the very next words from Yahn wiped the warm expression right off his face.
"With you sitting at the top, I'd like to see who in Marineford dares mess with me now! What a wonderful occasion—how could I not celebrate it?"
Sengoku immediately grabbed a plate of food and flung it at Yahn.
"You little bastard! Even if I'm promoted to Fleet Admiral, that doesn't give you the right to throw your weight around! This sea still respects strength above all!"
"You shameless brat, get back here!"
"You're gonna be the death of me! Get back here—I'm teaching you a lesson today!"
…
Not far from Sengoku's courtyard, Kuzan lay on the ground stargazing. Glancing toward the commotion, he saw two shadows dancing wildly behind a lit window and muttered with a sigh:
"Such a warm and loving father-son moment… truly heartwarming."
Elsewhere, Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had been on her way to discuss details of tomorrow's promotion ceremony with Sengoku, stopped in her tracks as she noticed the commotion in his courtyard.
"Sister Tsuru, what's wrong?" Gion, who had been following her, asked.
"Nothing," Tsuru said with a soft smile. "It's just that Yahn seems to have come home. It's rare for them to spend time together. Let's leave them be."
Gion looked toward the courtyard.
Crash!
A chair flew through a window and shattered on the street outside.
From within, faint explosions and clamor could be heard.
"Er… Sister Tsuru, maybe you should go intervene? Sounds like they're actually fighting?" Gion asked hesitantly.
Tsuru shook her head.
"Gion, you don't understand. That's just how some men express their emotions. Bizarre as it may seem, that's their way of bonding."
"Really?" Gion asked, clearly still confused.
"You're still young…" Tsuru replied, turning and heading back inside. "You'll understand when you're older."
"Oh… okay."
Gion gave one last glance at the raucous courtyard before following Tsuru away.
…
The Next Day.
Before the eyes of countless Marines in Marineford, Admiral Sengoku officially received the mantle of Fleet Admiral from his predecessor, Kong.
"Everyone, the seas are growing darker by the day. Because of the Pirate King's final words, the number of pirates is rising at an alarming rate—chaos, plunder, murder… all spreading like wildfire!"
"So what is our duty? What does it mean to be a Marine? What justice do we uphold?"
"…Today, I, Sengoku, take on the role of Fleet Admiral! Under the banner of Reigning Justice, I swear to lead the Navy in stamping out all evil across the seas!"
Sengoku's speech was passionate and resolute, stirring the hearts of Marines around the world. The broadcast was transmitted to every Navy branch, outpost, and base, igniting a wave of fervor across the seas.
Yahn, however, remained unmoved.
"Hm. Maybe it's because I'm not technically a Marine yet… different positions, different perspectives. Guess I just can't relate to the old man's fire."
He muttered as he barely suppressed a yawn, doing his best to maintain the demeanor of a proud family member of the new Fleet Admiral while sitting through the whole ceremony.
To Yahn's disappointment, none of the trouble Sengoku had prepared for ever came. No pirate dared disrupt the event.
Pity, Yahn thought. If something had happened, the ceremony would've been much more exciting.
But that was to be expected. The Navy had just executed Gol D. Roger and captured Golden Lion Shiki—their authority loomed like a storm cloud over the sea.
No small-time pirate could possibly infiltrate Marineford, and the big players weren't foolish enough to provoke Sengoku, who now needed to establish his dominance.
Afterward, Sengoku officially assumed all responsibilities as Fleet Admiral and dove into a new era of endless paperwork and military operations.
As for Yahn, he was quite pleased.
It seemed Sengoku had forgotten about him—or perhaps simply gave up on forcing him to join the Navy. Either way, no one bothered him as he lounged around the courtyard every day.
"How comfortable…"
Sunbathing, watering flowers, whistling while strolling with a birdcage in hand… that became Yahn's daily routine.
"Starting my retirement early, living the Buddhist lifestyle—how perfect!"
At just sixteen years old, Yahn felt nothing short of content. His whistle grew sharper and more rhythmic by the day.
Inside the cage, a canary tilted its head and looked at him with surprisingly intelligent eyes, letting out a soft, melodic chirp.
"Good bird, you're learning fast…"
Yahn chuckled and continued his leisurely stroll, pointing out passing Marines to the canary as if giving it a tour.
The elegant little bird chirped in response as if truly understanding.
…
Meanwhile, in the upper levels of Marine HQ, a critical meeting was underway—one concerning promotions and internal transfers across the Navy ranks.
Although Sengoku had no intention of purging the former Fleet Admiral's faction, to steer the massive ship that was the Navy through the tides of this era, key positions inevitably had to be reshuffled.
"Well done. Thank you all for these past three days. Let's consider the personnel adjustments finalized for now."
Sitting at the head of the conference table, Fleet Admiral Sengoku gave a brief summary before continuing:
"One last matter remains—something Vice Admiral Kuzan brought up. I believe it's worth discussing."
He passed around some prepared documents to the gathered Navy officials.
"It concerns oversight of the naval forces stationed across the Four Blues."