After finishing his "meeting" with the Five Elders, Michael left the venue alone and quickly inspected the entire Marineford.
After confirming one last time, aside from their normal number of guards and staff, the Five Elders had not summoned any additional people.
This finally put his mind at ease.
Although things between him and the Five Elders had already torn past the point of no return, right now, neither side wanted to make this matter public.
The Five Elders feared that Michael, with his rapidly growing reputation, would weaken and gradually erase the World Government's influence over the Marines.
Meanwhile, Michael worried that if these five old geezers lost their temper, they might go call for Imu-sama right away.
He wasn't ready to face that walking human nuke just yet…
And the whole world wasn't ready for an era even more insane than the Great Pirate Era.
So now, just as he once said himself…
Even if it meant sitting at the same table as his enemies, drinking and laughing together, so be it.
...
Using this inspection time to clear his head, Michael then returned to the venue.
When he arrived at the Vice Admirals' seats, he saw that Tsuru was giving them an impromptu political lecture.
And Garp was being used as the negative example, thoroughly scolded by Tsuru.
Everyone was sitting up straight, listening to her stern words.
Tokikake and Gion had even pulled out notebooks, scribbling down the key points in brief notes.
Seeing this, Michael gave them a big thumbs-up.
No wonder you two are the Admiral candidates!
Not only strong, but your ideological awareness is top-notch!
...
"Ahem, Tsuru-san, let's give the old man Garp a break today. After all, today is a big day for the whole Marine force. Sure, he embarrasses himself all the time and everyone's used to it… but today, we should at least maintain the grand image of the Marine Hero, right?"
After Michael's persuasion, Tsuru reluctantly announced the lecture was over, then she and Garp sat down in the empty seats…
But they both, without saying a word, left the center C-position for Michael.
...
"Uh, I'm supposed to sit here?"
"Of course. What, you planning to sit on my lap instead?" Garp rolled his eyes at Michael. "With all the merit and strength you've shown these years, if you don't sit there, I'll be the first to object!"
The moment Garp finished speaking, the surrounding Vice Admirals all had a "he's right" look on their faces, nodding in agreement.
Michael didn't refuse either. Since nobody had any objections, he certainly didn't.
He folded his wings, turned, and sat down.
...
"By the way, where are the Five Elders?" Michael looked around after sitting down. "Don't tell me they just showed their faces and left already?"
Tsuru and Garp exchanged a glance, then simultaneously pointed upward to the side.
Michael finally noticed — two giant Vice Admirals were carrying a high platform, and the Five Elders were sitting right on top of it…
Looking down from above.
"Tsk, sometimes I just can't figure out why they think acting all aloof and weird like that somehow makes them look noble."
"Who knows how many years those old geezers have lived… maybe their brains are rusted already?"
Among everyone present, only Garp dared speak so bluntly together with Michael, mocking the Five Elders.
Even Tsuru and the other Vice Admirals only nodded slightly, staying silent.
...
Soon, with Michael seated, the promotion ceremony officially began.
The military band started playing, and along with it came the voices of the spectators.
"Look! Look over there! Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the new Three Admirals have entered!"
Michael of course saw everything clearly: the tall, burly honor guards leading the way, Sengoku in his brand-new Fleet Admiral uniform, and the freshly groomed Three Admirals following along the newly laid red carpet with steady steps.
With determined expressions, they greeted the cheers and admiration of the Marine soldiers and officers lining the path.
Michael nodded. This was the purpose of promoting the Fleet Admiral and the Three Admirals.
Their strength wouldn't suddenly increase after the promotion, but the morale boost for the entire Marine force was unprecedented.
...
"Hey, hey, hey, Michael!" At this crucial moment, Garp suddenly handed something over to Michael with a mysterious grin. "Want some rice crackers?"
"Eat… eat your damn crackers!" Michael almost wanted to stab this old bastard right now. "As the so-called Marine Hero, the face of the entire Marines… can't you act a little serious for once?!"
"Me? Not serious? I'm not the one being promoted today!"
Michael sighed.
Garp's reckless personality was sometimes truly infuriating.
But before, it wasn't this bad.
It seemed… ever since Roger's execution, this side of Garp had completely taken over.
In Michael's eyes, the Garp of the past had been a mostly serious Marine Hero.
Could it be that with his lifelong rival dead, Garp's old ambition had vanished too, leaving behind only a powerful but cracker-obsessed, grandchild-obsessed old troublemaker?
...
"Wa hahahaha! Just look at Sengoku, all flashy like that! I swear he not only pinned all his own medals on his chest but probably 'borrowed' some from me too!"
Garp was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes, pointing at Sengoku.
"And Borsalino! The look on his face is priceless! Just how badly does he want to get off work, hahaha!"
...
On the awarding platform, there wasn't a single weakling.
Everyone could hear Garp's explosive laughter.
Kong, now promoted to Commander-in-Chief, stood on the awarding platform with arms crossed.
The new Fleet Admiral and the Three Admirals had reached him.
Kong's combat strength had always been a mystery.
It had even spawned the biggest rumor…
That Redfield had once barely beaten Kong, only to get caught wounded by Garp and thrown into Impel Down's Level 6…
But the truth was, Redfield had witnessed the terrifying might of Roger and Whitebeard at their peak and gave up on becoming Pirate King himself.
Then he entered Impel Down Level 6 to spend the rest of his life there.
...
But in this world where power affected body size, Kong's massive muscles looked even bigger than Garp's!
Though his hair and beard were white, and wrinkles lined his face, he didn't look like a high-ranking official at all.
He looked more like a front-line Marine who had never stopped fighting.
Kong gazed at the new Fleet Admiral and the Three Admirals before him, then looked toward the center of the audience stands, at that handsome man with platinum hair.
A new era for the Marines…
Was finally about to begin.
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