Chapter 43: Admiral Candidate — Teacher Momousagi!
Impel Down – Level 1 (Surface)
As the world's greatest prison under the World Government, Impel Down only ever housed the most vicious criminals, so security had always been airtight.
Even World Government officials, high-ranking Marines, or other VIPs had to submit to full body searches.
Rok, disguised as a regular Marine and walking in with the Pirate Empress, naturally couldn't skip the procedure.
Luckily, Deputy Warden Domino, whom he knew well, was personally handling the search of Shichibukai Boa Hancock.
That left Rok and Commodore Barrens to be checked by a normal jailer in a separate room.
Rok had just let out a quiet breath of relief.
Then the sunglass-wearing, uniform-clad Domino suddenly locked onto him.
"You two Marines wait here. Due to the current special circumstances, I will personally conduct all searches."
Domino stared at the "new recruit" whose build felt extremely familiar, her face perfectly neutral.
Even with the mask, she wasn't fooled.
Ninety-nine percent chance it was him.
After all, every single time that man escorted prisoners to Impel Down, she was the one who took handover.
In a way, she had watched him rise… and fall.
"Understood, Deputy Warden Domino."
Rok didn't bother denying it.
He and Domino had history. As long as he didn't turn the prison upside down, she probably wouldn't rat him out.
Of course—if she tried, he'd have to silence her.
Commodore Barrens, on the other hand, instantly broke into cold sweat the moment he heard those words.
Moments later, under Domino's supervision, Hancock smoothly finished her "security check."
Hancock walked out completely unscathed.
Domino, however, became so entranced by the Empress's beauty that she petrified herself.
It wasn't serious—she'd recover soon.
This actually saved Rok a lot of trouble; he didn't have to waste time dealing with her.
After that, Hancock didn't linger long on her "tour."
The whole point had just been to get Luffy inside.
As for the rest of Impel Down?
Rok had been here countless times.
He had even visited Level 6 Infinite Hell twice.
The prison held zero novelty for him.
His current priority was rushing to complete the branch quest.
He couldn't wait to swallow both god-tier mythical fruits at once!
When Rok and Hancock left Impel Down,
Inside the search room, Domino instantly recovered from petrification.
She straightened her impressive figure, gaze fixed on the man boarding the ship outside.
"Douglas D. Rok… the man who dared to slay a god.
Will your next actions completely change the direction of the world?"
…
Marine Headquarters – Marineford
At the edge of the massive harbor,
A warship belonging to Branch G-9 in the New World had just returned not long ago and was not participating in the final defensive deployments.
In truth, Admiral Candidate Vice Admiral Momousagi (Gion), commander of G-9, had not been recalled by Headquarters.
She had returned on her own initiative.
Her purpose: to learn the full truth behind the Celestial Dragon incident.
Fortunately, with the current extraordinary circumstances, Fleet Admiral Sengoku didn't reprimand her for leaving her post.
"Teacher Zephyr, I've confirmed everything. Just as the rumors said—at Sabaody Archipelago, it really was Rok who cut down Saint Charlos."
Inside the warship,
The tall, elegant Momousagi was on the Den Den Mushi with former Admiral Zephyr.
One had been Rok's swordsmanship instructor, the other the mentor who discovered and nurtured him.
Now that Rok had caused such a catastrophe, both were deeply worried.
The moment she learned Rok had been ambushed by Momonga outside Impel Down, she had immediately left G-9 and rushed back to Marineford.
She had hoped there might still be a chance— a way to save Rok's career before everything was beyond repair.
But before she even arrived,
News that shook the world broke:
That kid Rok had actually beheaded a Celestial Dragon in broad daylight at Sabaody!
When she first heard it, Momousagi nearly collapsed on deck.
If it was true, Rok had become the number one kill-on-sight target for both the World Government and Marine Headquarters!
"Sigh… that boy could have been the strongest star of the Marines for the next several decades…"
"Forget it, Gion. This old man is already leading the guerrilla team to track him down. If we find anything, I'll let you know."
Zephyr's aged, helpless sigh came through the snail.
After retirement, he had taught generation after generation of Marines.
Only Rok had given him real hope for the future.
And now that hope was shattered.
"Vice Admiral Momousagi!"
After hanging up, Momousagi was pondering her next move.
Her aide, the playful yet uniformed Rear Admiral Alice, suddenly burst in excitedly.
"Vice Admiral! Great news!"
"I just heard Vice Admiral Momonga arrived completely blind and gravely injured!"
Alice didn't care that they were at Headquarters—she was openly gleeful.
That bastard Momonga!
Rok was her sword-training junior brother, and Momonga had ambushed him!
Now karma came fast.
Word was some mysterious attacker beat him half to death!
"Momonga heavily injured?"
A flash of surprise—and unmistakable satisfaction—crossed Momousagi's refined, beautiful face.
Whoever did it had saved her the trouble.
She had already planned to deal with Momonga herself after the war.
"No point staying here then. I heard that annoying Garp is back too. Let's return to G-9."
"Oh, and Alice—keep an eye out for any trace of Rok."
She had no interest in the coming war.
Sengoku hadn't ordered her to fight anyway, and right now she wasn't in the mood to defend Headquarters.
The Marines couldn't even protect one of their greatest future stars.
In front of the World Government, they were looking more and more like disposable tools.
Knock knock knock!
Just as Rear Admiral Alice saluted and turned to leave,
Someone knocked urgently on Momousagi's private cabin door.
The knocks were frantic.
Instantly,
Admiral Candidate Momousagi's hand went to her famous blade Konpira, drawing it three inches.
But when the door opened,
And she saw who was standing there,
The Admiral Candidate, one of the strongest women in the world,
froze solid on the spot.
…
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