Chapter 45: Teacher Momousagi, Long Time No See!
"Shichibukai Boa Hancock, we have arrived at Marine Headquarters. Please disembark immediately!"
Just as Rok and Hancock were reluctantly saying their temporary goodbyes,
Vice Admiral Momonga's voice came from outside the cabin.
Hancock's beautiful eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Damn pest.
Always ruining the mood.
They were literally one step away from the farewell kiss!
One day she would chop this blind bat into fish food for daring to hurt her Rok!
"Coming!"
Though furious, Hancock knew this was the worst time to blow their cover.
Soon,
accompanied by "ordinary Marine" Rok, she stepped out of the cabin.
On deck,
the still-blind Momonga was leading the escort.
"Hm? Where is Commodore Barrens?"
Even blind, Momonga's senses were sharp enough to notice the absence.
"That impatient Marine pissed me off, so I turned him to stone for three days as punishment."
Hancock answered coldly, clearly in no mood to talk.
Yet even her icy attitude only made the surrounding Marines worship her harder.
Their eyes were glued to her, unable to move.
Using the distraction,
the moment they stepped onto Marineford soil,
Rok vanished into the crowd of Empress-watching Marines.
"Rok… be careful. I'll give everything to help you."
Hancock's stunning face filled with determination the instant he disappeared.
She didn't know why, but right now, she would willingly give her life for Rok.
Ahh… So this is the storm of love!
…
"Who's causing such a commotion over there?"
Aboard the G-9 warship,
Admiral Candidate Momousagi heard the roaring cheers from the other side of the harbor and raised an eyebrow.
"It's one of the Shichibukai—the Pirate Empress. The world's most beautiful woman, apparently."
The slim, seductive Rear Admiral Alice answered, a hint of longing in her voice.
The world's most beautiful woman, huh?
She wondered how much more beautiful she could be than the elegant, breathtaking Vice Admiral Momousagi… or even herself.
"Hmph. Shichibukai?"
"That legalized piracy system is a stain on the Marines' honor."
Momousagi snorted coldly, clearly disgusted with Headquarters' inaction.
The Marines claimed to be the banner of justice.
Yet in recent years, they had strayed further and further from true justice.
Now they were so far gone that a single word from a Celestial Dragon could destroy a future star.
Pathetic.
"Alice, let's go. No point staying at Marineford any longer. Rok may be reckless, but he's not stupid enough to walk into this mess."
"After all, the enemy this time is the strongest of the New World's Four Emperors. The coming war will be unprecedented."
After a moment of thought,
Momousagi decided to leave Marineford and return to G-9.
After everything with Rok, she had grown disillusioned with Headquarters.
Memories of Rok training desperately under her guidance made her heart ache.
Splash!
Just as Alice went to start the engines,
a spray of water burst up at the edge of the deck.
Under Momousagi's wide-eyed stare,
a tall, well-built young man in a rookie Marine uniform climbed aboard, shaking water off himself.
"Hehe… Teacher Momousagi, long time no see!"
In that moment,
Admiral Candidate Momousagi froze.
She stared in disbelief at the familiar yet changed handsome face, lips trembling.
"R-Rok?!"
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry for making you worry, Teacher."
Rok scratched his head sheepishly, genuinely touched.
Just looking at her expression told him how much she had been worried.
In all his years in the Marines,
Momousagi had been one of the few who truly cared for him.
Back when he trained at G-9, he lived with her—eating her food, training under her.
He was still young then.
He used to say he was scared to sleep alone.
Every time, Momousagi would soften and stay with him.
Like Zephyr and Tsuru,
she was one of the rare few who genuinely believed in him and treated him with real kindness.
Seeing her now,
Rok felt warmth… and a little grievance.
"You silly boy… I'm just glad you're safe. You didn't do anything wrong. Teacher's heart aches for you."
Momousagi's eyes reddened.
Ignoring his soaked uniform, she pulled him into a warm embrace.
She knew he must feel so wronged.
But it was too late.
Killing a Celestial Dragon had severed all ties with the Marines forever.
"R-Rok?!! You're back?!"
Just then, Alice returned and saw him—her face lit up with pure joy.
Of all the Marines, she adored her little junior brother the most.
"You're back! You're really back!"
She charged in and gave him a full bear hug.
Rok nearly suffocated.
Alice may not be as tall as Momousagi, but her "weapons" were massive.
And every time she hugged him, she'd jump and rub his face into them.
Annoying as hell.
"Alice—now's not the time for reunions! Full speed ahead! Get us away from the harbor—head toward the Gates of Justice!"
Momousagi quickly regained her composure.
This place was a dragon's den for Rok.
She didn't know why he came to Marineford,
but they couldn't stay near the docks.
If anyone spotted him,
not even an Admiral Candidate like her could protect him.
After all…
Saint Shalria, the Celestial Dragon with a blood feud against him, was currently at Marineford!
…
"Hm? Gion's leaving?"
Meanwhile,
Chaton, who had been keeping tabs on Momousagi's ship, noticed it powering up and pulling away.
And fast.
Even if she was returning to G-9, did she really need to floor it like that?
Something was off.
Was she trying to escape before he proposed again?!
Wait…
Chasing after her at full speed would show sincerity, right?!
A sleazy grin spread across Admiral Candidate Chaton's face.
He requisitioned a speedboat and took off after Momousagi's warship.
…
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