"...No matter how many times I look, it still feels unbelievable."
Tashigi and Kuina sat side by side, their identical faces leaving everyone around them... stunned.
Meanwhile, the idiot with the green hair stood there with his head covered in bumps, staring at Kuina with the same dumbfounded expression.
His not-so-bright brain couldn't wrap itself around the idea that—aside from the possibility that his master had made some scandalous mistake—there could actually exist two completely unrelated girls with the exact same face...
"Enough. What's with those looks? Haven't you ever seen two girls before?"
Michael rolled his eyes and casually smacked the green-haired idiot on the head again.
"Sometimes the world just works in strange coincidences... And what's even stranger, is that both of them happen to be swordswomen."
"Swordswomen? Then bringing her here..." Koshiro Shimotsuki turned to Michael. "You plan to have me teach her?"
"Of course." Michael shrugged helplessly. "I wouldn't have come all this way otherwise. But you know how that Hawk Eyes guy is—getting him to teach someone is harder than having him beat me in a fight. If you let him choose, he'd pick the fight without hesitation."
"That's true." Koshiro thought of Hawk Eyes' perpetually deadpan face and had to admit Michael had a point. "However... she's a student of your youth program, isn't she? You're just sending her straight into the heart of the Revolutionary Army's territory to study? Aren't you worried about accidents?"
"Accidents?" Michael looked at Koshiro, then turned his gaze to Ginny and Kuma. "You two also think it's unwise?"
"That's a question for you, Michael."
Ginny lazily played with several flickering flames of different colors in her hand while teasing the little Bonney in her arms.
"We just follow your lead. You and Dragon-sama are the ones who make the calls."
"I don't think it's a big deal," Kuma said gently, still holding his Bible. "After all, there are already rumors spreading across the seas—people saying Michael is part of the Revolutionary Army. I'd say it won't be long before the World Government uses that as an excuse to open an investigation, right?"
Kuma's words made Michael chuckle indifferently.
"He's right. My identity's probably already blown... not that I've been hiding it for the past few years anyway."
His tone was calm, almost dismissive.
"As for what the World Government plans to do... it's obvious. They'll use this chance to make the Navy move against me—splitting the Navy from within while putting the Revolutionary Army's threat back under the spotlight for all the nations on the Grand Line. After all, if even the Navy's Chief Inspector is a revolutionary, then the organization must have big ambitions indeed!"
Michael's expression was serene, but his words sent ripples through everyone present.
Especially Tashigi—cold sweat ran down her back.
Was this... something a kid like me was even supposed to hear?!
...But both Kuina and that loud-mouthed green-haired idiot were listening closely, wide-eyed and fascinated!
Tashigi instantly felt like she was the only one losing her mind.
Sensing her panic, Kuina turned her head and placed a reassuring hand over Tashigi's.
"Don't worry. Michael-sama's identity is exactly what you just heard."
"…How am I supposed to not worry after hearing that?"
"Because Michael-sama is both an excellent revolutionary and an excellent marine. Everything he does... is for the sake of helping civilians live better lives." Kuina smiled softly and shook her head. "I don't believe someone who uses his power to save ordinary people could ever be a bad person."
"But... the Revolutionary Army and the Navy have always been enemies."
"That was in the past... Do they really seem that different now?" Kuina said with a gentle smile.
"You're from the East Blue too, right? Then you must've grown up under the protection of the Revolutionary Army these past years."
"That... is true," Tashigi admitted. "The Revolutionary Army really is like the guardian of everyone across the four seas."
"And isn't that the ideal the Navy has always sought to uphold?" Kuina said quietly, cutting straight to the heart of it.
"The current Revolutionary Army is just the Navy without the World Government pressing down on their heads—completely devoted to protecting civilians. And honestly, the relationship between the Navy and the Revolutionary Army isn't as hostile as people think. Otherwise, why would there still be Navy branches stationed across the four seas? Why would they still be recruiting new sailors there every year?"
Tashigi blinked, stunned.
Until now, she'd only ever been a girl obsessed with swordsmanship—she'd never thought about such things.
But hearing Kuina speak, the anxiety in her heart gradually faded away.
And all the while, Michael was listening in silence.
He glanced at the girl he'd personally pulled back from the brink of death.
Not only did she possess swordsmanship talent greater than Zoro's... she was incredibly sharp-minded.
The things she said—most ten-year-old girls could never even comprehend them.
Even among the Navy or the Revolutionary Army, few could see the world this clearly.
For the first time, Michael truly understood the meaning of "precociousness brings pain."
The higher the step she stood upon, the greater the price she'd pay.
But he had saved her from that fate once...
From now on, the one to compete with Hawk Eyes for the title of the world's greatest swordsman—would likely be her.
"In any case, there's no need for you all to worry about me."
Michael stood up, the wings on his back lightly fluttering.
"This is the World Government's opportunity... but it's also mine."
"The internal restructuring of the Navy is basically done. From here on out, our focus will fully shift to the Revolutionary Army."
...
"Seriously! Calling every Vice Admiral and above for a meeting in the middle of the night... What's that old man Sengoku planning?"
Garp yawned as he stepped out of his home, heading toward Marine Headquarters' main building.
"If this turns out to be over some trivial nonsense, I swear I'm stealing every last senbei from his drawer!"
"Enough, Garp. Quit whining."
Zephyr rubbed his ear irritably.
"I've never realized just how much of a chatterbox you are."
"It's all that Fleet Admiral Sengoku's fault!" Garp waved his fist angrily. "If I'd known there'd be overtime, I wouldn't have supported him for the position!"
Grumbling and joking, the two old men walked together into Marine Headquarters.
By the time they entered the conference hall, it was already filled with Vice Admirals from every corner of the world.
After all, not everyone could stroll in as leisurely as those two, even with a direct order from the Fleet Admiral himself.
"Now that Garp and Zephyr are here, we can begin the meeting."
Sengoku nodded to them both—but his face was darker than a thundercloud.
Zephyr and Garp exchanged glances...
Something about this atmosphere felt very wrong.
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