Hearing the commotion, Diarmuid and Sengoku looked up at the door simultaneously.
Diarmuid's lips curled into a smirk as he teased, "Oh? What brings the future Fleet Admiral here?"
Sakazuki froze for a moment before replying with a dry smile, "Trying to sow discord already?"
"Hahahaha!" Sengoku let out a hearty laugh.
Sakazuki wasn't the only one; Smoker followed closely behind him. Diarmuid had kept his word. Smoker was now a bona fide Admiral Candidate, and his prestige was soaring. Having spent fifteen years as a pirate only to rise to the level of a Yonko before returning to become an Admiral Candidate made him a living legend within the Marines.
Combined with his rugged good looks, the righteous aura of a Marine, and the wild, unbridled edge of a pirate, his charisma was through the roof. He was a genuine threat to Diarmuid's title as the "Face of the Marines." Rumor had it that shortly after his return, a group of female Marines had already started a fan club for him.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea had been completely abolished. The system no longer existed.
Donquixote Doflamingo, due to his significant contributions and his current status as the King of Dressrosa and a member of the new Covenant, was no longer pursued for his past piracy. He had successfully "washed his hands" of his criminal life. Since parting ways with Diarmuid, he had stayed in Dressrosa and hadn't stirred up any trouble, even abstaining from the New World war. The entire Donquixote Family had integrated back into society, and Doflamingo was actually focusing his energy on developing his kingdom, finally doing something decent for once.
Boa Hancock was now the base commander of G-7, taking over for Momonga, who returned to Marine Headquarters to serve as a high-ranking official. Jinbe became the commander of the Marine base on Fish-Man Island; moving forward, that position was expected to be filled by Fish-Man or Merfolk Marines. Given the unique deep-sea geography, their natural combat advantage was undeniable. Following the fall of the Gorosei, Fish-Man Island had fully aligned with the new United Organization and deepened its cooperation with the Marines, becoming a major recruitment hub.
Bartholomew Kuma did not join the new administration with Dragon. Instead, he returned to his homeland to reclaim his throne as the King of the Sorbet Kingdom in the South Blue.
After Crocodile's death, there had been only six Warlords left. Once Smoker and the others returned to the Marines, Mihawk found himself in a daze, realizing he was the only "outsider" left in the group. He had been concerned the Marines might come for his head.
However, Stussy issued a formal pardon for his past crimes, with the caveat that he must not act recklessly in the future. Mihawk breathed a sigh of relief. He was stubborn, but he wasn't stupid. With the World Government gone and the Marines sweeping the globe, piracy was at an all-time low. Why would he go looking for a fight with the Marines? That was a death wish.
Besides, most of Mihawk's "crimes" were from his youth, when he traveled the world challenging swordmasters to claim the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. He simply didn't care for the pirate "career" path. His heart belonged to the blade. Since reaching the top, he had been quiet, spending his days farming on Kuraigana Island with the monkeys. Occasionally, if he got bored, he actually went out to hunt pirates. Thus, he accepted the pardon and the new status quo.
The Seven Warlords were officially a thing of the past.
"Smoker's here too, I see," Sengoku greeted him with a smile.
Smoker nodded, a grin on his face. "Just came to see the Admiral. I didn't expect to find you here, Fleet Admiral."
"Stussy, they're here!" Diarmuid shouted toward the inner rooms.
Soon, Stussy walked out carrying tea, followed by the lovely Hina with some pastries. As for Gion, she was a full-fledged Admiral now and was far too busy with paperwork.
Sakazuki looked surprised to see Stussy. "Shouldn't you be at Mariejois, Ma'am?" As the head of the new United Organization, her presence here was unexpected.
Stussy chuckled. "Vacation. Everything is on track for now, and since Dragon is such a workaholic, I can breathe a bit easier with him watching over things."
In truth, Stussy's desire for power had been satisfied. Now that she was at the top, seeing Diarmuid's relaxed "retired" life made her quite envious. Dragon had already expressed his intent to run for the next leadership term, so Stussy planned to hand the reins over once he was fully established. Currently, she was happy acting as a figurehead while Dragon and Kong handled the real heavy lifting.
"Since you're here, I won't have to make a trip," Diarmuid said, setting down his brush and taking a sip of tea. He smiled at Sakazuki.
Sakazuki took a cup of tea as well. "What do you mean?"
"A gift for you. This calligraphy," Diarmuid said with a touch of vanity.
Sakazuki finally looked at the scroll. Was it beautiful? It was average, but the intent behind the brushstrokes was powerful, sharp and decisive, a true reflection of the man.
"Benevolence is Invincible?" Sakazuki read aloud.
"Exactly," Diarmuid nodded without further explanation.
Sakazuki pondered it for a moment, seemingly catching the hidden meaning. He smiled. "Thank you. I'll hang it in my office."
Sakazuki was a hardliner—hot-headed and iron-blooded. If the New World hadn't been conquered yet, his personality would have been a perfect fit for a wartime Fleet Admiral. But now that the seas were peaceful, his temperament wasn't ideal for the role. However, Diarmuid had stepped down, Borsalino was a "salted fish," and Kuzan had no interest in the power struggle. Sakazuki was the only one left to take the mantle. Diarmuid wanted to give him a reminder: the Marines of the future didn't need to be wild and aggressive anymore. Benevolence is Invincible was the right path.
The group moved inside, chatting and laughing. Sengoku talked with Smoker on the sofa while Sakazuki turned to Diarmuid.
"How are you doing? Your body?"
Before Diarmuid could speak, Hina shook her head with a worried look. "The frequency has increased..."
Sakazuki's expression darkened.
Diarmuid rolled his eyes. "Don't look at me like that. People will think I have a terminal illness. I'm fine."
Lately, the premonitions of his "transmigration" had become more frequent, happening every few days. This was one of the reasons he had resigned from his duties. He didn't know when he would "ascend," and he didn't want to leave a mess behind.
"Sigh..." Sakazuki didn't know what to say. The man's mindset was almost too calm.
Diarmuid laughed. "Even if I really leave, I'll find a way back. You've all surpassed the limits of a normal lifespan. Just think of it as me going on a long trip."
"Easier said than done. What if this new world is dangerous? What if something happens?" Stussy added, her voice laced with concern.
Diarmuid dodged the question and looked at Sakazuki. "Don't worry, I won't leave before you're officially inaugurated as Fleet Admiral."
"That has nothing to do with it. It's just concern between friends," Sakazuki waved him off, grumbling.
As they chatted, Kuzan and Gion walked in after finishing their shifts. Soon, Zephyr, Tsuru, and Borsalino arrived as well. Then, one by one, more Marine colleagues showed up.
Diarmuid was baffled. What the hell is going on? Why is everyone at my house?
It wasn't a planned meeting; it was just one of those natural gatherings where everyone felt drawn together. Since they were all there, Diarmuid decided to host a barbecue party.
Chewing on a cigar, Diarmuid grumbled, "You lot are here to visit your old boss and you didn't even bring gifts? You showed up empty-handed?"
Momonga, Yamakaji, and Doberman were already sharing beers. They waved him off shamelessly. "Why be so formal? When have we ever come here to freeload and brought anything?"
Though Diarmuid had resigned, his old subordinates still preferred to call him "Admiral."
Since there wasn't enough food, Hina had contacted Bellemere. Soon, Bellemere and Nojiko arrived with bags of ingredients, with Luffy and Ace helping carry the heavy stuff. Nami followed behind Robin, book in hand, as they discussed something academic. Robin and Nami had become quite close since meeting.
And so, a spontaneous barbecue party began at Diarmuid's home.
Standing on the porch, Diarmuid exhaled a cloud of smoke, watching the lively scene in the yard with a complex smile.
"Sigh..." he whispered.
Gion walked up beside him. "Why the sigh?"
Diarmuid ruffled her hair. "You know, sometimes I really look forward to seeing another world. But seeing this... I find myself reluctant to leave. It's a real dilemma."
"Whether you're reluctant or not, you can't control it," Gion's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly forced a smile. "Life is like a journey. There are always partings, but there are always new horizons to find. Besides, didn't you promise? You said you'd definitely come back."
Diarmuid smiled and looked at her. "You trust me that much?"
"I've never doubted you, have I?" Gion said cheerfully.
Diarmuid was stunned for a moment, then his expression relaxed. "Yeah... you've always been the one who believed in me most."
———————
Author's Note: The One Piece saga ends here. It felt a bit drawn out toward the end; I originally wanted to write more about the post-war cleanup, but I realize now it's unnecessary. The next volume will definitely be the Naruto world. I hope you all continue to support me. In the Naruto arc, the goal is to gather resources—Sharingan, Sage Body, various Ninjutsu—to merge the power systems and reach a new height before entering the Bleach world. After all, the overall power level of One Piece is much lower than Bleach; going in now would make him a weakling. The Naruto arc will be a phase of accumulation and qualitative change. Regardless, I hope you continue to support me. Thank you!
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]