—Real World—
So Hoshigaki Kisame required that specific recruitment experience before becoming the subsequent Admiral Kisame of the Marine. The persuasive power of language proved genuinely terrifying—Artoria Pendragon had convinced a top-tier combatant to join the Marine's institutional revival through conversation alone, without coercion or bribery.
"Admiral Kisame was persuaded so readily," Borsalino observed, his characteristic drawl carrying genuine admiration. "It required many years after Fisher Tiger's death for influence to accumulate and ferment properly. A true hero's impact cannot be underestimated even across decades."
Admiral Kizaru couldn't help sighing from genuine depths for this idealist possessed of tremendous ambitions. He recognized personally that he could never accomplish what Hoshigaki Kisame had chosen—struggling throughout one's entire life for an imagined future that might never arrive.
Ultimately, Borsalino remained a pragmatic realist. Drawing elaborate plans for distant futures, discussing lofty ideals and personal aspirations, spouting rhetoric about Marine justice—none of these proved as immediately practical as steady salary increases and comfortable retirement benefits.
He alone among the Marine thoroughly understood Fisher Tiger's complete historical context. This tragic hero of the fish-men should have been drowned completely in history's rolling torrent, forgotten like countless other failed revolutionaries. Yet nobody expected the baton of his idealism would be passed to Hoshigaki Kisame many years later through coincidental philosophical alignment. Everything possessed cause and effect—the future truly represented fate's cruel jokes!
"Admiral Kennen's name and abilities are finally revealed," Sakazuki noted, his voice carrying professional interest rather than warmth. "As expected, he belongs to the Mink. But what does this 'special type of Mink' designation indicate?"
The Admiral's concern focused on Kennen's specific combat capabilities. Historical records contained virtually no impressions of particularly powerful Mink individuals—not even a single representative among the Seven Warlords of the Sea. This qualified as a species almost invisible across maritime society, with only extremely limited populations encountering them directly.
Admiral Akainu directed his gaze toward the Marine intelligence division chief. The unquestionable murderous intent radiating from his eyes made the senior officer break into cold sweat instantly. Whenever Sakazuki required intelligence assistance, subordinates perspired profusely—any incorrect statements would be meticulously recorded for future accountability.
"According to information we've compiled thus far," the intelligence officer began nervously, consulting his notes with trembling fingers, "most Minks reside on the back of the Elephant Lord Zunesha, living in a location called Zou. Two kings—one diurnal, one nocturnal—govern this mobile nation jointly. Originally, these people pledged loyalty to the Kozuki clan. However, according to the Sky Screen, in the future timeline they completely defect to the Beasts Pirates' faction."
The number of Minks appearing across open seas could be counted on one hand with fingers remaining. Bepo the white bear from the Heart Pirates represented an orthodox Mink. Several additional Minks served under the Big Mom Pirates in minor capacities.
According to information revealed through Sky Screen broadcasts, orthodox Minks could gain additional transformation power during full moon exposure—a state called Sulong. The combat capabilities they displayed somewhat resembled Zoan Devil Fruit awakening, though achieved through completely different mechanisms.
The white-furred transformation state of Sulong could be artificially triggered by Chopper's Rumble Ball medication, eliminating dependence on lunar cycles. Regarding these animals capable of human speech and sophisticated thought, the Marine possessed only the above-mentioned intelligence—fragmentary and incomplete.
As for whether "special type" Mink members lived on Zunesha's back, this required field investigation. However, the ancient creature perpetually wandered across the seas following incomprehensible patterns. Accurately locating the Elephant Lord would demand tremendous Marine manpower and material resources for systematic search operations.
Other relevant forces could precisely locate Zunesha's position using Vivre Cards belonging to island residents. The Big Mom Pirates definitely possessed such key items. Remnants of the Kozuki clan in Wano Country might also maintain them.
"The Goro Goro no Mi user," Vice Admiral Tsuru interjected, her analytical mind connecting disparate information threads. "This Logia-type Devil Fruit hasn't surfaced for over a century according to our records. I remember when the Sky Screen first activated, it mentioned Enel from Skypiea. Although he was defeated by Luffy, he was clearly marked as the Goro Goro no Mi user."
The wise elderly woman wove all clues together systematically. Since Admiral Kennen possessed the Goro Goro no Mi, did Enel die in the future timeline? Or had this Mink member become similar to Caesar Clown's experimental subjects—acquiring only Enel's Lineage Factor and thus reproducing the most powerful Logia-type fruit through artificial means?
Numerous sky islands floated above the ocean's surface. According to intelligence officials' historical records, the Golden City of Shandora was once dismissed as elaborate fiction fabricated by the "great liar" Mont Blanc Noland—an unattainable dream used to mock gullible fools.
But the past remained past and the present demanded new assessment. The Sky Screen had unilaterally confirmed that the Golden City genuinely existed and that a Goro Goro no Mi user currently resided there. However, after learning this information, the Marine hadn't pursued investigation too aggressively.
Reaching sky islands proved tremendously troublesome. Without flight capability, one required Geppo mastery to ascend through sheer leg strength. The alternative route involved riding rising ocean currents—the Knock-Up Stream—which carried enormous risk of ship destruction. As long as Enel continued residing peacefully on Skypiea without causing maritime disruption, he wouldn't face excessive Marine interference.
However, desire for tremendous gold quantities combined with ambition to recruit powerful subordinates meant Skypiea and the Goro Goro no Mi had re-entered mainstream attention. Certain capable and interested parties wanted investigating personally—the Flying Pirates led by Golden Lion Shiki numbered among them.
"Both fire-style and water-style techniques require hand seals," Kuzan observed thoughtfully, his analytical mind working through implications. "I originally assumed Hoshigaki Kisame would be connected to Uchiha Madara somehow, but the Sky Screen instead revealed a location called Wet Bone Forest where a fish-man learned extensive techniques. If we locate that sanctuary, perhaps humans could access similar training."
The Admiral somewhat understood why Hoshigaki Kisame left no traces across the seas during certain periods. Calculating timeline according to Sky Screen information, he'd been training intensively within the Wet Bone Forest Cave during those missing years.
If humans could enter that location and master even one or two ninjutsu techniques, the Marine's overall combat power would increase exponentially. What secrets did the Wet Bone Forest Cave contain that would make future Admiral Kisame maintaining such absolute secrecy about its existence?
Redirecting discussion toward the Uchiha clan—this surviving bloodline from Wano Country had proven genuinely troublesome through covert activities. Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Shisui both operated as pirates who pushed historical events in dangerous directions.
But which Uchiha had combined with Charlotte Linlin to produce the girl named Hikaru? She'd inherited both the Uchiha clan's bloodline limit and Yonko Big Mom's extraordinary natural talents. The child genuinely represented a powerful genetic union—eugenics producing something potentially apocalyptic.
Hoshigaki Kisame demonstrated extreme caution guarding against the Sharingan. This definitely wasn't his first encounter with the technique called Susanoo that manifested energy giants. Although displayed only briefly in the Sky Screen broadcast, it left profound impressions on audiences.
The technique could single-handedly defend against Admiral Kisame's Samehada strikes. At minimum regarding defensive hardness, it completely surpassed the biscuit soldiers created by Charlotte Cracker—and those constructs already proved formidable.
This offensive and defensive capability manifested through merely incomplete Susanoo. If the technique's full power were demonstrated, senior Marine officials speculated it might only appear in footage featuring Uchiha Madara himself.
"If Shisui were still alive, he'd be middle-aged by now," Garp interjected with characteristic crude humor. "Most people cannot accept Charlotte Linlin's current appearance given her... physical enormity. Does the ancient Uchiha Madara possess such strong stomach? How could anyone muster the courage for that?"
In the war room, Vice Admiral Garp couldn't resist mocking the Uchiha bloodline. The old man harbored zero positive feelings toward this species born with "red eye disease"—a derogatory term for the Sharingan.
The monster race from Wano Country might genuinely be born evil, intolerable to civilized society. They truly represented a group of evil Uchiha—individuals whose very genetics predisposed them toward darkness and catastrophe.
The racial prejudice hung thick in the air, unquestioned by most present. Even those who might have objected to such blanket condemnation remained silent, unwilling to defend a bloodline that had caused such visible destruction.
Perhaps Garp was right. Perhaps some bloodlines carried inherited evil that transcended individual choice.
Or perhaps hatred simply begot more hatred, as Fisher Tiger had tried so desperately to warn before his death.