Sengoku had expected the Eleven Supernovas to cause trouble sooner or later, but even he hadn't anticipated a mess like this.
And of all people, the one responsible had to be 'that' brat.
"Monkey D. Luffy…"
Sengoku slowly sank back into his chair, his expression darkening as the name left his lips. What a troublesome kid.
Did every man in that family inherit the exact same talent for causing chaos?
Garp had been like that in his youth. Dragon was no different. And now Luffy was following right in their footsteps.
"Fleet Admiral!" The Marine who had rushed in with the report swallowed nervously. "How should we handle this?"
A Celestial Dragon being attacked was no small matter, especially at the Sabaody Archipelago, right on Headquarters' doorstep. Under normal circumstances, an incident like this required an Admiral to be dispatched immediately.
Thinking that, the Marine couldn't help glancing toward the man sitting nearby, idly staring at his fingers as if he had nothing better to do.
"Hm?" Kizaru caught the glance and raised his head.
The Marine immediately stiffened, snapping his eyes forward and standing at rigid attention as sweat broke out across his forehead.
'That glance was definitely a bit too obvious.'
"Borsalino." Sengoku turned toward Kizaru, who had been lounging in his chair as if just waiting for his shift to end.
"There's still plenty of time before I clock out." Kizaru glanced at his wrist and slowly stood up with a sigh. "Do you want me to make the trip?"
There was a faint note of complaint in his voice, as if he were genuinely disappointed someone had ruined his chance to slack off.
"You?" Sengoku narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. "No. I have someone better in mind. If he goes, the situation at Sabaody will be wrapped up much faster."
Kizaru paused, clearly catching on to who Sengoku meant. He sat back down, a faint, unreadable expression on his face.
"If it's him, then yes, he's certainly suitable. In that case, I suppose I should thank Admiral Kojin for making my workday a little lighter."
Sengoku shot him an annoyed glare before turning back to the officer, his expression hardening.
"Contact Admiral Kojin immediately! Pass down top orders from Headquarters: he is to proceed to the Sabaody Archipelago at once and suppress the disturbance!"
The Marine snapped a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"
He spun around and rushed out the door.
No one would have expected Fleet Admiral Sengoku to dispatch Admiral Kojin personally. Of the four Admirals, Kojin was the strongest and had by far the most terrifying track record. If he personally went after this generation's Supernovas, their prospects were looking very bleak indeed.
...
Meanwhile, over in Kojin's quarters, a large group had gathered for lunch. Kojin held an enormous bowl filled with thick, springy noodles.
'Slurp!'
"Haha! The ramen at Headquarters really is incredible!" Kojin laughed.
He had discovered this twenty years ago: the chefs in Marineford's cafeteria were world-class. Their ramen in particular was outstanding, the noodles had the perfect bounce, and the broth was rich and packed with flavor.
"Mmm! Mmm!" Kuina shoveled noodles into her mouth so fast tears welled up in her eyes. It was her first time eating ramen this good. It practically spoke to her soul.
"I think I've fallen in love with Marineford," she muttered dreamily.
"Good food should never be wasted," Kojin said with a satisfied sigh before grabbing a second bowl.
Around them, Enel, Wyper, Kuma, and the others were digging into whatever they'd picked out. During mealtimes, the cafeteria delivered food straight to their residence. A little farther off, rank-and-file Marines squatted on the ground, eating together in groups.
The entire scene was strangely harmonious. Admirals, Vice Admirals, officers, and enlistees were all gathered in one place, enjoying their meal.
Then Kojin suddenly raised his head from the massive basin and looked off into the distance. Someone was running toward them, completely out of breath. At the same time, the Den Den Mushi tucked inside his coat began ringing urgently.
Kojin frowned slightly, slurped up the last of his noodles, and finally pulled out the Den Den Mushi.
"Can't you at least let me eat lunch in peace?" he sighed as he picked up.
"I'm afraid you don't have time for that," Sengoku's stern voice came through the receiver.
"Go on, then." Kojin chuckled softly, setting the giant bowl aside. Steam was still rising from the broth, sending small ripples across the surface.
"What happened that's serious enough for you to call me directly?"
"You need to head to the Sabaody Archipelago immediately," Sengoku said, his tone heavy.
"Oh?" Kojin glanced up at the winded messenger currently trying to explain something to the Marine guards nearby.
"Monkey D. Luffy just punched a Celestial Dragon," Sengoku said.
Kojin grinned. "Well, that's certainly wonderful news…"
He caught himself. "I mean, a devastating tragedy."
"Move out at once," Sengoku said, his tone relaxing just a fraction. "You already know what you're supposed to do."
"You made the hint pretty obvious," Kojin chuckled.
"I didn't hint at anything!" Sengoku grunted, slamming down the Den Den Mushi.
Kojin knew exactly what the Fleet Admiral meant. He tucked the snail back into his coat and slowly stood up. By the time the messenger finally reached him, wheezing and trying to deliver the orders, Kojin held up a hand to stop him.
"No need. I already know." He turned to Kuina. "Vice Admiral Kuina!"
Kuina froze, quickly set her bowl down, and snapped to attention. "Sir!"
"Mobilize the Research Force." Kojin grinned. "We've got a job to do."
The messenger Marine blinked stupidly for a moment before blurting out, "Then… why did I run all the way over here?"
"To show the Fleet Admiral was courteous enough to send a personal messenger," Kojin smiled. "It's about proper procedure, right?"
The Marine's expression went completely deadpan.
Not long afterward, a battleship cleared the Inner Bay, passed through the Gates of Justice, and set sail for the Sabaody Archipelago.
"Sensei, what's our actual mission?" Kuina asked curiously. It was her first time receiving an emergency deployment, and more importantly, her first official operation as a Vice Admiral. She couldn't help feeling a surge of excitement.
"A short while ago, the Straw Hat Pirates, led by Straw Hat Luffy and Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, caused a massive scene at an auction house on Sabaody."
"Zoro?!" Kuina froze. Hearing her childhood friend's name on her very first assignment took her completely by surprise.
Then she frowned. "Wait, they were dispatched just for trouble at an auction house?"
Kojin looked out over the sea, a faint smile on his face. "If that were all, they wouldn't be sending an Admiral. But a Celestial Dragon was involved, Luffy punched one. That leaves Headquarters with no choice but to step in."
He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "Though honestly, there's a bigger reason: the reputation of Marine Headquarters. Sabaody is right in our backyard, yet these rookie pirates are running wild. It's basically a direct slap in the face to the Marines, and Headquarters can't just let that slide."
Kuina fell quiet. Behind her, Kuma's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So… what are you going to do about the Straw Hats?" Kuina asked carefully. With Zoro mixed up in this, she couldn't help but worry.
"Good question," Kojin chuckled thoughtfully. "I haven't decided yet."
Kuina blinked, while Kuma's gaze darkened with quiet intensity.
Sabaody wasn't far from Marine Headquarters, and before long, the silhouettes of the giant mangrove trees came into view.
The colorful bubbles drifting above the archipelago were impossible to miss, and even from a distance, the faint sound of gunfire and shouting echoed across the water. A chaotic battle was clearly underway.
"It's been a while since Sabaody was this lively," Kojin remarked with a light grin. "You have to give this new generation credit, they've got guts."
His gaze then drifted toward a long, black cannon barrel mounted on the deck. It was a recent West Blue model, heavier and longer than standard issue, designed for extended range.
Kojin walked over. Under the bewildered stares of the crew, he reached down, gripped the base of the barrel with one hand, and pulled.
'Crack!'
The heavy metal barrel snapped off at the mounting like a twig.
"Sensei…?" Kuina stared in utter disbelief. "What are you doing?"
"Heading on ahead," Kojin grinned.
He hoisted the massive steel tube like a javelin, aiming it toward the Sabaody coastline. After gauging the distance and calculating his trajectory, he hurled it forward with a violent throw.
'Whoosh!'
The barrel shot into the air, streaking toward the islands like a missile. Kojin kicked off the deck right behind it, leaping high into the sky and landing squarely on top of the flying projectile.
Wind roared past his ears as the sea blurred beneath him. Standing casually atop the flying cannon barrel as it hurtled through the clouds, Kojin couldn't help but grin. With his current physical strength, he could finally pull off the ridiculously flashy transport method Tao Pai Pai used in 'Dragon Ball'.
"What a monster…" Kuma muttered from the deck, watching Kojin's figure shrink into a speck in the distance. To launch a heavy weapon and ride it through the air required terrifying, almost nonsensical physical power. But there was no denying it, that was one hell of an entrance.
The steel barrel crossed the remaining distance in seconds, descending rapidly toward the Sabaody shoreline. Below, Marines and pirates locked in combat instinctively looked up as a shadow fell over them.
"What the hell is that?!"
Eyes widened in disbelief as they spotted the man standing atop the flying metal shaft.
'Whoosh!'
The cannon barrel screamed down from the sky. Before the pirates could even scatter, it slammed dead center into their ranks.
'BOOM!'
A massive explosion of dust and debris tore through the air. The ground trembled violently as pirates were thrown off their feet by the shockwave.
As the dust slowly settled, a tall, imposing silhouette emerged from the crater.
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.p*treon.com/darkshadow6395