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Ending: 10/08/25
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Inside the grand office of the Fleet Admiral, Sengoku leaned back in his chair, a rare smile forming on his face as he listened to the latest report.
The sailor before him stood at attention, his voice steady as he finished delivering the news.
"Rear Admiral Luffy has successfully escorted Warlord Boa Hancock to Marineford, sir!"
Sengoku let out a satisfied chuckle, adjusting his cap a little.
"Good, good. That brat may be a handful, but he delivers results. Just as expected!"
A sharp knock on the door interrupted his moment of satisfaction.
Creak!
The door swung open, revealing Vice Admiral Tsuru, the legendary tactician of the Marines. Despite her age, she exuded an air of authority that even the most battle-hardened Marines respected.
She stepped inside with her usual calm demeanor, nodding at Sengoku before addressing the sailor.
"I heard Luffy's mission was successful," She stated, her sharp eyes locking onto the young man. "But what about the Marines serving under him? How did they fare?"
The sailor gulped before quickly relaying the latest findings.
"The results are outstanding, Vice Admiral! Almost every sailor aboard Rear Admiral Luffy's warship has shown remarkable improvement in combat. Many have grown by at least two levels of strength, and several have even started to show signs of Haki awakening!"
Sengoku's eyes widened, and a booming laugh erupted from his chest.
"HAHAHAHA! Incredible! That brat isn't just getting stronger—he's dragging his whole crew up with him!"
Tsuru allowed herself a small smile. "It seems his unconventional methods are producing real results."
Sengoku, still grinning, turned back to the sailor.
"Go bring Luffy back immediately! I want to speak with him—"
The sailor stiffened, his expression suddenly turning hesitant.
Sengoku's laughter died in his throat. His eyebrows twitched.
Tsuru, noticing the change in the sailor's expression, narrowed her eyes.
"What is it?" She asked in a no-nonsense tone.
The sailor hesitated for a moment before responding.
"Sir… Rear Admiral Luffy has already left Marineford."
Silence...
Sengoku's entire body froze. His grip on the desk tightened.
"...What?"
The sailor swallowed nervously before continuing.
"Shortly after bringing Boa Hancock here, Luffy overheard that Commander Hina was departing for West Blue. The moment he found out… he vanished using Soru, most likely to join her."
Sengoku's vein popped.
"THAT BRAT!!!"
BANG!
He slammed his fist onto the table, causing it to shake violently. Papers and Den Den Mushi rattled, nearly toppling over.
The sailor flinched, stepping back instinctively.
Tsuru, on the other hand, simply sighed, rubbing her temples.
"I should've seen this coming."
Sengoku, still fuming, leaned forward.
"Are you telling me that brat ran away because he knew I was going to call for him?!"
The sailor nodded meekly. "That… seems to be the case, sir."
Sengoku massaged his forehead, his irritation growing.
"That brat is even more of a headache than his damn grandfather!" He muttered under his breath.
Tsuru chuckled lightly. "If anything, he's worse than Garp."
Sengoku shot her a look. "That's not exactly comforting, Tsuru!"
She simply shrugged, her expression betraying no surprise.
"Luffy is much more free-spirited than Garp ever was," She noted. "And unlike Garp, he's sharper, more calculating… He doesn't just throw punches and laugh about it later. He knew exactly what you were going to do, so he acted first."
Sengoku groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"This is why I have gray hair!"
Tsuru chuckled again. "At least he's getting stronger. That's more than I can say for most of these so-called 'promising recruits'."
Sengoku exhaled, his frustration simmering down. Finally, he sat back in his chair, shaking his head.
"Let him go," He muttered. "If we push too hard, it'll only backfire."
Tsuru nodded. "Smart choice."
Sengoku crossed his arms, sighing once more.
"Damn brat," He muttered again, though this time there was a hint of pride in his voice.
----
The warship carrying Commander Hina back to West Blue sailed smoothly over the calm waters. The sea breeze whistled past the deck, carrying the scent of salt and adventure.
At the center, Luffy lounged on a comfortable chair, his posture lazy. A grin played on his lips, his hands folded behind his head, radiating a presence that made it impossible to ignore him.
His charm was undeniable.
The sailors stole glances at him, admiring not only his strength but the aura of confidence that made him seem untouchable.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
Boots clicked against the wooden deck.
Hina, with her signature cigarette between her lips, approached him, her sharp gaze observing the young Rear Admiral who had caused so much uproar within the Marines.
After issuing a few orders to the sailors, she finally took a seat beside him.
She crossed her long, elegant legs, exhaling a thin stream of smoke as she spoke.
"You're too relaxed for someone constantly causing chaos, Rear Admiral."
Luffy cracked one eye open, his lazy grin never leaving his face.
"What's the point of being all stiff, huh? The sea's peaceful, the sun's nice, and I'm on a ship with beauty. What's there to stress about?"
Hina felt a slight twitch in her brow. This brat had a way of speaking that made it sound like he was flirting without even trying.
She shook her head.
"I heard about your training methods," She said, flicking the ash off her cigarette. "The recruits under you grew stronger at an absurd rate. How did you do it?"
Luffy tilted his head, his sharp eyes locking onto hers.
His stare...
It was different from the playful, easy-going look he usually wore.
It was deep. Piercing. Like he was looking straight into her soul.
Hina felt an unfamiliar throb in her chest. Her heartbeat skipped for just a moment.
A faint blush dusted her cheeks, though she quickly composed herself.
Luffy's grin widened slightly.
"Now, now, Hina…" He teased. "That's a trade secret. I didn't even tell the Fleet Admiral, so why would I tell you?"
Hina raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his confidence.
"Cocky little brat," She muttered, though there was no bite in her words.
Luffy simply chuckled. Then, he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbow on his knee, his gaze still locked onto hers.
"But," He continued smoothly, "if you really want to get stronger… I could help you."
Hina inhaled sharply.
There was something dangerous about the way he said that. It wasn't just a casual offer—it was like a promise.
"Oh?" She smirked, blowing out another puff of smoke. "And why would I need your help, Rear Admiral?"
Luffy's grin never wavered.
"Because you're already strong, but you're not strong enough."
Hina's smirk faltered just a little.
Luffy leaned back again, tilting his head toward the sky.
"Your Devil Fruit control? Damn good." He acknowledged. "But Hina… that alone won't take you to the top. If you want to be a true force to be reckoned with, you need to master Haki."
She remained silent, carefully absorbing his words.
Luffy tilted his head to the side, his tone suddenly more serious.
"If you master Armament Haki and Observation Haki… you won't just be strong. You'll be terrifying."
The way he said it, so sure of her potential, made something stir in Hina.
He wasn't flattering her. He wasn't just trying to get on her good side.
He meant it.
And for someone like Luffy, whose strength was already acknowledged by the highest-ranking officers, that was saying something.
Hina took a slow drag of her cigarette, exhaling through her nose.
"…You really think I have that much potential?"
Luffy turned to her again, flashing a grin that was almost dangerous.
"Nah."
Hina blinked.
"I know you do."
A gentle breeze blew across the deck, ruffling their clothes.
For the first time in a while, Hina felt a rare excitement stir in her blood.
This brat…
He was infuriatingly confident.
And yet she believed him.
She took another slow drag of her cigarette before smirking.
"Fine," She said finally. "Train me, then."
Luffy laughed, tilting his head back. "That's the spirit."
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "But don't think this means I owe you anything."
Luffy's grin turned mischievous. "Oh? You sure about that?"
Hina scoffed. "Shut up."
Luffy just laughed again, his carefree attitude making it impossible to stay annoyed.
Hina exhaled slowly, staring at the horizon.
This trip to West Blue was going to be far more interesting than she had expected.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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