Michael reached out and pushed Ivankov's big face aside.
"Fuck, how many times do I have to tell you not to shove your okama face right up in mine! You're seriously scaring me!"
"Now that hurts my feelings! But with looks like yours, Michael, you'd be perfect for our okama island!"
"Iva, you never learn, do you?" Ginny chuckled from the side. "Don't you remember last time you brought this up, Michael beat you into a panda shape and hung you from a lamppost to dry as punishment?"
"Ginny! No one asked you to speak!" Ivankov actually looked somewhat embarrassed for once.
"That was precious bonding time between me and Michael!"
"Enough, Ivankov. Forced comedy isn't necessary..." Michael frowned. "You wouldn't be this insistent without a reason. What do you want to tell me?"
"Of course!" Ivankov proudly thumped his chest before flashing a thumbs-up and teeth so white they reflected sunlight.
"Your grandson came looking for you! And he asked me to turn him into an okama!"
Michael blinked.
Now that he mentioned it...
Momonosuke had indeed made that request before.
But from Ivankov's tone, has the kid had actually tracked them down to Baltigo alone?
"Hmm? Momonosuke is here too?"
"Well, technically you can't call him Momonosuke anymore." Ginny wore an amused expression as she reached behind Ivankov's massive frame...
And pulled out a 180cm-tall green-haired beauty.
The nervous, unfamiliar face resembled Kozuki Hiyori more than Kozuki Toki.
Yet compared to Hiyori, she appeared slightly more mature.
Currently wearing what were clearly Ginny's old clothes, she instinctively covered her exposed abdomen and thighs.
Her fair skin showed clear signs of rigorous training.
"G-grandpa..."
"What should I call you now? Momo? Or..."
"Grandpa, Momonosuke is in the past..." The beauty lifted her head, eyes showing unprecedented determination.
"The person before you now is Kozuki Rin."
"Kozuki Rin?" Michael nodded. "Rin - fierce and brave as winter's harsh wind... I hope you'll maintain your masculine resolve even as a woman."
Momonosuke—no, Kozuki Rin—nodded excitedly.
Though she could already imagine the storm awaiting her return to Wano Country...
It didn't matter anymore.
Never before had she breathed so easily in this atmosphere of "freedom."
The title of Wano's young master had once suffocated her...
But now, everything was different.
Which led to another important decision.
"Grandpa, um... there's something I need to tell you. Promise you won't get mad?" Kozuki Rin's movements grew more natural as she sidled up to Michael, fixing him with pleading eyes that resembled Hiyori's in shape but carried entirely different energy.
"...Stop acting cute, I still can't get the image of you before your gender reassignment surgery out of my head!" Michael pushed Kozuki Rin's face away slightly with a look of mild disgust.
"Tell me exactly what this is about first, then I'll decide whether to be angry or not."
"Ahem, Michael, let me explain this." Ginny feigned a cough before speaking to Michael. "Kozuki Rin has now become a member of our Revolutionary Army."
"What the actual fuck!?"
"There was no other choice. Kozuki Toki had the samurai from Wano Country who were more inclined toward opening the borders follow Kozuki Rin to Baltigo... They've now become our first elite samurai guard unit."
Hearing this, Michael suddenly furrowed his brows.
A member of the Revolutionary Army?
"Kozuki Rin!"
"Yes! Grandfather!" Michael's shout made Kozuki Rin tremble from head to toe.
"Your orders, sir!"
"Are you absolutely certain you want to join the Revolutionary Army!?"
"Yes!" Kozuki Rin's voice had never been so loud, nor so resolute before. "I just want to ensure there will never be another person like Kaido in this world!"
Michael stared at Kozuki Rin's expression and remained silent for a long while.
However, his opinion of her rose considerably.
Having witnessed and personally experienced Kaido's brutal rule in the past had left an indelible shadow on him.
This was probably Kozuki Rin's original intention for wanting to join the Revolutionary Army.
However...
"Alright, you pass." Michael gave Kozuki Rin a faint smile. "If you had said something like wanting world peace or overthrowing the Celestial Dragons, I would have immediately sent you back to Wano Country."
"Huh!? Why?"
"Because dreams like that... would be too fake coming from someone of your background."
"Ahem, although I am part of a royal family, I've always treated the citizens as equals! Our Kozuki family has always upheld this principle!"
Kozuki Rin nodded as she spoke.
"Pretty words mean nothing." Michael paused before continuing, "But I must make this clear to you—even though you're my grandso-daughter, I won't give you any special treatment. If you die on the battlefield, I'll only avenge you and then send the obituary to Oden and Toki."
"I've long been prepared for that. Why should others be allowed to die, but not me, the heir of Wano Country?" Kozuki Rin suddenly showed a bitter smile. "Funny enough, this mindset formed back when Kaido ruled Wano, watching all those guards die for me."
Michael patted her shoulder.
This world's Kozuki Rin, though she hadn't experienced the loss of both parents or traveled twenty years through time, had been raised under Kozuki Toki's guidance.
Despite her eccentric thought process—like wanting to become a woman—overall...
She was actually a qualified heir to the throne.
"Words are meaningless—what matters is what you do... I'll inform Kozuki Oden and Toki so they don't have to worry about your whereabouts for now."
With that, Michael took a seat at the conference table.
Kozuki Rin, perceptive as ever, stood behind him.
Across from them sat the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, whose face bore the mysterious tattoo resembling a shoe print.
"Michael, what's this about? You even notified me in advance to recall all officers to Baltigo."
"This is huge..." Michael clasped his hands, scanning the room as the officers held their breath, awaiting his words.
"You all know I was once the Marine's Inspector General... Now, the Marine has officially broken free from the World Government's control and renamed itself the N.E.W Marine."
"After careful consideration..."
"It's time for our two forces to merge."
Dragon: "!!!???"