"Make a baby?"
"A dragon child?"
Everyone in the hall froze.
Even Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, who had just stopped in his tracks, looked like he regretted doing so.
Even King, standing off to the side, couldn't help but turn his head away.
No one had expected this kind of history between Charlotte Linlin and Kaido.
The mighty Emperor Kaido… had sold himself for a Devil Fruit?
Was this… the ultimate form of sugar babying?
Kaido stood there, face stiff, completely speechless.
It seemed the story was true.
Faced with this long-buried past, Blackbeard and Doflamingo quietly shuffled backward, trying to slip away unnoticed.
"Linlin…" Kaido's face was ashen as he turned to look at her.
But before he could say anything, Linlin's massive figure was already in front of him. She grabbed his hand and laughed heartily.
"Kaido, it's not every day we form an alliance. A night of passion is worth a thousand gold coins! Come, let's go make that baby!"
"Linlin, I'm going to kill you!"
"ROAR—!"
A deafening roar erupted from the rear of the hall.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters…
The shattered Marineford was steadily being rebuilt.
The oppressive tension that had loomed before Whitebeard's assault had long since dissipated.
The weight that had pressed on the hearts of the Marines had finally lifted.
Many soldiers were still animatedly discussing the events of three days ago.
Especially when it came to Admiral Luoyu the Glutton—their eyes sparkled with admiration.
But compared to the lively atmosphere outside, the mood inside the strategy chamber was heavy.
Everyone stared at Fleet Admiral Sengoku in disbelief.
Even now, they were struggling to process what he had just said.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, are you joking?"
Vice Admiral Momonga stood up abruptly.
"Three days ago, during the Summit War, if not for your planning and defensive strategy, we wouldn't have been able to repel the Whitebeard Pirates."
"The reason we suffered so few casualties was because of your leadership. And now you're stepping down? Is this the Five Elders' decision?"
"If they're forcing this without reason, we'll all protest together!"
"And more importantly—if you step down, who's qualified to take your place?"
His voice echoed through the chamber.
Everyone was caught off guard by Sengoku's sudden announcement.
Especially after Momonga's final question, tension filled the room.
Sengoku had earned the title of Fleet Admiral through both strategy and strength.
Now, without a clear successor, his resignation would throw everything into chaos.
Even Tsuru couldn't stay silent.
"Sengoku… have you really decided?"
As his longtime comrade, she had suspected this might happen when Sengoku returned from Mary Geoise three days ago.
But she never expected the usually cautious Sengoku to make such a sudden move.
"Heh… Tsuru, you heard Whitebeard too. The old era is over. It's time for the next generation." Sengoku chuckled and waved it off.
"Besides, during the last battle, I didn't exactly steal the spotlight."
Everyone fell silent.
Thinking back to the events of three days ago, the memories were still vivid.
But the moments burned into their minds—the ones that left the deepest impression—belonged to only a few.
And most of all, to one man.
Seeing Sengoku's resolute expression, even the previously agitated Momonga fell silent.
He was a Vice Admiral, yes—but like Tsuru and Garp, he was part of the old guard.
That's why he had assumed the Five Elders were forcing Sengoku out.
But now, seeing Sengoku's determination, he realized the decision was final.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku… then who have you recommended as your successor?"
The one who finally spoke was Akainu.
His question made many officers' expressions shift.
They were all familiar with the personalities of the three Admirals.
Three days ago, Akainu had declared that if he became Fleet Admiral, he would enforce absolute justice without compromise.
Even he hadn't expected the opportunity to come so soon.
Now, his eagerness was plain to see.
As the most senior of the three Admirals, with countless achievements to his name—and the only one who hadn't held back during the war—his question wasn't out of place.
All eyes turned to Sengoku, filled with anticipation.
They all wanted to know—who would be the next Fleet Admiral?
Feeling the weight of their stares, Sengoku gave a dry chuckle and stood up.
"Heh… Akainu, that's a question I should be answering."
"But I'll let someone else do it instead."
"Warcury, since you're here, why not come out? Or are you planning to just sit back and watch?"
Warcury?
Tsuru and Garp's expressions changed instantly.
When it came to the Five Elders, few even knew their names.
They never expected that one of them would personally attend the selection of the next Fleet Admiral.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru… who is Warcury?"
An aide couldn't help but ask.
Everyone turned to Tsuru.
She didn't hesitate.
"He's the head of the Five Elders—the highest-ranking of the Celestial Dragons."
The head of the Five Elders?
The room erupted.
Even Akainu hadn't expected the Five Elders to intervene directly.
But then he remembered the secret message CP0 had delivered not long ago.
A glint flashed in his eyes before he quickly regained composure.
He knew one thing for certain:
He would not let this opportunity slip away.
Let me know if you'd like to continue with the next part or need this formatted for a script or adaptation.