Even after all this time, he still remembered to check in on me—Instructor Carter really is a good guy.
"Compared to you, Sengoku and Garp don't even come close. You're already a Vice Admiral, and becoming an Admiral is just around the corner."
Instructor Carter praised him enthusiastically. "But compared to anyone else, those two are definitely in a league of their own."
"Perfect timing. A few years ago, I took in a few promising brats. Let's have them do some sparring." Klein smirked.
Standing off to the side, Kaido shivered at that familiar smile and muttered to himself, "Oyaji's definitely planning something twisted again."
He clearly remembered—that same smirk was on Klein's face the first time they met.
Ka-cha.
Klein ended the call, stood up, and stretched. His joints cracked and popped like firecrackers.
His deep gaze looked out toward the horizon, where Loki and Linlin were sparring. He muttered inwardly, "Three years of loafing around… a gentle woman's embrace really is the grave of heroes!"
"Loki, Linlin, and Newgate… It's about time they went head-to-head with Sengoku and Garp."
"I wonder how well they've mastered what I taught them. This trip's a good excuse to bring Zephyr along too."
Back then, Klein had promised Zephyr he could join his crew one day.
Naturally, now was the time to fulfill that promise.
And also…
Tsuru!
Klein stroked his chin and grinned. "Haven't been back in three years. Might as well apply to become a Marine Admiral while I'm at it!"
"Eh—?!" Kaido turned to look at Klein, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Oyaji, you're gonna apply to be a Marine Admiral?!"
He knew full well how terrifying his Oyaji was.
So terrifying that even if Loki, Linlin, Newgate, Gloriosa, Shakky, and Os teamed up...
They still couldn't take Klein down.
It'd be a one-sided beatdown. They'd be begging for mercy by the end!
"Yep. Being an Admiral is way flashier than just a Vice Admiral." Klein narrowed his eyes slightly.
Besides, if he became an Admiral, the enemies and missions he'd face would be in a whole different league.
Most importantly, he'd get more frequent and direct contact with the World Government.
In recent years, there hadn't been any real uproars from the great pirates. No one dared oppose the World Government.
As a Vice Admiral, all Klein did these days was catch pirates and… sell photos.
"Urorororo—" Kaido burst out laughing. "If Oyaji becomes an Admiral, you'll be even more badass."
Then his eyes lit up with fiery excitement. "Take me with you to Marineford this time! I wanna see it for myself."
"You've been talking about Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr so much—I wanna meet them too."
Klein reached out and rubbed Kaido's horn.
Polish it!
Just like polishing walnuts, gourds, or walking sticks. Smooth and glossy.
Klein patted Kaido's shoulder and grinned. "Sure, I'll take you to see the big wide world."
"I'll also introduce you to a few of my younger brothers."
This life right now… it was the kind he used to dream about.
Now that he had his "cheats," he was living the kind of life most people couldn't even fantasize about.
These past three years—
He hadn't stepped foot off the island, yet countless pirates showed up at his doorstep, all hoping to snatch away the two stunning beauties by his side: Gloriosa and Shakky.
He was the envy of the entire sea.
"Wow—" Kaido jumped with excitement and ran up to Klein, pumping his fists. "Sengoku and Garp were the most talented cadets at the Marine Academy—next to you, of course, Oyaji!"
"And I heard the Marines are packed with strong people. Someday, I'll defeat every last one of them!"
"I'll become the strongest warrior!"
Seeing Kaido so fired up, Klein couldn't help but chuckle. "It's good to dream big. But be careful—you might end up with a head full of lumps."
Kaido was still too young, way younger than the rest.
In the original timeline, while others were high-ranking members of the Rocks Pirates, he was just an intern.
Kicked in the face by Rocks, pranked by Shiki with a bomb...
How dare they humiliate my precious student Kaido like that?!
"Let's go." Klein took out a scroll and started putting away the umbrella, lounge chair, and table. "Haven't been out to sea in a long while."
Before he knew it, three years had flown by.
Felt like the blink of an eye.
Every day was just food, drink, fun, and women—he was living like a Kleinfish.
But even the finest delicacies eventually lose their flavor.
At the Restaurant
Eating while chatting and making announcements was Klein's tradition.
If only he could drag them all into the mysterious space Above the Grey Mist, things wouldn't be such a hassle.
Kaido served as Klein's "microphone" and relayed the news in his booming voice:
"Instructor Carter from the Marine Academy just called. Oyaji's been asked to serve as a test proctor. Also—"
"—Oyaji is applying for a promotion to Admiral under Marshal Oharden!"
Everyone froze mid-bite, their eyes fixed on Kaido and Klein in shock.
Os immediately lit up with excitement. "Hahaha! With Klein-sama's strength, he should've become an Admiral ages ago!"
Working under a Marine Admiral was an honor in itself. Over the past three years, Os had gone from Marine Captain to Rear Admiral.
"An Admiral, huh? With Klein-sama's strength, it's a sure thing." Gloriosa's sparkling eyes turned into literal Klein-shaped hearts.
She was practically radiating love bubbles.
Shakky, standing nearby, was a little more composed—but only just.
After all, she was Klein's second "elementary school" in the pirate world.
No matter how many times they tried… she could never seem to graduate to middle school—or high school.
Forget about college.
Blame her overwhelming constitution.
Klein hadn't gotten addicted to battle yet, but… "attending school" among pirates? That joy had him hooked for a long, long time.
His mastery of the 18 Styles of Aweigh was near perfection—he'd become a skilled, seasoned driver.
A model student!
Newgate's eyes gleamed with interest. "I heard that when someone becomes an Admiral, there's not just a huge ceremony—they even invite reporters from all the major newspapers. Is that true?"
"Of course it is!" Os answered proudly, barely able to contain his excitement. "Admirals are the Marines' strongest forces. Their status must be declared to the entire world."
"That's the kind of presence an Admiral deserves!"
He couldn't help fantasizing aloud. "If only I could become an Admiral too..."
"..."
Newgate fell silent.
Os had talent, sure—but not that much. Among the six of them, he was clearly at the bottom.
Admiral?
That dream was a bit far-fetched. His dream of "getting married" felt a lot more attainable.
Newgate glanced at Loki and Linlin, thinking to himself:
Those two becoming Admirals...
That's practically a 100% certainty!
And of course...
"There's me too—Edward Newgate!"