The moment Sengoku uttered that familiar yet distant name, Ezra D. Vale immediately understood what he meant.
After all, Akainu the man who believed that absolute justice was the only true justice was bound to have a problem with someone like him. A kid who had suddenly been promoted through mysterious channels? Of course that would rub the fiery admiral the wrong way.
But rather than feel anxious, Ezra's lips curled into a faint, almost mischievous smile.
Worried? Not at all. If anything, he was looking forward to it.
Both he and Akainu wielded the power of flame, and Ezra was genuinely curious to see whose fire burned hotter.
If the opportunity arose, he thought with a flicker of excitement, I'll make sure to teach that dog some manners.
"Don't worry, old man," Ezra said lightly.
Sengoku, who had been in the middle of a long and serious explanation about how dangerous Akainu could be, froze mid-sentence, his brows twitching.
"Ezra, I'm not worried for you," he grumbled, exhaling sharply. "I'm worried about you and the fact that you might burn Marineford to the ground before you even unpack your things."
Ezra blinked innocently. "Huh? Really?"
Sengoku pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to suppress the headache that was quickly forming.
"I'm serious! You can't just go around picking fights with admirals!"
Ezra scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ahaha, sorry about that. I got distracted admiring the view."
Then, with a grin that was a little too casual for Sengoku's liking, he added, "Relax, old man. I might kill him, but I promise not to destroy the whole base."
Sengoku stared at him blankly. "…That's not comforting."
He sighed, feeling the weight of his years pressing down on him. Somehow, having Ezra around made him feel a decade older already.
By the time the marine battleship finally pulled into Marineford's harbor, Sengoku's patience was stretched thin.
As the ship's ramp lowered, two neat lines of soldiers stood waiting on both sides, their white uniforms crisp and immaculate.
At the foot of the dock stood several figures wearing long coats embroidered with the word Justice.
Sengoku smiled faintly. "Well, kid. Time to meet the real Navy."
Ezra raised an eyebrow, glancing curiously at the scene before him as Sengoku stepped forward.
"Welcome back, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Dozens of voices boomed in unison.
Sengoku nodded, pleased with the discipline. "At ease, all of you."
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
As the soldiers dispersed, Sengoku's gaze fell upon four figures standing ahead.
The man in front tall, muscular, with striking violet hair was none other than Zephyr, the legendary "Black Arm." Behind him stood three men whose mere presence seemed to shift the air itself: Borsalino, Sakazuki, and Kuzan the future three admirals, monsters in their own right.
"Zephyr! Didn't expect to see you here," Sengoku said warmly.
Zephyr let out a hearty laugh. "How could I not come, Sengoku? You called and said you'd found a promising recruit. So tell me, where's this genius of yours?"
As if on cue, a figure stepped off the ship.
Ezra walked calmly down the ramp, still wearing the standard recruit uniform, a single sword strapped to his waist the Zanpakutō known as Ryūjin Jakka.
Zephyr's sharp eyes immediately gleamed with interest.
"So this is the boy…" he muttered, studying Ezra's stance. "Tight muscle control, steady posture… This one's got power, that much is clear."
Sengoku chuckled. "Let me introduce you properly. This is Ezra D. Vale."
He turned to Ezra. "Ezra, this is Admiral Zephyr the 'Black Arm' himself."
Ezra inclined his head politely. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."
Zephyr nodded approvingly. "Hmm. You've got good manners. Keep that up, and maybe one day you'll rise to the top. The Navy needs men like you."
But even as Zephyr spoke, Sengoku's expression grew a little complicated. He knew exactly what kind of storm this promotion was about to stir.
The ever-observant Borsalino "Kizaru" tilted his head lazily, his golden shades reflecting the sunlight.
"Ooh… The Fleet Admiral looks like he's hiding something," he drawled in his slow, singsong tone.
Sengoku cleared his throat. "Let's… discuss this in the office." He turned to Ezra. "You too, kid."
A few minutes later, the group gathered in Sengoku's office.
"Well then," Zephyr said, crossing his arms. "What's this about, Sengoku?"
The Fleet Admiral leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin.
"By order of the Five Elders, Ezra D. Vale is hereby promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral."
The room fell silent for half a second.
Then came a low growl. "I object."
All eyes turned toward the source. It was Sakazuki Akainu himself his face hard as molten rock.
"Sakazuki," Sengoku said sharply. "That's a direct order from the Five Elders."
"I don't care whose order it is," Akainu snapped. His voice was low, but every word carried the weight of fire and fury. "You want to hand out high ranks to untested boys? To people with no record, no merit? That's not justice it's favoritism!"
His glare fell on Ezra. "He's a child. Weak. Inexperienced. What happens when the world hears the Navy promotes people like him? We'll be a laughingstock."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop, the silence thick enough to choke on.
Sengoku rubbed his temple, already anticipating the headache that would follow. This was exactly what he'd been dreading.
"Of course," Akainu continued, his voice rising with barely restrained anger, "if he can defeat me, I'll withdraw my objection."
Ezra, who had been quietly watching the argument unfold, finally stepped forward. His smile was calm, almost amused.
"So you're saying you want to fight me, Admiral Akainu?" he asked softly. "Then I have no problem with that."
Just then, a familiar chime echoed in Ezra's mind.
Ding!
[System Notification: Temporary Mission Triggered!]
[Challenge from the Navy!]
[They look down on you? Then make them bleed!]
[Reward: +1% Inheritance Progress]
Ezra's grin widened ever so slightly.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."