The sunlight was warm, and the breeze gentle.
Renzo had just finished savoring the last bite of his "Pudding Tower Ruins", and was perfectly satisfied, ready to find a comfortable corner for an ideal after-meal nap.
He had even chosen the target already, the springy-looking sofa by the window.
But just as he was about to act on that idea, the specially reinforced kitchen door suddenly echoed with a rapid yet polite knocking.
"Renzo-sama?"
A somewhat nervous young voice came from outside.
"I'm an adjutant from the Fleet Admiral's office. At the order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I'm here to deliver the documents regarding your new assignment."
Renzo froze mid-movement.
He slowly turned toward the door, his brows tightening ever so slightly.
'New assignment… related documents…'
These words combined into a single sinister concept: trouble.
He did not respond. Instead, he simply stared at the door in silence, hoping the person outside would leave on their own.
Unfortunately, the adjutant was a persistent one.
"Renzo-sama? Are you inside? If it's inconvenient, we can wait here."
"…"
Renzo sighed.
He knew this kind of official procedure was like a fly, once it targeted you, it was impossible to shake off.
He got up slowly, walked to the door, and opened it.
Standing outside was a young adjutant with perfect posture, and behind him stood four high-ranking Marine officers.
In their hands were a huge wooden case and a thick stack of documents.
Once Renzo opened the door, the adjutant visibly exhaled in relief. He instantly straightened and saluted stiffly.
"Admiral Renzo! By order of the Fleet Admiral, we have brought your admiral's uniform and appointment papers!"
His loud voice echoed through the kitchen, deepening Renzo's frown.
"Admiral… uniform?"
Renzo lowered his eyes to his comfortable casual clothes, then looked at the heavy-looking wooden case. His tone was filled with resistance.
"That stuff looks stiff. Definitely uncomfortable for sleeping."
The adjutant's expression froze.
Every past Admiral regarded that pure white coat, symbol of the highest powers of the marine, as an honor of a lifetime.
No one had ever complained that it was "uncomfortable to sleep in."
"Ahem… sir, it is a symbol of honor," a nearby officer whispered.
"Honor won't increase the quality of my nap," Renzo replied righteously.
"…"
The scene fell into awkward silence.
The adjutant wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced himself to continue.
"Sir, according to regulation, you need to try on the uniform so we can confirm the fit. Also, your office has been prepared. Additionally, these are your meeting schedules for the upcoming week, as well as your first… assignment."
He handed the thick stack of papers over.
Seeing the dense schedule, Renzo's eyes grew dangerous.
New office, meetings, missions…
Each one was a boulder pressing down on his peaceful existence.
"Too troublesome."
He rejected it immediately.
"I refuse. Take it back. Tell Sengoku I don't need any of this."
The adjutant was on the verge of crying.
Refusing an Admiral appointment?
This had never happened in Marine history!
"S-sir! That, that is absolutely impossible!"
He stammered, panicked.
"This order was signed personally by the Five Elders! It represents the will of the World Government!"
"Then let them handle the trouble themselves," Renzo said as he prepared to close the door.
But the officer holding the wooden case stepped forward urgently, nearly pleading:
"Sir! At the very least… please try on the Admiral's coat!"
While he spoke, another officer hurriedly opened the case.
Inside, a pristine white Marine Admiral uniform rested upon red velvet lining.
The golden epaulets gleamed, and the large "Justice" characters on the back radiated symbolic weight.
Renzo's gaze fell on the coat.
What he noticed wasn't the honor, nor the justice. It was…
That this coat looked surprisingly large and simple, maybe useful as a nice blanket.
In the expectant silence, he reached out and picked up the coat.
It was heavy, the fabric stiff.
He casually draped it over his shoulders.
And the instant the coat settled onto him,
A terrifying, indescribable pressure erupted outward like a deep-sea tidal wave, filling the entire kitchen.
It wasn't Conqueror's Haki, nor killing intent.
It was something more fundamental: a passive extension of the Domain of Absolute Sloth.
It was as if the space itself, not able to withstand the weight of Renzo's existence, shuddered in agony.
The air thickened.
The light dimmed.
The five adjutant Marines felt crushed beneath an invisible mountain.
Even breathing became difficult.
Their bodies trembled on instinct, their souls screaming.
And the man before them, casually adjusting the collar and muttering how "heavy" it was, no longer looked like a lazy monster.
He looked like a world-ending calamity wearing a human face.
The pressure lasted only a second.
Renzo sensed the coat amplifying his existential field and reined it in.
The weight vanished instantly.
The Marines gasped violently, drenched in cold sweat.
When they looked at Renzo again, their eyes were filled not with confusion or frustration, but deep, bone-carved fear and reverence.
"Alright, the size is fine," Renzo said casually, then looked at the pale-faced adjutant.
"You said… what's the first mission?"
The adjutant flinched and grabbed the top document, reading with a trembling voice:
"Y-yes… due to Vice Admiral Vergo of G-5 Branch being urgently recalled, the base has fallen into chaos. The Fleet Admiral orders you to proceed to G-5 for inspection and reorganization."
"G-5? The most chaotic base in the New World?"
Renzo frowned.
"Sounds exhausting."
He was about to refuse again.
But this time, the adjutant was ready.
"Sir! G-5 lies on the 'Pastry Route' of the New World! It's home to the world's most legendary dessert masters!"
Renzo's ears twitched.
Seeing hope, the adjutant pressed on:
"Even Big Mom pirates often appeared there to procure sweets for Charlotte Linlin. It's said that only in the waters near G-5 can you find the mythical ingredient needed for the Rainbow Frosting!"
Renzo's eyes finally brightened.
He stared at the adjutant for a moment, then raised one finger.
"One condition."
"Y-yes, sir! Whatever it is, we will do our best!"
"I want you to get me the 'Molten Chocolate Heart Cake, the new, daily-limited dessert from West Blue's famous 'Taste of Heaven.' Fresh from the oven."
"…"
The adjutant and officers froze again.
They had expected demands like new warships, elite units, or special authority.
They had not expected… dessert.
"Also," the adjutant added carefully, "the day after tomorrow is your Admiral Appointment Ceremony. You must attend…"
…...
Meanwhile, throughout Marineford, from the Fleet Admiral's office to the rank-and-file mess hall, rumors were exploding.
"Did you hear? That 'Sloth God' Renzo is really an Admiral now!"
"You're kidding! That guy who only eats and sleeps?"
"It's true! The appointment's official!"
At first, people treated it like a joke.
But soon, new and stranger rumors spread like plague.
"Oi, did you hear? The team who delivered Renzo's uniform came back looking like they'd seen death itself!"
"That's nothing! They said Renzo just put the coat on and nearly scared those officers to death with his aura!"
"And get this, his first mission? He only accepted it after demanding a limited-edition chocolate cake!"
The entire Marine structure was thrown into confusion.
A lazy glutton…
A monster whose presence alone crushed elites…
A man who negotiated missions with dessert…
Put together, these fragments formed an Admiral unlike anything the Marines had ever seen,
mysterious, unpredictable, terrifying, and bizarre.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu