Marineford's central plaza was so solemn today that it felt almost excessive.
Tens of thousands of elite Marines stood in perfect square formations, their crisp white uniforms immaculate. Their gazes were fixed on the raised platform, filled with awe, curiosity, and a faint sense of absurdity.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood behind the podium, face dark, tightly gripping his speech. The paper had already been crumpled in his hand.
His head was starting to ache again.
Standing on the platform were the Marines' highest combat powers, Admiral Akainu and Admiral Kizaru.
Akainu stood with his arms crossed, face like an erupting volcano, radiating scorching heat. Anyone looking at him could feel the suffocating rage boiling off him.
Kizaru, on the other hand, looked as lazy as ever, sunglasses on, a playful smile at the corner of his mouth, as though he found today's fiasco entertaining.
Today was the promotion ceremony of the Marine's newest admiral.
A moment that should've brimmed with glory and dignity, yet the atmosphere was bizarre, because the main character was absent.
"Is he still not here?"
Sengoku lowered his voice and asked Vice Admiral Tsuru beside him.
Tsuru sighed helplessly.
"Potts went to fetch him three times."
"First time: 'I haven't finished breakfast.'"
"Second time: 'I need time to digest after eating.'"
"Third time… he said 'changing clothes is too troublesome.'"
A vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead.
He took a deep breath, then roared into the golden Den Den Mushi on his wrist:
"Sanji! If I don't see that bastard on this platform within ten minutes, your exclusive kitchen's yearly supply of South Sea premium butter and Sky Island cloudberries is canceled!"
There was silence for three seconds, then a loud crash of pots and pans erupted from the other end, followed by Sanji's furious shout:
"Got it! I'll KICK him over there right now!"
Sure enough, five minutes later, under the gaze of tens of thousands of Marines, a figure finally dragged himself up the stairs leading to the platform, moving slowly, reluctantly.
Renzo.
He wore brand-new admiral whites that should've been sharp and impressive, but somehow looked like they'd just been pulled out of a pickle jar.
His golden shoulder epaulets were crooked.
His shirt was buttoned wrong.
Worst of all, the white coat symbolizing "Justice" was draped over him like a casual cape, hanging loose as if it might fall off at any moment.
He wasn't even wearing regulation boots, just a pair of comfortable slip-ons.
Yawning, he walked toward the platform, each step looking like it drained his soul.
His eyes were empty, his expression full of: Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here?
Akainu's fists clenched to the point of grinding, magma leaking out as his ability reacted to his fury. The tiles beneath his feet began to glow red-hot.
Kizaru let out an exaggerated whistle and lazily clapped.
"Yooo! What an in-ter-es-ting entrance, Admiral Renzo~"
Renzo ignored both of them, walked to the platform's center, and chose the farthest corner from the podium, where he could get a bit of sunlight.
Then… he closed his eyes and started resting again.
Sengoku felt his blood pressure spike.
He cleared his throat, dragging everyone's attention back to the ceremony.
"Today, we gather here to welcome a new comrade, a warrior who has defended the Marine's honor in his own… unique way!"
His voice echoed over the plaza via the loudspeaker Den Den Mushi. He tried to sound heroic, but inside he was dying.
"Renzo, former Rear Admiral! In the Summit War, he single-handedly suppressed the battlefield, preventing further chaos! He effortlessly subdued the 400-million-berry pirate Garon and Lia!"
The Marines below gasped softly with every sentence.
The achievements were unquestionably absurdly impressive, but the man responsible was currently dozing off on stage.
The contrast was insane.
"His existence instills fear in our enemies! His power brings order to disorder!" Sengoku continued, feeling more and more hollow.
"With approval from the highest authority, the Five Elders themselves, I hereby announce!"
He inhaled deeply and shouted with all his might the codename he hated saying the most:
"Marine Rear Admiral Renzo is hereby promoted to Marine Headquarters Admiral!"
"Codename, Haiiroyō (Gray Sheep)!"
"…"
The plaza fell into long, deathly silence.
'Gray Sheep'
Marines looked at each other, baffled.
Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji, each of their codenames sounded powerful and menacing.
But Gray Sheep?
It sounded like a harmless.
Was this really a codename for one of the Marines' strongest?
Akainu's face turned pitch-black. He felt personally insulted by this code name; it clashed with "Red Dog" as though mocking him.
Kizaru, meanwhile, was delighted.
He felt the name was perfect.
A harmless-looking sheep…that was actually the most uncontrollable, problematic black sheep in Marine history.
"Ahem."
Sengoku forced the ceremony onward and gestured for Renzo to come forward.
"Admiral Shironeko, please say a few words to your subordinates."
Renzo slowly opened his eyes, looking annoyed, shuffled to the podium, and didn't even bother adjusting the too-short microphone.
He lowered his head and, in a tone as bland as ordering food, said:
"Let's keep this short."
"First, this ceremony is too long. It severely interferes with the time I set aside to plan today's lunch. In the future, avoid holding unnecessary events."
"Second, my office sofa is too hard. Logistics needs to allocate a budget. I want a South Sea-imported velvet couch."
"Third-"
He raised his head, his sleepy eyes sweeping over the tens of thousands of Marines, his voice suddenly gaining an undeniable authority, a power that bent rules themselves.
"Remember this. Don't cause trouble for me. Don't bring trouble to me."
"My justice is getting off work on time and not being bothered."
"Whoever disrupts either… is my enemy."
He pushed the mic aside, turned around, and walked off the platform.
"Alright, I'm done. Dismissed."
The plaza turned to stone.
Tens of thousands of Marines, even officers, just stared blankly at the man walking away without a second glance.
This… was the new admiral's inauguration speech?
No stirring slogans.
No vow of justice.
Just… lunch, sofas, and forbidding anyone from bothering him.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Akainu finally exploded.
"Renzo!! YOU BASTARD!! GET BACK HERE!!"
A wave of deadly heat blasted across the platform as he prepared to strike.
Renzo didn't even turn around.
He casually waved his hand.
[Rule Priority Definition: My off-duty time = Absolutely cannot be interrupted.]
This was one of Renzo's awakened abilities.
Akainu's charging body froze.
Horror filled his eyes; he couldn't move forward at all.
An invisible, irresistible rule-force nailed him in place.
"Sakazuki, calm down," Tsuru warned, stepping in.
Kizaru was bent over in laughter.
To him, the Marine's future suddenly looked far more entertaining than any adventure tale.
Sengoku stared at Renzo disappearing down the stairs, then at Akainu raging and Kizaru laughing, and finally covered his face in defeat.
"I… I might need to retire early…" he muttered.