Night fell deeper, and only a handful of streetlamps remained lit along the roads of Marineford, casting dim pools of light to guide the few late travelers still outside.
When Gern left the tavern, Sengoku immediately seized the opportunity, dragged him off as free labor, and hauled him straight into the office—where he unloaded an entire lecture about Impel Down on him.Right after that, Gern was kept behind to deal with a pile of paperwork, only finally gaining his freedom now.
"That was days ago already, and Admiral Sengoku is still holding a grudge.""Figures—anyone who plays the strategy game has a black heart!"Gern muttered his complaints as he strolled slowly down the road toward home.
The conversation he'd had with Kuzan at noon still echoed in his mind, yet strangely, his mood was calmer than expected.
"The Snake Princess is sick, huh? If even the younger sister would die of lovesickness, then the older one probably…"
In the original story, Torch Lotus's elder sister—Torritoma—never even appeared on page.But this was no longer a manga. It was a living, breathing world.
"Still, that 'Snake Princess' is a great swordsman despite not being a Devil Fruit user—she'd be solid combat power.Though the first choice is still Mihawk, of course. After all, isn't it only natural for the future 'King of the Marines' to have the world's greatest swordsman as his right-hand man?
Too bad that guy's wandered off to who-knows-where by now."
"It seems the seeds I planted earlier are starting to sprout one by one as the timeline moves forward."
…
Not long after, Gern returned home and pushed open the door. The house was wrapped in silence.
The living room light was still on, and a plate of neatly cut fruit sat on the table—clearly prepared by someone with care.
The corner of Gern's mouth lifted slightly. He slipped off his military boots as quietly as possible, careful not to disturb the stillness.
When he entered the bedroom, the sight before him made his steps slow.
Sure enough, Li Po was curled up on his bed. Her fluffy rabbit ears drooped softly against the pillow, rising and falling with her gentle breathing.She was wearing nothing but an obviously oversized carrot-print T-shirt. The hem hung down to her thighs, revealing smooth, pale skin.
Gern stood at the doorway, his gaze unconsciously softening.
"So while I'm gone, this just turns into your territory, huh?"He walked lightly to the bedside and leaned down, looking at her sleeping face.
"Honestly…" he murmured, gently brushing aside the loose strands of hair on her forehead.
The moment his fingertips touched her skin, Li Po frowned slightly. Her nose twitched as if catching a familiar scent.
The next second, still half-asleep, she grabbed his wrist, pressed her cheek against the back of his hand, and rubbed it lightly—like a spoiled little rabbit.
"I'm not a carrot," Gern chuckled, letting her tug him closer as he lay down beside the bed.
"Mmm… Gern…"Li Po mumbled his name, her voice soft and syrupy, like something spoken in a dream.
"I'm here," Gern replied quietly, his thumb gently stroking her cheek.
She seemed to understand. A satisfied smile curved her lips as she hugged his hand a little tighter.Her breathing gradually evened out as she slipped back into deep sleep.
Gern watched her in silence, a warmth swelling in his chest that he couldn't quite put into words.
Outside the window, the distant sound of waves lapping against the shore drifted in, weaving together with the quiet of the room.
At least for this moment, all the schemes, conflicts, and uncertainties of the future felt sealed away beyond these walls—leaving only this small, warm, and peaceful world behind.
…
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains.
Li Po was still curled up in bed, hugging a pillow and sleeping soundly. Her fluffy rabbit ears rose and fell gently with each breath.
Standing by the bed, Gern smiled faintly and reached out to lightly pinch one of her ears.
"Mmm…"She shifted in her sleep, rolled over, buried her face into the blanket, and sank right back into her dream.
"Any chance to sleep in, and you take it."Gern laughed softly, tucked the blanket around her, and turned to leave the room.
In the courtyard, Tesoro had already been waiting.
He stood beneath a tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows across his body.
The man who, in another future, would have become the infamous Golden Emperor—hands heavy with gold rings, nameless, steeped in violence—was now simply Tesoro, wearing only a plain ring on his ring finger, a symbol of his devotion to his wife.
"Vice Admiral Gern."When Tesoro saw him approach, he immediately straightened, his expression respectful.
"The intel's been整理ed?" Gern asked, cutting straight to the point.
Tesoro nodded, pulling a document from his coat and handing it over.
"Regarding Sky Island, there isn't much confirmed information yet—but there are several key leads."
Gern took the file and skimmed through it quickly as Tesoro explained:
Upward Currents: Near the seas around Jaya Island, massive upward currents occasionally appear. Legends say they can launch ships straight into the sky.
The Legend of the City of Gold: Fairy tales from the North Blue speak of Shandora, the City of Gold.The descendants of Noland still believe their ancestor's story was real—that the city was simply blown into the sky.
Eyewitness Accounts: Some merchant ships have reported seeing the shadow of a giant above certain regions of the Grand Line, only for it to vanish moments later.
"So…"Gern closed the file, tapping its cover lightly with his fingers."From these scattered clues, Sky Island does exist—but the entrance isn't fixed?"
"Yes."Tesoro inclined his head slightly."However… no authoritative navigator has been able to confirm it. Most people believe it's nothing more than a ridiculous legend."
Gern's lips curled into a meaningful smile as he looked up at the endless blue sky.
"If no one can confirm it, then we'll be the first witnesses."
Tesoro took back the file, frowned, hesitated for a moment, then finally asked,"Vice Admiral Gern… why are you so obsessed with Sky Island?From what I've found, the odds of its existence are extremely slim…"
"But you still investigated it, didn't you?"Gern cut him off suddenly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
Tesoro froze, then gave a wry smile."Because after following you for so many years, I know you never act without confidence."
"Haha, Tesoro—if I told you the truth, you'd probably be even more confused."
"More confused?" Tesoro frowned.
"That's right."Gern slowly lifted his head. The smile faded from his face, his gaze sharpening as his voice dropped.
"Because what I'm going to look for is…"
"God."
The word detonated in the air, carrying a weight that made the atmosphere tremble.
Tesoro's pupils shrank violently. His fingers tightened around the file without him realizing it.
The sunlight was still bright, yet a chill crept up his spine.
"G-God?"He swallowed."Someone you'd call 'God'… then we—"
"No need to worry."Gern waved a hand dismissively."Just someone who likes calling himself that."
"So this time, it'll just be the three of us."
Tesoro blinked."Li Po's coming too?"
"She's our navigator, isn't she?" Gern replied with a smile.
Tesoro shook his head helplessly, though the corners of his mouth lifted despite himself.
Indeed, most people didn't know this—but under Li Po's military profile, her listed specialty really did read: Navigator (purely for rank evaluation purposes).
With business settled, Gern's gaze fell on Tesoro's ring finger.
"I heard Stella's pregnant?"
At the mention of his wife, Tesoro's entire demeanor softened. A rare warmth filled his eyes.
"Yes. Three months now."
Gern patted his shoulder and smiled."Congratulations. Looks like you'll be a father soon."
Tesoro took a deep breath, his voice sincere."Vice Admiral Gern… if you hadn't saved Stella back then, and given me a chance to start over, I might have—"
"The one who made the choice was you."Gern interrupted him, his eyes steady."I only gave you an opportunity. The one who truly changed your fate was yourself."
Tesoro fell silent for a moment, then nodded solemnly.
"Even so… I'm still grateful."
Gern smiled and said nothing more.
"All right. Go get ready."He withdrew his gaze, his tone light."In a few days, once the application goes through, we'll set out."
Tesoro acknowledged and turned to leave.
Watching his back, Gern lifted his eyes to the sky, a smile spreading across his face.
"Next up… it's your turn, Enel."