It was the first ti Nao had ever seen Kong in person.
The man who would one day beco the Commander-in-Chief of the World Governnt's Three Forces didn't yet look as aged as he would two decades from now. He stood tall, arms crossed, muscle-bound and sharp-eyed. The power in his stance was enough to silence a crowd—calm, commanding, and unmistakably authoritative.
As if sensing Nao's gaze, Kong turned and gave a faint smile and respectful nod, not bothering to hide the approving gleam in his eyes.
anwhile, Zephyr—having finished a brief address—unfolded a sheet of paper and began calling nas for commissioning.
"Lorraine Anisha! Physical assessnt: pass. Battle rit evaluation: excellent. Practical assessnt: pass. Graduation approved. Commissioned as Marine HQ Lieutenant Commander!"
A Marine woman with ash-blonde hair stood up beaming. After a quick hug with Zephyr, she stepped onto the platform to receive her insignia—presented personally by Fleet Admiral Kong.
"Bastille! Physical assessnt: excellent. Battle rit evaluation: excellent. Practical assessnt: good. Graduation approved. Commissioned as Marine Headquarters Captain!"
The red-headed, ogre-like Bastille looked slightly disappointed, but recovered quickly and marched onto the stage.
"Eika! Physical…"
"Piers!"
"Singeed!"
One na after another. The process moved smoothly. More than a hundred recruits were commissioned, with the majority receiving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Only a dozen were promoted directly to Commander.
As for Captain—Bastille remained the sole recipient.
Eventually, the entire graduating class had received their ranks… all except for two.
Two special cases who had taken the graduation exam two years early.
"Shiryuu! Physical assessnt: excellent. Battle rit evaluation: excellent. Practical assessnt: excellent. Graduation approved. Commissioned as Marine Headquarters Captain!"
"As expected…" Shiryu muttered, stubbing out his cigarette. Calm and composed, he rose and walked to the platform, drawing admiring glances.
Graduating in just one year, with top-tier performance across the board, and imdiately commissioned as Captain—he had already reached a rank most Marines could only dream of.
"Last one."
Zephyr smiled as he looked at the final na on the list. "I think we all know who this is… and I'm sure you've been waiting for him—"
"Natsuya Nao!"
Zephyr raised his voice: "Physical assessnt: flawless. Battle rit evaluation: flawless. Practical assessnt: flawless. Graduation approved. Commissioned as Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral!"
As soon as the words fell—
Every gaze in the plaza turned toward Nao at once.
A storm of awe, envy, admiration, and disbelief swept through the crowd, accompanied by excited murmurs.
"A Rear Admiral?! No way!"
"This program's been around nearly twelve years—and only three people have ever graduated directly into Rear Admiral rank!"
"Unbelievable… What a monster…"
But while the crowd buzzed in amazent, Nao—hearing Zephyr's final words—felt a complex weight settle in his heart.
So it's just Rear Admiral, huh…
As expected, becoming a Vice Admiral and joining the Marine Headquarters' high command imdiately after graduation was still too exaggerated. Fleet Admiral Kong ultimately chose not to set such a precedent.
There was a brief pang of disappointnt…
But it quickly faded, overwheld by the electric atmosphere around him. As Nao stood, a bright, warm smile spread across his face.
Sowhere in the crowd, several girls audibly sucked in their breath.
"Zephyr-sensei."
Nao stepped past the rows of seats, making his way toward the front under countless admiring stares. Zephyr was already standing there, arms wide, waiting to embrace him.
"Thank you for everything this past year. Guess I won't be hanging around the training camp anymore."
"Hahaha! Enough with the emotional nonsense, brat!"
Zephyr laughed heartily. "You're a hawk now. Ti to spread those wings. Sticking around the nest is no life for soone like you—the real sky is out there!"
After the embrace, Fleet Admiral Kong himself stepped forward, personally placing the crisp Justice cloak over Nao's shoulders and pinning on his sky-blue Rear Admiral insignia.
Looking at the young prodigy before him, Kong smiled sincerely.
"Keep up the good work, young man. The future of Headquarters now rests in the hands of young people like you."
Coming from the Fleet Admiral, that was as high a complint as one could ever hope to receive.
Nao stood frozen for a beat, then returned a firm salute.
"I won't let you down, sir."
And with that…
BOOM.
Like a match thrown into dry oil, the mont exploded into cheers.
"Nao! Nao! Nao!"
Thunderous applause and chants erupted, wave after wave, shaking the entire plaza.
—
In the crowd—
Gion sat quietly among the rows of Marines, her eyes locked on the stage. She didn't cheer. She didn't clap. She simply smiled—softly, proudly—as if the celebration around her didn't exist.
"A Rear Admiral right out the gate. And he's only nineteen?" Aokiji scratched his head beside her. "Back then, he was just a flickering spark. But now… Gion, look at him. That kid's blazing like the sun."
Gion didn't answer.
She kept her gaze fixed on the young man standing center stage, glowing like firelight—his smile warm enough to outshine the sun itself.
Of course he shines…
He was the man she had chosen. The one who made her heart race. The man she had decided to share her life with, no matter what.
Onstage—
As if sensing her eyes, Nao turned ever so slightly and glanced her way. Their eyes t.
Then, smiling, he looked to Zephyr and asked:
"Sensei, may I borrow the mic for a mont? I'd like to say a few words."
"Of course."
Zephyr stepped aside, unsurprised. "You didn't even have to ask. Kong and I were already planning to have you speak on behalf of the graduating class."
"Graduation speech?" Nao chuckled, stepping up to the mic. "Nah, I don't have anything that formal prepared."
He adjusted the stand.
"There's just a promise I need to keep."
…A promise?
Zephyr and Kong exchanged puzzled glances.
What's he up to now?
The crowd grew quiet. Curiosity spread like wildfire.
"Apologies, everyone," Nao said with a bow, then looked up with a brilliant grin. "I know this is a bit personal—but I've got sothing I need to get off my chest."
"A man's word is his bond. If I made a promise, I intend to keep it."
His eyes shifted—
"Rear Admiral Gion."
Heads whipped toward the rows behind him.
"Would you do the honor of coming up to the stage?"
FWIP—
Hundreds of eyes turned to stare at Gion, including a stunned Aokiji.
"Wait… What's going on?" he mumbled.
Seriously? You really don't get it? Gion shot him a glare, then turned toward the stage.
She bit her lip, conflicted, unsure for just a mont—
"…Would you mind?" Nao asked again, this ti gently, with quiet patience.
This ti, she stood.
Under countless bewildered—and envious—stares, she walked to the front and took her place beside him.
"Apologies, Fleet Admiral."
She didn't face Nao at first. She bowed to Kong. "He's being ridiculous. This is a formal ceremony…"
"Ridiculous?" Kong grinned ear to ear, eyes crinkling. "I don't think so. I'm quite looking forward to this."
Gion was speechless.
Was this really the Kong she knew? Since when was the legendary Fleet Admiral this unserious?
But it turned out—he wasn't the problem.
Behind the long table, the real troublemakers, Garp and Sengoku, were stuffing their faces with senbei and yelling loudly:
"Co on, Nao! Don't keep us waiting!"
"Say it already, kid! Quit dragging it out!"
Nao shot them a helpless look and gave a quick "OK" gesture.
Then, facing the mic, he pulled it closer.
"Since Rear Admiral Gion is now on stage, I suppose it's ti I made sothing official."
He took a deep breath and smiled.
"Half a year ago, when I first t—"
...Huh?
The crowd went still. His voice had cut out mid-sentence.
Confused, they looked again—only to find that the mic was now in front of Gion, who had apparently taken it for herself without anyone noticing.
"…?"
Nao blinked. "Rear Admiral…?"
"This guy just got commissioned," Gion said smoothly, "so he's probably still overwheld. I'll just say what he ant to say."
She turned to the mic, facing the crowd.
"Half a year ago, on a warship to the West Blue, I t this brat for the first ti," she said. "After what we went through together, I realized—I liked him."
"And I decided, when this kid graduated, when he'd grown into a real man, that this thick-skinned older sister would be the one to make the first move."
"I've waited and waited. And clearly, today… that mont has co."
She paused, then smiled like moonlight glimring on the sea.
"I, Rear Admiral Gion, am completely in love with this brat beside . Here and now, in front of everyone, I'm officially confessing. I hope he'll spend the rest of his life by my side."
She turned and looked at Nao.
"Well? Do you accept?"
"…"
Nao stood frozen.
Staring at her—the soft glow in her smile, her proud confidence—his mind spun.
The shock struck him like lightning from a clear sky.
And yet, it ward him like a quiet river, flowing gently through his chest, growing louder and stronger by the second.
"…Rear Admiral…"
His voice ca out dry, hoarse.
"Didn't we agree that… if I didn't beco a Vice Admiral, it would be my job to confess to you?"
"Hmph." Gion tossed her head, ever the proud bunny.
"I changed my mind. What are you gonna do about it?"
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