Marineford, Oris Plaza. Sephiroth strode past rows of weathered wooden houses, a document clutched in his hand. He stopped at the door marked "Marshal Office," turned the knob without knocking, and entered without closing the door behind him. The room was Spartan, dominated by a large desk. Sengoku sat behind it, his expression unreadable. Sephiroth dropped casually into the chair opposite and slid the document across the desk.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, these are the personnel files I plan to transfer from Marineford to the New World branch. Sign and stamp them."
Sengoku glanced at Sephiroth, noting the telltale signs of a clone. His eyes narrowed slightly as he reached for the document. "Gion, Tina, Domino, Tashigi, Kuro..." he read aloud. The names were all trusted Marines, key figures in the organization. In another time, Sengoku would have refused outright. But circumstances had changed.
The secret agreement with the Umbrella Corporation bound his hands. They would fund the Marines' operations, and in return, Sephiroth would be appointed Admiral with sweeping powers over personnel transfers and appointments. Within a year, Sengoku would "resign" and assume the role of Grand Inspector, clearing the path for Sephiroth to ascend to Fleet Admiral.
Sengoku scanned the document, his brow furrowed. He looked up. "Besides these people, are there any additional personnel you need to add?"
"Not at the moment. If there are, I'll add them later."
"Someone submitted a report wanting to be your adjutant, the new Admiral. What do you think?"
"Not happening. I'll choose my own adjutant."
"Is that so?" Sengoku's mouth twitched, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He turned his head slightly. "Commodore Ain, you must have heard Sephiroth's words just now. He seems unwilling to have you as his adjutant."
Sephiroth didn't turn. His right hand slammed down on the desk with a thunderous crack. His eyes blazed with anger. "Hey! Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what do you think you understand!? I wasn't finished! Besides Ain, I won't consider anyone else for the position of my adjutant."
The chilling aura that had filled the room dissipated instantly. Sephiroth blinked, as if suddenly aware of Ain's presence. He turned with exaggerated surprise. "Huh!? Ain, when did you get here?"
"I came to report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku." Ain's voice was flat. Her right hand slid away from her sword hilt. She stepped forward and placed a document on Sengoku's desk with deliberate precision.
Sengoku chuckled softly, picking up his teacup. He took a leisurely sip, his tone teasing. "Eh!? Sephiroth, this isn't right. Why don't I see Ain's information in this personnel transfer document?"
Ain turned her head slightly, her gaze flicking to the silver-haired young man. She said nothing.
Sephiroth felt a bead of sweat run down his spine. He forced his expression into one of calm seriousness, though panic simmered beneath the surface.
"Cough!..."
"I was worried Ain might refuse," I admitted, "so I planned to speak with her directly before submitting a separate application to you." Turning to Ain, I added, "You've arrived at just the right moment. Would you consider serving as my adjutant? If you decline, I'm afraid I'll have to leave the position unfilled."
Ain's icy expression finally softened. The corners of her lips lifted into a faint smile.
"I'm willing," she said.
......
In the New World, Egghead Island loomed on the horizon, its silhouette resembling an oversized egg. This was the headquarters of the Marine Special Science Group SSG and the site of Vegapunk's sprawling research laboratory.
Most of the island's inhabitants were scientific researchers, with only a handful working as intelligence agents for the World Government. The architecture on Egghead Island exuded a futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic, filled with creations that seemed to leap across eras. The technology here was rumored to be five hundred years ahead of the rest of the world.
But the truth was far more complicated. In reality, the island's technological advancements paled in comparison to the Great Kingdom of nine hundred years ago. Egghead Island, hailed as the "Future Island," was merely replicating ancient innovations—and not even mastering them fully.
Looking back through the long river of history, one could see that the One Piece World was a civilization in decline. To erase all traces of the Great Kingdom's existence, the World Government had not only distorted historical truths but also enforced policies to keep the populace ignorant.
This deliberate suppression had devastated the scientific community, leading to wildly uneven technological development across the islands. Some regions thrived with modern conveniences, while others languished in medieval conditions, lacking even basic electricity.
Above the ocean, a cold wind howled. Sephiroth glided through the sky, his black wings beating rhythmically as he neared Egghead Island. Suddenly, with a violent splash, a massive mechanical shark erupted from the sea, its jaws gaping wide as it lunged toward him.
In an instant, Sephiroth reacted. His wings snapped sharply, propelling him into a swift turn. His right foot, crackling with dark red lightning, lashed out, striking the shark's lower jaw. The impact sent the mechanical beast hurtling backward with a piercing whistle before it crashed onto Egghead Island's coastline a hundred meters away.
Black smoke billowed from the shark's gaping mouth, accompanied by the sizzle of failing electronics. Sephiroth shook his head, his voice low and unimpressed.
"Tsk. All show, no substance," he muttered.
Then—
A little girl wearing a gray-brown hooded fur coat, a white short-sleeved shirt, and striped shorts crawled out of the mechanical shark's mouth, dripping wet. Her waist-length pink hair clung to her skin, and a golden semi-circular face stud glinted below her right eye.