The atmosphere in the conference room, after a brief moment of silence, suddenly exploded into a thunderous uproar.
"Lloyd!!!"
None of the Navy officers present were ordinary individuals. Their voices rose one over another, loud enough to nearly shake the ceiling itself.
The roar even carried beyond the walls. Soldiers stationed around Headquarters heard the name clearly.
Many of them had only joined the Navy during the years Lloyd had been absent. Hearing his name for the first time, confusion spread across their faces. It was only when veteran Marines, unable to contain their excitement, explained that this was the real name of the Black Dragon that realization dawned on them.
A single thought surfaced in their minds.
Could it be that the Admiral Black Dragon, the man who could stir even Admirals into such emotion, had returned?
Inside the conference room, even Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the others had already risen to their feet, their eyes locked entirely on Lloyd.
Lloyd stood at the very front.
If not for the Admiral's coat draped over his shoulders, one might have mistaken him for the Fleet Admiral himself.
His sudden appearance made people overlook his youthful features and the silver hair tied neatly behind him. Or rather, for some present, Lloyd had always been flawless. If he had returned as a worn, aging man, it would have felt wrong to them.
A powerful, invisible aura surrounded him. His white Marine coat fluttered lightly, even without wind. His gaze swept across the room, from Zephyr to Bartholomew Kuma at the far end.
"Everyone has changed quite a bit," he said softly.
Sakazuki adjusted the brim of his cap, his voice low and steady.
"You've been gone too long."
"Yes… twenty-two years," Lloyd replied calmly.
Borsalino leaned forward slightly, hands in his pockets, a glint flashing across his tinted lenses.
"It's been boring without you, Lloyd. I've even considered retiring early."
Behind him, Sengoku's expression twitched faintly.
Lloyd let out a quiet chuckle.
"Borsalino, Zephyr-sensei hasn't even mentioned retirement. And yet you dare bring it up?"
Zephyr reached over Sakazuki and smacked Borsalino lightly on the back, laughing.
"Stop talking nonsense."
The scene caused Sengoku to pause, a trace of distraction in his eyes. Since becoming Fleet Admiral, it had been a long time since he had seen such ease and camaraderie among them.
A faint sense of bitterness stirred within him.
Before he could dwell on it, two voices rang out at the same time.
"Lloyd-Senpai!"
Kuzan and Aramaki rushed forward together, both wearing oddly aggrieved expressions.
The contrast was striking. Both of them looked far older than Lloyd, yet stood before him like juniors seeking acknowledgment.
Aramaki's path to becoming an Admiral had been blocked for years. Though he appeared indifferent on the surface, only he understood how suffocating that stagnation felt.
A sense of rootlessness had followed him for a long time.
Now, seeing Lloyd again, his composure nearly shattered. Countless grievances surged within him, threatening to spill out. Yet he restrained himself, aware that this was not the place.
As a result, he stood there, face flushed, unable to speak.
Fortunately, Kuzan stepped in.
"Aramaki, weren't you calm just now? Why can't you say anything after seeing Lloyd?"
After teasing him, Kuzan turned toward Lloyd, clearly ready to say more, but Lloyd raised a hand slightly.
Kuzan immediately fell silent, his own face turning red, mirroring Aramaki's.
A faint smile appeared on Lloyd's lips. He walked slowly to Sengoku's side and spoke in a calm, almost casual tone.
"Sengoku… Fleet Admiral. Aramaki has been an Admiral candidate for many years, hasn't he? Isn't it time to remove the word 'candidate'?"
Sengoku steadied himself before replying.
"Lloyd, you've just returned. You may not know yet, but the World Government has…"
He did not finish.
Lloyd cut him off.
His voice remained calm, yet an invisible pressure filled the room.
"What about the World Government? When you insisted on bringing Monkey D. Garp back, there were objections as well. Yet you stood firm, and in the end, he returned and even regained his former position."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"If they could agree to that, why can't they approve Aramaki's promotion? Or is your resolve different in this matter?"
Aramaki trembled, his emotions surging, his eyes already reddening.
Kuzan reacted even more strongly. Cold air seeped from his body, the temperature in the room dropping rapidly.
Yet despite the chill, Sengoku felt as if he were burning.
He could not answer.
Because the truth was simple.
He had never truly fought for Aramaki.
Each time, it had been nothing more than a token mention. When opposition arose from certain figures, he had chosen to let the matter drop.
Tsuru and Garp both wanted to intervene, but no suitable explanation came to mind.
Garp clenched his fists, guilt weighing heavily on him. Everyone knew this situation stemmed from him.
Unable to endure it any longer, Garp spoke.
"Lloyd, this is my fault. I'm the one in the way. I'll go to the World Government and request to be sent back to prison immediately."
Sengoku's eyes widened.
"Garp, you…"
Lloyd glanced at him, indifferent.
"No need. You're already back. As long as you remember you are a Marine, stay where you are."
His tone remained even.
"I'm not targeting you. I'm discussing the matter."
At that moment, Sengoku's so-called justice felt hollow.
Anyone present could see it clearly.
Who held authority in this room, and who did not.
Sakazuki and Borsalino exchanged a glance, faint smiles forming on their lips.
Within the Navy, there was only one person they truly admired.
Lloyd never failed his own.
Under everyone's gaze, Lloyd slowly reached into his coat and pulled out three documents.
Then, without hesitation, he placed them firmly on the table.
Sengoku's pupils shrank the moment he saw them.
At the top of each document, bold titles were clearly written:
"Admiral Appointment, Code Name Green Bull."
"Admiral Appointment, Code Name Grizzly Bear."
"Admiral Appointment, Code Name Nightingale."