Those standing farther back could not see the contents of the documents on the table. All they could see was the stunned expression on Sengoku's face, and it left them restless, as if ants were crawling beneath their skin.
Sengoku said nothing.
He read carefully, line by line, his eyes growing heavier with each passing second, until his gaze reached the bottom of the documents.
Five signatures.
Even as Fleet Admiral, he immediately recognized them. The names belonged to the highest authority in the world, the Five Elders.
There was no doubt about their authenticity. No one in existence could forge those signatures.
Only one detail stood out.
On the document appointing Aramaki, the signature of Saint Warcury was slightly crooked, as if written with an unsteady hand.
But that did not matter.
What mattered was what those signatures represented.
Sengoku's heart trembled.
He could not comprehend how Lloyd had achieved this. Not only had he secured approval for Aramaki, he had obtained authorization for two additional Admirals.
Grizzly Bear referred to Bartholomew Kuma.
Nightingale referred to Lucia.
Lucia had been absent from Marine Headquarters for twenty-two years. Yet upon her return, she was to be directly appointed as an Admiral.
How had Lloyd convinced the Five Elders to agree to such a thing?
Lloyd's calm voice broke the silence.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you should be done reading. If so, read them aloud."
Sengoku nodded slowly. He picked up the three documents and began to read each appointment clearly for everyone present.
When he finished, the room fell into a stunned silence before erupting into chaos.
The first to react was Kuzan.
With a wide grin, he slapped Aramaki on the back of the head.
"Aramaki! You've been promoted! You finally made it!"
Aramaki had been frozen in disbelief. The sudden hit nearly sent him stumbling forward.
Under normal circumstances, he would have retaliated immediately. But now, he did not even react. His eyes remained fixed on Lloyd, his mind completely blank.
Nearby, Kuma raised his hand slightly, still confused.
"Lloyd, I…"
He hesitated, unable to finish.
Lloyd understood without needing to hear the rest.
Kuma believed he was unworthy.
That was simply his nature.
In truth, Kuma already possessed immense combat power. After years of structured training and real combat experience within the Navy, combined with the strength of his Buccaneer lineage, he was more than qualified to stand among the Admirals.
But none of that was the deciding factor.
What mattered was simple.
Lloyd wanted it.
And if Lloyd wanted it, it would happen.
He had once slain Gol D. Roger, even after Roger had obtained that mysterious power. That alone placed Lloyd beyond ordinary limits.
After that battle, even the ruler of the world had praised him.
Because of that, the Five Elders had no choice but to satisfy his demands.
As for the crooked signature of Saint Warcury, it was not reluctance.
It was guilt.
When Lloyd had left Mary Geoise with these documents, Saint Warcury had personally seen him off, smiling the entire time.
The conference room was now in complete uproar.
Many felt as if they were dreaming.
Lloyd's sudden return alone was enough to shake the Navy, yet these documents pushed everything beyond reason.
With their implementation, the Navy would possess seven Admirals at once.
Seven.
Including Lloyd and Lucia, the strongest force in the sea would stand united.
But that was not the most terrifying part.
The true fear lay elsewhere.
Since Sengoku became Fleet Admiral, only Sakazuki had consistently displayed his full strength. The others had held back to varying degrees.
The Navy had never operated at full capacity.
It had always been restrained.
Now, that restraint was gone.
Lloyd's return meant that the war machine had been fully unleashed.
Not only that, it had gained something far more dangerous.
Him.
No one believed that twenty-two years of absence had weakened Lloyd.
On the contrary, it had only deepened his presence.
Everyone in the room had witnessed that war long ago. The power Lloyd displayed back then had already surpassed its era.
Even Sakazuki, who was widely regarded as the strongest among the Admirals before Lloyd's return, knew the truth.
He could not guarantee he could defeat Roger in that state.
Yet Lloyd had done exactly that.
Time had not diminished Lloyd's strength.
It had only allowed it to settle, and now, it erupted all at once.
Even Tsuru, one of Sengoku's staunchest allies, felt a shift in her thoughts.
Sengoku's position as Fleet Admiral would not last much longer.
The realization came naturally.
If Lloyd were to declare his intention to take the position, there was little doubt that Sakazuki and the others would act immediately, stripping Sengoku of authority without hesitation.
That level of influence was terrifying.
Tsuru's mind raced.
Would the World Government truly ignore this?
Or were they confident in controlling Lloyd?
Her reasoning sharpened as she pieced together a possibility.
Perhaps Lloyd had demanded the Fleet Admiral position when he met the Five Elders.
Perhaps both sides had compromised.
Lloyd would temporarily give up the position, while the World Government allowed him to appoint three Admirals.
The more she thought about it, the more logical it seemed.
It would strengthen Lloyd's power, yet also stabilize him, buying time for the World Government.
A calculated balance.
A necessary concession.
From the perspective of the highest authorities, it made perfect sense.
However, her conclusion was entirely wrong.
She was missing a crucial truth.
Lloyd was a Celestial Dragon.
That single fact changed everything.
In a sense, he stood on the same side as the Five Elders.
When he met them, he had not even mentioned becoming Fleet Admiral.
It was they who brought it up first.
Whether he accepted…
Sengoku's gaze shifted.
He noticed the corner of another document, partially hidden within Lloyd's coat.
Understanding flickered in his eyes.
After taking a slow breath, he spoke.
"Lloyd, you still have one more document, don't you? Should I read that one as well?"
Lloyd glanced down briefly.
With a casual motion, he tucked the paper back into place.
A faint, unreadable smile touched his lips.
"It's nothing important," he said softly.
"Just a useless piece of paper."
He paused.
It's not time for it yet.
___
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