"Zephyr, is everything you've said really true?"
Tsuru spoke, her voice laced with a rare touch of daze.
Possessing raw power not inferior to a young Whitebeard—Tsuru, as the Great Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, knew exactly how terrifying "Whitebeard Jr." Edward Weevil was. A bounty of 480 million Berries was considered an incredibly high sum even in the New World. A powerhouse of that caliber... was dealt with by her teacher in just a few moves?
Not only Tsuru, but even Momousagi's face was filled with doubt. It was true she idolized Rowan, but she wasn't so blinded by admiration that she lost her logic. Since rising to the rank of Vice Admiral—and especially after becoming an Admiral Candidate—she had gained a clear understanding of the scales of power.
Earlier, Mr. Rowan had struck Doflamingo with a slap that left him in a pathetic state, and while she hadn't seen exactly how he did it, it could still be explained away as Doflamingo failing to react in time. But Zephyr was saying, in no uncertain terms, that Mr. Rowan used only two moves to take down the infamously brutal Edward Weevil.
"Would I lie to you? Look at these injuries on me; they were caused by that brat Weevil. If the Master hadn't stepped in to solve him, you wouldn't see me standing here talking right now."
Having said that, Zephyr pointed to the group of recruits behind him. "If you don't believe me, ask my disciples. They were all witnesses!"
Hearing Zephyr's sworn testimony, Tsuru's brow knit slightly as she looked at Rowan with a look of profound astonishment. If Zephyr was telling the truth, then did that not mean Master Rowan's current strength was close to—or even at—the Admiral level?
Then, his earlier remark about "getting an Admiral spot" wasn't a joke after all? Had the Master really come to Marineford this time to play around with an Admiral rank?!
"Alright, let's leave it at that for now."
Rowan raised his hand to cut off the conversation between Zephyr and Tsuru. At his age, it wasn't easy to get hung up on minor irritations. The news had already been out for days; there was no use dwelling on it. It was better to focus on what was in front of them.
Shaking his head, Rowan spoke. "Those few fellows just came out, so that means your meeting is over, right? In that case, let's go see Sengoku first. It's been a long time since I've seen that little brat."
With that, Rowan led the way into the Marine Headquarters fortress with practiced ease. Zephyr and Tsuru only brought their closest aides, dismissing the rest of the troops.
Once Rowan's group departed, a dense wave of discussion erupted across the Marineford plaza.
"Is that the style of the 'Marine Godfather,' Vice Admiral Rowan?" "Hehe, that's Vice Admiral Rowan for you. He doesn't give a damn about those Warlords." "Exactly! That slap he gave Doflamingo was so satisfying. I've been sick of that guy for ages." "I never thought I'd get to see Vice Admiral Rowan one last time before I retire. I'm definitely going to brag about this to my grandsons!"
Some of the older Marines, who had either seen Rowan in their youth or grew up on legends of him, all wore smiles of immense pride. Meanwhile, those who had trained under Zephyr involuntarily puffed out their chests. After all, that "Marine Godfather" was technically their Grand-Master!
Marine Headquarters, Fortress Building.
As the iconic symbol of the Navy, the Headquarters building was grand and magnificent. The two massive characters for "Marine" were emblazoned on the structure, flanking a gargantuan Navy emblem—it was an imposing sight.
As the center of all naval power on the seas, countless orders were issued from this building every day. These complex yet orderly commands kept the world's tides turning. Because of this, the tens of thousands of staff members within the headquarters were busy to the point of chaos.
Outside the fortress, countless combatants hurried in and out. Inside, the communicators and intelligence officers responsible for different sea zones were under immense pressure.
Entering the fortress, Rowan saw a constant stream of intelligence officers, communicators, and various clerical staff rushing through the corridors. The sound of knocking and formal reports was incessant.
Whenever these staff members saw Zephyr, Tsuru, or Momousagi behind Rowan, they would stop to salute respectfully. However, Rowan, walking at the very front, went largely unnoticed.
"I really have been gone too long," Rowan sighed.
As he walked, aside from a few elderly staff members who greeted him with looks of pleasant surprise, the rest didn't even give him a second glance. It made sense; he had been away for so many years. Forget those who had seen him—how many people even remembered the name "Rowan" now?
Decades ago, the name "Godfather Rowan" was known to every soul in the Navy, a legendary name that commanded respect across the entire ocean. But if the world were a sea and Rowan's life a giant boulder thrown into it, the massive waves he once caused had long since settled into a calm surface.
Furthermore, he wasn't wearing a standard Marine uniform. In the eyes of the staff, he was just an ordinary retired old man. If not for Zephyr and Tsuru following him, someone might have even tried to usher the "old geezer" out of the building.
"Master, don't take it to heart. These youngsters running around are mostly fresh blood; it's normal they don't recognize you."
"With your status, if you walked into any high-ranking office, the people inside would probably jump out of their chairs in excitement to welcome you," Zephyr said from the side, seeing Rowan's sigh.
Momousagi's expression was quite lively, the smile at the corner of her mouth growing more obvious. This was the first time she had seen the usually indifferent Old Man Rowan show such a human side of emotion. But hearing the second half of Zephyr's sentence, she tightened her grip on Rowan's arm and said proudly:
"Of course! What kind of status does Mr. Rowan have? He's our Marine Godfather! Sister Tsuru, little Garp, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku—all of them were raised by Mr. Rowan!"
"You and your big mouth," Tsuru glared at Momousagi, feeling helpless. Truly the Navy's number one Rowan-fan. Her sister's mouth, once it started on the topic of Rowan, was filled with nothing but endless adoration.
"Heehee, that's because in my heart, Mr. Rowan is the greatest person in the world!" Momousagi acted like a young girl, even sticking her tongue out at Tsuru.