"Can't be promoted to Admiral?" Rowan frowned.
He had come to Marine Headquarters specifically for that Admiral rank. Now, this little brat Sengoku was telling him it couldn't be done? What was the point of coming here then?
"Master, since the Navy's founding, there have only ever been three Admiral positions. If you want one, one of those three youngsters would have to step down," Sengoku explained the reasoning.
Beside them, Tsuru and Zephyr nodded in agreement. A change in the Navy's "Highest Combat Power" was no laughing matter; for both the Headquarters and the entire world, it would be a monumental event.
"However," Sengoku shifted gears, "while I cannot grant you the formal rank of Admiral immediately, I can take the initiative to grant you the title of Honorary Admiral."
Given his teacher's prestige, an honorary title should be enough to satisfy the masses. If the Old Man insisted on the actual rank, Sengoku would truly be in a difficult spot.
"Honorary Admiral?" Rowan looked at Sengoku, surprised. Internally, he questioned the system: Can the status of Honorary Admiral fulfill the Main Quest?
The system, as usual, offered no reply.
Seeing this, Rowan could only nod. "Fine, let's start with that."
If the honorary title didn't satisfy the quest, he would just have to find another way. If push came to shove, he would simply have to bump Aokiji, Kizaru, or Akainu out of their seats. In the past, Rowan wouldn't have had the means. But now...
If he truly wanted to seize a seat, who could stop him?
"Alright. The paperwork will take a few days to process. For now, Master, please settle in and stay at the Headquarters." Even as Fleet Admiral, Sengoku had to follow protocol for such things.
"Stay here? How boring," Rowan waved his hand, flatly rejecting the suggestion. He had lived in this place for decades. While he felt a touch of nostalgia, he couldn't stand being cooped up here indefinitely. Before his rank was restored and the honorary title finalized, he wouldn't be assigned any missions anyway.
Rather than rotting in an office, he might as well enjoy himself.
"But..." Sengoku tried to protest, but Rowan cut him off.
"Enough, Sengoku-boy. Do you have so little faith in the Old Man? I won't go far—just a trip to the nearby Sabaody Archipelago. Once you've finished the paperwork, I'll come back."
Sengoku sighed. "Very well. But please, Master, make sure to take a Den Den Mushi with you. It would be bad if we couldn't reach you."
"Ah! Great-Grandpa is going out to play? I want to go too! I want to go! Take me with you!" Luffy shouted, raising both hands.
"Me too! Me too! Mr. Rowan, you can't leave me behind!" Momousagi chimed in.
"What are you two making such a fuss for!" Garp glared at them.
"Hmph! What are you shouting for, little Garp!" Momousagi made a face at him. "Mr. Rowan finally came back, I want to spend as much time with him as possible!"
"That's enough, Garp," Tsuru countered, glaring back at him. "Little Gion isn't like you, an old man who can run back to the East Blue whenever he's idle. She's right; the Master finally returned, let her accompany him. With Gion there, things will be much more convenient for him."
"And little Luffy too. He's just a child; staying cooped up in the Headquarters isn't right for him. What, are you afraid the Master will lead him astray?"
Rebuked by Tsuru, Garp could only wave his hands helplessly. "Fine, fine! I won't interfere, alright!" Though he yielded, he grumbled internally: Hmph, whose Pops is he anyway? I'm the son, yet I have no say.
Watching the youngsters bicker, Rowan took a puff of his pipe, a look of gratification on his face. This was what a big family should look like. Arguments and all, it showed vitality.
"By the way, Master." Sengoku, having just finished drafting a document, looked up. "In a few weeks, the Reverie will be held. Are you interested in attending?"
At this, Garp, Tsuru, and the others all looked at Rowan.
The Reverie was a summit where the kings of over 170 member nations of the World Government gathered at the Holy Land, Mary Geoise. It was held once every four years, and the time for the next one was fast approaching.
In Sengoku's view, his teacher had spent so many years in the Navy that he surely had a unique understanding of the world's shifting tides. If the Old Man could propose some effective theories at the summit, it would be a massive boon for the Navy.
Technically, to attend the Reverie as a Marine, one needed to be an Admiral. Even with the honorary title, Rowan shouldn't qualify. But... if Master Rowan truly wanted to go, who would dare say he wasn't qualified?
Rowan stroked his beard, thinking for a moment before nodding. "Actually, now that you mention it, there are a few things I'd like to bring up at the Reverie."
"Pops, the Reverie is so boring. Why would you want to go there?" Garp asked, scratching the back of his head.
Rowan scolded him with a laugh. "Aside from punching pirates, what do you know? I have my own reasons for attending." He waved them off. "It's settled. When the Reverie begins, Sengoku-boy can just bring me along."
The moment Sengoku mentioned the summit, a thought had ignited in Rowan's mind. A plan for the future suddenly became clear. Originally, he just wanted to finish his Main Quest at the Headquarters and then wander around punching pirates for Belief Points.
But that would take forever to max out his stats. Now, if this new idea worked, it would drastically shorten that timeline!