At the very top of Onigashima.
"Sir, today's paper."
"The seas are about to be thrown into chaos."
Flapping his black wings, the white-haired man handed the freshly delivered paper to the man in front of him, who was still drinking heavily.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"
Raising the wine gourd high, the crystal-clear liquor traced a graceful arc through the air before pouring straight into his giant mouth.
"Abel, I told you already—don't bring newspapers for me to read!"
Using the purple fur at his waist to wipe the liquor dripping from his dragon whiskers, the black-haired man casually tossed aside the wine gourd engraved with the character for "Heaven."
"Hic…"
Letting out a drunken breath, the broad-shouldered man with long black hair hanging over his back yawned.
Thud.
His enormous body collapsed straight onto the ground, and rhythmic snores soon echoed across Onigashima.
Without the slightest impatience, the white-haired man remained hovering in the air, quietly waiting for a certain someone to sober up.
Whole Cake Island.
"Mother, look at this."
With the lower half of his face wrapped in a scarf, the red-haired man held out the newspaper toward his massive mother.
"Katakuri!"
With a casual wave, Big Mom smacked the paper flying away, madness swirling across her features.
"Forget all that nonsense and bring me my giant cake!"
Looking at his roaring mother, Katakuri showed no fear. He turned around, lifted a huge cake from a cart nearby, and presented it to her.
"My good son. That's my son, Katakuri."
Slipping the newspaper into the inside of his coat, Katakuri frowned deeply.
He ought to have been happy. It was rare for Mother to praise him like this.
But now that the praise had actually come, he found that he couldn't feel happy at all.
Instead, an uneasy feeling crept into his heart.
Mother's hunger pangs…
They were getting worse.
South Blue, Tarahak Town, Marine Branch 32.
"Colonel, there's a new army-wide notice."
"Hm?"
Milenko looked surprised. The last time there had been a full army-wide notice was a month ago, when the Pirate King had been captured.
Yet only a single month had passed, and now another one had arrived.
"Bring it over."
"Yes, sir!"
Taking the white sheet from his subordinate, Milenko put on his monocle and carefully read the words at the top.
The first thing he saw was a bold title written in neat block letters:
New Vice Admiral! Zhige!
"Huh?"
Letting out a surprised sound, Milenko nodded. So a Marine had just been promoted to Vice Admiral. No wonder it had become an army-wide notice.
After all, the requirements for becoming a vice admiral were extremely harsh. Besides having the necessary strength, one also needed outstanding military achievements.
That was why it often took four or five years for the Marines to produce a single new vice admiral.
Well… with the exception of monsters like Borsalino and the others.
Still… vice admiral…
A trace of longing appeared in Milenko's eyes.
I wonder if our South Blue branch has any talent like that.
"Sigh. I just hope Mo Wu comes back soon."
He let out a weary sigh. Ever since Mo Wu had left, South Blue's pirates had been growing bolder by the day, like a rebound after being crushed. Most of them were weak, but there were simply too many.
The past few weeks had left him without a single good night's sleep.
Right, I still don't know the new vice admiral's name or face. If I ever met him and failed to recognize him, that'd be truly awkward.
Swallowing hard, Milenko recalled a story an old senior once told him. Apparently, someone had once offended an admiral because they failed to recognize him, and afterward that admiral sent the poor fool straight to Impel Down as a jailer.
That was probably why the Marines circulated these notices every time a new vice admiral appeared.
Wearing a helpless smile, Milenko focused himself and continued reading.
Bang!
The door was kicked open.
Clutching a yellow newspaper, Drake blurred into the room and appeared right in front of Milenko.
"I taught you Soru so you could use it for this?!"
His face darkened at once. Looking at Drake, panting like he had run for his life, Milenko slammed a hand against the desk.
"Now go back outside and knock properly!"
"No, Colonel!"
"Please, hear me out first!"
"Hear what? What nonsense are you here to bring me this time?"
Milenko shot him a look of disgust. This brat showed up every few days whining that his ship had been battered to pieces by pirates and begging for a new one.
At this rate, I really am sending him to Marineford.
Having made up his mind, Milenko sighed.
"Fine. Talk."
"It's Zhige! The new vice admiral, Zhige!"
"What? Zhige came to our branch?" Milenko blurted out in shock. Then he paused. "Wait… how did you even know there was a new vice admiral?"
"Just read it yourself!"
Seeing Milenko interrupt him again and again, Drake finally gave up explaining and slammed the newspaper down on the desk.
If this turns out to be nothing, you're finished.
Setting the notice aside, Milenko picked up Drake's paper and let his eyes sweep quickly over the front page.
The Death of Shiki! The New Vice Admiral—Zhige!
"Hiss!"
Milenko sucked in a sharp breath.
Who exactly is this "Zhige" to have killed Golden Lion, a man once spoken of in the same breath as Roger?
Let me see what kind of man could possibly be that strong.
Beneath the headline was a striking photograph, clearly chosen with care. Without even reading the notice, Milenko could now see the face of the newly promoted vice admiral.
His eyes lowered, and his imagination started running wild.
What kind of fearsome, towering man could kill Golden Lion?
Eh?
Actually… he's pretty handsome.
The photo showed a strikingly handsome face with a faint smile, so vividly captured that Milenko couldn't help but feel he was seeing traces of his own former subordinate Mo—
"?!"
He rubbed his eyes.
Then everything went black for a second.
This is Mo Wu, damn it!
I sent you to become an executioner—how in the world did you end up killing Golden Lion too?!
Snatching up the army-wide notice from the desk, Milenko quickly read through it with dazed eyes.
Sure enough.
Marine Headquarters Major Mo Wu cooperated with Hero Garp in killing Golden Lion!
Special promotion to Marine Vice Admiral! Codename—Zhige!
Oh no.
It looks like the kid really did make a name for himself at Headquarters.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The reconstruction work was still ongoing.
Following behind Garp, Mo Wu escorted one prisoner after another through the ruins and down into the lower levels of a warship, together with the Marines assigned to guard them.
"Reporting, Vice Admiral Zhige!"
"All prisoners have been transported aboard!"
Looks like Marine propaganda really is efficient.
Mo Wu nodded at the sailor who looked at him with open admiration.
Then he casually pointed to another marine standing nearby.
"This batch is being sent to Impel Down. They're all vicious pirates."
"Don't be stingy with the Seastone. Make sure the Devil Fruit users get a few extra chains wrapped around them."
"Uh…"
The selected marine scratched his head awkwardly.
How am I supposed to chain them any tighter? They're already practically wrapped into human cocoons.
Looking at the five Devil Fruit users nearby, all tied up like rice dumplings, the young marine clenched his jaw.
But this was Vice Admiral Zhige's order!
Shutting his eyes, he grabbed another Seastone chain and, under the despairing gaze of the trapped Devil Fruit users, wrapped several more loops around them.
"Vice Admiral Zhige! They're secured!"
"Good! Very spirited!"
Looking at the five men bound into a single cluster, with an ordinary-looking middle-aged man stuck in the center, Mo Wu couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips.
Who would have thought the great Pirate King would be mixed in with the flock and quietly shipped off to Impel Down?
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