Reaction

"You... what did you say?" Momousagi's voice trembled slightly, her heart still filled with doubt about Haku's feelings for her.

Haku looked at Momousagi's expression, knowing he had been too sudden. He needed to give her time to accept his feelings.

"I'm sorry, I was too abrupt." Haku's voice carried a hint of apology.

Then, Haku continued, "To make up for my rudeness, may I cook dinner for you tonight and share it together?"

Under everyone's gaze, Haku and Momousagi's figures slowly faded from the spot, leaving only Sengoku, Garp, and the others with stunned expressions.

Sengoku frowned and said to Garp, "What's going on with that kid Haku? Why has he become so..."

For a moment, Sengoku couldn't find the words to describe Haku.

Garp was also at a loss, unsure why Haku had suddenly confessed his feelings to Momousagi. It was so abrupt that even he hadn't seen it coming.

Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had appeared unnoticed, stood beside Sengoku and analyzed calmly, "Yesterday, Haku also met Gion, but he didn't act like this. It might be the effect of that mask he's wearing!"

Sengoku added, "Maybe that's why Haku asked us to keep an eye on him? But is this a good thing or a bad thing? And shouldn't we stop them?"

Tsuru said flatly, "We can't be sure of the specifics. We'll just have to wait and see."

Tsuru seemed perfectly calm, but the slight upward curl of her lips betrayed her thoughts.

Sengoku looked at Chaton, who was fuming in the distance, and shook his head helplessly. "We old folks shouldn't meddle in young people's feelings."

Garp laughed heartily, "Looks like things are fine on Haku's end. Come on, Tsuru, let's go to Sengoku's office for some tea. I know this old bastard has been hiding some good tea leaves lately!"

"You bastard, Garp!" Sengoku protested helplessly.

As everyone gradually drifted away, only Akainu and Kizaru remained. Finally, Kizaru patted Akainu on the shoulder, leaving him alone in the square. Akainu stared at the distant sea, now frozen into ice, lost in thought for a long time.

In a corner of the harbor, Morgans was ecstatic. He had already secretly taken plenty of photos. No one expected that after Haku's investiture ceremony, the president of the World Economic News Company still hadn't left Marineford!

He hadn't returned to his office yet, but his mind was already filled with all kinds of news headlines waiting for him to write up.

The next morning!

News birds across the entire pirate world took flight. On every island, every country, and every ship sailing the seas, people stared in shock at the freshly printed newspapers in their hands.

No one expected the Marines to suddenly add a new Marine Admiral, and even more unexpectedly, this new Marine Admiral was so young!

Some of the most vicious pirates on the seas cracked their knuckles eagerly. In their eyes, such a young Marine Admiral must be weak! They couldn't wait to claim Haku's head and make their pirate crews famous.

On a certain island in the East Blue

"Captain! Wake up!" Lucky Roo, holding a chunk of meat, was shaking Shanks awake after a night of heavy drinking.

"Lucky, stop it, I'm really tired!" Shanks protested groggily.

Lucky Roo shook his head helplessly and finally spread the newspaper in front of Shanks. "The Marines announced a fourth Marine Admiral today! And we know the guy."

Shanks, still half-asleep, cracked one eye open to glance at the newspaper on the ground, then snapped fully awake!

"Wow! This kid is Luffy's brother, isn't he!" Shanks sat up, grabbed the paper, and read it seriously.

Then he saw a photo of Haku using a Cero, and another of the sea blasted into a semicircle.

Just then, Ben Beckman returned and saw the newspaper in Shanks' hand. "Looks like you already know that kid Haku has become the fourth Marine Admiral."

Shanks laughed heartily, "Yeah! I never thought the kid would actually become a Marine Admiral! It'll be fun when Luffy and Ace run into Haku now."

Onigashima

Jack sneered disdainfully at the newspaper in his hand. "What's the Marines thinking, making a brat an Admiral?"

Kaido, his face flushed red, downed an entire jar of sake and snatched the newspaper from Jack!

He stared at Haku's picture and burst into loud laughter!

"Boss?" Jack asked, confused.

Kaido laughed loudly, "A brat this young—I wonder how strong he really is? Can he kill me?"

Kaido grabbed the sake jar from Jack, took a big gulp, and said, "Refreshing! I'll head to Marine Headquarters another day and test this kid's strength!"

Whole Cake Island

"Mamamamama, so this little brat is the new Marine Admiral!" Charlotte Linlin studied Haku's picture in the newspaper with great interest.

At the same time, saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth onto the ground, corroding a large hole in the floor.

Moby Dick at Sea!

"Old Man! Today's newspaper has some interesting news."

Marco handed the newspaper to Whitebeard with amusement.

Whitebeard glanced at Haku's picture, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, then burst into a loud "Gurararara" laugh.

"This brat is interesting. I wonder how strong he is?" Whitebeard said with a smile.

Marco shrugged helplessly. "Old Man! He's just a kid. How strong could he be?"

Whitebeard said, "You don't get it! A Marine Admiral is the face of the Marines. If their strength isn't enough, that brat wouldn't have been promoted so early!"

Marco asked curiously, "So, Old Man, does that mean this kid is really powerful?"

Whitebeard replied, "Becoming a Marine Admiral at seventeen! Something like that has never been seen in the entire history of the Grand Line. I'm afraid the whole sea is going to get lively from now on."

Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Baltigo

Dragon stared at the newspaper in his hands, sinking into a long silence. He had long known of Haku's existence as Garp's nominal grandson.

Just as Sengoku and the Five Elders had speculated, Dragon had always harbored the thought of trying to persuade Haku to join the Revolutionary Army!