Weak and Sickly

Grand Line, Marineford.

A Navy warship came to a stop at the port. Immediately afterward, a burly Marine Colonel standing over three meters tall jumped straight down from the ship.

Bang! Bang!

Just as he was about to crash into the port like a cannonball, the Marine Colonel agilely stepped through the air as if it were solid ground, greatly reducing his falling momentum before landing lightly.

What was strange was that the Marine Colonel was still carrying a young man in his arms in a princess carry.

"Lord Yaen, sorry for bringing you to Marineford like this," the Marine Colonel said cautiously.

With his eyelids drooping and his glasses sitting crookedly, Yaen spoke weakly. "Colonel Hope, put... put me down..."

"Yes, Lord Yaen." Colonel Hope bent his knees slightly and set Yaen on the ground.

Yaen raised both hands and said to Colonel Hope, "Seastone Cuffs."

"This... Admiral Sengoku ordered that the Seastone Cuffs must not be removed until Lord Yaen has been delivered to his office," Colonel Hope refused tactfully.

"This is Marineford. There are warships everywhere around here. I can't escape. Take them off." Yaen sounded as if he could barely muster any strength.

"This..." Colonel Hope still looked troubled.

Seeing this, Yaen sighed helplessly. "I don't want to meet Old Man in such a pathetic state. Take them off."

Hearing that, Colonel Hope was finally persuaded. He took a key from his clothes and unlocked Yaen's Seastone Cuffs.

"Clang."

As soon as the Seastone Cuffs came off, Yaen immediately regained his vitality. He straightened the black-rimmed glasses on his nose and gently rubbed his wrists.

Seastone Cuffs were far too exhausting for Yaen.

After all, pretending to be half-dead and feeble was exhausting. It tested his acting skills to the extreme, and even the slightest unconscious movement could expose a flaw.

Although Colonel Hope did not look very bright, Yaen had still remained extremely cautious, keeping his nerves taut the entire journey.

To make Old Man Sengoku trust me completely, I can't leave him any more openings. Otherwise, he'll never truly let down his guard around me.

Alas, being an adopted son is just too difficult...

While Yaen complained inwardly, he turned his head beneath his windswept, broken bangs.

Yaen's bright eyes looked toward the imposing building standing in the distance. It resembled a Japanese castle tower, and the two characters for "Navy" were written across its walls.

"Is this Marine Headquarters?"

Yaen murmured the words.

Ten years ago, he had transmigrated into this world and, after accidentally being rescued at sea by Sengoku, who belonged to the Navy, had been adopted as a son alongside Corazon and settled outside Marineford. This was Yaen's first time coming to Marineford.

Beside him, Colonel Hope spoke with undisguised pride.

"Lord Yaen, that's right. This is Marine Headquarters, Marineford—the symbol of peace and justice across the seas."

Yaen waved his hand. "Colonel Hope, I'm only a commoner. Don't call me 'Lord.' It could easily cause others to misunderstand."

"How could I do that?"

Colonel Hope wore an expression of complete disbelief.

"Lord Yaen is the son of Admiral Sengoku. Over the years, he has devoted himself to the Navy's development, offering countless brilliant strategies, even neglecting his own training in the process. If someone like that doesn't deserve to be addressed as 'Lord,' then I, Hope..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Yaen hurriedly interrupted Colonel Hope's self-justification and said weakly, "Call me whatever you like, but my past accomplishments are classified. They're top-level secrets involving Old Man. You absolutely cannot reveal them to anyone."

By the end, Yaen's expression had become extremely solemn, as if this were a matter of life and death.

Colonel Hope's eyes widened. His fists clenched, crackling loudly, and he answered each word distinctly.

"Yes, I understand, Lord Yaen. I'll protect this secret with my life."

Yaen nodded slightly and said nothing more, allowing Colonel Hope to lead him toward Admiral Sengoku's office.

Along the way, Yaen kept his head slightly lowered and tried to maintain some distance from Colonel Hope, making it seem as though the two were not familiar at all—merely strangers who happened to be walking the same route.

However...

Yaen watched the surrounding sea of white Navy uniforms from the corner of his eye, while he himself was dressed in black civilian clothes.

A drop of ink in a field of white waves!

I'm way too conspicuous! It's all this idiot Hope's fault. With that foolish grin on his face, he suddenly slapped Seastone Cuffs on me without giving me a chance to say anything, let alone change clothes, and then carried me straight onto the warship.

At that moment, Yaen felt as if his entire body were about to split apart.

According to Yaen's plans for his life, he had no intention of exposing himself under the World Government's watchful eye before gaining the absolute ability to protect himself.

At the very least, before he possessed the ability to face an assault from the future Three Admirals—Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji—and escape unscathed, Yaen only wanted to hide beneath Sengoku's halo and be a weak, sickly second-generation military heir.

Unfortunately, Yaen had worked hard for years to put off Old Man Sengoku's demand that he join the Navy, trying to make Old Man Sengoku understand that he was nothing more than a good-for-nothing who wanted to freeload and lie flat.

He had never expected to fall into the hands of Colonel Hope, that honest man with a foolish grin. He had truly been careless and lost everything!

Forget it. I'm already sixteen, and Corazon has been sent out to sea by Old Man for so long. It really is time for him to lose patience and forcibly drag me to Marineford.

Yaen shook his head and suppressed his unnecessary emotions. Then he began carefully considering what sort of mood and attitude he should adopt when he saw Old Man Sengoku again.

Should he be a little arrogant? Kick his desk open and act like a "filial son"?

Or should he be more respectful? Politely and gently greet Old Man and bow, like a truly filial son?

Forget it. He would just pretend to be sick as he had before.

In any case, his weak constitution was not something that had started only recently. If things looked unfavorable, he could simply pretend to suffer from seasickness, motion sickness, or even milk sickness.

"Knock, knock!"

After Colonel Hope led Yaen around in circles, attracting the curious gazes of countless Marines, they finally stopped before an office door. Colonel Hope carefully knocked and called out loudly.

"Reporting to Admiral Sengoku, Colonel Hope has followed orders and brought Lord Yaen here."

"Let Yaen come in."

Sengoku's majestic voice rang out. In an instant, Colonel Hope's expression became fervent and excited. He answered loudly.

"Yes, sir."

Yaen could only shake his head helplessly before opening the door and walking straight inside.

As the office of a Marine Admiral, the room was not luxurious. Its style was instead rather plain. However, the man seated behind the desk, wearing frog glasses and a braided beard, radiated overwhelming authority.

Marine Admiral—Buddha Sengoku!