Marine Headquarters · Marineford

The sea wind tugged at the battle flags, making them snap loudly as if playing a prelude to some momentous event about to unfold.

As the Dog-Head Battleship continued forward, the majesty of all Marineford pressed down like mountains and seas.

It was a great fortress capable of intimidating the world.

Built against colossal peaks like a natural barrier, its white walls towered into the clouds. The enormous word "MARINE" was carved into the mountainside like a blade, making one feel that irresistible "justice" at first glance.

The mountains on either side stood like giants, while countless warships lay docked in formation within the harbor.

Every ship's cannons pointed like black holes toward the sea, their murderous aura rushing straight at them.

—The core of the world's strongest military organization.

Rock's Observation Haki quietly spread outward, his senses unfurling like a tide—

The next instant, a vast structure formed of presences appeared clearly in his mind.

At the harbor ahead, three especially powerful, almost scorching presences stood out:

The young Sengoku;

The young Zephyr;

The young Tsuru;

Surrounding them were the orderly strengths of Headquarters' elite soldiers and mid-ranking officers.

Rock gave a soft snort. "What a nest of monsters..."

As the Dog-Head Battleship arrived at the harbor.

"Bang—!!"

The sound of the hull striking the docking posts rang out.

Immediately afterward, the well-trained Marine soldiers swiftly lowered the gangplank and lined up to welcome them.

Garp walked at the front, his steps steady as he planted one foot on the harbor ground—

"—Boom!!!"

With a perfectly rehearsed movement, the two rows of elite Marines at the harbor abruptly raised their fists.

Their voices instantly surged with the force of a world-shaking tsunami. "Justice shall prevail—!!!"

The sound echoed through the harbor and shot into the sky.

Just then, Rock slowly emerged from behind Garp. His pace was unhurried, his expression natural.

What greeted him were the gazes of hundreds of elite Marines at the harbor.

Those gazes contained vigilance, shock, incomprehension, and instinctive wariness.

But Rock was completely unfazed by the display. Instead, he looked around with interest. "Yo~ You all look pretty spirited~"

Garp burst into laughter and slapped him on the shoulder, making Rock's entire upper body sway. "What do you think, kid? Headquarters has a pretty good presence, huh? Hahaha!"

Rock tilted his head and replied lazily, "It's pretty noisy, though."

The air instantly fell silent. Then, in the next second, the expressions of the harbor soldiers collectively cracked.

"W-What did he say?! He said we're noisy?!!"

"This is the first time anyone's complained that Headquarters' welcome ceremony is too loud!!"

"And he said it right in front of Vice Admiral Garp?! Is that boy crazy?!"

"Wait... Vice Admiral Garp is still laughing?! The kind where he's laughing really happily?!!"

Amid the commotion, the soldiers' shock, confusion, and suspicion blended into a single wave.

More and more gazes shifted from Garp to Rock, and the longer they looked, the more alarmed they became. Vice Admiral Garp was being so easygoing with him?!

Just who was this boy?!!

Before they could continue guessing, a steady, dignified voice sounded from afar. "Garp."

The voice was not loud, yet it was enough to make every soldier immediately stand at attention.

Three figures walked over side by side—the three pillars who would one day uphold the Marines' Golden Age.

Sengoku had a head of black afro hair, resolute features, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

Zephyr wore short purple hair, his body packed with burly muscles, his steps as steady as a mountain.

Tsuru was calm and elegant, her gaze clear enough to inspire respect without one even realizing it.

They stopped before Garp. Sengoku stepped forward, his voice steady. "You're finally back."

Garp grinned. "Haha, same as always!"

As he spoke, he pointed at Rock. "There~ The kid you were looking for."

The three of them turned their gazes toward Rock at the same time.

In that instant, the air seemed to freeze, their eyes carrying the "probing" of the strong.

Yet Rock felt no pressure at all. He casually raised a hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you."

Sengoku's brows lifted slightly. Though he did not understand why Garp was being so casual with this boy, he still nodded solemnly in reply. "Mr. Rock, what we need to discuss next concerns you."

He took a deep breath, his tone formal. "Please come with me—"

"Fleet Admiral Kong wishes to see you."

The moment those words fell, the harbor erupted.

"The, the Fleet Admiral?!!"

"A boy who's only just entered Headquarters is being summoned by the Fleet Admiral?!!"

"Who... who exactly is he?!"

All the soldiers stared in stunned silence, their gazes toward Rock completely changed.

Rock merely blinked, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. "Oh? Pulling out the big move right away, huh..."

Seeing this, Garp could not help laughing so hard that his shoulders shook. "You really aren't afraid of anything, kid!"

Rock raised a brow. "It'd be stranger if I were afraid."

"That's true!"

Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru were all taken aback by this sight, inwardly thinking, As expected, only Garp could bring back someone this troublesome...

As Rock and the other four disappeared behind Headquarters' high walls, the oppressive pressure at the harbor seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving only the sound of seawater striking the shore and the soldiers' increasingly restrained whispers.

The brief silence was like a breath before a storm.

Then—

"Hey, hey, hey!! Who exactly was that boy?!"

"Vice Admirals Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru all came to welcome him... Just who is he?!!"

The Marines from the Dog-Head Battleship had barely stepped onto the pier before their comrades surrounded them completely.

"Who was that boy just now?!!"

"Could he be some especially important official's son? Otherwise, how could he possibly be so relaxed?!"

"But Vice Admiral Garp has never indulged those bureaucrats!"

The Dog-Head Battleship soldiers exchanged looks before someone finally blurted out—

"You mean Brother Rock?"

"He's the Lightning Boy everyone has been tracking down lately!"

"Wha—what?!!"

After a moment of silence, the harbor completely boiled over:

"Is he the one who turned Hachinosu upside down, the one Vice Admiral Sengoku has been searching for?"

"No wonder Vice Admiral Garp was so polite to him!"

"No wonder he dared complain that we were 'too noisy'!"

"No wonder Fleet Admiral Kong wants to summon him personally! That kid's a monster!!"

Shock exploded through the harbor in wave after wave, every soldier breathing rapidly.

"Is he... really going to join the Marines?"

"If it's true... that would be so cool!"

"We're going to work with a monster like that in the future?! This is so exciting!!"

Whispers, amazement, and disbelief churned through the harbor. Every Marine soldier had a premonition—

A massive shift in the era was about to begin.

Meanwhile · Marine Headquarters · Fleet Admiral's Office

"Creak—"

The heavy doors slowly opened, and a steady presence rushed out to meet them.

Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru stood to either side, the display grand enough to make one's scalp tingle.

Yet Rock looked as though he were strolling through his own backyard, casually letting his gaze wander around the room.

The office was simply furnished: dark wooden bookshelves, neatly arranged documents, and every detail exuding a sense of calm, absolute power.

Behind the desk sat a burly figure like a mountain. Broad shoulders held up the Fleet Admiral's cloak, while his eyes were sharp as an eagle's.

—Fleet Admiral Kong.

Some said his fists had once shattered the jaws of giant beasts;

Some said his presence had once made a hundred pirates kneel;

Some said he was the spine and blade of the Marines.

At that moment, he raised his eyes and looked toward the approaching boy.

His gaze was deep and solemn, like a hawk watching a young dragon spread its wings for the first time—

Interested, yet still wary.

Rock merely smiled. "Nice to meet you, Fleet Admiral."

It was a casual remark, yet it was like lightning striking still water.

Sengoku looked grave; Zephyr's eyes sharpened; Tsuru seemed thoughtful; Garp's lips curled up as if to say, Now this is getting interesting.

It was as though the air had already been gently set alight before the lightning even appeared.

The first exchange of gazes between two generations of monsters—

Had begun.