The next day, Marine Headquarters, Bay Port.
Tall masts adorned the towering Battleship, and each Marine soldier stood tall and proud, lined up in perfect formation, ready for action.
Since the destination wasn’t far, only one Battleship was prepared. However, the crowd of Marines who had gathered to witness the event could easily fill ten Battleships!
Challenging the Admiral Candidates was a major event, second only to the year-end assessments for recruits. In terms of significance, it was several times more important than the recruit assessments!
After all, no matter how lively the recruit assessments were, it was merely a showcase for a group of recruit rookies. On the other hand, the Admiral Candidate challenge was a glorious battle that determined who the true high-ranking members of the Marines were and who would become the next Admiral!
In the midst of the sea of people, countless soldiers craned their necks, eagerly waiting for their idols to appear.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted on the outskirts of the crowd. The elegant and spirited Momousagi took a step forward, striding toward the port with her long, slender legs. Following closely behind her was the slim and stoop-shouldered Chaton, who always had a cigarette in hand, smiling and greeting the soldiers.
“Look, it’s Vice Admiral Chaton and Vice Admiral Momousagi!”
“Vice Admiral Momousagi, I love you! Keep it up!”
“Vice Admiral Chaton, don’t lose this time!”
The soldiers were exhilarated, their faces flushed, as they cheered enthusiastically for the two.
The spectators weren’t just Marine Headquarters soldiers; there were also ordinary townspeople from the family village.
Since Sabaody Archipelago was located in the Calm Belt, a perilous area that was completely unsafe for them, they could only show their support up close for the Vice Admirals they admired, while also offering blessings and gifts.
“Vice Admiral Chaton, I made this cake today. Take it with you on the way!”
“Thank you, Grandma Gui, for going to all this trouble!”
Chaton chatted amiably with the smiling grandma holding the basket. Being a kind-hearted person, he often helped ordinary people with their problems, accumulating an unimaginable amount of popularity among the common folk.
As for most of the people surrounding Momousagi… well, they were almost all young and single!
In the One Piece world, beautiful women were abundant, but Momousagi was the epitome of the Yamato Nadeshiko in the hearts of countless Marines.
With her tall and graceful figure, gentle and amiable personality, and elegant and generous demeanor, Momousagi had consistently ranked first on the list of the top ten most beautiful women in the boring spread out by Marines for several years. The number of admirers combined could probably rival an assault on a Yonko!
And she was a hit with both men and women…
Courageous, attentive, powerful, yet always considerate, Momousagi was highly respected among many female soldiers. They even formed a support group for her, addressing Momousagi as “Elder Sister.”
Naturally, these people had never seen Momousagi truly angry. After all, swordsmen were all sharp-edged, and Momousagi was no exception. She was a rose with thorns.
“Haha! It’s been a long time since it was this lively!”
Standing on the outskirts of the port, Garp held an oil-paper bag in one hand and a donut in the other. Trane, who stood beside him with a suppressed grin, and Rowen, who looked somewhat resigned, were with him.
The Admiral Candidate challenge was not only a rare feast for the Marines but also a symbol of Marine’s strength, greatly boosting morale.
For once, Garp had risen early instead of lazing around, just to get a glimpse of the grand scene he hadn’t seen in years.
“Why do I feel like I’m going to be drowned in spittle from these ‘Peacock Warriors’ who would die for Momousagi?”
Watching the group of soldiers who practically idolized Momousagi, Rowen realized he might have made a wrong decision.
Wouldn’t it have been better to have a quiet, private match? Why did he have to make it such a public affair?
Chaton was one thing, but Momousagi’s popularity was just… terrifying?!
Over there, several Battleships even had colorful paintings in support of Momousagi on their sails. Sengoku, aren’t you going to do something about this?!
The two of them were truly worthy of being Admiral Candidates. In terms of reputation alone, Rowen was nowhere near them. If he hadn’t just achieved a major feat, he probably wouldn’t even qualify to challenge the two.
“Do you know, Rowen, there was once a Kingdom Noble who sponsored Marines with over 10 Billion Belly for three consecutive years just to invite Vice Admiral Momousagi to have a meal with him…”
Trane chuckled and spoke in a teasing tone.
“So, whether you win or lose this challenge, believe me, you’re going to have your hands full in the future!”
Not only would there be Marines who wouldn’t like him, but there would also be a large group of single young men on the seas who would see him as an enemy.
The reason? Rowen fought against Momousagi!
It was that simple!
“So you are all here to watch me make a fool of myself!”
Rowen rolled his eyes, smacked his lips, and thought he should take a step back. Even though there wasn’t an Eternal Pose leading to the Sabaody Archipelago, he could at least head to Impel Down!
“Alright, you brat, what are you afraid of!”
Garp, munching on his dough, sneered at him as he spoke. “You want to surpass Momousagi and Chaton and become the first in line for the Admiral Candidates. This is a hurdle you must overcome.”
“Just because they find you annoying! Look at Akainu, he became an Admiral despite that!”
Just as they walked a short distance behind the three, Akainu’s face instantly turned dark!
Aokiji glanced at him, let out a small cough, and waved his hand in greeting. “Hey, Rowen!”
Rowen, wearing a mischievous smile and not bothering to look at the slightly awkward Garp, turned around and saluted. “Admiral Aokiji, why are you here?”
It was understandable that Kizaru didn’t come. Recently, he had been focusing on the Scientific Force, and Rowen wasn’t sure what mission the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) had assigned him. However, Aokiji and Akainu coming to see them off was beyond Rowen’s expectations.
“The Admiral candidate challenge requires an Admiral to be present for supervision, and I happened to have some free time, so I’ll accompany you over.”
Well, that was straightforward. But what about the other one?
Suddenly, Akainu leaped into the air, sending a punch of molten lava smashing into the tattered sails.
Huā Lā La!!
The scorching lava instantly incinerated the white cloth, and Akainu landed on a Battleship mast, glaring down at the dumbfounded crowd below.
“Who painted these? Show yourselves!”
…
Woo!!
The ship’s whistle sounded, and the War Behemoth slowly started moving. Amidst the clamor of the crowd’s cheers and pleas, the ship carrying the three slowly departed from Marineford.
Akainu fiercely plunged into the crowd, arresting the culprits with paint still on their hands. It seemed they wouldn’t be seen outside of the toilets for at least half a year, even if Akainu took them away. But even so, they continued to shout.
“Vice Admiral Momousagi! Keep it up! I’ll be praying for you here!”
You should take care of yourself first!
Seeing Akainu’s face darken like the bottom of a pot, many soldiers around couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
“They’re quite enthusiastic, aren’t they, Vice Admiral Chaton?”
Rowen took off his cloak, sniffed the soy sauce scent on it, and chuckled.
They continued in silence. As the Battleship sailed into the whirlpool sea current, Aokiji sat down against the railing, his eyes half-closed, and waved them over.
“Alright, come over here!”
“These rules are clear to the two of them. I mainly want to explain them to you, Rowen…”
Aokiji let out a small cough and, looking at the eager Rowen, furrowed his brow with a hint of a headache.
This guy, every time there’s a battle, he has this expression!
“The rules are simple. It’s a three-way free-for-all. The battle ends when two participants lose their combat capability or concede.”
“There are no restrictions on the battlefield or techniques. You can fight however you want. The battle ends when two people go down.”
“No restrictions mean no ban on finishing moves?”
Rowen widened his eyes. He knew that even in recruit confrontation training and year-end assessments, using techniques he couldn’t control was prohibited, let alone beings at their level of strength.
If an accident occurred, could Aokiji really protect everyone?
However, to this question, Aokiji nodded.
“Yes, even if you accidentally kill your opponent, you won’t be held responsible for anything.”
Rowen swallowed his saliva dryly. He seemed to understand where Momousagi’s Battle Intent towards him came from now.
“Furthermore, the Admiral Candidate challenge is purely judged based on the level you demonstrate in real combat. If your strength isn’t sufficient, even if you win, you won’t become a candidate.”
“Chaton, I remember there were five people who undertook the Admiral candidate challenge before, and you know the outcome.”
“And Rowen, because you’re the Challenger, you must secure first place to become the third candidate. I hope you remember this…”
Even if Rowen unleashed powerful techniques and defeated either Momousagi or Chaton, if the other one managed to land a sneak attack, he still wouldn’t become a candidate.
After all, that would just be recklessness!
The more important the position, the less it needed reckless individuals!
At the same time, the Admiral candidate challenge was different from the usual confrontation training. The latter was just a stage to showcase oneself, while the former was a battle that would definitely determine the winner and loser.
Suddenly, a sharp Sword Energy burst forth!
Momousagi’s eyebrows furrowed, and she gripped her Golden Konpira, her face exuding a chill. “Now do you realize what a foolish decision you’ve made, Rowen!”
Securing first place was an incredibly difficult task, far beyond what Rowen had imagined!
Chaton maintained his kind smile, unfazed by the fierce sword intent emanating from Momousagi. This gave a clear indication of his strength.
These two were indeed very powerful!
Rowen clenched his fists suddenly, and electrical currents flickered around him. The three auras merged, and bolts of black lightning shot through the air!
A momentary low pressure enveloped the Battleship. It wasn’t Haoshoku, but it still filled countless soldiers with a sense of dread.
“Alright, that’s enough. Rest and prepare in your rooms. Don’t disturb me while I sleep.”
With that, Aokiji pulled down his eye mask, basking in the sun as snores gradually filled the air.
[End of this chapter.]
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