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Among those who had a close relationship with Kojin's mentor, Monkey D. Garp, were Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru.
These people had been bonded together since their youth.
If the factions within Headquarters were divided, Kojin belonged to Garp's side and was therefore closer to Sengoku and Tsuru. Although they hadn't contacted each other much recently, it didn't affect their communication.
"Kojin, I know a bit about the situation between you and Headquarters. But what I'm about to say, you must think carefully about. If possible, I hope you can return to Headquarters in the near future." Tsuru's voice sounded serious from the other side of the Den Den Mushi.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, matters of Headquarters don't seem to concern me much." Kojin replied softly.
From the hints in her words, he had already guessed that what she was about to say was no small matter.
Sure enough, Tsuru continued, "This concerns the important transition of the Marine Fleet Admiral! It affects every Marine. Even if your relationship with Headquarters is ambiguous right now, you cannot completely separate yourself from it."
"And!"
She paused, her tone growing heavier.
"This matter involves Sengoku; he has encountered some complications. To ensure a smooth transition, certain departments need to see that Sengoku has the ability to command the Marines. Simply put, some people need to see the Marines supporting Sengoku's rise. He also needs a group of capable aides."
Hearing this, Kojin narrowed his eyes slightly.
So it was about the succession of the Fleet Admiral... no wonder Tsuru had contacted him directly.
Such a matter was of great importance. Even if things had been mostly settled beforehand, unexpected twists could still occur until the position was officially taken.
After the incident at Mary Geoise, he could sense something unusual about Tsuru's words.
"Do you understand what I mean? Although Sengoku already has supporters, if you appear at Headquarters, it will greatly increase his chances." Tsuru said.
Kojin's gaze flickered as he fell into thought. To be honest, he wasn't particularly interested in Headquarters' power transition.
Sengoku's rise was inevitable as it was a natural progression of the era.
Moreover, his own relationship with Marineford was… complicated. Unless necessary, he had no desire to step into that place. But Sengoku's stance during the events at Mary Geoise had left him grateful.
If possible, he was willing to support him. After all, in a sense, Sengoku could be considered "one of his own."
"I'll think about it." After a moment of silence, Kojin replied.
Tsuru nodded, then casually asked, "You captured Doflamingo?"
"Yes. He's on my ship right now." Kojin glanced at Donquixote Doflamingo, who was holding a rope and ruthlessly tormenting Rosinante, and smiled.
"I've been keeping an eye on that guy for a long time. Didn't expect you to be the one to catch him. Looks like our generation is getting old." Tsuru sighed.
"You and Garp-sensei are still in your prime," Kojin replied with a smile.
"The era will eventually belong to the younger generation. It's been eleven years since you left Headquarters, hasn't it?" Tsuru said suddenly.
"Yes." Kojin nodded.
"That's quite a long time. You've changed a lot, and so have those youngsters at Headquarters." Tsuru seemed to be hinting at something.
"I know you've done well in West Blue. But if you truly want to change something… It's still far from enough. In the end, you'll have to return to Marineford." Tsuru said slowly.
Hearing this, Kojin fell into deep thought. After a while, he smiled faintly. "Thank you for the reminder, Vice Admiral Tsuru."
The Den Den Mushi call ended.
Beside him, Eveya widened her eyes, feeling both surprised and excited. The Fleet Admiral transition was a storm that would sweep across the entire Marine world.
A new Fleet Admiral meant new policies, a new era, and many long-standing, decayed problems would be reformed or eliminated.
Especially if the new Fleet Admiral is Sengoku, he had immense prestige within the Marines, known as a resourceful general.
With support from pillars like Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru, once he took office, he would quickly unify the Marines.
"Are you going to Headquarters for the Fleet Admiral transition ceremony?" Eveya asked curiously.
"I'm still thinking about it." Kojin replied with a faint smile on his face.
He hadn't made up his mind yet.
Strictly speaking, getting involved with Headquarters at this moment wasn't what he wanted.
West Blue was already firmly under his control, and after nearly ten years, he had built an independent system for selecting and training Marines. The justice upheld by West Blue Marines was vastly different from that of Headquarters.
However, the strength of his subordinates had not yet reached its peak, nor the ideal he envisioned.
He still needed time… time to recruit and train more strong individuals.
If he returned to Headquarters, any reassignment orders could create an awkward situation.
Moreover, Marineford was very different from West Blue.
It was filled with factions, and even without experiencing it firsthand, one could imagine the complications within such a large organization.
Shaking his head, Kojin temporarily put the matter aside. He looked ahead at Doflamingo, who was still tormenting Rosinante, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"As expected of a smart man. He understands exactly what I'm trying to do."
At the stern of the ship… Doflamingo gripped the rope in his right hand, swinging it left and right.
"Corazon, is this all you've got?"
"You are too weak. As your elder brother, I've always felt ashamed to have a younger brother like you. Look at yourself, where do you resemble a Celestial Dragons?"
"You've got no backbone, always timid. You hid by my side for years as a spy, like a rat!"
"How disgraceful!"
Grinning widely, Donquixote Doflamingo continued his relentless mockery.
"Even now, you're still being tortured and crushed under my control. You're nothing but a complete weakling… A complete and utter failure!"
His words pierced like blades, stabbing ruthlessly into Donquixote Rosinante's heart. Even as he endured unbearable physical torment, anger surged within him. As a Devil Fruit user, once he touched seawater, his entire body went limp, let alone now, when he was already covered in injuries.
Rosinante couldn't even struggle. At every moment, he felt as though death was approaching.
"Damn it!! Am I really that weak?"
"Am I really a disgrace to you, my elder brother?"
"As a Marine, I couldn't even complete my mission… I couldn't even protect a child!"
"Vice Admiral Kojin must be disappointed in me too… that's why he handed me over to him."
"..."
The endless torment and cruel words pushed Rosinante into deep despair.
He began to believe he was truly a failure, someone who could do nothing right. They shared the same bloodline, yet Doflamingo was overwhelmingly strong, while he himself was unbearably weak.
Even his Devil Fruit ability had been exposed by Law… what use was it now?
The battleship continued forward, causing waves to crash against his body.
Rosinante could no longer perceive the passage of time. He only felt his life force draining away, his body growing weaker, his consciousness fading.
Then…
Just as darkness was about to consume everything, he suddenly woke up.
"No! I'm not a piece of trash… I'm not weak! Even if I am now, I won't allow myself to remain that way in the future!"
"What is my dream?"
"What am I striving for?"
Questions flashed rapidly through his mind.
Scenes he thought he had forgotten resurfaced one after another…
His parents' gentle smiles when he was a child. Doflamingo standing in front of him, angrily scolding the kids who bullied him, then stepping in to fight.
Even back then, he had always been timid, hiding behind others.
Until he met Kojin.
The repeated scoldings, the countless battles had gradually made him stronger.
Their first meeting.
His first promotion.
The first time he witnessed Kojin's overwhelming strength.
"I never forgot!"
Suddenly, Rosinante opened his eyes. The waves still battered his body, the sunlight glared on his eyes but at that moment, everything around him seemed incomparably quiet. He could perceive everything with absolute clarity.
Even the loss of consciousness slowed to a crawl.
"Past, present, future! The person I want to become has always been the same! A Rosinante as strong as Vice Admiral Kojin!"
Grinning, Rosinante burst into laughter. He felt strength returning to his body, his spirit filling up in an instant.
Then… An invisible pressure erupted from him, surging outward in all directions and a vast and overwhelming Haki spread endlessly.
"I'm no longer that timid Rosinante who hides behind others! I am someone who can protect others, someone who would give his life to save them! My conviction… has always been there!"
His voice echoed in his mind. At this moment, Rosinante's eyes were fierce and domineering.
An even greater wave of Haki surged outward.
On the nearby sea, fish began floating to the surface, unconscious. Holding the rope, Doflamingo's pupils shrank slightly, his expression turning serious.
"So… he actually succeeded?"
"My foolish little brother…"
His emotions were complicated.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that his younger brother would awaken Conqueror's Haki.
"This is what happens when someone has guidance… If I could also receive that man's instruction…"
Doflamingo took a deep breath, a glint flashing behind his sunglasses.
Advanced Armament Haki… Ryuo.
Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
Devil Fruit Awakening.
These were all things he wanted to learn.
Slowly turning his head, he looked toward the figure sitting behind him, Kojin, and for the first time, an intense desire filled his heart.
That man was like a demon, possessing everything he longed for.
"Conqueror's Haki…"
"Pull him up." Kojin smiled faintly.
To become a top-tier powerhouse in this world, Conqueror's Haki was almost essential.
It essentially determined a person's upper limit.
(End of Chapter)