At Mary Geoise, inside Pangaea Castle's meeting chamber—
The aftermath of that great war had already begun reshaping the world.
According to the newspapers, both the Roger Pirates and the Rocks Pirates had been dismantled.
And the effect was immediate—
Pirates across the seas became noticeably quieter.
Some even chose to retire altogether.
Meanwhile—
The name Aurelius D. Virel ·Is had spread across the entire ocean.
Almost everyone now knew:
Among the Celestial Dragons—
There existed a "World Hero."
Inside the meeting room—
The Five Elders and the Fleet Admiral were present.
"You… you're serious about this?"
The Five Elders stared at him, their expressions stiff.
In contrast—
The Fleet Admiral looked completely at ease.
"Yes," he replied calmly.
"With both the Roger Pirates and the Rocks Pirates gone, the seas will return to stability."
"Minor pirates are something the Marines can handle."
He paused, then continued:
"I've spent my entire life serving the World Government."
"For the rest of my days… I want to live peacefully."
"I'm tired of endless battles."
Silence filled the room.
None of the Five Elders spoke immediately.
Clearly—
They didn't want to lose such a loyal and capable Fleet Admiral.
"If there's anything you're dissatisfied with, we can discuss it."
"There's no need to resign."
"Yes… now is the perfect time for you to enjoy your reputation and take it easy."
But—
Their persuasion had no effect.
The Fleet Admiral remained firm.
"I've made up my mind."
"And I've already chosen a suitable successor."
"Of course… it's just my recommendation. Whether you accept it is up to you."
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
Finally—
"Who is it?"
"Admiral Kong—Steel Bone Kong."
"He's someone I personally trained. Diligent, loyal, and reliable."
"In my opinion, he is the most suitable candidate for Fleet Admiral."
"And for the vacant Admiral position—"
"I recommend Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp."
Once again—
Silence.
They weighed the decision carefully.
Among the current Admirals—
Strength wasn't the issue.
Loyalty was.
And in that regard—
Kong stood above the rest.
"Very well."
"Since you insist on resigning, we won't stop you."
"And thank you—for your service, and your final contribution."
The decision was made.
Kong would become the next Fleet Admiral.
Marine Headquarters
Even before returning—
The Fleet Admiral had already summoned Kong and Garp.
They were now waiting in his office.
"I'm telling you, Kong," Garp said, lounging in his chair, "what's taking him so long? It's been ages."
Kong shook his head.
"No idea. But judging by his tone earlier… it must be something important."
"Maybe another urgent mission."
"Urgent mission?" Garp frowned.
"I'm still on vacation."
Kong looked at him, confused.
"That's not like you. You used to jump at missions—even during leave."
"That was before," Garp replied casually.
Now that the two biggest pirate threats were gone—
There was nothing left that excited him.
Click—
The door opened.
The Fleet Admiral entered.
Garp stood up lazily, while Kong stepped forward properly.
"Alright, what is it?" Garp said bluntly.
"What's the emergency? Did Rocks come back to life? Or Roger?"
The Fleet Admiral rolled his eyes.
"All you ever think about is fighting."
"There's no mission."
"I called you here to inform you of something."
Both men looked puzzled.
Then—
The Fleet Admiral dropped the news:
"Congratulations."
"You've both been promoted."
"Kong—you will become the new Fleet Admiral."
"And Garp—you will be promoted to Admiral."
Kong's eyes lit up with excitement.
But Garp—
Looked completely uninterested.
"What's with that face?" the Fleet Admiral teased.
"Don't tell me you're so happy your face froze."
"I refuse."
Silence.
The Fleet Admiral blinked.
"…What did you say?"
"I refuse to become an Admiral."
For the first time in his life—
The Fleet Admiral was stunned.
Someone…
Refusing a promotion?
"Give me a reason."
"No reason," Garp replied calmly.
"My current position is enough."
"Higher rank doesn't necessarily mean better."
Kong narrowed his eyes slightly.
Then said:
"You don't want to deal with Celestial Dragons… do you?"
He had hit the mark.
Garp's refusal came down to two things:
First—
He didn't want to serve directly under the Celestial Dragons.
Second—
His identity.
He belonged to the mysterious D. clan—
The so-called "natural enemies of the gods."
And that—
Was something even the Marines couldn't ignore.
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