Chapter 134: Night Conversations

Grand Line, Floating Island, inside the Imperial Palace.

"Hahahaha! To think that this brat would actually go off and join the Navy after heading out to sea, and even become a Rear Admiral with his own base to command—this is truly hilarious."

Seated upon his throne, the elderly Shiki the Golden Lion looked at the newspaper brought by Indigo and burst into boisterous laughter. He did not mind that Rolan had joined the Navy; he had known the boy's temperament for a decade, and such a move was well within his expectations. At the same time, Shiki was deeply curious: if Sengoku ever discovered Rolan’s true identity—that he was the disciple of a legendary pirate—what a marvelous expression that would be. A legendary pirate’s student serving as a Navy Rear Admiral and leading a base? It sounded like a tale no one would believe.

"Master Shiki, if the others below find out that Rolan has joined the Navy, what should we do?" Indigo asked with a hint of worry. He was happy for Rolan’s rapid progress, but while he and Shiki understood the boy’s circumstances, the pirates serving under them might not be so forgiving. They knew exactly what kind of people those subordinates were. If they found out, how could Rolan ever return to inherit Shiki’s position? It was impossible to expect those men to follow a Marine.

"Let them know, so what? Does my Flying Pirate Fleet lack people willing to join?" Shiki scoffed. "But you can spread the word: tell them that Rolan is acting under my orders, infiltrating the Navy as an undercover agent. When the time is right, he will turn his back on them and stand against the entire Navy and the World Government." Shiki hadn't been overly concerned at first, but he realized that if those subordinates became resentful and exposed Rolan’s identity, the boy might be in danger. It was better to soothe their egos just in case.

"I understand." Indigo nodded, taking the newspaper and leaving the palace, leaving Shiki alone to chuckle to himself.

Grand Line, Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

After the news of the establishment of the G-10 Branch and the announcement that he would serve as its commander spread, Rolan found his once-quiet courtyard suddenly bustling. Countless officers, both high and low—some he knew, some he didn't, some he recognized, and some he had never seen before—had all come to pay a visit. Since morning, Rolan had been playing along with them. He knew well that these people were only fawning over him because he was currently in a position of power; if he were to fall from grace, he would never see a shadow of them again.

To Rolan’s surprise, after dealing with the mid-to-low-level officers, several Vice Admirals belonging to the "Hawkish" faction arrived together. There were two of them, both familiar faces: Dalmation and Onigumo. They stayed only long enough to exchange a few casual words before departing. On the surface, they had come to congratulate him on his promotion and his new command, but Rolan knew that things were rarely as simple as they appeared. Even if they had truly just come to offer congratulations, they wouldn't have arrived together; this had clearly been pre-arranged.

Rolan guessed their intentions: they were trying to recruit him. Although Sengoku was still the Fleet Admiral, he was only a few years away from retirement, and Sakazuki was becoming impatient. As a newcomer without a faction, yet holding significant authority as a base commander, Rolan’s influence was not to be underestimated. If he were to suggest his preference for the next Fleet Admiral to Sengoku, the old man would surely weigh his opinion. That was why Dalmation and Onigumo had come.

As for Akainu Sakazuki himself—had anyone ever seen an Admiral personally congratulate a Rear Admiral on a promotion? Well, as it happened, one just had.

Just as Rolan finished seeing Dalmation and Onigumo out, he ran straight into his half-mentor, Admiral Zephyr. Watching the two Vice Admirals leave, Zephyr looked at Rolan and joked, "It seems you’re quite popular in the Navy. Even those two came to congratulate you."

"Master Zephyr, please, don't tease me. You know exactly why they’re here, don't you?" Rolan replied with a wry smile.

"As long as you know, that’s all that matters. I won't come in to sit; I just wanted to see the youngest Rear Admiral and the youngest commander in Navy history," Zephyr laughed. "I know many people get carried away and grow conceited when faced with such success, so I intended to give you a word of warning. But it seems you’re much more rational than I expected. If my Marine Guerrilla Force passes by your G-10 base in the future, you’d better treat me to the best you’ve got."

Rolan understood Zephyr’s concern and was deeply moved. Their relationship wasn't particularly deep—aside from two days of learning the Six Powers from him, they hadn't had much interaction. Truth be told, Rolan felt his connection with Zephyr wasn't even as close as his bond with Garp, whom he often went to for help when trouble arose. Yet, Zephyr was the first to warn him against arrogance.

"I understand, Master Zephyr. I’m not the type to lose my sense of self," Rolan said, the title 'Master' carrying much more genuine emotion this time. Before, it had been a mere formality; now, he truly acknowledged Zephyr as his teacher. However, in his heart, his true mentor would always be Shiki—the man who had changed his life.

"Good. I’m heading back out to sea for a mission, so I won't stay long. Here is my Den Den Mushi number; if you run into any trouble, don't hesitate to call," Zephyr said, handing him a note before turning and heading toward the harbor.

After Zephyr left, the stream of visitors gradually dwindled, and Rolan finally sighed in relief. He headed to the training grounds. He had been busy with these people all morning and hadn't finished his daily self-discipline training yet. He had accumulated over 3,000 days of progress, and he was close to the 3,900-day milestone. He would be furious if he had to start over now. Perhaps to avoid the sycophants or perhaps to focus on his strength, Rolan stayed at the training grounds until nightfall, when the area was finally empty, before dragging his exhausted body home.

At the gate of his courtyard, he saw another familiar figure waiting for him: Garp the Fist.

"Vice Admiral Garp, it’s so late. Is there something you need?" Rolan asked, approaching with curiosity.

"Sengoku’s orders have come down. In ten days, you will take your new team and head to the G-10 branch to serve as its commander. Before you leave, I have a few things I want to say to you. Do you have a moment?"