"No matter how many times I hear you call that guy 'Godfather,' I still can't get used to it."
Momonga smiled as he shook Senor's hand, a trace of helplessness on his face.
That guy Daren—he was a proper Marine, but had to go and play mafia with Doflamingo. Every time he heard that "Godfather" title, it left a strange, jarring feeling.
Senor didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he turned slightly and introduced,
"These are the recruits personally selected by Fisher Tiger from Fish-Man District. We've already done a basic medical check during the journey. Aside from a bit of malnutrition, they're in good shape."
Momonga looked toward the group of curious and wide-eyed fish-men teenagers. A gentle smile crept onto his face.
"Welcome, everyone. I am Momonga, Admiral of the North Blue... Welcome to the North Blue."
"We'll be spending an unforgettable time together at Branch 321. You'll undergo rigorous, demanding training—but I'll do my best to ensure you have a comfortable environment during your stay."
He waved his hand, and several Marines quickly came jogging over, carrying large bundles of supplies.
"These are your training uniforms. We've also prepared a simple banquet for later."
The Marines swiftly distributed the brand-new clothing.
The fish-men teens, perhaps unsettled by the unfamiliar setting, were unusually well-behaved. Without a fuss, they lined up to receive their clothes and began changing on the spot.
"So soft!"
"These clothes feel amazing!"
"..."
They quickly discarded their rough, tattered rags and changed into the new training uniforms. To their surprise, the fabric was light, soft, and completely free of the coarse, stiff texture they were used to.
One by one, smiles of delight and curiosity spread across their faces.
Watching their youthful, innocent expressions, Momonga couldn't help but feel a little emotional. The backgrounds of these fish-men were truly tragic.
Senor continued,
"This one here is Jinbe—he's the informal leader of this group."
He gestured for the plump blue youth to come over.
Jinbe glanced nervously at the imposing Marine Admiral before him. He took a deep breath, then straightened his back and said,
"Admiral Momonga, sir! It's an honor!"
Momonga waved a hand with a smile.
"No need to be so formal, Jinbe."
"It's your first time at our base. Do any of you have questions?"
As he finished speaking, the other fish-men teens looked over, clearly intrigued.
Jinbe thought for a moment, then carefully asked,
"Admiral Momonga, that ability you just used... does that mean you're a Devil Fruit user?"
Momonga paused briefly, then laughed.
"Yes, I am. I've eaten a Logia-type Devil Fruit—the Goro Goro no Mi. It allows me to control lightning. Here, let me show you."
He raised his hand and pointed.
BOOM!!
A bolt of blue lightning, as thick as a barrel, split through the sky and slammed into the earth.
Not far away, a 7-meter-high artillery platform exploded in an instant. A fireball erupted, followed by thick plumes of black smoke.
The fish-men teens were stunned, mouths hanging open in disbelief.
"Lightning... Lightning..."
"That's insane..."
"One hit like that... it could destroy an entire ship!"
"..."
Coming from Fish-Man District, none of them had ever seen anything so outrageous or impossible to comprehend.
Even Senor's pupils contracted slightly.
Under Doflamingo-sama's guidance, he had successfully mastered Haki. Within the Donquixote Family, his strength was second only to the Young Master.
But if that attack had been aimed at him just now... he doubted he could have dodged it.
Even if he used Haki to defend, there was a high chance he'd still be injured.
But deep down, Senor had a strange feeling.
—That wasn't Momonga's full power.
He himself had the Young Master as a mentor... but Momonga had been taught directly by Godfather.
And the Young Master's current power?
All thanks to the Godfather's training!
"Does anyone else have any questions?"
Momonga asked with a smile.
An octopus Fish-Man boy raised one of his tentacles and asked curiously,
"Um... Momonga-san, I have a question..."
He seemed a bit shy and nervous, stammering as he spoke.
"Senor-san said the 321st Branch Base is one of the most powerful military bases in the world, but when we got here, we only saw a few warships patrolling. Why is that?"
He glanced around and scratched his head with a tentacle.
"...And inside the base, it doesn't look like there are any ships at all—"
Bang!
His words were cut off as Jinbe suddenly punched him hard.
"That's not something for you to ask. Don't pry!"
Jinbe snapped.
Momonga gave Jinbe an approving look before smiling.
"It's fine. You'll all find out in time."
"Let me share a little secret—our North Blue fleet's warships aren't on the sea."
Not on the sea?
The Fish-Man boys froze, confused.
Momonga chuckled and pointed toward the sky, about to explain, but a Den Den Mushi in his coat suddenly rang.
He frowned, took it out, and answered the call.
A low voice came through, the sound of howling wind in the background.
"Admiral Momonga, this is Ship No. 3. We're in North Blue Area A62. A pirate ship is attempting to break through the blockade and head for Reverse Mountain."
"Please issue orders."
Momonga's expression turned cold in an instant. The killing intent in his gaze sent a chill through Jinbe and the others.
"Per protocol, eliminate them."
"Yes, Admiral Momonga!"
Three seconds later...
A dull explosion echoed faintly in the distance.
The voice came again:
"Reporting, Admiral Momonga. Target eliminated."
Momonga replied calmly,
"Good. Continue the patrol."
He ended the call and smiled at Jinbe and the others.
"It's about time. You must be hungry."
"The banquet is ready—come enjoy it."
He waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to escort them to the banquet hall.
Before long, the sounds of laughter and joy from the Fish-Man boys echoed from that direction.
"This is amazing!!"
"Look at all this food!"
"So delicious!"
"I don't miss home at all!"
"..."
Momonga chuckled.
Senor, looking at his side profile, wore a complicated expression.
Those innocent Fish-Man boys might not understand what had just happened, but he knew all too well.
He remembered clearly—
More than half a year ago, when he led his family's fleet into the North Blue, they avoided flying their family's flag to remain low profile.
Then, on the open sea, he witnessed something terrifying:
A massive warship, entirely metallic, with sleek lines and a cold, unyielding presence, slowly emerged from the sea of clouds in the sky.
Its shape was unlike anything he'd seen before, exuding a crushing sense of pressure.
The moment the laser cannons on its sides began to glow gold...
Senor swore he could smell death.
This was the North Blue.
The North Blue under the rule of Rogers Daren—"King of the North Blue."
"Admiral Momonga, I'll return and report now,"
Senor exhaled deeply and said quietly.
"You're not staying for the banquet?"
Momonga asked curiously.
Senor shook his head.
"Next time. Thank you for the invitation, but there's still a lot going on in the New World."
"Very well."
Momonga offered his hand.
They shook once more, and Senor boarded the merchant ship with a heavy heart.
As the ship sailed away and Momonga waved in farewell, he recalled the look of reverence Senor had just given him—
And couldn't help but feel pleased.
"Base Commander Momonga..."
A messenger came running up and saluted.
"What is it?"
Momonga lit a cigar with a grin.
"Ship No. 7 has returned to port. It needs refueling."
The messenger replied seriously.
Momonga's smile vanished.
"Damn it! That energy burns way too fast!"
Cursing under his breath, he turned into lightning and vanished from sight.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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