Along a stretch of the G-7 Marine Base coastline, a solitary grave stood facing the sea.
Two blades were thrust into the earth atop the mound: Kogarashi and Oto. Truly fitting for Shiki's personal sabers, they remained remarkably pristine despite years of exposure to the elements; their superior quality was evident.
At this moment, Sphinx was kneeling before Shiki's grave, weeping uncontrollably. Issho stood a short distance behind her, his heart stirred by deep reflection.
Judging by the state of this tomb, it seemed Admiral Diarmuid and the former pirate hegemon Shiki shared a degree of mutual respect. After all, the grave was right here, yet one didn't see Diarmuid erecting a monument for the likes of Roger.
"While it has nothing to do with me, since I have inherited your Float-Float Fruit powers, I shall look after Sphinx," Issho thought to himself.
It wasn't a matter of romantic affection; in truth, if not for the age gap, Issho would have viewed Sphinx as a daughter. Now, she was more of a sworn younger sister. Once Sphinx had found closure here, they would return to Gold City to serve as security personnel.
The pay was excellent, and the location suited Issho's tastes perfectly. Barring any accidents, he felt that drifting through the rest of his life there wouldn't be a bad way to live at all.
While Sphinx and Fujitora paid their respects, Diarmuid didn't bother greeting Shiki. He was currently at the harbor, saying his goodbyes to Momonga.
"Regardless of how things go, the Calm Belt is the lifeblood of our Navy. With nearly 300,000 Marines under G-7, you must shoulder this responsibility, Momonga. No matter what happens, the Calm Belt must remain firmly in our grasp. That is where our true strength lies, understand?" Diarmuid said, looking at Momonga.
"Understood," Momonga nodded.
"You've always been steady; I'm at ease leaving this place to you. I won't say much more. Once those two finish their business with Shiki, arrange a ship to send them back to Gold City. I won't be staying long," Diarmuid instructed.
"Where are you headed, Admiral?" Momonga asked curiously.
He had rushed here in such a hurry just to drop two people off for a funeral? He wasn't even staying for a single day of rest?
"I have a meeting scheduled at Impel Down. I'm heading there now," Diarmuid said with a wave of his hand.
"Very well." Momonga didn't pry further.
After a few more parting words, Diarmuid turned and boarded the warship. Soon, the vessel departed the port, cutting through the Calm Belt toward Impel Down.
…
Meanwhile, over at the Marine Headquarters in Marineford, a massive warship had just passed through the Gates of Justice, preparing to ride the Tarai Current toward Impel Down.
On board were Garp, Luffy, and Nico Robin.
Ace had already joined the Marine Academy and was officially part of the internal Marine structure. Though he hadn't graduated yet, he could already call himself a Marine. Luffy, however, wasn't quite there yet. Technically, he shouldn't have been on a warship.
But this trip actually involved him: his uncle, Admiral Diarmuid, was planning to arrange a Devil Fruit power for him.
Originally, Diarmuid had favored the Gum-Gum Fruit. In his memory, Luffy had built his legend on that fruit, and their compatibility was perfect. Furthermore, Luffy had developed that seemingly ordinary fruit into something spectacular; in terms of fruit mastery, Luffy truly excelled.
However, from Doflamingo, Diarmuid had learned that the Gum-Gum Fruit, which should have been in Shanks' hands, was currently held by Mariejois. Even more surprising to Diarmuid was that the fruit seemed quite special and was highly valued by the World Government.
Thus, he didn't feel like fighting over it. As for its "special nature," he didn't care enough to investigate; it was simpler to just find the kid a different power.
So, Garp was taking Luffy to Impel Down to pick out a formidable ability.
As for Nico Robin, she was in high spirits. Diarmuid had kept his word, pulling strings at Headquarters to ensure that Robin, who "had no merit but plenty of hard work", was officially appointed as a Vice Admiral.
Of course, this rank was slightly "inflated." She wasn't an executive Vice Admiral with actual command like Momonga, but rather a general-duty Vice Admiral. Robin had begun serving as an assistant to the Chief of Staff, Tsuru, continuing her work in the Intelligence Division.
Robin didn't care that she didn't command a massive fleet. What mattered to her was that, as a Vice Admiral, she finally had the authority to arrange for her mother's release.
The paperwork for her promotion had been finalized just two days prior. When she heard Garp was heading to Impel Down to meet Diarmuid, she couldn't contain her excitement and tagged along.
Traveling via the Tarai Current from Marineford to Impel Down was incredibly fast. In less than half a day, the warship passed through the Impel Down Gates of Justice.
Before long, Robin saw the massive fortress of Impel Down looming ahead. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Vice Admiral Garp, we've arrived."
"Mhm, I see it," Garp said nonchalantly.
He rarely visited Impel Down, though he had been there before. He wasn't particularly excited, but Luffy was practically jumping out of his skin.
"Is this the place where countless Great Pirates are locked up!?" Luffy asked, buzzing with energy.
"Ahahahaha! That's right! One day, all those wretched pirate villains will be caught and brought here. This is their final destination," Garp laughed heartily.
"I'm going to catch so many pirates I'll fill this place to the brim!" Luffy boasted, as was his habit.
"Hahaha! Fill it? Then you're going to be very busy," Garp laughed again.
He knew all too well that while Impel Down looked majestic and imposing, it was mostly empty inside. Aside from Ability Users, particularly troublesome pirates, and the bastards in Level 6, most ordinary pirates were sent to the Calm Belt to work the mines. For over a decade, a steady stream of pirates had provided enough labor to fuel the Marines' rapid expansion.
"It's the Admiral!" Robin's sharp eyes spotted another warship entering the Impel Down harbor through a side gate.
She even caught sight of Diarmuid on the deck. Garp didn't see him clearly, but he knew that at this hour, any Marine coming to Impel Down was likely Diarmuid. He waved his hand. "Speed up!"
With both a Marine Admiral and the Marine Hero arriving, Magellan, the Warden, naturally didn't put on any airs, especially since Impel Down was an affiliate of Marine Headquarters.
More importantly, Diarmuid was Impel Down's biggest benefactor. While Magellan was a man of integrity and didn't accept bribes, the "commercial" partnership between the G-7 Base and Impel Down had continued to this day. Over the years, the Berries sent from G-7 had mostly been invested by Magellan into the prison's infrastructure.
One could say the Great Underwater Prison was far more formidable than it was a decade ago, having been renovated several times to patch up security vulnerabilities. The Jailer Beasts and guards had grown stronger, and the benefits for the staff had improved significantly.
Magellan stood on the dock, watching the two warships converge and dock together. As the gangplanks were lowered, Admiral Diarmuid stepped off, his Justice coat fluttering, followed by Vergo.
Vice Admiral Garp followed, also in his coat, accompanied by a familiar-looking female Vice Admiral and a young brat.
Magellan ignored the kid, but the female Vice Admiral caught him by surprise, and a smile gradually formed on his face. He hadn't seen her in years, the Marine girl who used to visit Impel Down frequently.
If he remembered correctly, her name was Nico Robin. Her mother was imprisoned here, and thanks to Admiral Diarmuid's request, that prisoner, Nico Olvia, enjoyed some of the best treatment in the facility. She had a private room, more like a suite, fully furnished. If not for the lack of freedom, it could almost be called a villa vacation.
Magellan recalled that Olvia had been imprisoned for nearly fifteen years. Robin had visited her mother periodically, eventually joining the Marines and vowing to become an important figure so she could rescue her. After a certain point, she had stopped coming. Magellan had even worried that she might have died, given the high casualty rate in the Navy.
He hadn't expected her to reappear after several years, and as a Vice Admiral, no less. It was clear she had accomplished something remarkable during her absence. Now that she was a Vice Admiral, it seemed the "guest" in Impel Down was finally going to be released. For some reason, Magellan felt genuinely happy for Robin, as if he were witnessing the conclusion of a deeply touching story.
"Aha, Diarmuid!" Garp laughed as he stepped off the ship, greeting him loudly.
Diarmuid nodded back with a smile but quickly turned his attention to Nico Robin, his expression tinged with emotion.
Nico Robin was in the prime of her beauty. She was stunning, with striking long black hair. Her skin, which had tanned slightly in Alabasta, had recovered its fairer tone. She wore a sharp, formal black suit and a pair of black aviator sunglasses, looking valiant and capable. The Vice Admiral's coat on her shoulders added an air of authority.
This look was undeniably "chic"; she was likely to become the new goddess for the single men at Headquarters. Knowing her decade-long wish was finally within reach, now that her official pardon from Headquarters was secured, Robin looked radiant.
Diarmuid's emotion wasn't just about her beauty. He had essentially watched her grow up. Though he hadn't managed her daily life, Gion had always looked after her. The "fan-like" affection from his past life had transitioned into the pride of a senior seeing a junior succeed.
There was also that peculiar sense of satisfaction that came from having changed someone's destiny so completely.
"Congratulations, Vice Admiral Robin," Diarmuid said with a smile, reining in his sentimentality.