Admiral Sengoku seemed to be in exceptionally good spirits today. When Finn and the others arrived at his office, they found him sitting comfortably at the coffee table, a delicate porcelain cup steaming in his hands.
"You're here." Sengoku's smile was genuine, reaching his eyes.
Garp didn't bother with a greeting. He simply dropped onto the sofa and helped himself to the teapot, pouring tea like he owned the place. Zephyr raised an eyebrow at Sengoku's obvious good mood. "What's the occasion?"
"I have some good news to share." Sengoku set down his cup, then picked up a document from the coffee table. He held it up, letting it catch the light. "Lieutenant Commander Finn, congratulations."
Finn's heart skipped. He took two quick steps forward, barely containing his excitement. "Admiral, does this mean...?"
"The Marines have always been clear about distributing rewards and punishments," Sengoku said, nodding. "You deserve the greatest credit for the Battle of Edd War."
Heat rushed through Finn's chest. This was it. Promoted on his very first Lieutenant Commander mission at Headquarters.
His mind raced through the choices that had led him here. Every calculated risk, every dangerous decision suddenly felt validated. Saving Rosinante, risking his life for that clumsy, well-meaning kid, had been the turning point. That single act of apparent heroism had brought him into Sengoku's attention, earned the Admiral's respect.
Without that foundation, he never would have joined Sengoku's fleet for the Battle of Edd War. Without that opportunity, he wouldn't have found the Press-Press Fruit. Wouldn't have made his strategic contribution.
One decision, cascading into opportunity after opportunity.
Finn's resolve crystallized. He needed to hold onto this connection, nurture it, make himself indispensable. Maybe, someday, he could even inherit the position of Fleet Admiral.
After all, Admiral Sengoku himself had said it: a Marine who doesn't want to become Fleet Admiral isn't a good Marine.
Watching Finn's barely restrained excitement, Sengoku felt a flicker of recognition. He remembered his own promotions when he was young, that same burning ambition. He'd clawed his way through the ranks over decades, finally reaching Admiral.
But his heart hadn't stopped there. He still wanted Fleet Admiral. Beyond that, perhaps even Commander-in-Chief of the entire military.
So he felt no disgust at Finn's undisguised ambition. What was wrong with a Marine pursuing higher rank, greater strength, more authority? As long as someone maintained the fundamental principles of justice while climbing, ambition was a virtue, not a vice.
In some ways, Finn reminded Sengoku of himself.
"From this moment forward, Lieutenant Commander Finn is promoted to Commodore of Marine Headquarters." Sengoku's smile widened as he handed over the document.
Finn snapped to attention, his salute crisp and sharp. "Yes! Everything is for justice!"
He took the promotion orders with steady hands, though his pulse hammered in his ears.
Commodore. He'd jumped straight past Commander and Captain, leaping directly from field-grade to flag officer ranks.
He'd expected a promotion, certainly. After changing the event of the Battle of Edd War, after the Marines had gained such a massive strategic advantage, and after nurturing relationships with the top brass, advancement had seemed inevitable.
But in his most optimistic projections, he'd imagined making Captain. Momonga and the others were only Commanders, and they'd been at Headquarters for years longer than him.
Instead, Sengoku had catapulted him straight into the flag officer ranks. Even as the lowest tier, Commodore at Marine Headquarters carried weight.
Finn was barely twenty years old. Less than six months at Headquarters, and he'd risen from a North Blue Branch Captain to a Headquarters Commodore.
At this rate, how long until he made Admiral?
In truth, Sengoku had been planning to nurture Finn from the beginning. When he'd ordered Borsalino to bring the young officer along, the intent had been to groom him for Lieutenant Commander eventually. Slow and steady advancement, building a proper foundation.
But Finn had exceeded every expectation.
If it had been merely excellent performance, Sengoku would have made him a Captain. That would have been appropriate, reasonable.
But then came the Press-Press Fruit. Suddenly Finn wasn't just a promising officer. He was a future powerhouse, a potential monster in the making. After considerable deliberation, Sengoku had decided to push him directly into the flag officer ranks.
The difference between senior officers and flag officers was profound.
Anyone wearing a flag officer's insignia at Headquarters was considered backbone leadership. More importantly, flag officers had access to high-level strategic meetings. They participated in decision-making, not just execution.
If another event like the Battle of Edd War occurred, Finn could now attend strategy sessions on his own merit. He wouldn't need Borsalino or Sengoku to vouch for him.
That was the critical distinction. Decision-making versus execution.
"Ah, it took me over a year after joining the Marines to make flag officer," Kuzan said, his tone light and teasing. "I didn't expect you to beat my record."
Kuzan had possessed his Devil Fruit abilities before joining. So had Sakazuki and Borsalino. Their powers had earned them immediate attention, intensive training, and rapid promotion. The three of them had been labeled "monster rookies" almost from day one.
Even with that advantage, it had taken Kuzan more than a year to reach flag officer rank.
Finn had done it faster.
"Hahaha! That's why I said you had no future," Finn shot back with a grin. "Remember when we were in the hospital together? I told you it wouldn't be long before I caught up. Now look at us. I'm only one rank behind you, Rear Admiral Kuzan."
Zephyr placed a hand on Finn's shoulder, his expression amused. "It's different from you, Kuzan. If we're being accurate, Finn has been in the Marines for almost eight years. You can't just count from when he arrived at Marineford."
The others paused, realization dawning.
They'd been so focused on Finn's rapid rise at Headquarters that they'd forgotten his background. He'd joined the Marines at a young age. Years climbing from menial laborer to this moment. He was a veteran, not a rookie.
Viewed through that lens, the promotion made perfect sense.
Finn's promotion didn't take long to finalize. Afterward, Sengoku acknowledged the contributions of Kuzan, Borsalino, and the others who'd participated in the operation. While none of them received promotions, they earned commendations and increased merit.
Finn had assumed Kuzan would be promoted to Vice Admiral, given that both Sakazuki and Borsalino already held that rank. But it didn't happen.
Later, he learned why. Kuzan was still relatively young, and in Marineford's hierarchy, there was no special threshold to become Rear Admiral. But Vice Admiral required something more: experience and seniority.
A Vice Admiral was elite leadership, responsible for critical operations. If someone lacked the experience to handle major decisions, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Unless you made extraordinary contributions, you needed to accumulate time and experience at Rear Admiral before advancing further.
Sakazuki and Borsalino had joined the Marines two or three years before Kuzan. Sakazuki had earned his rank through significant battlefield achievements. Borsalino had gained invaluable experience serving directly under Sengoku. He'd only made Vice Admiral a few months before Finn arrived at Marineford.
Kuzan simply wasn't ready yet.
With the rewards distributed, Sengoku turned his full attention to Finn. "You're probably the youngest Commodore in Marine Headquarters in recent years."
"Thank you for your guidance and support," Finn said seriously.
"This is what you've earned. You've proven your value." Sengoku waved off the gratitude. After a brief pause, his tone shifted, becoming more serious. "However, I need to give you another information."
Finn straightened. "Yes, sir."
"Don't worry about further promotion for a while."
The words hung in the air.
Sengoku had been watching Finn's reaction carefully. The young Commodore showed no dissatisfaction, no surprise or shock. He simply nodded with understanding.
Good, Sengoku thought. Very good.
"You're only nineteen years old," Sengoku continued. "Not even twenty. Although you've been in the Marines for a long time, you haven't received systematic training. Your raw potential hasn't been fully developed into actual power. Becoming a Commodore is already exceptional." He leaned forward slightly. "So I want you to set aside your ambitions for rank and authority, at least temporarily. Focus entirely on improving your strength and military knowledge. Do you understand?"
The words could have been taken as criticism, as putting a ceiling on Finn's advancement.
But Finn heard the underlying concern and protection in Sengoku's voice.
The Admiral was right. Finn had been in the Marines for years, but he'd joined as a child. His systematic education was lacking. His military knowledge had gaps. And his strength, while he now had the foundation to become powerful, hadn't yet been transformed into real combat capability.
These were genuine weaknesses. For a pirate, strength alone might be enough. Be strong, fight hard, take what you want. But for a Marine? You needed military literacy, strategic thinking, leadership qualities.
"Yes, Admiral!" Finn's response was immediate and earnest. "I won't let you down!"
Sengoku nodded, satisfied, then turned to Zephyr. "I'm leaving this one in your hands. Make him into something truly exceptional."
"What a coincidence," Zephyr said with a broad grin. "That's exactly what I'm good at."
"Good." Sengoku looked back at Finn. "That said, I promoted you to Commodore so you could legitimately participate in high-level meetings. From now on, unless unexpected situations arise, you won't be going on field missions for a while. Instead, focus on training and study. Attend the strategic meetings, familiarize yourself with how Marineford operates, and contribute your intelligence to the Marines."
"Yes, sir!" Finn saluted again. "Everything is for justice!"
Sengoku smiled, pleased with the young Commodore's attitude. This one would go far. He was certain of it.