Sengoku leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the medical logo emblazoned on the cigarette box before him. The sharp contrast between his frustration and nostalgia painted a curious picture. With a deep sigh, he reached for the Den Den Mushi on his desk and dialed a familiar number. The grumpy grumbling of a Fleet Admiral was about to commence.
"Oi! Luffy, you brat!" Sengoku barked into the receiver. "When you give a gift, do you know how to give it properly? What's with this nonsense? Where's my share? Do you even remember who your elders are? Do you even want to be a Fleet Admiral with this kind of attitude?!"
On the other end, Luffy blinked in confusion, the Den Den Mushi's exaggerated expression perfectly mimicking Sengoku's irritation. Luffy tilted his head as if questioning whether the person yelling at him was truly Sengoku or an elaborate prankster.
"Grandpa Sengoku…?Didn't you just called me?" Luffy finally asked, cautiously. His voice held both shock and bemusement.
"Yes, you idiot, it's me! So what if I just called you, I am the Fleet Admiral. I can call my subordinate as many as I want" Sengoku snapped, clearly offended by Luffy's disbelief. "What? You think someone would impersonate me to scold you? Do you even understand who you're talking to?!"
Luffy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh… sure, Grandpa Sengoku. I get it. I'll fix it next time," he replied, though his tone betrayed his lingering confusion.
"Hmph! You better!" Sengoku huffed, his tone softening just slightly. "You're a Vice Admiral now. Do you even comprehend what that means? If you want to climb the ranks, you've got to start thinking ahead! And stop hanging around that old man Garp and Kizaru so much—They will corrupt you into a slacker!"
"Ahem, Sengoku, you old goat!" Garp's booming voice interrupted from the background. "Don't you dare blame me for anything! Luffy's doing fine without your nagging!"
Sengoku ignored him, continuing his tirade. "Luffy, listen up! You'll need more than luck and talent to rise further. Flattery and connections are just as important! Remember that."
Luffy, caught between the chaos of Sengoku and Garp's bickering, simply muttered, "Uh, sure… understood."
Before he could ask anything further, Sengoku ended the call, but not before a final audible exchange between the two legendary Marines erupted over the line.
Luffy stared at the Den Den Mushi, now sleeping soundly, for a long moment. His lips curled into a bewildered smile. "What's gotten into him?" he muttered. "The Fleet Admiral seems unusually fired up these days."
Nearby, Ain was engaged in her sword training. Noticing Luffy's dazed expression, she paused, wiping the sweat off her face with a towel. She walked over, her sharp gaze dissecting his confusion.
"What's going on now, Vice Admiral?" she teased. "Is the Fleet Admiral experiencing a second youth, or are you just that clueless?"
Luffy chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know, Ain. But he did promote me to be a Vice Admiral, and called again to call me that. just like that! No formal announcement, no headlines in the papers. That's kind of a big deal, isn't it?"
Ain rolled her eyes, smirking. "Oh, I see what you're trying to do. Changing the subject, are we? Flirting to avoid accountability again?" She leaned closer, adding with mock sternness, "By the way, congratulations on expanding your harem. You've managed to charm two princesses here in Dressrosa, and let's not forget Vivi in Alabasta. That makes three!"
Luffy laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, well, you know how it is…" he trailed off, clearly avoiding the accusation.
Ain crossed her arms but decided to let it slide, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're impossible, Luffy," she muttered, sitting beside him.
Three days had passed since their arrival in Dressrosa. The once-chaotic kingdom was now steadily finding its footing again. Reinforcements from nearby Marine branches had arrived to assist in maintaining order and rebuilding the nation. Under Luffy's guidance, King Riku had finally agreed to reclaim the throne, despite his initial reluctance.
The people of Dressrosa, having learned the truth about Doflamingo's manipulation and the atrocities he committed, welcomed King Riku's return with open arms. The former king's reputation, already built on decades of compassion and fairness, shone brighter now that the veil of lies had been lifted.
The day of King Riku's re-coronation was a jubilant affair. The streets were lined with citizens, cheering and celebrating their restored leader. The new king wasted no time addressing his people and outlining his plans for the kingdom's recovery. His first order of business was to seek aid from neighboring nations and the World Government.
To King Riku's relief, many neighboring monarchs responded generously. Having been on the receiving end of his kindness in the past, they eagerly offered resources to help Dressrosa rebuild. The World Government, however, was predictably less altruistic. While they provided some humanitarian aid, they were quick to propose low-interest loans as an additional "solution."
When Luffy heard about the loans, he laughed bitterly. "The World Government sure knows how to milk every situation for their gain," he remarked. "But at least the money will help rebuild."
King Riku didn't hesitate to take the loan, securing 2 billion Baileys to fund the reconstruction. As the kingdom slowly began to recover, the king made an announcement that shocked even Luffy.
In a public address, King Riku declared that his successor would be none other than Violet, his youngest daughter. The announcement sent ripples of surprise through the crowd and the Marines stationed in Dressrosa.
Luffy, hearing the news, was stunned. "Violet? A successor?" he muttered to himself. But as he thought it over, it began to make sense.
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