"All in all, your influence has spread."
Fleet Admiral Sakazuki sat at his desk in Marine Headquarters, arms folded, a cigar clenched tightly between his teeth.
"Although your actions this time were extremely reckless… the outcome was undeniably favorable."
"With your name being shouted from coast to coast, Marine's prestige has surged."
What he said wasn't flattery. It was the truth.
Since Solomon Carl's battle with Katakuri, his destruction of Fuzzy Fu in one blow, and his public clash with Kaido's top officers, the World Draft campaign under the World Government had seen a massive boost in recruitment numbers.
Even veterans from the Grand Line were re-enlisting, drawn in by the name "Solomon Carl."
And more than that—Carl didn't just return from Wanokuni alone.
He brought back Admiral-level combat power.
Fujitora—Issho—had made his stance clear: even if he opposed the system, he would now uphold justice within it.
Akainu believed the Admiralty would soon be whole once again. Kizaru remained, Ryokugyu was active, and now Fujitora was officially rejoining.
Three Admirals—once more.
"…Marshal Sakazuki," Carl finally exhaled. "Do you have any idea where that damn bird Morgans is hiding?"
Akainu paused mid-puff, frowning at the sudden shift in topic.
"That feathered rat? Hard to say," he said, grinding his cigar slightly between his teeth.
"That guy—President of the World Economic Journal—has no fixed base. Keeps flying around in that massive News Coo ship. Slippery bastard."
"He calls himself neutral, but he's always near where the next big scoop explodes."
Carl clicked his tongue. "So it's up to fate, huh…"
"If I get my hands on that giant bird, I swear—he'll 'thank' me for all the exposure."
Akainu raised a brow. "Speaking of… that direct subordinate you brought back from Wanokuni—isn't she Kaido's daughter?"
Carl's eyes narrowed instantly. The name alone was a potential powder keg.
Yamato. "Daughter of Kaido of the Beasts." A former enemy, and the self-proclaimed "Kozuki Oden."
"Well, technically, yes," Carl replied carefully. "But she—"
"No need to explain," Akainu cut him off, waving a hand. "You brought her back under your command, she follows your orders. As long as she doesn't stain the name of Marine, I don't care where she came from."
Carl blinked. Did he hear that right?
Akainu, the man who once insisted on absolute justice, who ordered a Buster Call on Ohara and struck down Ace without hesitation—
Was… showing leniency?
"You're looking at this old man like I've grown a second head," Akainu grumbled. "But you brought her back. I trust your judgment, Solomon Carl."
"And frankly, Kaido's not about to risk triggering another Marineford Incident just to get back his daughter. He's not Whitebeard, and she's not Ace."
"She doesn't carry the bloodline of the Pirate King. There's no inherited sin in her veins."
That last part was key.
Ace was executed not only as a pirate but as Gol D. Roger's son. That lineage alone was considered a crime by some in the government.
But Yamato?
To Akainu, she was nothing more than a powerful rogue recruited by a man he now considered a pillar of justice.
"I see… I understand, Marshal Sakazuki," Carl replied with a slight bow.
Crisis averted—or so he thought.
Until Akainu's next words hit him like a fist.
"Also, the paperwork for your Admiral candidate status has been processed."
With that, Akainu tossed a heavy official stamp across the table.
"Now… have you decided on a code name yet?"
Carl caught it reflexively.
He had heard this coming back in Wanokuni from one of the old guard—likely Sengoku, who had always had a taste for theatrics.
Technically, this status didn't mean he was an Admiral—just that he had reached the threshold, a Vice Admiral with potential and clearance for Admiral-level operations.
"A code name…" Carl looked down at the seal, lost in thought.
Unlike standard Vice Admirals, an Admiral candidate had the right to a codename—typically tied to a color, animal, or concept.
"I've got a few suggestions here," Akainu said, pulling out a small dossier.
"These were thrown together by Sengoku, Kizaru, and a few others."
Aries. Chinchilla. Brown Horse. Oak Dragon. Silver Snake…
A mix of zodiac signs, fauna, and mythical creatures—some serious, some utterly ridiculous.
Carl scanned the list—and before he knew it, he blurted, "Or else…
Just as he was about to mention the codename "Aries," Carl's eyes involuntarily flicked toward the symbol of the "Oak Dragon."
For him, a harmless and vague codename like "Aries" would have been perfect—easy to underestimate, easily dismissed.
It naturally disarmed opponents before a fight even began.
But Carl's mentality, shaped by his past life's strategic doctrines, made him instinctively abandon the softer option.
"…Just call me the Oak Dragon," he muttered.
Fleet Admiral Sakazuki (Akainu), never one to fuss about codenames, simply gave a curt nod.
"That's fine. Your warship is nearly complete. When you're ready, return to Marineford."
While the first half of the Grand Line had already fallen under Carl's control, and he'd assisted in reorganizing regions like Sabaody and Dressrosa, he hadn't stepped foot in Marineford since the New Marineford relocation after the Paramount War.
"The ship, huh…" Carl raised his eyebrows, already sensing what was coming.
Back at Sabaody, Commodore Strawberry had mentioned that Carl's vessel was being constructed to Admiral-candidate standards, which required extended build time due to the integration of science division technology.
It was a custom project overseen by Vegapunk's satellite units and Marine R&D, utilizing warship blueprints dating back to the Battle Franky plans.
Over time, the name "Admiral-Candidate Oak Dragon" had started circulating throughout Marine ranks, echoing from the G-1 Branch all the way to New Marineford.
At the coastline of New Marineford.
Thousands of elite Marines gathered on the docks, nearly all of them personally handpicked from Admiral Kizaru's command.
They weren't mere rank-and-file.
Each one stood above the level of a standard headquarters Ensign or branch-level Captain—a powerful chess piece directly assigned to Carl.
At that moment, Carl stood silently beneath the shadow of the mechanical titan docked behind him.
"Oh~ Carl, you don't look very pleased," Kizaru's slow, ironic tone drifted in.
"'Pleased'…" Carl's voice ground out through clenched teeth.
He turned to glare at the Admiral, "Old man, explain something to me. Why the hell is my warship so damn big?!"
The warship looming behind them didn't just rival the Moby Dick—it outright dwarfed it.
Compared to vessels assigned to Admiral Momousagi and Chaton, this thing looked like a moving island.
"W-e-l-l~ it's because this old man asked Vegapunk to modify it~" Kizaru said nonchalantly, making an exaggerated pout.
"He used advanced experimental hull-reinforcement tech~ He said it's thanks for that little gift you brought back…"
Carl's face twitched.
That "gift" was none other than the samples of Queen's plague bullets and Caesar Clown's drug compounds, collected during a covert raid in Onigashima's research chambers.
"Apparently, there are preliminary results from testing," Kizaru added lazily.
Carl looked back up at the absurd vessel.
Dozens of automated seastone-lined turrets lined the hull.
What was worse, the bottom plating of the ship… was a single slab of raw seastone.
Not just for defense—this thing was immune to Sea Kings, coated for stealth, and capable of underwater travel if needed.
Insane. This was no longer a ship. It was a floating fortress.
"I think it's incredible!" Yamato—now traveling under Carl's protection—gazed up with literal stars in her eyes.
Massive, Haki-infused, brimming with power.
It embodied dominance.
"It really fits your codename, Carl! 'Oak Dragon'—it sounds so strong and noble!"
Carl sighed, his brow twitching. "You know nothing, woman…"
This warship screamed 'come attack me' to every pirate in the New World.
Still… he gave up resisting.
"Fine, it is what it is." Carl turned around, eyeing the Marines assembled on deck.
"So, who's your immediate CO?"
"Reporting, Vice Admiral Oak Dragon! That would be me!" A man with a sharp jawline and curly black hair stepped forward crisply.
"Colonel T. Penn, Naval Headquarters, reporting for duty!"
Carl blinked, then let out a short laugh. "T. Penn, huh? I know you—'Ship Slayer T. Penn.' You're solid."
A visible tremor flickered through Penn's eyes before he gave a sharp salute. "Thank you, sir!"
Carl gave a rare nod of satisfaction.
T. Penn's swordsmanship was famous even among veteran Vice Admirals.
He could carve ships in two like paper—hence the moniker.
"Alright then—prepare to set sail." Carl ascended the massive boarding ramp.
From today forward, this giant would be called the Oak Dragon.
"Yes, sir!" T. Penn barked.
The elite squad began boarding with mechanical precision.
Moments later, the Oak Dragon departed the New Marineford port, heading straight into the heart of the New World.
While they sailed, the seas trembled with news.
In Wano, the fractured Beasts Pirates retreated to Onigashima, licking their wounds.
With Kaido missing, the new general appointed was none other than Kuroshio, a cold-blooded enforcer loyal only to Kaido's orders.
He ruled by fear but lacked the lunacy of Kurozumi Orochi, giving Wano a temporary breath of relief.
In Totto Land, challenger after challenger came, seeking the head of the weakened Charlotte Family… only to realize the truth.
Even with Big Mom's amnesia, even if she stood still—her body was still impervious to their attacks.
Her innate durability and Emperor-level Haki remained monstrous.
The name "Four Emperors" wasn't a title. It was a natural law.
And finally—in the shadows of a brewing war—the Blackbeard Pirates clashed again with the battered remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.
While Teach failed to acquire a second Devil Fruit from Marineford, and his losses had been heavy, his forces still held the advantage.
The Whitebeard side fared worse—Jozu the Diamond had died during their chaotic retreat.
With each defeat, their strength faded further.
And across the Grand Line…
a new Four Emperors era was slowly being carved out by blood and fire.
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