Everyone turned their attention to Sengoku. After a deliberate pause, he looked over at Chiga, seated calmly beside him, and said with grave clarity,
"I intend to hand over the position of Fleet Admiral to Uchiha Chiga."
Sengoku had anticipated a wave of debate or resistance. However, the response surprised him completely.
Akainu was the first to speak, standing up with uncharacteristic conviction.
"Good. I support this decision."
Kizaru cast a sidelong glance at Akainu, then slowly raised his right hand.
"My opinion aligns with Sakazuki's."
Aokiji, still processing what he had just heard, remained silent as the other high-ranking officers began applauding.
"We agree that Admiral Purple Kirin should be promoted to Fleet Admiral!"
Sengoku blinked in disbelief at their unexpectedly unified response. Tsuru, sitting beside him, nudged his side with an elbow and smirked.
"Looks like your retirement will be a glorious one."
At that moment, Garp laughed heartily, stuffing a handful of senbei into his mouth, utterly unconcerned with offering Sengoku any dignity.
Sengoku's face turned slightly red. Recognizing that their abrupt support had bruised his pride, the other officers quickly backpedaled.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku has served the Navy with unwavering dedication for decades. We'll miss you deeply!"
Had he not noticed the stiffness on some of their faces, Sengoku might've believed them.
With a resigned shake of his head, he reminded himself that this decision had been his own. He wasn't truly angry.
From within his coat, he retrieved an ornate wooden box and handed it to Chiga. Chiga accepted it calmly and opened it to reveal a radiant golden six-pointed star medal.
Sengoku addressed the room, his voice resolute.
"With the approval of Commander-in-Chief Kong, Headquarters has decided to award Uchiha Chiga the Golden Six-Pointed Star Medal for his exceptional valor and leadership in this war."
This medal represented the pinnacle of military honor. Every past recipient had ascended to the position of Fleet Admiral—and now, with Sengoku personally bestowing it on Chiga, its symbolism was crystal clear.
Chiga smiled and nodded, pinning the medal neatly on his right chest.
He wore the Navy Admiral's uniform, but his version had been transformed from the white robe of the Six Paths—its quality far beyond standard attire. The Truth-Seeking Balls, too volatile for others to be around, had been dispersed.
Now that he had mastered the Six Paths level, he could dismiss the horned manifestation at will. Only his Twelve Tomoe Rinnegan remained visible, swirling ominously within his eyes.
The room fell silent again. Many officers deliberately avoided eye contact with his eyes—merely gazing into them sent a chill through their souls.
Then, the hall erupted into warm, sincere applause. No one felt envy. Every person in that room believed Chiga deserved it.
In that moment, Chiga looked around at his fellow officers and saw the genuine smiles on their faces. He felt a rare sense of peace.
He had made the right choice joining the Navy.
People need belonging. And for Uchiha Chiga, the Navy was that place.
From where she sat beside Tsuru, Gion offered him a radiant smile. Chiga returned it, then stood and addressed the room with a voice that resonated confidence.
"Let us, the Navy, usher in a new era!"
During a live broadcast to the entire world, Chiga was formally announced as the new Fleet Admiral. The public, too, changed how they addressed him—he was no longer simply Admiral Purple Kirin, but Marshal Purple Kirin or Marshal Chiga.
Despite his promotion, Chiga's daily life didn't change much. Thanks to Kalifa and Robin—his two capable and assertive secretaries—he barely had to deal with paperwork at all.
Sengoku, curious to see if Chiga was bearing the weight of the title, visited his former office.
To his surprise, Chiga was reclining with his head on Robin's lap, eyes closed as she gently held a glass of orange juice to his lips. He sipped from a straw with the leisure of someone enjoying a day at the beach.
Sengoku stood frozen in the doorway, face contorted in silent disbelief.
Chiga sniffed suddenly and cracked one eye open.
"Robin, do you smell something sour?"
Robin chuckled softly behind her hand, nodding toward the doorway.
"Chiga-kun, Mr Sengoku is here."
Chiga sat up and greeted him with a sly grin.
"Sengoku Sensei, is there something you need from me today?"
Since stepping down, Sengoku had become principal of the Navy School, with Zephyr remaining as chief instructor.
Gone was the well-groomed Fleet Admiral. His hair, once meticulously dyed black, had turned grey. His outfit now consisted of a wrinkled shirt, a Navy coat, floral shorts, and a pair of oversized slippers.
He looked less like a Fleet Admiral and more like someone's eccentric neighbor.
With a sarcastic drawl, he commented,
"Ah, Marshal Purple Kirin must be overwhelmed with duties… so much so that he can't lift a hand to sip juice."
Chiga grinned, running a hand through his glossy white hair.
"You're right, Sengoku Sensei. Look at this. All this stress turned my hair white."
He tossed his head dramatically. The sheen almost made Sengoku's eyes water.
Sengoku exhaled loudly through his nose. Where had the calm and grounded Uchiha Chiga gone?
Kalifa approached with perfect timing, a neat stack of paperwork in hand.
"Boss, all the documents are signed. Shall we head out for lunch?"
Sengoku glanced at the clock—it was only 11:30 AM. Back in his day, he'd be buried in reports at this hour.
He looked at Kalifa again, eyes filled with rare appreciation.
Not because of her looks—although few at Marine Headquarters could match her beauty—but because of her efficiency. Had he had someone like her back then, his life would've been a lot easier.
Unfortunately, back then, his closest assistants were a pigeon and a sheep-shaped paper shredder…
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