Time slipped by like water through open fingers.By Sea Circle Calendar Year 1494, Gern Reginald Sigmar reached a decisive turning point in his career.
Over the past two years, he had personally wiped out twenty-four notorious pirate crews.Among them were infamous figures whose names alone struck fear across the seas—the "Cursed Doctor,"the "Giant Warship,"the "Death Knell,"the "Great Wine Barrel,"and other dread pirates who had once terrorized entire regions—captured or slain by his hand.
Most shocking of all was his feat of defeating, single-handedly, the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander—the "Samurai," Kozuki Oden—a battle that sent seismic shockwaves across the oceans.
After completing a full year of joint service with Sakazuki at Marine G-3 Base,Gern was summoned back to Marineford.
There, he was formally promoted to Rear Admiral of Marine Headquarters,though no specific post was assigned—for the time being.
Meanwhile, the tides of the era surged relentlessly forward.
In 1492, news of Gern's victory over Kozuki Oden spread to every corner of the world through the World Economy News.A man sailing upon the seas—Gol D. Roger—paused mid-voyage when his eyes caught the report about the Wano samurai.
At that moment, the gears of fate began to turn.
Later that same year, a fifteen-year-old prodigy named Douglas Bullet encountered the Roger Pirates.After challenging Roger and suffering defeat, the boy chose to join the crew—continuing his relentless pursuit of surpassing the man he now called captain.
At the same time, Golden Lion Shiki, frustrated by repeated failures to recruit Roger, saw tensions between the two legendary pirate crews steadily escalate.Shiki even set aside his long-standing vendetta against the Marines, focusing instead on Roger himself.
The New World soon became a battlefield where these two titans clashed again and again.
No one yet realized that the war which would truly reshape the era—the Battle of Edd War—was now only three years away.
1493 became another crucial turning point.
After a fierce battle with the Golden Lion Pirates, Roger was suddenly struck by a mysterious, severe illness.No doctor in the New World could diagnose—let alone cure—it.
Faced with Shiki's growing threat and his own failing health,the Roger Pirates withdrew from the New World under pressure,retreating to the Grand Line to recuperate and begin a long journey in search of legendary physicians.
That same year brought joyous news to the Whitebeard Pirates.
Kozuki Oden and Amatsuki Toki were married aboard the Moby Dick.The following year—1494—their son, Kozuki Momonosuke, was born.
And only a month later, a wandering orphan named Marshall D. Teach was taken in by Whitebeard himself.
Of course, 1494 was not only the year of Gern's promotion.
It was also the year that witnessed the scholars of Ohara embark upon their tragic final expedition.
Driven by the pursuit of the Poneglyphs and the forbidden Void Century,Nico Olvia led a team of archaeologists to sea.
They did not yet know that the island which had safeguarded eight centuries of knowledgehad already entered its final countdown to annihilation.
...
Marine Headquarters — MarinefordCommercial District Tavern
The golden glow of sunset streamed through the tavern's glass windows, spilling across the wooden bar and casting an amber sheen over rows of glasses.
Gern sat alone in a corner, lightly tapping the table with his fingers, his gaze fixed on the liquor swirling gently in his cup.
His promotion to Rear Admiral had already spread throughout headquarters.Yet compared to loud celebrations and hollow congratulations, he preferred a quiet drink in an out-of-the-way place.
Just then, the tavern door swung open, wind chimes ringing softly.
"Well now—looks like the fluffy adjutant isn't around?"
The familiar voice made Gern look up.
Kuzan leaned lazily against the doorframe, sunglasses perched on his face, a teasing glint visible even through the dark lenses.He wore casual clothes, his coat draped loosely over one shoulder, an unopened bottle dangling from his hand.
"She went to train with Instructor Zephyr," Gern said with a resigned smile, sliding over a full glass."Care for a drink?"
"Absolutely."
Kuzan strolled over, took the glass, and leaned against the bar. After a sip, his mouth curved into a faint smile.
"Congrats. A rising star from the West Blue—and now your rank's caught up with mine."
"Don't remind me." Gern rubbed his temples, exhaustion bleeding into his voice."Do you have any idea how I survived this past year at G-3?"
"Hah! Don't play innocent." Kuzan chuckled."Everyone at Headquarters knows Sakazuki practically worships you.Every time one of his proposals gets shot down, he just says,'If Gern were here, he'd agree with me.'It's practically his catchphrase now."
"That's exactly the problem!" Gern tilted his head back and drained his glass with a long sigh."Sakazuki believes in me too much!"
Kuzan raised a brow, intrigued.
"It was great at first," Gern said, pouring another drink."We wiped the nearby seas completely clean. Pirates didn't stand a chance.But you can't do a job too thoroughly."
He laughed bitterly.
"Eventually, we couldn't even find some small fry with a bounty barely over a hundred million."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Kuzan shrugged."Means you get to relax for once."
"Relax?" Gern burst out laughing, eyes hollow."That's where the nightmare started!Once there were no pirates left to fight, Sakazuki shifted his focus to base construction—and dragged me along with him!"
"…You're kidding." Kuzan winced."It's just paperwork, right?"
"Just paperwork?" Gern snarled."I can recite every single military expense G-3 Base has had over the past two years from memory!"
He leaned closer, lowering his voice dramatically.
"And you know what's truly terrifying?He moved his desk into my office. Said it was to 'improve efficiency.'Now every morning I wake up to that dead-serious face staring at me.No slacking. No breathing room."
"Pff—HAHAHAHA!" Kuzan's shoulders shook as he laughed."Didn't see that coming."
"Don't laugh!" Gern snapped."Do you know what it feels like when he looks at you with those eyes that say,'I trust you, Gern'?
It's like justice itself has shackled your soul!
I used to make mistakes without guilt.Now, when he looks at me like that, I'm terrified to submit a report even one minute late!"
He slumped back, utterly defeated.
"I'm too perfect in his eyes.He trusts me so much that I don't even have the nerve to slack off anymore!"
Kuzan wiped the tears from his eyes."Sounds like Sakazuki finally found your weakness."
Gern said nothing—just poured another drink and downed it in silence.
Seeing that, Kuzan didn't press further, changing the subject instead.
"So—what's next for you?Rear Admiral now. Headquarters should be assigning you something soon, right?"
"Who knows?" Gern shrugged."I'm technically on administrative leave."
He paused.
"And Fleet Admiral Steel Bone Kong keeps looking at me like I'm a bomb that could go off at any moment."
"Well, you and Sakazuki did nearly flip the New World upside down," Kuzan teased.
"Garp told me privately last time—if you two had made G-3 your long-term post,it might as well have become the new Marine Headquarters."
"Secure as hell," Gern agreed with a grin.
They clinked glasses.
Just then, the tavern door opened again, carrying with it a familiar scent.
"Gern! So this is where you were!"
Lipo's bright voice rang out as a white figure hurried inside.Her pink eyes sparkled, long ears bouncing lightly with each step.Her cheeks were flushed from training, beads of sweat still clinging to her forehead.
"Training's over?" Gern asked.
"Mhm!" noting vigorously.Then she spotted Kuzan and lit up."Mr. Kuzan! Are you here to drink too?"
He raised his glass with a grin."Came to congratulate your commander on his promotion."
Lipo happily scooted over to Gern, pulling out a carrot from her pocket and taking a crunchy bite.
"Instructor Zephyr praised me today!He said my Armament Haki has improved super fast!"
Gern ruffled her hair."Good. Next time you run into a Supernova worth over a hundred million, you'll at least last longer."
"I don't want to just last!" Lipo puffed out her cheeks."I want to get stronger!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Kuzan watched the two with a knowing smile."Looks like this 'adjutant' of yours is even tougher than Sakazuki."
Before Gern could respond, Lipo shot Kuzan a glare.
"What do you mean by that, Mr. Kuzan?"
Kuzan raised both hands innocently."Nothing—just saying… you two make a good pair."
Lipo froze. Her ear tips turned faintly red.
Then she grabbed Gern's sleeve indignantly."Gern! Mr. Kuzan is bullying me!"
Gern gave Kuzan a helpless look.The man was already laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking.
"That's enough," Gern said, standing up and grabbing his coat."Let's head back."
Lipo nodded eagerly, hopping along behind him.At the door, she turned back and stuck her tongue out at Kuzan.
Kuzan watched them leave, smiling softly.He finished the last sip of his drink and muttered to himself:
"Ah… youth really is something else…"
Then he paused.
"—Wait, hold on! How old am I again?!I'm still young too! Damn it, this is what happens when you hang around Garp too long."