Over the next few days, as the date of the Marine Headquarters' high-level conference drew closer,Gern—normally a figure who appeared and disappeared like a dragon, impossible to pin down—rarely left the base.
For once, the supreme commander of G-10 behaved himself and stayed put.
He even… picked up the duties of his long-neglected actual job.
At the top floor of the base, inside what was once an office so spacious you could practically gallop a horse through it, piles of documents now filled every available surface.
Gern sat behind his massive desk, a pair of plain, hastily found glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. His brows were drawn together in concentration as his pen flew across report after report, application after application, issuing rapid annotations and approvals.
That serious, focused expression—so utterly absorbed in paperwork—
was worlds apart from his usual image: either shaking the heavens apart on the training grounds, or lazing around on some vacation island under the sun.
At that moment—
Bang!
The office door was kicked open without the slightest courtesy.
Tezoro entered, struggling under the weight of a stack of documents even taller than himself.
The instant his eyes landed on Gern—seated at his desk, radiating the unmistakable aura of a clerical admiral—
"...Huh???"
Tezoro froze on the spot, his expression turning indescribably strange.
Unfamiliar.Far too unfamiliar!!
"Admiral Gern… is actually reviewing documents?"
The sight felt surreal—borderline terrifying.
Noticing Tezoro staring at him as if he'd seen a ghost, Gern slowly removed the glasses and tossed them onto the desk. He rubbed his slightly aching temples and spoke with a trace of fatigue.
"What, didn't Stella already move into G-10 with Little Gold?"He glanced up. "I gave you leave so you could spend time with your family. Why are you back already?"
Snapping out of it, Tezoro carefully set the documents down on an empty desk nearby.
Then, as naturally as breathing, he picked up the teapot and refilled Gern's now-empty cup with steaming tea.
With a light chuckle, he replied,"Lipo and Ginny are keeping them company—it's lively over there."
"And Stella's completely in 'experienced mother' mode now. She's personally teaching Lipo how to take care of a pregnant woman, while passing her wisdom on to Ginny."
He shrugged."If I stayed there as a man, I'd just be in the way."
After a brief pause, he shot Gern a teasing look.
"But that said… witnessing Admiral Gern bent over a desk, diligently working—this really is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle."
He grinned."How about I invite Morgans' top reporter from the World Economy News for an exclusive interview, hmm?'The Desk-Bound Admiral.'"
"Heh. Enough with the nonsense."
Gern snorted and ignored the jab. He took a sip of tea, his eyes sharpening as he fixed Tezoro with a steady gaze.
"Tezoro. You know exactly what this headquarters meeting means once it's over, don't you?"
The moment he felt Gern's seriousness, Tezoro dropped his joking tone. Habitually smoothing back his meticulously styled green pompadour, he smiled calmly.
"Of course."
"It means that from this moment on, G-10 will truly and legitimately belong to us."
"The World Government and Marine Headquarters' old fossils—if they want to interfere here again, they'll have to weigh our fists first… and our control over the economic lifelines."
He continued, voice steady and confident:
"More importantly, it means you, Admiral Gern, will have successfully completed the second stage of your life—the most dangerous and difficult one."
"You've pried loose, from inside the massive machine of the Marines and the World Government,a rock-solid foundation that is entirely under our control."
"With G-10 as our base—we can advance, stand firm in the New World, contend with the Four Emperors, and even… aim higher."
"Or we can retreat, ruling our corner as an independent power that no one can afford to ignore."
"No matter which path we choose next, the initiative is now firmly in our hands."
Gern didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he lifted his tea cup and walked to the window, taking a quiet sip.
Outside, the New World's summer wind—salty, humid, and brimming with life—ruffled the strands of hair on his forehead.
He looked out over the orderly bustle of G-10.
Over the seas he had personally fought for, protected, and expanded.
And in his mind, memories flickered past like a revolving lantern.
From the very beginning—
A nobody from a branch base, scraping together money to bribe his way into God Valley, where fate itself seemed to smile upon him.
The acquisition of the Quake-Quake Fruit, and the black blade Eight Desolations—the moment he truly gained the capital to survive in this world… and even climb to the top.
Then came the careful manipulation of Zeff—becoming his direct disciple, gaining orthodox teachings and the protective halo of a "Hero's student,"paving the way for promotion while maintaining a delicate balance.
During Fleet Admiral Kong's era, relying on strength, achievements, and just a hint of "foreknowledge,"he advanced steadily to Vice Admiral, his service record overflowing with distinguished feats.
More importantly, during that period, he secured his earliest and most crucial allies using two Devil Fruits—
Lipo, with her absurd, bug-level healing ability,and Tezoro, possessing a top-tier business mind and unparalleled management talent.
Then, using his knowledge of the "story," at the perfect time and place—
He personally captured Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
That single act catapulted him onto the altar of legend within the Marines, his prestige unmatched.
And in the final phase of Kong's administration, leveraging that unrivaled reputation and merit—
He secured the right to establish G-10 in the New World, finally claiming a land of his own.
Entering Sengoku's era, he rose smoothly to Admiral, earning the title "White Qilin," ushering in the age of four admirals.
Using G-10 as a platform, combined with strength and ideology, he gathered a core force of monsters—
Torritoma the Snake Princess,Enel,Douglas Bullet,Dracule Mihawk,Bartholomew Kuma—
forming the catastrophic combat unit known as Heavenly Calamity.
The final step—
The Holy Land incident.
Cooperating with Sengoku in silent understanding, he seized power directly from the World Government,wresting away greater autonomy and resources,and finally cementing G-10's independent status.
Every step seemed logical in hindsight.
In truth, every step had been like walking on thin ice.
Every decision carried life-or-death consequences, demanding flawless judgment and unquestionable strength.
Thinking back on more than a decade of careful maneuvering—of dancing on the edge of a blade—
Gern drained the remaining tea in his cup in one gulp, feeling the warmth and faint bitterness slide down his throat.
At last, it escaped him as a sigh—heavy with exhaustion, relief, and reflection.
"…This road I've walked…""Damn…""It really hasn't been easy."