One Piece : Marine of the Straw Hat Pirates

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The port of Marineford, the headquarters of the Marines, was shaped like a crescent moon, with countless Marine warships docked along its various harbors.

However, scattered among these vessels were ships that, at first glance, resembled standard Marine warships but flew the skull and crossbones flag instead of the seagull emblem.

Smoker's eyes narrowed in surprise when he noticed these unusual ships.

"Huh? Has there been some big operation at headquarters recently? Why are there so many ships flying the pirate flag?" he muttered aloud.

Hina, who had been stationed at Marineford for some time, sighed and shook her head. After a brief pause, she explained, "That's because the Marine hero, Garp, started flying the skull and crossbones flag. A lot of Marine officers who admire him followed suit."

Smoker: …

Although Hina hadn't elaborated further, Smoker pieced together the situation. It likely had something to do with the Straw Hat Pirates. Garp, probably to make excuses for them, had adopted the skull and crossbones flag, setting off this peculiar trend.

After all, no one had ever decreed that a ship flying the skull and crossbones must be a pirate, nor that a ship with the seagull emblem must belong to the Marines.

At that moment, Vice Admiral Momonga, who was responsible for escorting Crocodile and Mr. 1, approached the group.

Vice Admiral Momonga, clad in a sharp suit, donned a Marine admiral's cloak with the word Justice emblazoned across the back. A renowned sword hung at his waist, completing his imposing appearance.

"Haha... I don't see anything wrong with Vice Admiral Garp flying the skull and crossbones flag!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Smoker turned around to see the Vice Admiral walking toward them with a broad grin.

"Vice Admiral Momonga!"

Both Smoker and Hina saluted him in unison.

The Vice Admiral acknowledged their salute with a nod, his smile unwavering as he continued, "Since warships with skull and crossbones flags started appearing in the Marine fleet, our efficiency in capturing pirates has skyrocketed!"

"To be precise," he added, chuckling, "many pirates willingly approach warships flying those flags, thinking they're dealing with fellow outlaws."

A glint of admiration shone in his eyes as he continued, "Vice Admiral Garp truly lives up to his reputation as a hero of the Marines. Only someone like him could come up with such a clever way to boost our results!"

Smoker couldn't help but roll his eyes internally. He knew that Vice Admiral was a devoted admirer of Garp.

But it wasn't just Momonga. Garp's influence was so immense that his actions were often unquestioned. He was a living legend and the very symbol of Marine heroism. Many officers had joined the Marines because of his legacy.

Momonga, snapping back to the matter at hand, turned his attention to Smoker and Hina. "Oh? By the way, where are Crocodile and the private Marines you mentioned taking over?"

Hina gestured toward a nearby pair standing at the edge of the port, gazing at Marineford's grandeur. "Those two are the captain and vice-captain of the private Marines."

"As for Crocodile, he'll be brought out shortly," she added.

Following her gesture, Momonga's gaze landed on the back of one of the figures, Ikki.

It wasn't the man's stature or presence that caught Momonga' attention—it was the bold text emblazoned on the back of his coat:

[In the name of the people!]

Seeing the words [In the name of the people!] on Ikki's back, Momonga was struck by a wave of nostalgia for his lost youth.

"Why did I become a Marine in the first place? Was it to fight evil? Or to gain fame across the seas?"

He sighed inwardly, recalling his original motivation. 'No... I became a Marine for the ordinary people who cannot fight against evil.'

Reflecting on how much he had changed since becoming a lieutenant general, he couldn't help but feel bitter. 'It's not people who change the environment; it's the environment that changes people.'

He thought about those enslaved by the World Nobles and the innocent lives auctioned like commodities. 'Are they not weak? And yet, we turn a blind eye...'

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku's decision to create an independent private Marine force was the right one," he murmured, admiring the idea of a less-restrained justice.

With that thought, Momonga approached Ikki and Luffy.

"Hello! I'm Marine Vice Admiral Momonga, and I've been sent to escort you."

Hearing his introduction, the group stepped forward to respond.

"I'm Luffy, captain of the Straw Hats!" Luffy announced, but then caught himself just as he was about to blurt out his dream. "I'm the man who will... lead the strongest Navy!"

"I'm Ikki, the vice-captain of the Straw Hats!"

"Zoro Roronoa, swordsman," Zoro stated plainly.

"I'm Edogawa Conan, a detective!"

Among the group, Zoro's attention was fixed on Vice Admiral Momonga, or rather, the sword at his waist and the sharp aura of a seasoned swordsman emanating from him. Even Zoro's sword, Kuina, seemed to tremble in anticipation.

Momonga noticed Zoro's focus and smirked. "What's wrong, swordsman? Do you want to test your blade against mine?"

"Yes," Zoro replied with a determined look. "Please, give me some guidance!"

Though Momonga could tell Zoro was far from his level, he agreed without hesitation. After all, Zoro was part of the private Marine. Strengthening a force of justice was always worthwhile.

While they spoke, Crocodile and Mr. 1 were finally escorted to Crescent Square.

Momonga instinctively reached for his sword's hilt upon seeing Crocodile. Like many Marines, he harbored a deep disdain for the Shichibukai system.

Crocodile noticed and chuckled. "What's this? Are you planning to cut me down here, Vice Admiral?"

Momonga relaxed his grip but replied sharply, "Crocodile, you won't be the first Shichibukai to fall."

With that, Momonga took the lead toward Marineford, followed by Smoker, Hina, the Straw Hats, and the escorted prisoners.

Upon entering the Marine headquarters, Momonga ordered his men to take Crocodile to the prison while he escorted the Straw Hats to the office area. Their destination was clear—Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office.

As they reached the door, they overheard a conversation inside.

"Fleet Admiral, I think we should allow the teacher to join the private Marines. His guerrilla force would integrate seamlessly with them," said a familiar voice.

"Are you referring to Zephyr?" Sengoku replied. "I've considered it, but even with the private Marine initiative, I suspect he'll prefer to work alone—forming his own guerrilla team."

Just as Sengoku finished, a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Sengoku called out, motioning to the man seated opposite him—Aokiji—to continue their discussion later.

As the door opened, Sengoku handed a confidential document to his goat, which promptly began to eat it.