The three Vice Admirals looked at Luffy with silent eye rolls, recognizing his attempt to manipulate the situation to his advantage. Yet beneath their exasperation, they couldn't help but admire the young man standing before them.
As Vice Admirals of the Marines, they knew all too well the organization's deteriorating reputation among civilians in recent years. In some regions, thanks to corrupt Marine officers, the hatred civilians harbored for Marines even surpassed their fear of pirates.
In this context, what Luffy and his subordinates had accomplished was remarkable—treating civilians with respect and dignity, making them willingly accept Marine governance. It was an achievement worthy of recognition.
This success proved that Luffy hadn't strayed from the path of justice. He was showing himself to be a promising successor, worthy of the Marines' continued investment in his development.
That's right—the three Vice Admirals had suspected that Fleet Admiral Sengoku intended to groom Luffy as his potential successor. They'd worried that placing someone so young in such an influential position might lead to complacency or corruption. Yet Luffy's performance had far exceeded their expectations.
However, they weren't about to take Luffy's word at face value. They would need to verify his claims by discreetly observing conditions on Onigashima and throughout Wano Country. They needed to confirm whether the reality matched Luffy's portrayal. Their findings would influence not only their own positions regarding Luffy but also the extent of Fleet Admiral Sengoku's future support for the young Vice Admiral.
"Well done," the normally stern Doberman finally spoke, his words unusually full of praise. "Our Marine's reputation has been suffering lately. We need capable young officers like you, Luffy, to lead by example."
Momonga's face softened into an approving smile as he looked at Luffy. "Compared to you, I'm starting to feel old now. Keep it up, Luffy. This is your era—it's almost time for old-timers like us to retire."
"Hey, you're going too far, Momonga!" Comil interjected with perfect timing. "I still want to serve the Marines for a few more years and earn a decent pension before retiring."
His joke lightened the mood, prompting laughter from everyone present. Small sparks of lightning danced around Luffy's shoulders as he chuckled, extending his hand in invitation.
"Alright, Uncles, our Marines have been standing at attention for long enough. Let's head inside for some tea and continue our conversation there."
The three Vice Admirals nodded in agreement. Luffy took the lead, guiding them toward the Marine port's meeting room. Kujaku, Kalifa, and the other women followed closely behind, while the port's commanding officer remained to coordinate with Comil's personnel.
They would handle the massive equipment and supply transfer that had accompanied the three Vice Admirals. After both sides made contact and confirmed everything was in order, the military port quickly buzzed with activity. Crates of weapons and ammunition were unloaded through their combined efforts.
Meanwhile, all 10,000 computers stood ready for loading once space became available on the warships.
Inside the Marine port's reception room, away from the rank-and-file Marines, everyone noticeably relaxed. During this time, the medical officer took the initiative to serve everyone tea.
Luffy introduced the women to the three Vice Admirals one by one. Kujaku was already familiar to them as Vice Admiral Tsuru's granddaughter. Olivia, originally a Marine and now their primary partner in this transaction, was someone they'd seen in photographs at Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office before departing.
Then there was Kalifa, a former CP member and current Marine Captain, whom they'd heard mentioned occasionally. As for Violet and Koala, who held the rank of Commander and were introduced as the Chief and Deputy Chief of Intelligence for the G-66 branch, none of the three Vice Admirals recognized them.
This didn't prevent them from noticing the common characteristic among all the women—each was exceptionally beautiful, a world-class beauty in her own right.
In addition, they recalled rumors about Luffy's girlfriend from his Academy days, and others suggesting he had won the heart of Vice Admiral Gion, one of the Marines' most sought-after women. Then there were the persistent whispers about his connection to Empress Hancock herself.
These observations made the three Vice Admirals suspicious. This kid whose hair isn't even fully grown, they thought, is he perhaps making personnel decisions based on personal connections and appearance rather than merit?
Noticing the strange looks the three men frequently directed toward the women, Luffy set down his teacup and cleared his throat pointedly.
"I can see what you're thinking," he said, electricity subtly crackling around his fingertips, "but don't jump to conclusions. The capabilities of Koala and Violet have been personally verified by Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Their importance, strength, and marine achievements speak for themselves."
Hearing this, Momonga coughed twice and said, "Ahem, we didn't mean anything by it. Don't read too much into our expressions."
Comil and Doberman nodded silently, as if they hadn't just been speculating about Luffy having improper relationships with his female officers.
Luffy rolled his eyes in annoyance but chose not to call them out further.