When Luffy boldly declared his ambition to become Fleet Admiral, the three current Admirals showed surprisingly muted reactions.

Kizaru merely raised an eyebrow, his perpetually relaxed expression unchanged. He had never harbored aspirations for the position himself, content with the freedom his current rank afforded him without the burden of ultimate responsibility.

Aokiji remained equally unfazed. He had never actively sought the Fleet Admiral position either—his future candidacy would come only through Sengoku's nomination, and his competition with Akainu would be driven more by ideological differences than personal ambition.

In truth, as long as Akainu didn't ascend to Fleet Admiral, Kuzan had no objections to anyone else taking the position. If Kizaru somehow ended up with the job, he would accept it without complaint. And if Luffy eventually claimed the title? That possibility seemed too distant to warrant concern.

Akainu's reaction was the most telling. His brow furrowed momentarily before his expression cleared with sudden realization.

While Sakazuki certainly had designs on the Fleet Admiral position, Luffy's youth made him a non-threat in the immediate future. Even if Sengoku retired soon, it was inconceivable that the World Government would appoint someone so young to the Marines' highest office.

Logic dictated that one of the current Admirals would serve as an interim Fleet Admiral for at least a decade or two. By the time Luffy reached an appropriate age—thirty or forty, the prime of his career—Akainu would be approaching the latter stages of his own. Passing the torch then would be natural and expected.

More importantly, Akainu had been quietly monitoring Luffy's handling of criminal elements throughout his rapid rise through the ranks. The young Marine's approach was unexpectedly aligned with Sakazuki's own philosophy of Absolute Justice.

From his early days patrolling the East Blue to his current command position, Luffy had shown a surprisingly firm hand with pirates and criminals. He had even executed several corrupt branch commanders without seeking prior approval from Marine Headquarters—a decisive action that resonated with Akainu's hardline stance.

This realization led Sakazuki to a pragmatic conclusion: if fate denied him the Fleet Admiral position, he would rather see it go to Luffy than to the more lenient Aokiji. The Marine hierarchy must never fall to those who showed weakness toward criminal elements.

Observing the Admirals' lack of negative reaction, Sengoku allowed himself a small sigh of relief. A smile crept across his weathered features as he turned back to Luffy.

"You ambitious brat," he chuckled. "Focus on becoming an Admiral first before setting your sights on my chair."

His expression softened further.

"As for stationing in Mariejois—even if I approved such an assignment, those arrogant Celestial Dragons would never accept a fourteen-year-old as their protector, regardless of your accomplishments."

"Tch, you say that like anyone would be disappointed," Luffy replied with undisguised contempt, unable to hide his relief.

The most distasteful aspect of the Admiral rank was the obligation to serve as occasional bodyguard to the World Nobles. Being spared this degrading duty due to his youth was an unexpected silver lining that Luffy welcomed wholeheartedly. One less compromising position where he'd have to pretend loyalty to the system he secretly planned to overthrow.

"It's truly remarkable that you're becoming an Admiral so quickly," Vice Admiral Gion interjected, her voice carrying a hint of wistfulness. "I've dedicated years of service to the Marines, and I'm still only considered an Admiral candidate."

Though genuinely happy for Luffy's advancement, Gion couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy. Her complaint carried the familiar tone of an older sister teasing a younger brother who had somehow outpaced her.

Luffy regarded her with fond exasperation before offering his advice:

"Then you should intensify your training regimen," he said matter-of-factly. "Your candidate status proves you have the potential for further advancement."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"If that's not enough, consider finding a Devil Fruit with good development potential. The Marines would benefit tremendously from having you among the Admirals."

His expression grew more serious as he continued.

"Ideally, I'd like to see you, Yamakaji, and Issho all reach Admiral rank. With that level of strength concentrated in the Marines, the Four Emperors would have no reason to exist."

Momousagi rolled her eyes at his lecturing tone.

"You're dreaming," she scoffed good-naturedly. "I have complete faith that Issho will eventually join the Admirals, but Yamakaji? That's wishful thinking."

She shook her head in resignation.

"I haven't seen him engage in serious training since he became a Vice Admiral. He's grown complacent."

Zephyr listened to their exchange silently, a knowing look crossing his scarred face.

Vice Admiral Yamakaji had joined the Marines before any of the current Admirals, but he had never been under Zephyr's direct tutelage. Nevertheless, the former Admiral was well-acquainted with the man's character and career trajectory.

Gion's assessment was accurate. Yamakaji had lost his drive, seemingly content with his current position and unwilling to push himself further. His advancement to Admiral rank seemed increasingly unlikely.

As for Issho, Zephyr acknowledged the potential in this officer whom Luffy had personally recommended. His raw strength was undeniable, but his relatively recent enlistment meant he lacked the accumulated achievements necessary for higher promotion.

If only he could face off against the Four Emperors as Luffy had done, Zephyr mused. He wouldn't even need to defeat them—a documented confrontation, combined with the Marines' propaganda machine, would be enough to fast-track him to Admiral status.

Sengoku was contemplating similar thoughts, though his perspective was considerably more optimistic than Zephyr's.

Yamakaji's stagnation was unfortunate but ultimately inconsequential. What truly mattered was the meteoric rise of promising officers like Luffy and Issho—unexpected blessings that would reshape the Marines' future.

The possibility that the Marines might soon boast five concurrent Admirals—a historic first—brought an involuntary smile to Sengoku's face, the deep wrinkles around his eyes crinkling with genuine pleasure.

Throughout their eight-hundred-year history alongside the World Government, the Marines had never achieved such concentrated power at their highest ranks. The previous generation had suffered with merely two Admirals, largely due to Garp's stubborn refusal of promotion.

Now, counting himself, Garp, and Zephyr alongside the current and imminent Admirals, the Marines commanded a staggering eight individuals of Admiral-level strength.

This calculation struck Sengoku with sudden clarity, and his initial elation gave way to thoughtful consideration. With such unprecedented power at their disposal, how would the balance with the Four Emperors shift? For the first time in centuries, the Marines possessed the strength to potentially challenge the pirate world's established order directly.

As this realization settled over him, Sengoku's gaze drifted to Luffy, the young man whose unexpected path had catalyzed this transformation. Perhaps the boy's earlier boast wasn't so outlandish after all—with the Marines' growing strength, the Four Emperors might indeed become obsolete.