Chapter 71 General Candidate

The mission was over.

Smoker returned to Navy Headquarters.

Marineford was filled with cheer and celebration.

This operation against the Pirate Alliance was an undeniable success for the Navy.

Of the five infamous pirates, except for Wang Zhi, who remained at Beehive Island, and Fire Flower, whose whereabouts were unknown, all others had perished in battle.

This was the Navy's most significant victory since capturing the Golden Lion.

The Navy celebrated enthusiastically, while the World Government breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

If those five had formed an alliance, it would have caused chaos on an unprecedented scale.

Should one of them have reached Emperor-level strength, it would have destabilized not just the New World but the entire globe!

But this world-altering crisis had been neutralized with ease by the Navy.

Amid such glory, the death of Kruce at Zephyr's hands seemed trivial.

Although the users of the Smash Pirates' abilities had all mysteriously died, neither the World Government nor Navy Headquarters had any interest in investigating.

After all, they only cared about pirate heads, prisoners of war, and headlines proclaiming "Justice Prevails!"

Smoker greeted Hina briefly, donned a cloak to conceal his unmistakable white hair, and headed alone to the scrapyard docks.

There, a man in a tuxedo with a handlebar mustache waited anxiously.

When he saw Smoker approach, the man beamed and hurried over.

"Chahahaha! Smoker, you're late!"

"Apologies, Transport. It's unusually lively at headquarters today. It took some effort to slip away."

Transport glanced at the distant Navy Headquarters, its bustling energy still audible from afar.

He stroked his mustache. "Only one admiral, yet they cleanly defeated such formidable enemies... The Navy Headquarters is truly awe-inspiring!"

Smoker lit a cigar, offering one to Transport. After taking a puff, he smirked knowingly.

"Afraid? You're Transport, the famed Route Pioneer and right-hand man to Umit. You're not supposed to scare that easily!"

Umit, the Underworld Emperor known as the King of Shipping, commanded respect across the Grand Line.

Transport was one of his most trusted subordinates.

Under normal circumstances, people from the underworld avoided the Navy like the plague, and Smoker would have had no dealings with someone like Transport.

However, through Zephyr's "arrangements," Smoker had "accidentally" saved him once, leading to an unusual camaraderie.

Whether the friendship was genuine or calculated, who could say?

Regardless, their bond extended into a profitable business relationship.

Smoker led Transport to a secluded shore, where several unmarked ships were anchored.

These were pirate ships Smoker had amassed over time.

He'd realized the Navy was enthusiastic about capturing pirates but showed little interest in their ships—either abandoning them or sinking them outright.

What a waste!

A good ship could be worth as much as a bounty.

Over the years, Smoker had hoarded pirate ships in his dark dimension until it became a burden. That's when he had Zephyr help him find a buyer.

Transport turned out to be the perfect client.

They struck a deal—cash for ships—and both parties felt like winners.

After completing the transaction, Smoker sighed.

"Umit dominates the Grand Line's shipping industry. Why bother with these side hustles?"

Transport gave a bitter smile.

"Don't even ask. No matter how much I earn, it's all for the boss. Doing business with you? That's profit I can call my own."

"Smoker, my friend, promise me this—save any future ships for me! I'll make it worth your while."

Smoker nodded. "Deal. Don't worry."

Suddenly, he remembered something.

"By the way, how's Zephyr doing? Haven't heard any news about her in a while!"

Transport chuckled.

"Zephyr? The infamous Gambling Queen of the underworld? She's doing great! She's opened a massive casino in Mogu Town, crushed her rivals, and is riding high right now. Chahahaha!"

Smoker nodded and said casually, "As long as she's fine. I've been quite concerned about her..."

Transport chuckled knowingly.

"Is it really okay for a Navy officer to be concerned about a traitor?"

Smoker's expression turned enigmatic.

"A traitor? What does that have to do with me? All I know is that woman knows how to make money..."

Transport blinked, then nodded in agreement. "You're sharp as always, my friend."

After exchanging a few more words, Transport prepared to leave.

"I'm off now! Let's stay in touch!"

He patted the ships one by one, then hopped onto one. Without raising a sail, the ship started moving on its own.

The rest of the ships formed a neat line behind it, obediently following.

Smoker clicked his tongue in amazement.

"That Driving Fruit is ridiculously convenient..."

Transport had eaten the Paramecia-type Driving Fruit.

As long as it wasn't a living being, anything he touched—whether a carriage or a ship—could move freely under his control.

While the ability didn't enhance combat power much, in the shipping industry, it was god-tier.

Once Transport disappeared into the distance, a cloud of white smoke descended from above.

"Smoker, I knew I'd find you here!"

The smoke swirled and took Hina's form. She glanced at the ships vanishing over the horizon.

"Transport already left?"

"Yeah..."

"You should thank Kalu. Without her help, those ships wouldn't have made it out of the harbor."

Kalu was a close friend of Hina's and a Navy captain.

She'd eaten the Paramecia-type Dye Dye Fruit, giving her the ability to recolor non-living objects at will.

Every time Smoker needed to smuggle pirate ships out, he relied on Kalu to change their appearance. Otherwise, the ships would be blasted to pieces as soon as they left the dock.

Smoker sighed, exasperated.

"Kalu specifically asked you to pass on that message, didn't she?"

Seeing Hina's knowing smile, he sighed again and retrieved two bottles of liquor from the shadows.

"These are the last two. Tell her to make them last, or she'll have to wait a long time for more!"

"And remind her to be careful. If Teacher Zephyr intercepts her again, I'm not taking responsibility!"

"Got it!" Hina nodded, taking the bottles. "I'll get going now. Kalu's still waiting for me!"

"Oh, one more thing." Hina pulled a file from her pocket.

"This is the promotion list we just received. Take a look. And don't forget to treat Kuzan and Garp to a meal later."

With that, she transformed into smoke and flew off.

Smoker opened the promotion file, muttering the contents aloud.

"Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral Sakazuki, nominated as an Admiral candidate, codename Akainu."

"Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral Borsalino, nominated as an Admiral candidate, codename Kizaru."

"Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral Kuzan, nominated as an Admiral candidate, codename Aokiji."

"Navy Headquarters Rear Admiral Garp, promoted to Vice Admiral."

"Navy Headquarters Rear Admiral Doberman, promoted to Vice Admiral."

"Navy Headquarters Rear Admiral Strawberry, promoted to Vice Admiral."

"Navy Headquarters Rear Admiral Onigumo, promoted to Vice Admiral."

And the list went on...

After finishing the long list, Smoker lit another cigar, taking a deep drag.

According to Navy protocols, unless something major occurred—like Garp refusing promotion to Admiral or a later-world draft—the nominated Admirals would officially take their posts within three years.

So that means...

In three years, Fleet Admiral Kong will become the Supreme Commander of the World Government's forces, Sengoku will be promoted to Fleet Admiral, and the three Admirals will step into their roles.

The Navy... is about to enter a new era!