《One Piece: Rising》Chapter 59: Mihawk Arrives to Keep an Appointment? What Appointment!?

Marine Headquarters, Officer Residential Area.

In the courtyard of Xayuki's home:

Sakazuki was seated cross-legged on the ground, meticulously trimming a bonsai tree.

Not far from him, Borsalino leisurely held a watering can, sprinkling water over the flowers and plants in the garden.

On the grass opposite them stood a large parasol.

Underneath it, Sengoku and Garp were arguing heatedly over a box of rice crackers. Garp, in particular, was fuming. Out of the entire box, he'd only managed to grab two pieces before Sengoku devoured the rest. Enraged, he raised his fist, ready to teach Sengoku a lesson.

Sitting across from the two, Zephyr remained expressionless, though he struggled to suppress a laugh as he watched them bicker like children over rice crackers.

For a brief moment, he felt as if he had returned to his youth, back to an era where Sengoku was the most mischievous of the three of them, always managing to provoke the hot-headed Garp into explosive fits of rage.

Just then, a sudden chill swept through the courtyard.

Moments later, Kuzan hurried over, carrying four or five boxes of rice crackers in his arms.

Before Kuzan could set all the boxes down on the table, Sengoku and Garp had already snatched them up, leaving the table bare in an instant.

Seeing this, Kuzan let out a heavy sigh, exhaling a visible puff of cold air as he handed the last remaining box to Zephyr.

Zephyr accepted it without hesitation, tearing it open right away.

"Huh?"

A surprised voice suddenly came from behind Kuzan.

Before Kuzan or the others could react, a head popped out from behind him—it was none other than Sakazuki's mother.

The elderly woman peeked curiously over Kuzan's shoulder, glancing at the rice crackers in Zephyr's hands and then at Garp and Sengoku, who were munching away noisily. She then grabbed Kuzan's sleeve excitedly and asked, "Eldest son, what are these?"

"Eh?" Kuzan tilted his head to look at the elderly woman clutching his sleeve. His facial muscles twitched slightly before he raised a hand to point at Sakazuki, who was trimming bonsai nearby. "Ma'am, I'm Kuzan. Your son is over there."

"No, no, no! He's not my son!" The elderly woman shook her head firmly, refusing to let go of Kuzan's sleeve. "He's my eldest grandson. You're my son!"

"Ha?"

Sengoku, Zephyr, and Garp all widened their eyes in unison, turning to stare at Kuzan.

Even Sakazuki, on the other side of the courtyard, nearly froze in place at his mother's words.

"No, no, no, ma'am, you've got it wrong..."

Caught completely off guard by the elderly woman's mix-up, Kuzan began to panic. Though he and Sakazuki had clashed over their differing interpretations of Justice, he certainly didn't want to take advantage of him in this way.

Setting aside their ideological differences, there was also the matter of age—Sakazuki was five or six years older than Kuzan. Yet, according to the elderly woman's logic, Kuzan, being younger, had somehow become Sakazuki's father.

Emmm...

Why does this feel oddly satisfying?

While this thought crossed his mind, Kuzan dared not show it outwardly. After all, Sakazuki was glaring at him with eyes that could kill.

"I'm not mistaken!" The elderly woman insisted stubbornly, shaking Kuzan's sleeve. "Son, you're playing favorites! You bought snacks for them but not for me. Mama's upset!"

"Hiss—" Kuzan took a deep breath, for the first time in his life casting a pleading look toward Sakazuki.

Concerned that his mother might cause more confusion, Sakazuki quickly set down his bonsai tools and jogged over, awkwardly saying, "Mother, you've got it wrong. I'm your son. I'm Sakazuki!"

"What's wrong with you, child? You're my grandson... Wait, what's my grandson's name again?"

Pausing for a moment, the elderly woman seemed to lose interest in the topic. Instead, she pointed at the rice crackers in Zephyr's hands and tugged on Kuzan's sleeve. "Son, I want to eat those."

"Yare yare, this is troublesome~"

Kuzan glanced at the sleeve the elderly woman was gripping tightly. He considered pulling away but feared being ganged up on. Resigned, he softened his expression and, adopting the role of a dutiful son, said, "Alright, alright, ma'am. Please wait here. I'll go buy some for you."

"No, I want to go with you!" The elderly woman clung to his sleeve persistently.

"Alright~" Kuzan gave up struggling entirely, nodding like an obedient son. "Fine, fine, I'll take you with me."

With that, Kuzan took the elderly woman's hand and began walking slowly out of the courtyard at her pace.

"Huh?"

As they reached the gate, the elderly woman suddenly stopped and pointed at a bicycle parked under a tree. "Son, is that your bicycle? Can I ride it?"

Kuzan nodded again, walking over to retrieve the bike. Then, lifting the elderly woman onto the seat, he grabbed the handlebars and sat down. "Hold on tight, ma'am."

"Okay, okay! My son is amazing~"

The elderly woman clung to Kuzan like an excited child, chattering non-stop as the bicycle rolled away.

Back in the courtyard, Sakazuki's expression softened as he watched Kuzan pedal away with his mother. The fiery anger that had been building earlier gradually dissipated, replaced by an almost imperceptible smile—one he might not even have realized he was wearing.

"How heartwarming~"

Standing in the living room, Xayuki had witnessed the entire scene unfold. As he watched Kuzan ride off with the elderly woman, he turned to Gion with a grin and said, "Gion, did you see Sakazuki's expression? It was hilarious. When his mother mistook Kuzan for her son, he looked like he was about to explode!"

Gion nodded with a smile, having observed everything herself.

However, she had also felt a twinge of anxiety earlier. Today was a rare holiday for Marine Headquarters, a day for officers to gather and relax. She had worried that Sakazuki and Kuzan might end up arguing.

But not only had Sakazuki refrained from getting angry, he had even smiled after seeing his mother leave with Kuzan.

Understanding the significance of Sakazuki's smile, Gion felt reassured. "It seems that thanks to the elderly woman, the relationship between the two admirals has improved quite a bit."

Xayuki shrugged. "Well, as they say, having an elder at home is like having a treasure!"

"Fleet Admiral!!!!"

Suddenly, a loud shout from outside the courtyard drew the attention of everyone present, including the two admirals and three elders.

Before anyone could react, a Marine captain burst into the courtyard, saluting Xayuki before hurriedly reporting, "Dracule Mihawk... Mihawk has arrived at Marine Headquarters!"

Meanwhile, at the Marineford port, a coffin-shaped boat floated quietly by the dock.

Carrying the Supreme Grade Blade, the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, walked gracefully forward, surrounded by a group of tense Marine soldiers who watched his every move as though facing a formidable enemy.

"I am Dracule Mihawk!"

"Inform your Fleet Admiral—I've come to keep our appointment!"

Author's Note:

(That concludes today's updates. Feeling a bit under the weather, so I'll stabilize at two chapters a day for now. Hope you all understand!)

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

Explore More Amazing Fanfiction on My Patreon!

Unlock 30+ Advance Chapters and Enjoy Exclusive Stories Early!

��� patreon.com/GoldenLong