Just as Sengoku was gritting his teeth and cursing Borsalino in his heart—already thinking about how to strip that bastard of his position as adjutant—a timid voice suddenly spoke up behind him.
"Um... Admiral Sengoku, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Would you be available for an interview?"
Sengoku froze, then immediately lit up with joy.
Finally, someone who knows what's what!
He quickly wiped the smile off his face and turned around with a calm, composed expression.
Standing before him was a young female reporter wearing glasses and a business suit. She held a camera and notebook, looking up at him with a hopeful expression.
Looks like a rookie...
Sengoku glanced at her shy demeanor and allowed a warm smile to spread across his face. He spoke gently,
"Of course, no problem. What would you like to ask? As long as it doesn't involve classified military intel, I can share anything..."
He paused, then winked at her.
"...Even exclusive material."
The reporter's eyes lit up at once.
"Really? That's wonderful, Admiral Sengoku!"
Sengoku chuckled.
"Of course. So, what kind of story are you looking to write?
About the battle itself? My strategic planning for this mission? Or perhaps my insights into the future state of the seas?"
The reporter eagerly flipped open her notebook and clicked her pen, face brimming with anticipation.
"What I'd like to ask is..."
She hesitated, then said sheepishly,
"Do you happen to know Commodore Daren's criteria for choosing a partner?"
Sengoku: "..."
The smile on his old face froze.
"Which news agency are you from?"
Trying hard to maintain his composure, Sengoku forced the question out.
The reporter blinked, then beamed sweetly.
"Entertainment Gossip Weekly."
Sengoku: "..."
A vein throbbed on his forehead, and his mouth twitched.
"If it's about Commodore Daren, I suggest you go ask him directly."
The reporter awkwardly pointed toward the cluster of people mobbing the Marine commodore.
"There are too many people around him... I can't get through."
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
Sengoku: "..."
Seeing his face grow darker by the second, the reporter quickly added,
"Admiral Sengoku, you didn't have anyone around at the time, so I rushed over. I was afraid I wouldn't get a chance later."
Sengoku: "..."
He rubbed his chest and stared at her blankly.
"You're an intern, aren't you?"
The reporter gasped.
"How did you know!?"
She looked up at the Admiral—his face now as dark as the bottom of a pot—with awe in her eyes.
"Admiral Sengoku, your judgment is incredible!"
Sengoku: "..."
It was obvious the moment I saw you!
Suddenly, Sengoku felt exhausted.
He sighed and waved her off.
"I don't know what kind of woman Daren is into.
Try again later when you get the chance."
Anyway, as long as she's a pretty woman, that damn brat will never let her go.
With that, Sengoku turned around and walked slowly through the crowd toward Kong, his back looking more desolate than ever.
...
To handle the surge of reporters, a long table draped in red cloth was quickly set up.
An impromptu press conference began.
Seated from left to right were the key figures of the operation:
Admiral Sengoku, Commodore Daren, and Rear Admiral Borsalino.
Click, click, click—
No sooner had the three taken their seats than a barrage of camera flashes erupted, with excited reporters firing off photos in a frenzy.
"Alright, let's get started,"
Kong called out casually from below the stage.
The moment his voice fell, every reporter in the room shot their hands up.
But their gazes were all fixed squarely on the yawning Commodore, completely ignoring Sengoku and Borsalino beside him.
Sengoku: "..."
"Daren, you handle this."
He muttered irritably.
Daren blinked, then casually swept his eyes over the crowd and pointed to a reporter at random.
The chosen reporter jumped to their feet in excitement, eyes gleaming as they asked,
"Commodore Daren, it's said that during this operation, the Marines infiltrated an auction and used a large sum of money to participate. Is that true?"
Daren smiled and nodded.
"Yes, it was all part of the mission plan.
After all, our true target was Shiki the Golden Lion. Until he appeared, we had to keep our identities hidden."
"As for the funds—well, that's thanks to the generous support from headquarters."
Sengoku: ???
He turned to Daren in disbelief, only to see the latter flashing him a smile.
Kong's grin froze instantly. Veins bulged on his forehead.
Beside him, Zephyr grabbed his arm in a panic, his face flushed red.
"Old man Kong, calm down, calm down... Everyone's watching..."
Kong clenched his jaw so hard it creaked.
Just then, Daren pointed to another reporter.
"Commodore Daren, we heard that not only did the Marines destroy Shiki's fleet, but you also recovered the powerful Moa Moa no Mi."
"Can you tell us how the Moa Moa no Mi will be used?"
Daren responded with a relaxed smile.
"This was a victory for the entire Navy.
The Moa Moa no Mi is a valuable trophy, and we all recognize its importance."
"Of course, after careful consideration by Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku, they've decided to leave the fruit's disposition to me. I'm truly grateful for their trust."
Sengoku: ???
Kong: ???
"Don't do this, old man Kong—everyone's watching!"
Zephyr quickly tightened his grip on Kong's arm. The Fleet Admiral's face was already bright red with fury.
"That damn brat!! I haven't even decided what to do with the Moa Moa no Mi! Zephyr, let go of me!!"
Kong growled through gritted teeth.
Zephyr, sweating profusely, leaned in and whispered,
"The previous owner of the Moa Moa no Mi was Byrnndi World. Daren took him down and made a major contribution. It's only fair he gets to decide what to do with the fruit."
"And what about the auction money!? Nearly a billion! That brat buys things and expects us to reimburse him?!"
Kong hissed through clenched teeth.
Zephyr's mouth twitched. He gave a dry cough.
"Uh... maybe just treat it as a reward?"
Kong: ...
"You damn softie, always covering for your students!"
Zephyr grinned sheepishly.
At that moment, another reporter stood up—
It was the same young woman who had tried to interview Sengoku earlier.
"Um... Commodore Daren, I have a question I think many people are curious about..."
Her cheeks were tinged with red as she looked shyly at Daren.
"What are your criteria for choosing a partner?"
The crowd instantly perked up with curiosity.
Blushes bloomed across the faces of young women and wives alike.
"Oh, that..."
Daren paused, then winked at the reporter and replied with a smile,
"Sorry, that information is classified by the Navy. No comment."
Sengoku: …
Kong: …
Zephyr: ...
Seeing more hands still raised, Daren gently motioned for the crowd to settle down and said with a grin,
"Apologies, but that's all the time I have for questions."
He pointed to the bandage on his chest.
"As you can see, I'm still recovering from my injuries. I need rest.
The rest of the interview... I'll leave to Admiral Sengoku."
Daren stood up and looked at Sengoku sincerely.
"While it might look like I was the one who took the spotlight and brought down Shiki's airborne fleet, I want to be honest with everyone—
Admiral Sengoku is the real hero."
"Without his protection, planning, deterrence, and above all, his trust and support... this operation would never have succeeded."
"He's the true cornerstone of this victory."
"Now, let's give a warm round of applause for Admiral Sengoku!"
Daren took the lead and began clapping.
The reporters followed, and soon the applause thundered across the room.
Sengoku finally snapped out of his daze.
Looking down at the reporters' eager faces, he was stunned for a long moment before a brilliant smile slowly appeared on his face.
He threw a grateful glance at Daren, then straightened up, cleared his throat, and stood tall.
His old confidence returned as he smiled with renewed spirit.
"Well then, I'll keep it brief."