Although it was already late at night, with the bright moon hanging high and a sea of stars filling the sky, for some people, it was the perfect time to enjoy themselves.
Marineford, as the headquarters of the world's largest military organization, the Marines, naturally had no shortage of electric lighting, which also made nightlife on the island more convenient.
Men and women, some in uniforms and others in casual clothes, could be seen converging from all directions along the streets to one location.
The Seagull Tavern!
This was the only tavern on the island and also the largest multi-story public tavern capable of accommodating thousands of people at once. Whether they were active-duty Marines or their family members, everyone could enjoy a variety of drinks and food here.
In fact, over a decade ago, this tavern wasn't as large or multi-storied because the island's population was much smaller at the time.
According to regulations, as long as one held the rank of Marine Captain or above, they could bring their family members here. However, back then, not many were willing to move such a long distance.
But ever since the incident eight years ago, where the family of Marine Admiral Zed was attacked and killed by pirates outside the island, nearly 80% of Marine officers chose to bring their families here.
As a result, the population surged, and the higher-ups allocated funds to expand the tavern.
There's even an amusing rumor about this, saying that because the island's population had grown so much, the tavern's seating became insufficient. Marshal Kong, finding it difficult to even secure a spot for a drink, became so frustrated that he ordered the construction of an additional floor.
At this moment, within the vast expanse of the tavern, the strong beats of drums and the melodies of various string instruments, accompanied by the infectious voice of a female singer, filled every corner of the air.
There were no colorful lights here, nor were there scantily clad women with seductive smiles. Instead, there was only the warm glow of soft yellow lighting, which in no way diminished the lively atmosphere.
Around sturdy square wooden tables, groups of cheerful drinkers sat together, no longer concerned about differences in status or rank. They held large mugs filled with golden ale, laughing heartily with their arms around each other's shoulders.
Bartenders, many of whom were family members of the Marines, swiftly moved between tables and people, delivering drinks and food to every guest, occasionally exchanging jokes and laughter.
"Cheers!!!"
On the second floor, a group of people had pushed three wooden tables together. They raised their heavy beer mugs, clinked them together, and then tilted their heads back to drink deeply, the liquid quickly flowing down their throats.
[Thud, thud, thud]
One by one, the emptied mugs were slammed back onto the table. Kuzan, with a broad smile on his face, laughed heartily at Dragon, who sat across from him, "Congratulations on your great achievement and promotion to Vice Admiral!"
"Congratulations! Congratulations!"
"Among us, after Kuzan and the other two, another Vice Admiral has emerged!"
"Hahaha, tell us how you took down that Slave King!"
Dragon stood up and smiled as he looked around at his friends—Kuzan, Yamakaji, Momonga, Komei—all graduates from the first three classes of the training camp.
Although the training camp had new students every year, the closest bonds were formed among the first three classes. Those who came after were more like ordinary colleagues, not as close.
Except for those who couldn't return due to being stationed elsewhere, everyone had gathered here to celebrate his recent promotion to Vice Admiral.
"Teacher, thank you so much for coming. This one's for you alone."
Finally, Dragon's gaze rested on the most respected elder, Zed. He picked up the beer, filled his glass to the brim, and downed it in one gulp.
"Hahaha, impressive drinking!" Zed laughed heartily, not to be outdone, he picked up the glass that Kuzan had filled for him and drained it as well.
"Alright, that's enough beer for now. I want to try the liquor from Fish-Man Island. You all can help yourselves!"
Earlier today, Dragon had been chatting with Kuzan in the office when Tsuru called to inform him that another of his students had been promoted to Vice Admiral.
Upon hearing this, Kuzan enthusiastically organized this celebration and even dragged his teacher along, saying that since he hadn't celebrated his own promotion to Vice Admiral, they might as well do it together this time.
"Come on, tell us about your trip to the South Sea. Just reading about it in the newspapers got my blood pumping. That Slave King must have been really strong, right? I heard from Rear Admiral Avène that you were quite injured?"
Kuzan urged Dragon as he sat down, with Momonga, Yamakaji, and others around them also looking on with curiosity.
Speaking of which, the latest issue of the newspaper had been distributed worldwide this afternoon, and now everyone knew about Dragon's defeat of the 'Slave King' and his rescue of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
This had become the hottest topic in the Seagull Tavern tonight. You could see the neighboring tables of Marines all perking up their ears, openly looking over.
"Alright, I'll start from when I received the mission order. It's a long story, but I'll try to keep it brief." Dragon didn't shy away, but there was no hint of pride on his face, still as steady and composed as ever, which only made Zed admire him even more.
Before this, Zed's most famous students were Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan, but now Dragon had joined their ranks.
To be honest, among the four, Zed liked Dragon the most because of his serious attitude towards physical combat, followed by Sakazuki, while Borsalino was his least favorite.
As Dragon began to narrate, although the music and singing from the first floor continued, everyone at Kuzan's table, as well as the surrounding Marines and their families, naturally quieted down, even deliberately softening the sound of putting down their beer glasses.
Even the well-traveled Zed listened silently.
Since stepping down from his position as Admiral and becoming the headmaster of the Marine Academy, he had stopped paying special attention to outside events, only glancing at major incidents like the execution of the Pirate King.
When Dragon started talking about leading fifty Marine officers and using the power of the Hurricane Fruit to launch a surprise attack on Sabac City from the sky via a 'Airship,' the expressions of the listeners around him became excited and expectant.
Kuzan, Momonga, Yamakaji, and others closest to him listened with great interest, but they frowned when they heard about the appearance of over a hundred Black-Marked Guards whose strength was enough to suppress Marine Commanders.
However, the most captivating part began with the grand entrance of the 'Slave King,' King Taklama, who swept in with a sandstorm.
His formidable Armament Haki, Observation Haki, masterful staff techniques, and even the awakened ability to enslave sandstorms as pets.
Each of these instances made one feel the immense power of the Slave King. Kuzan couldn't help but ponder in secret, "If it were me, could I endure it?" His Ice-Ice Fruit ability had not yet awakened, and his physical skills and Haki were not on par with Dragon's. No matter how he looked at it, the situation seemed a bit precarious.
Thinking about the title of Admiral Candidate that hung over his head, he felt somewhat concerned, or rather, a sense of tension and urgency began to emerge.
Among the four Logia-type users at Marine Headquarters, it was clear that he was the weakest.
Although this had a lot to do with his age, strength is strength, and weakness is weakness. When facing a powerful enemy, they wouldn't care about your age.
Moreover, he would be stationed at Fish-Man Island for a long time in the future. That place was the 'gate' between 'Paradise' and the 'New World,' and he was bound to encounter the strong warriors of the 'New World.'
"It seems I need to focus on improving my strength as soon as I return. Whether it's for myself or to protect the safety of Fish-Man Island, I must quickly reach the level of an Admiral's combat power!"
Kuzan's eyes gradually became resolute as he listened to Dragon's narration.