One Piece: sign-in to Ryujin Jakka

Momousagi furrowed her brows and turned toward Roman.

"Admiral White Dove, what do you mean by that?"

Her eyes were sharp, taut with caution, as if trying to see through Roman's intentions.

Roman, still smiling, said, "Aren't you going to invite me in for a seat?"

Momousagi was now completely unsure what Roman was planning. Without saying anything further, she walked back into her room and, with her back to him, said, "Close the door."

Roman entered her room and looked around. He hadn't expected it. Despite Momousagi's elegant and mature appearance, her room was decorated in full-on pink, soft, girly, and adorable. Even the chairs were pink!

It was completely at odds with her usual cool demeanor. Momousagi noticed Roman's gaze. Her body still radiated coldness, forming a strong contrast with the room's decor.

"Say it. What do you want?"

"I want to invite you to join my faction," Roman said directly.

"Your faction?" she scoffed. "You do know I'm part of the Dove Faction, right?"

Her close bond with Vice Admiral Tsuru was well-known. They were as close as sisters, though their age difference was considerable.

Roman nodded. "Of course I know. That's why I feel even more sorry for you."

"Sorry for me? I don't need your pity!" Momousagi stood abruptly and walked to the window.

Looking out across the Marineford training field, her heart was clearly unsettled.

Exactly what Roman had expected.

"Momousagi, you're a vice admiral candidate. But have you ever wondered why no one is truly supporting you? Why are the resources you receive always the leftovers, filtered and diluted?"

With each word, Momousagi's fingers clenched tighter. It was a sore spot for the Vice Admiral candidate. She had always aimed for the rank of admiral, pouring her effort into both physical technique and swordsmanship, reaching a level most women could never touch.

Her swordsmanship alone had reached the early peak of the Supreme Swordmaster realm, on the verge of breaking into mid-tier Supreme Swordmaster status. Yet despite that, she was still just a Vice Admiral candidate.

So when Roman called her by that title, it hit a nerve. There was no way she didn't carry resentment in her heart.

"What can you offer me?" she asked, turning back to Roman. Her icy aura had faded slightly, her tone softer.

Roman smiled gently. "What do you want? I'll give it to you."

His confidence came from his strength.

"If I said I wanted the position of Admiral, what would you say then?"

Roman sipped his tea calmly. "Simple. I become Fleet Admiral, and you'll be an Admiral."

Steam rose from the teapot. Momousagi stared at the rising steam, lost in thought. She hadn't expected that answer. Now she had to weigh the pros and cons.

If she joined Roman's camp, she'd be labeled a traitor to the Dove Faction. Sengoku might not say anything, but resource support—already scarce—would vanish.

But Roman's current reputation? He becoming Fleet Admiral wasn't out of reach.

The only uncontrollable variable… was Sengoku.

Unless Sengoku made a critical mistake, Roman might not ascend for a long time.

Or… did Roman have other, secret plans?

Just as she was about to question him further, she snapped back to reality. Outside the window, the sun had already begun to set. Roman was gone.

Only a white envelope lay quietly on the desk.

At that moment, Roman had already returned to his residence.

He had summoned Stella and Ain to the training field. It was time to begin a hellish special training meant to raise their strength by at least three levels.

In the training grounds, Roman activated:

"Fivefold Illusion – (Goten Gen'ei)"!

Five phantoms, each with a small fraction of Roman's power, emerged. Perfect sparring partners for Ain and Stella. But facing them, Stella hesitated.

"Master, I've only done physical training. I've never learned combat techniques—I don't even know how to fight!"

Roman simply replied, "Stella, remember this—after eating the Mythical Zoan Human-Human Fruit, Model: Rakshasa, all you need is relentless offense! The best defense is overwhelming offense. Aim for weak points and force them into defense. Understand?!"

"Yes, Master!"

To Stella, Roman's word was law. She'd never disobey him. Just then, Hina walked in from outside.

"Roman, I followed your instructions and purchased all the medicinal ingredients. It cost 90 million Berries. Here's the leftover 10 million."

"You've worked hard today, Hina. Keep that 10 million as a delivery bonus."

"Ten million?! That much?!"

Hina beamed. "Hina is very happy!"

She hadn't expected Roman to be so generous. That only deepened her desire to join Roman's faction. Compared to the Dove Faction, Roman's group was far superior.

Yes, the Dove Faction was the Marines' largest, but that meant resources were spread far too thinly. And Momousagi's frustration came from this exact issue—resource inequality.

Resources weren't just money. They also included ships, assistants, weapons, artillery, logistics, and—most importantly—training opportunities. Once you reached Vice Admiral, you could even use prisoners from Impel Down for live combat training.

Aside from the prisoners on Level 6, of course. Why else did the Marines spend so much to maintain Impel Down?

Roman carried the ingredients into his room and addressed the others:

"As for training, don't worry. No matter what injuries you suffer, I'll heal them completely. I'll make sure you have no hidden damage left behind. Your only job is to fight without holding back!"

Finally, he turned to Hina and said, "Hina, would you like to join in too?"