While thinking, Gawain continued speaking to the pensive Akainu.
"In some ways, Kuzan is far inferior to you."
Sakazuki, you are probably the most qualified soldier in the Navy.
An Admiral who never put personal feelings above military orders!
At this point, Gawain picked up a cigarette, held it in his mouth, and then gently rubbed it between his right thumb and forefinger, allowing the released electricity to ignite the cigarette.
Exhaling a puff of smoke, Gawain continued.
"From a superior's perspective, you are the best in the Navy, Sakazuki."
However, the corresponding thing is...
When you look at everything from the perspective of an ordinary person, you become the most terrifying Admiral in the navy.
Fortunately, while I agree with both of your ideas and Kuzan's, from my perspective, I need more people like you in the Navy!
As soon as he finished speaking, Gawain took out another cigarette from the cigarette case and tossed it into Akainu's hand.
"You probably smoke, right? Here, have one as a thank you gift for coming to help Golden Town."
"Thank Saint Gawain!"
Akainu, his face grim, put the cigarette in his mouth and gently lit it with his fingers, which had turned into magma. At the same time, Gawain continued speaking.
"Previously, Kuzan asked me if I would offer him support when he needed it."
I did not give an immediate response.
But now, even though you haven't asked me a similar question, I will tell you that I will make time to support you.
When you need it!
After saying that, Gawain leisurely exhaled a puff of smoke, then turned his gaze to Akainu.
Akainu, with a resolute expression, spoke sternly to Gawain.
"Saint Gawain, you should know that what I need is not the kind of support you're talking about. If I lose anything, I will fight back with my own fists."
If I can't win, I will quietly accept defeat!
What I really need is a voice from above, like yours, to affirm my actions!
What I really need is another kind of support from someone like you!
At this point, Akainu said angrily, his face grim.
"Over the years, pirates have emerged one after another, but that's not what I'm most concerned about!"
What I'm most concerned about is the corruption within the navy!
Although I've always stayed at headquarters, I know very well just how rotten those branches in the Four Blues really are!
Those scum who occupy the positions of branch commanders Four Blues are almost all incapable of defeating even a mere major or captain from headquarters!
At the same time, bounties from Four Blues are becoming less and less frequent, and more and more pirates are only being put on bounties by the Navy of the Grand Line branch after they enter the Grand Line!
In contrast, the situation of incompetent officials holding positions at the Four Blues branch is becoming increasingly serious, and the Navy really needs a near-complete overhaul!
I made this request to Fleet Admiral Sengoku: I hope to directly change the positions of the branch chiefs of all the Four Blues, or even simply replace them all with the new people that have been trained by the headquarters in recent years!
But whenever I brought this up, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku would refuse to listen, citing the reason that such an action would cause the various naval branches Four Blues to become disaffected!
But we are a navy upholding justice; do we need to consider the possibility of our soldiers becoming disloyal?
If anyone becomes disloyal due to a transfer from headquarters, then we can simply replace the entire navy with a new blood!
Because a navy that can so easily become disloyal doesn't deserve to bear the burden of justice!
They might as well become pirates and die by my hand!
Their presence can only cause the morale within the navy to deteriorate further!
Akainu took the cigarette out of his mouth and stubbed it out, then bowed deeply to Gawain.
"So, sir, as long as I have the opportunity to implement my ideas for the navy, it no longer matters whether I can become Fleet Admiral or not!"
I am very pleased to know that you are willing to support my decision, but the support I really need is not support to sit in the Fleet Admiral's office!
What I need is your support to conduct one or two World Military Draft!
The corrupt practices within the Navy can only be completely improved after one or two major reshuffles. The current number of Marines is far from enough to continuously suppress or even destroy the pirates!
Besides the Marines at headquarters, even the East Blue Four Blues Sea couldn't maintain the purity of the Marine Branch. That's the hometown of heroes, but even though I haven't been to the East Blue for a long time, I know what kind of military and traitorous collusion there is!
Therefore, sir, I will raise this view at the upcoming World Conference of the Fifty Allied Nations next year.
That was the moment I needed your support, and I sincerely hoped to receive it!
As soon as he finished speaking, Akainu Gawain once again in a dogeza (a traditional Chinese kneeling posture).
And Gawain...
Looking at the kneeling Akainu, he frowned and pondered for a while.
After a moment, Gawain nodded slightly.
"I think I can support your decision at that time, but I am not one of the Five Elders after all."
My support might have some effect, but it won't necessarily guarantee your success!
At this point, Gawain lightly tapped his thigh with his finger.
"You yourself are Marine Admiral, so you should know that if the navy's World Military Draft efforts are seen by the whole world, they won't think about issues such as whether the navy is corrupt or decadent."
They simply believe that the Navy's power is no longer sufficient to suppress pirates, which is why the Navy is pinning its hopes on World Military Draft!
Even though that's not what we think, they'll still assume that's what we think, and that will send a dangerous signal to countries around the world!
They may believe that the World Government is in decline!
Therefore, unless there are special circumstances, the Five Elders will likely not agree to your decision!
The impact of arbitrary World Military Draft is far too great.
"If you want to succeed, my support alone is not enough. You need a prerequisite that makes the whole world believe that the navy should naturally conduct World Military Draft!"
After speaking, Gawain silently looked at Akainu nodded thoughtfully.
Indeed, the navy should always maintain a superior position in the eyes of the world!
Only in this way can the navy become a tool to deter and prevent young people from going to sea!
Even if it doesn't pass, I will definitely put forward my plan and opinions!
As for the conditions, if they don't exist, I will do my best to create them!
As he spoke, Akainu suddenly stood up from the ground!
He gave Gawain a final military salute, and then spoke emphatically.
"In short, my request has been made, and I will obey your and the World Government's orders, however you respond!"
As for now...
I didn't have any prior intelligence that Shanks had infiltrated back to the Grand Line, so I didn't have time to react.
But now that I've met Shanks, I will not let him return to the New World so easily!
Although he has received your temporary protection, I am willing to obey your orders and allow him to leave Hong Kong a while earlier than scheduled.
But letting him go ahead for so long is already my limit. I am, after all, a navy man, and I am just a navy man!
"And isn't it only natural for the navy to chase pirates?"
At this point, Akainu nodded to Gawain.
"So, please allow me to bid you farewell, I'm off to hunt down Shanks and his group!"
Allowing him to swagger back and forth in the Grand Line would have a huge negative impact on the Navy's reputation!
Finally, I wish you all the best, Saint Gawain!
After saying that, Akainu quietly awaited Gawain's command, while Gawain glanced at the suckling pig in the distance.
"Since Shanks is determined to sneak back to the Grand Line, he must have already anticipated what he will face. Just do what you have to do, Sakazuki."
However, once the suckling pig is on the grill, you can't just leave without eating a single piece of meat!
At this point, Gawain Wen slammed his palm into the ground, and at the same time, fine Inazuma bolts spread out in rings from him!
Immediately afterwards, everyone's swords trembled slightly, and every swordsman, including Gion, placed their hands on their swords to regain control.
The next moment, countless metal particles surged out of the soil around them.
A thick current coiled around the particles, melting them directly into a scorching red liquid. The molten metal gradually gathered together and then slowly floated down to the bottom of the suckling pig!
In an instant, the high temperature of the molten metal caused the piglets to mature at an alarming rate, while at the same time, Rayleigh, not far away, wore an appreciative expression.
"Tsk tsk, Captain Gawain, if we didn't know you ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, we would probably think you ate the Jiki Jiki no Mi, or even the Atsu Atsu no Mi!"
In just a few days, your application of the Devil Fruit has reached a level I can't even comprehend!
Shouldn't Rumble-Rumble Fruit control lightning?
Thunderbird, Thunder Dragon, Thunder God —they're all made of lightning, right?
But aside from using lightning when traveling or lighting a cigarette, you hardly use anything related to lightning at other times?
What kind of Rumble-Rumble Fruit is this?!
After speaking, Rayleigh shook his head with a sigh, then took off his glasses and began wiping them, looking utterly bewildered.
At the same time, Akainu suddenly thought of something, and he looked sharply at Rayleigh while speaking to Gawain.
"By the way, Saint Gawain, there's one more thing I need to say."
Or rather, this is something I mainly intended to bring up with Rayleigh!
At this point, Akainu turned to Rayleigh.
"Dark King Rayleigh, now that you are no longer a pirate, you should completely forget your sinful past!"
He still carries the name of a pirate on the seas, and even travels on Saint Gawain's ship as a pirate!
This phenomenon will only make more people yearn for the identity of a pirate because of your existence!
So, Rayleigh, I hope you can recognize who you are now, and then quickly and completely sever ties between your present and your past as a pirate!
After saying that, Akainu frowned and glared at Rayleigh.
Rayleigh took a deep breath.
He completely ignored Akainu, but then turned to Gawain and spoke.
"Captain Gawain, I did have some thoughts about what Sakazuki said before!"
My thoughts and actions have long since transcended that of a pirate. So, shouldn't I now truly give myself a new identity?
I think the title of Shichibukai suits me very well. Perhaps I can kill one of the existing Shichibukai and then take his place in the Shichibukai.
"In that case, I will be of some help in your decision to take control of the Shichibukai!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rayleigh leisurely put his glasses back on, while Gawain pondered for a moment and shook his head.
Gawain then spoke directly to Akainu.
"Sakazuki, Rayleigh's identity, is something I've always tacitly accepted."
You and I are different. You are a Marine, so you are sworn enemies with pirates.
But I am World Nobles, so I need to send a signal to the world, which is to say no to pirates, marines, Shichibukai, or Revolutionary Army.
As long as they are loyal to me, they can all become my companions, subordinates, and subjects.
As you've probably noticed, the personnel on my ship are quite diverse, and this personnel structure can send a clear message to everyone who knows my team.
Do you understand what I'm saying? Not only will Rayleigh's identity remain unchanged, I'll even take the time to increase his bounty!
At this point, Gawain actually considered it for a moment, and then he spoke directly to Akainu.
"I'll just tell you this here: when you see Sengoku again, tell him for me to raise Rayleigh's bounty."
"Old man Rayleigh, how much was your bounty back then?"
"Why?"
Upon hearing this, Rayleigh and the others were all stunned. Rayleigh looked blank for a long time before he chuckled and replied to Gawain.
"My bounty back then was 1.98626 billion Beli, which was the highest among all the vice-captains of pirate crews."
Little Gawain, you can't be telling the truth, can you?
Can this old man still raise prices?!
"Haha, what can't go up!"
Gawain nodded decisively, then after a moment's thought, asked Akainu.
"Sakazuki, Shanks currently has a bounty of around four billion, right?"
"That... is true, Red-Haired Shanks' bounty is 4,448,900,000 Beli!"
Upon hearing Akainu's words, Gawain clapped his hands in a straightforward manner.
"That's perfect, let's raise Rayleigh's bounty to four billion, so that the legend of the pirates can shine on the seas once again!"
"In this way, many young pirates will likely see Rayleigh as the industry benchmark again, and thus be inspired to join my Dark Bird Ship!"
At this point, Gawain spoke earnestly to Akainu.
"We are different, Sakazuki."
You just need to identify who your enemies are.
But I need to decide who my enemies are.
So you don't need to worry about the number of enemies, but I do need to think about how to turn more enemies directly into my strength.
You take down your enemy from a physical standpoint, while I aim to achieve that through more political means.
Therefore, I am always able to understand you and am willing to put myself in your shoes and consider things from your perspective.
Please try to consider my feelings as well, okay?
"This...?!!"
Hearing Gawain's words, even Akainu, with his personality, felt somewhat apprehensive.
For a moment, Akainu had only one thought in his mind: what if all the Five Elders and the World Government were led by someone like Gawain?
Then why should Sakazuki hesitate to die?!
In his excitement, Akainu knelt down on one knee and bowed deeply to Gawain.
"Saint Gawain, I understand your decision. From now on, I will no longer inquire about issues such as Rayleigh's identity!"
If you give me any order, even if it goes against my justice, I will not hesitate for a moment, because it is absolutely in accordance with your justice, and your justice is far broader than mine!
Seeing Akainu's solemn expression, Gawain smiled and waved his hand.
"Don't be shy, haha, get up quickly, the suckling pig is almost fully recovered."
"I'll make the first cut with a smile. You can eat a couple of pieces of grilled meat before you leave. It's settled then!"
As they were talking, Gawain patted Yi Xiao's arm, and Yi Xiao nodded, got up, and went to the suckling pig.
With a casual swing of his Gravity Blade, the suckling pig was instantly sliced into countless uniform pieces.
Whether it's pork leg or pork rib, every part is divided exceptionally evenly!
Immediately afterwards, Yixiao took a rib for himself and handed a piece of leg meat to Sakazuki.
The two of them didn't stand on ceremony at all and downed a large mouthful in one gulp.
Result...
Their expressions of honor suddenly froze!
A moment later, Yi Xiao looked at Gawain with a completely bewildered expression.
"Sir, did we forget to add salt?"
"Ha?"
Gawain was taken aback. He looked around and asked speechlessly.
"Didn't anyone put any seasoning on the pork?"
"Heh, you forgot!"
Jinbe Dawu Jinbe, and then he quickly ran towards the Dark Bird Ship to find the seasoning.
Meanwhile, watching Jinbe run away into the Jinbe, Gion swallowed hard.
"Grown ups!"
Gion then made a special point about this to Gawain.
"We probably really need a good cook; at the very least, he should know how to add seasonings!!!"
I recommend a book: <Starting from One Piece, Sweeping Across Multiple Worlds>!
Both are One Piece fanfiction, and both feature a big boss as the main antagonist; I'm sure you'll all like them~~~.