Zephyr: He Will Be an Exceptionally Outstanding Leader!

As Akira turned to leave, only Sengoku and Sakazuki remained in the conference hall.

"Sakazuki, tell me what you're truly thinking?"

Sengoku, as if he knew Sakazuki would stay, didn't turn around. Facing away from Sakazuki, he said in a deep voice, "You need to think clearly. Akira doesn't just want the position of Fleet Admiral. Are you really going to follow this path to the very end?"

Sakazuki nodded. "Before I walked in here, I still had a shred of hesitation. But after hearing about Lord Im, who is hidden behind the scenes in the Holy Land, I believe my choice won't be wrong."

Sengoku frowned slightly. "Im's existence is just Akira's one-sided claim. It's too early to make a judgment!"

Sakazuki didn't hesitate in the slightest and said in a deep voice, "I believe him."

With that, Sakazuki no longer lingered. He turned and strode out.

As he walked out the conference hall door, he suddenly stopped and looked back. "Even if Im, the figure behind the scenes, didn't exist, it wouldn't change my choice! Because Akira has given me the opportunity to fulfill my filial duties and enjoy the company of my children!"

Upon hearing this, Sengoku abruptly turned around, staring intently at Sakazuki. "The elder Akira has been taking care of for the past three years, is that your Mother?"

Sakazuki didn't answer. Instead, he simply stepped out.

After watching Sakazuki disappear outside the door, Sengoku shook his head and gave a wry smile. "Such skillful tactics, Akira. To have found Sakazuki's only weakness."

He paused for a moment, then retracted his gaze and surveyed the empty conference hall. He then strolled to the window and looked down at the brightly lit Marineford Plaza.

The plaza had quieted down by now. All the soldiers and officers stood in orderly rows, awaiting the arrival of Akira, the new Fleet Admiral.

Just then, Akira and his entourage emerged from the Headquarters building and entered Sengoku's line of sight.

Watching the young figure, surrounded by Gion and others, walking towards Marineford, Sengoku felt an inexplicable sense of anticipation well up within him.

At that very moment, he suddenly wanted to see how high this young man, who was so outstanding in terms of scheming, methods, and winning people over, could reach. If the Holy Land were to compromise and acknowledge Akira's legitimacy as Fleet Admiral, perhaps Akira could use this opportunity to secure more rights for the Navy, allowing the Navy's justice to be free from any shackles or restraints.

As the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, how could he not know that the World Government of today was no longer the World Government of the past? The Celestial Dragons, who resided in the Holy Land and called themselves descendants of gods, had become increasingly reckless due to their enjoyment of supreme privileges, disregarding human lives, and forcibly taking wives. Such actions were merely their due privileges as World Nobles!

Even if such incidents occurred, the Admirals of Marine Headquarters would have to unconditionally rush to protect them, and they could not offer any protection to the common people who were oppressed.

As Akira had said, as long as the Celestial Dragons loomed over the World Government like a great mountain, the Navy, as a subordinate of the World Government, could not achieve true justice.

He understood all these principles, but he lacked the courage to break free from it all.

Because pulling one thread would unravel the entire tapestry. If someone were to step forward and break it all, it would inevitably lead to greater turmoil.

Most importantly, the World Government had stood at the pinnacle of the Red Line for eight hundred years, and there must be a reason for its existence. All he could do was to do his best to perform his duties and spread the Navy's justice throughout the world to the best of his ability.

Watching Akira and his group leave the Headquarters building until they disappeared into the night, Sengoku finally retracted his gaze and muttered to himself, "Fame and achievement have always belonged to the young. In those days, I too was full of youthful vigor~"

Before he finished speaking, Sengoku's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly turned to look at the door.

At the entrance, three figures stood there at some point.

Leading them was none other than the former Admiral of Marine Headquarters, codenamed "Black Arm," Zephyr.

Following Zephyr were two young officers, a man and a woman.

The young male officer was named Binz. He wore strange clothes and was a user of the Mogu Mogu no Mi (Moss-Moss Fruit), deeply trusted by Zephyr.

The young female officer was named Ain. She wore black pointed high heels and a blue cloak, her eyes filled with melancholy, as if she had just experienced a life-and-death separation.

"Zephyr?"

Sengoku hadn't expected Zephyr to appear at this time. He quickly strode forward, asking with some urgency, "Why are you here? Your arm--"

As he spoke, Sengoku, who had reached Zephyr, immediately looked at Zephyr's right arm.

Zephyr raised his left hand and touched his severed arm, saying calmly, "Don't worry. Three years have passed, I'm used to it! However, you need to urge the Science Unit to hurry up and develop a mechanical arm!"

Sengoku hesitated to speak.

As if sensing what Sengoku was thinking, Zephyr walked directly to the conference table, pulled out a chair, sat down, and then looked up at Sengoku. He then said, "I forgot you've already handed over the authority of Fleet Admiral to Akira. However, even if you're not the Fleet Admiral, the Science Unit will still give face!"

Huh?

Sengoku's pupils contracted, and his expression turned to shock as he stared at Zephyr. "You're not surprised by what happened at Headquarters? Could it be... you already knew Akira would launch a mutiny?"

Zephyr smiled and nodded. "He's my student!"

Hearing this, Sengoku shook his head helplessly and said with a hint of weakness, "It seems you've completely lost hope in the Navy!"

"Yes!"

Zephyr glanced at his students Ain and Binz, who were standing at the door. His words carried a hint of resentment and hatred. "If it weren't for Akira, I might have already built a brand new Navy by now!"

"After all, you all forgot about the incident three years ago when the training ship was attacked, resulting in the deaths of dozens of young lives at sea. It made me lose hope in the Navy!"

Sengoku's expression changed slightly, and he quickly interjected, "I haven't forgotten."

"Haven't forgotten?" Zephyr suddenly stood up, his emotions stirred. "Dozens of young officers from Headquarters drowned at sea. As Fleet Admiral, you should have ordered a full pursuit until the perpetrators were captured and publicly executed. Because only then would pirates who dared to kill Navy personnel be afraid, only then would the souls of those dozens of young lives who died find peace, and only then would those who are alive continue to uphold justice!"

"But you didn't do that. Three years have passed, and you haven't just disheartened me!"

Saying this, Zephyr raised his hand and pointed at Ain and Binz. "It's them, and all the young officers who bear the future of the Navy like them!"

Realizing he was on the verge of losing control, Zephyr paused for a moment, then sat back down in his chair and said in a lowered voice, "Sengoku, you're old. We're all old."

Sengoku remained silent, standing there with a grim expression, his heart filled with complex emotions.

He certainly hadn't forgotten the incident three years ago when Zephyr's training ship was attacked, leading to the deaths of dozens of young officers. He had also been sending people to track down the murderers of those dozens of young trainee officers.

But he didn't explain, because as the Fleet Admiral of the headquarters, he had to consider more than just one pirate. He had to think about the bigger picture and couldn't deploy all Three Admirals for the sake of one pirate.

However, Zephyr had a point.

Dozens of young officers had been brutally murdered, and the culprit was still at large. He bore an undeniable responsibility.

"I know what you're thinking!"

Seeing Sengoku remain silent, Zephyr spoke again. "You're probably thinking that I chose to stand by because Akira promised me he would bring the pirate who attacked the training ship to justice? To tell you the truth, Akira didn't promise me anything, but I believe he won't disappoint me."

With that, Zephyr turned his head to look at the two students standing quietly outside the door. "Ain, Binz. The situation is settled for tonight. From now on, you will follow Akira. He will be an outstanding leader!"