Meanwhile.
At the same time, on the raised platform in Marineford Square, Akira abruptly lifted his head amid the attention of the crowd and looked toward the distant wall.
The instant he looked up, the wall in his line of sight was frozen solid.
Immediately afterward, a figure climbed onto the wall and gazed toward Marineford Square, his back to the moonlight.
The man standing atop the wall was the last of the Three Admirals at Marine Headquarters, Kuzan, code-named Aokiji and the user of the Logia Ice-Ice Fruit.
"Ah, well, it seems something incredible happened at Marine Headquarters while I was away."
Nearly three meters tall, Kuzan gazed from afar at the tens of thousands of soldiers gathered in the square, then turned his bewildered eyes toward the platform.
The sudden chill that swept over and blanketed the entire square made many people turn around at once. When they saw the figure standing atop the wall, their faces lit up with delight.
But they quickly composed themselves and turned their attention back to the newly appointed Marshal on the platform.
On the platform, Borsalino and Sakazuki also spotted Kuzan, who had suddenly appeared atop the wall.
Neither of them said anything. One remained on guard, while the other seemed lazy and unconcerned, as if none of this had much to do with him.
"Admiral Kuzan!"
At that moment, Momonga, standing in the row behind the two Admirals, Sakazuki and Borsalino, promptly turned around and stepped forward. His expression grave, he said, "You came back at just the right time. Because Marshal Sengoku is unwell, Lord Akira is temporarily serving as Marshal!"
"I see~"
Kuzan looked back toward the platform, his lazy expression touched with confusion. "But why Vice Admiral Akira? If Marshal Sengoku is unwell, the position should go to one of the three Admirals. Akira is a Vice Admiral. Isn't Marshal Sengoku worried he might not obey him?"
As he spoke, Kuzan flashed into Marineford Square. Under the gaze of everyone present, he slowly walked up the steps and stopped in front of Sakazuki and Borsalino. Looking up at Akira on the platform, he said, "I can smell blood in the air. Can I take that to mean Marshal Sengoku isn't actually unwell, and that you... staged a coup?"
Akira nodded with a smile. "You understand correctly. As you can see, I'm not standing here because Sengoku appointed me. Everyone at Marine Headquarters except you has pledged allegiance to me!"
He paused briefly, then turned his head toward Hound.
Hound quickly stepped forward and handed Kuzan the document bearing Sengoku's signature.
Kuzan took the document and looked it over, then raised his head and asked, "May I go see Marshal Sengoku?"
"Of course~"
Akira nodded. "He's with Teacher Zephyr in the conference room!"
At that, Kuzan turned and left without hesitation.
Just then, two figures hurried over. They were Ain and Binz, who had come from the headquarters building.
As soon as they reached the platform, Ain and Binz straightened up, saluted, and called out in unison:
"Lord Akira—"
"Ain reporting for duty!"
"Binz reporting for duty!"
Kuzan, who had just turned around, looked at Ain and Binz in surprise as they reported for duty.
As a fellow student of Zephyr's, he knew Ain and Binz well. He also knew they were among the survivors of the training ship attack three years ago.
As one of Zephyr's students, he had never forgotten the attack on the training ship. Whenever he went out on leave, he searched for the people responsible. He knew all too well how badly the incident had affected Teacher Zephyr. If they failed to catch the culprits, Zephyr would only grow more disillusioned with the Marines—and might even sever ties with them.
But he had searched the Four Blues and ventured into the New World alone many times, yet he still hadn't found the people who had attacked the training ship three years ago.
Of course, none of that mattered now.
The important thing was that Ain and Binz's appearance meant Akira's coup and rise to become the new Navy Marshal had won Teacher Zephyr's support. They might even have taken part in it.
That meant that whether he accepted it or not, the outcome was already decided.
At that thought, Kuzan silently let out a breath, then glanced back at Sakazuki and Borsalino without changing his expression.
From their reactions, he couldn't tell that either man resented Akira for staging a coup. Sakazuki in particular seemed like a different person, his gaze exceptionally resolute. He had clearly accepted the fact that Akira had become Marshal of Marine Headquarters. As for Borsalino, he appeared nonchalant, but his mind seemed just as settled.
After taking in the two Admirals' reactions, Kuzan didn't linger. He quickly headed for the headquarters building.
Akira paid no attention to Kuzan's departure. Once Ain and Binz had returned to their places, he drew a quiet breath, quickly surveyed everyone present, and spoke calmly. "I know that many of the tens of thousands gathered here still can't come to terms with what happened tonight. During the operation, many Vice Admirals—including Onigumo, Doberman, and Menard—as well as officers and soldiers of every rank below them, lost their lives!"
"Many of you here served under those officers. If you don't accept my temporary authority as Marshal, you can bravely step forward. I'll arrange for warships to take you away!"
"Of course, you can also choose to stay and pledge allegiance to me."
After a brief pause, Akira raised his voice slightly. "You have one minute to decide."
As Akira's words fell, Marineford Square sank into silence once more.
As Akira had said, many of the officers and soldiers present had served under the slain Vice Admirals, such as Onigumo and Doberman. When they saw their superiors' bodies, their first instinct had been to rise up and fight back. But with Marineford almost entirely under the "rebels'" control, they could only bury their anger and look for a chance to escape Marineford and return for revenge.
But when they saw that even the two Admirals, Sakazuki and Borsalino, had chosen to pledge allegiance to Akira, their anger was immediately extinguished.
More importantly, they hadn't expected Akira to offer to send them away on warships.
They didn't doubt his words. Although they had never interacted with Akira because their superiors disagreed with him, they had heard from their colleagues over the years that Akira always helped when asked and always kept his word.
After a brief silence, several officers suddenly stepped out of the ranks. Facing Akira, they stood straight and saluted. "Loyalty!"
As those officers stepped forward, the soldiers behind them raised their hands in salute as well, shouting their response in unison until it rang across the square.
"Loyalty!"
"Loyalty!"
For a time, the word "loyalty" echoed through the ranks. Not a single person stepped forward to leave.
Of course, that was only natural. Even the Admirals had pledged their allegiance. What could those of lesser rank and influence possibly fight for?
Watching the figures step forward one after another to pledge their loyalty, Akira narrowed his eyes. His Observation Haki, raised to its highest level by the system, quietly activated. In the blink of an eye, it soundlessly spread across all of Marineford, leaving no one's thoughts beyond its reach.
After using his Observation Haki to listen to everyone's thoughts—especially those of the people who had just pledged their loyalty—a faint smile gradually appeared on Akira's face. He raised his hand, signaling the soldiers and officers who had pledged themselves to return to their ranks.
A handful of people weren't entirely loyal, but they were only worried he would settle scores with them later. They had no other intentions.
Akira paid no mind to that and spoke unhurriedly. "You've made the wisest choice of your lives. Of course, I won't claim all the glory for myself!"
After a brief pause, Akira released his Observation Haki again.
This time, he wasn't using it to listen to everyone's thoughts. He was using it to deliver a speech that would wash over their minds!
His Observation Haki, raised to its highest level by the system, not only let him glimpse fragments of the future. It also possessed a rare ability to convey his consciousness to others, influence their minds and thoughts, and even change their values and beliefs.
After a brief silence, Akira, having released his Observation Haki again, suddenly stepped forward and raised his voice. "Everyone, the future of the Marines is here."
"I firmly believe that rooting out the evils of the old era and building a harmonious, free, and equal new world is the great mission entrusted to us in this age."
"The era in which the Celestial Dragons enjoy every privilege must end. The evil pirates who infest the seas must be eradicated—"
"For justice!"
Before you continue