Akira's speech was extremely demagogic, and coupled with the influence of Observation Haki, the atmosphere in the square was quickly ignited, with shouts of "loyalty" wave after wave.
The most excited ones were undoubtedly the soldiers and officers who had followed Akira all these years, every single one of them acting as if pumped with adrenaline, their throats turning hoarse just from shouting slogans. Some of them even exaggeratedly shouted slogans like "March on the Holy Land, break away from the World Government," raising the atmosphere in the square to an unprecedented height.
The reaction of the tens of thousands of soldiers in the square caught both admirals standing beneath the high platform and the group of vice admirals led by Gion completely off guard.
Akira's speech was indeed very passionate, but this was a capability every commander had to possess. For instance, John Giant—in the past, whenever there was a major event at headquarters, Vice Admiral John was always the one to deliver the speech, thereby driving the enthusiasm of the soldiers and officers.
Before Akira, Vice Admiral John's speech was recognized by them as the most inflammatory one.
Yet the scene presented before their eyes at this moment was even more exaggerated than during Vice Admiral John's speech. Almost every soldier, every officer, and even the several vice admirals standing in the same row as Gion seemed as though they were enchanted, continuously raising their arms and shouting slogans of loyalty.
Not only were the two admirals and Gion and the others in disbelief, but Sengoku and Zephyr inside the conference hall were also dumbfounded by the rolling waves of shouts coming from the direction of the square.
Soon, however, they discovered the anomaly.
"Rare Observation Haki?"
Discovering the anomaly, Sengoku withdrew his gaze, shook his head, and smiled bitterly: "Conveying his thoughts and consciousness through a speech so that everyone present resonates with him. No wonder he has been able to make so many people at headquarters pledge unswerving allegiance in the short span of six years."
Zephyr did not answer, but instead suddenly turned around and looked toward the large door.
Seeing this, Sengoku hurriedly looked back.
Only to see that outside the conference hall doors, Kuzan was standing there at some point, holding the documents signed by Sengoku with a complex expression.
"Instructor Zephyr, do you support everything Akira is doing right now?"
Kuzan walked into the conference hall, cutting straight to the point: "I believe you all heard Akira's speech just now. He said the era of Celestial Dragons enjoying privileges should end. If the Holy Land learns of these words, the Marines will plunge into a place of eternal damnation from now on."
Zephyr's expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "Kuzan, do you want to stop all this?"
"No!"
Kuzan's expression remained unchanged as he said indifferently: "I just want to know your true thoughts."
Hearing this, Zephyr shook his head and smiled: "Kuzan, my thoughts don't matter. You are one of my proudest disciples, and also the one who understands me best. In my heart, the former Marines are already dead!"
"Of course, I also understand you best. Ever since you came back from Ohara back then, you've always harbored resentment over Sakazuki's actions, and even privately let go of Ohara's sole survivor Nico Robin, and even changed your upheld Burning Justice to Lazy Justice—isn't that also being deeply disappointed with the Marines?"
Kuzan let out a breath of cold air and said unhurriedly: "Instructor Zephyr, I--"
"Wait."
Before Kuzan could finish speaking, Sengoku, who was standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward and looked at Kuzan in disbelief: "You were the one who let Nico Robin go back then? Kuzan, you... how could you do such a thing? If this matter is found out by the Holy Land, your future is finished. You should be very well aware that what the Holy Land is most wary of are historians who research that hundred-year history. As a high-ranking officer of headquarters, you actually let Nico Robin go! What on earth were you thinking?"
As soon as Sengoku's voice fell, Zephyr immediately stood up: "Kuzan, don't listen to his nonsense here. Right now, Akira has the final say at headquarters! So what if you let Nico Robin go? It's no big deal. As long as you continue to stay at Marine Headquarters and assist Akira, with the assistance of the Three Admirals, plus the Marines who are unprecedentedly united because of Akira, it won't matter even if the Holy Land finds out!"
Kuzan nodded: "I understand Instructor Zephyr's choice! Does it mean no matter what Akira does next, even if it goes to war with the World Government, Instructor Zephyr will still fully support Akira?"
Zephyr said with a firm gaze: "Naturally!"
The Marine Headquarters that experienced the mutiny gradually returned to calm after Akira's speech ended.
Accompanied by the two admirals and a group of vice admirals, Akira returned to the top floor of the Headquarters Building.
However, he did not walk toward the conference hall, but instead went straight to the door of the Fleet Admiral's Office.
Before Gion, who was following behind him, could step forward to push open the office door, the tightly shut office door suddenly opened.
Immediately following that, Kuzan, standing nearly three meters tall, walked out from the office.
"Admiral Kuzan?"
Not expecting Kuzan to walk out from the Fleet Admiral's Office, Gion, who was just preparing to open the door, immediately stepped forward like facing a formidable enemy, saying in a deep voice: "Why are you appearing in the Fleet Admiral's Office?"
Kuzan glanced at Gion, then shifted his gaze to look at Akira, speaking lazily: "Vice Admiral Akira... No, I should call you Fleet Admiral Akira now. If I leave right now, I want to know who you will have replace my position given the vacancy among the Three Admirals of Marine Headquarters?"
"Leaving right now?"
Akira shook his head and smiled: "Admiral Kuzan, you cannot leave right now. After all, you are an Ice-Ice Fruit Logia user, and your strength is incomparably powerful. If I let you leave, it would be a potential threat to me! Therefore, you only have two choices: first, stay and pledge allegiance to me, continuing to serve in the post of headquarters admiral. Second, get wiped out by us."
Kuzan's brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze subsequently swept across Sakazuki, Borsalino, Gion, and the others: "You're worried I'll head to the Holy Land to inform the Five Elders of everything you've done?"
"You won't get a chance to go to the Holy Land!"
Akira waved his hand, walked straight past Kuzan to stand before the desk, and said indifferently: "The matter of you letting Nico Robin go in Ohara back then has already been sent by me to the Holy Land. The moment you step out of this building, your act of letting Nico Robin go will be known by the Five Elders."
Pausing slightly, Akira's tone suddenly shifted, and his voice also became somewhat gentler: "Kuzan, the times have changed. You didn't leave after seeing Sengoku and Instructor Zephyr, but instead chose to wait for me here—in truth, you've already made your choice in your heart. Running over to ask me an irrelevant question now is nothing more than needing me to give you a way out! After all, the general trend of Marine Headquarters is now set, and you don't have many choices left."
"I won't give you a way out."
"I am now formally issuing an invitation to you. If you don't wish to continue wandering in confusion, and hope the justice you initially upheld will burn anew, stay and help me!"
"There was once an ancient person in my hometown who said these words: Are kings, dukes, generals, and ministers stamped with a special seed?"
"Twenty kings were able to alliance-found the World Government eight hundred years ago. As long as we share the same heart and work together, we can likewise forge a better era in the present eight hundred years later!"
Having said all this in one breath, Akira turned around, sat down at the Fleet Admiral's desk, and then looked up at Kuzan, his voice suddenly rising: "Therefore, Admiral Kuzan, please answer me, are you willing to stand by my side?"
Before you continue