"Outrageous! Utterly reckless!"
"Akira has gone completely out of control—he actually staged a coup!"
The Holy Land, the Chamber of Power.
The Five Elders sat together, their faces as dark as could be.
Just moments ago, the Fleet Admiral's office had relayed the latest intelligence. It was now confirmed that Marine Headquarters had fallen completely into Akira's hands.
That latest report nearly made four of the Five Elders come apart on the spot.
When they learned that they had also lost contact with the Four Blues and numerous bases throughout the Grand Line, the last traces of hope vanished from their hearts.
"I knew Akira would cause trouble sooner or later!"
Financial God Izambaron V. Nusjuro, a samurai sword in his arms, glared at the other four Elders, his expression grim and murderous. "When Spandam came to me, I sensed a threat. That's why I ordered Enies Lobby to investigate him and put him on trial. I thought we'd moved quickly enough, but I never imagined he'd already bared his fangs in secret!"
"Spandam?" Legal God Topman Worcester looked up from his seat before the central sofa. "Why would he come to you?"
"He was just a power-hungry insect." Izambaron V. Nusjuro's voice was cold. "How he found me doesn't matter. What matters is what we do now. According to the latest intelligence Kong sent us, not only have the three Admirals and numerous Vice Admirals chosen to stand behind Akira, but personnel changes are underway at many bases across the Four Blues and the Grand Line. Akira is clearly trying to take complete control of the Marines from top to bottom!"
"He dares stage a coup and seize sole control of the Marines now. Sooner or later, he'll use them as leverage and turn against the World Government!"
"Therefore, I recommend that we strike before he's fully established himself. Have Kong surround Marineford with every force outside the Marines! I'm certain that if we bring our full strength to bear, some at Marine Headquarters will switch sides at the last moment. After all, if they follow Akira and oppose the World Government, they'll carry the name of traitor for the rest of their lives!"
"Calm down, Izambaron." Legal God Topman Worcester raised a hand, his expression grave. "This is a matter of great importance. We need to consider it carefully."
"First, we need to know what Akira wants. If all he wants is to become Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, then we can grant him that wish and let him formally replace Sengoku."
"Of course, that's only a delaying tactic. Once he becomes Fleet Admiral, if he keeps his head down and follows orders from the Holy Land, we can gradually divide the Marines from within. When the time is right, we'll arrest and execute him!"
"Akira has only just taken control of the Marines, and his momentum is strong. Even if Kong personally leads the entire army against him, even if we win in the end, we'll suffer a thousand casualties for every eight hundred we inflict!"
"And if we go to war with the Marines under Akira's command, the Grand Line will be plunged into unprecedented chaos. The pirates, the Yonko of the New World, and the Revolutionary Army could seize the opportunity to strike. We'd be left on the back foot, and some Affiliated Nations already wavering might even switch sides at the last moment!"
"I disagree!" Izambaron V. Nusjuro stepped forward, his voice low and firm. "That outcome you describe would require Kong's forces and Akira's Marines to be evenly matched. There's no denying that Marine Headquarters has the three Admirals, numerous Vice Admirals, and nearly a hundred thousand soldiers. It would be nearly impossible for Kong to bring them to heel in a short time!"
He paused, then abruptly raised his head. "But what if the Knights of God intervene? With an upheaval this serious at Marine Headquarters, Figarland Garling has every reason to show up! If Figarland Garling leads the Knights of God to Marine Headquarters and keeps the three Admirals occupied, the other Marine officers won't be a threat!"
"As for Akira, who thinks he can do as he pleases, he's only a Vice Admiral."
"Besides, we have Cipher Pol—especially CP9, led by Rob Lucci. Lucci is the strongest and most ruthless killing machine in CP9's history. They've been lying low in Water Seven for the past year, and could easily serve as a surprise force, slipping into Marine Headquarters. Speed is everything in war. If we strike in one swift blow and kill Akira, the coup will be over. Whether it's the Revolutionary Army or the so-called Yonko of the New World, by the time they react, we'll have regained control of the situation. They wouldn't dare stir up trouble then!"
At this, Worcester fell silent. The other three Elders all looked to him, clearly in agreement with Izambaron's proposed course of action.
"No."
A sharp voice suddenly rang out.
The door to the Chamber of Power swung open, and a tall figure appeared before the Five Elders.
The newcomer wore a cloak that trailed to the floor, concealing the entire body. Only a pair of dark red, ringed eyes showed beneath the hood. An overwhelming, suffocating pressure radiated from the figure. The Five Elders, who held the highest authority in the world, hurried to their feet, then dropped to their knees in unison and prostrated themselves. "Lord Im!"
"Akira isn't as simple as you think."
Imu, completely concealed beneath the cloak, walked past the Five Elders and stopped before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window. Turning his back to them, he spoke in a controlled, indifferent voice. "A battle broke out at Marine Headquarters earlier. More precisely, it was a clash of Conqueror's Haki!"
"Among those two bursts of Conqueror's Haki, I sensed a familiar presence. It was very much like the Conqueror's Haki Joy Boy possessed back then!"
The Five Elders all turned to look at Imu, their faces stricken with shock.
"Clearly, you don't know much about this Akira!"
Imu slowly turned around. A glint of coldness flashed in his dark red, ringed eyes. "Have you sat in your positions as Elders for so long that your eyes have grown dim?"
The sudden rebuke left the Five Elders drenched in cold sweat. But Imu immediately changed the subject. "You needn't interfere any further. I'll send the Knights of God to investigate. If Akira, the one who staged this coup, isn't of the D Clan and has no connection to Joy Boy, then this so-called coup is nothing more than a change in who holds the post of Fleet Admiral at Marine Headquarters!"
Meanwhile,
The sudden personnel changes at Marine Branch bases across the Four Blues and the Grand Line prompted spies from various factions embedded at those bases to send out intelligence at once.
Even at Marine Headquarters, a report was transmitted to Revolutionary Army Headquarters through an encrypted Den Den Mushi.
Grand Line, Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Baldigo.
Amid the icy snow, a Revolutionary Army officer clutched the top-secret report he'd just received and raced toward a tent a short distance ahead.
"Chief! Chief!"
The officer rushed into the tent, gasping for breath. "Top-secret intelligence from Marine Headquarters! Former Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Akira staged a coup last night and took control of Marine Headquarters this morning. Now, many Marine Branch bases across the Four Blues and the Grand Line are undergoing an unprecedented internal purge. The highest-ranking officer at every base has been replaced with one of Akira's trusted subordinates!"
As the officer finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the tent.
At the head of the meeting table sat Monkey D. Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army. Because his forces were dedicated to overthrowing the World Government, the government had named him the most dangerous criminal at the Reverie two years ago.
After a brief silence, Dragon, wearing a green cloak and bearing a jagged scar across his face, said in disbelief, "Vice Admiral Akira? The youngest Vice Admiral to rise through the ranks at Headquarters in the past three years? What on earth happened? A Vice Admiral dared to stage a coup—and succeeded? When did Marine Headquarters become so helpless?"
The officer who had delivered the report replied, "That intelligence came directly from that esteemed person. There's no chance it's wrong!"
"Understood!" Hearing that the report had come from that person, Dragon rose at once and gave his orders. "Send word to the Five Armies. Keep a close eye on every move the World Government makes. If they go to war with the Marines under Akira's control, all Five Armies will strike at once. Take this opportunity to liberate as many countries as possible!"
Before you continue