Taking the Marshal's Position Was Only Part of the Plan!

As soon as Akira finished speaking, Marine Headquarters officers of every rank standing around them pulled red scarves from their coats and tied them around their left arms. Then, with fervent expressions, they all looked toward Sakazuki, clearly ready to swarm him should he show any sign of unusual behavior.

However, Sakazuki did not take them seriously.

Although everyone present was an officer of Second Lieutenant rank or above, including a Vice Admiral, if a fight broke out, he alone would be enough to wipe them all out.

Of course, he would not choose to do that.

Because he was curious where Akira had found the nerve to declare, right in front of him—a Marine Admiral and one of Marine Headquarters' highest combat powers—that he intended to replace Marshal Sengoku!

Akira naturally understood that a few simple words would not only fail to persuade Sakazuki to stand beside him, but might also provoke his thunderous rage.

Seeing that Sakazuki showed little reaction, Akira turned and walked over to a nearby chair, then sat down.

Seeing this, the two prison guards, now dressed in officer uniforms, hurriedly brought over a chair and placed it behind Sakazuki.

Sakazuki did not hesitate either. He sat down facing Akira.

Without wasting time, Akira went straight to the point. "Under normal circumstances, a case involving corruption and bribery among senior Headquarters officers should be handled by an investigative team led by the Marine Headquarters Inspector General. But this investigation against me was not led by the Inspector General. It was handed over to Enies Lobby instead."

"From the moment Enies Lobby's Chief Judge appeared in the Marine Headquarters tribunal, I knew that no matter what the outcome of this investigation was, I would not escape death!"

"However, at the time, I simply assumed Vice Admiral Onigumo was pulling strings behind the scenes. With his little tricks, he could never stir up much trouble, so I did not take it to heart. But based on the intelligence I now possess, the one who wants me dead is not Onigumo, but Spandam, the CP9 Chief!"

"Admiral Sakazuki should know Spandam better than I do!"

"Spandam is a coward who fears death. The reason he became CP9 Chief was because he climbed over the corpses of his colleagues through underhanded means! All he has ever cared about is promotion and power. Anyone who stands in the way of his advancement, he will eliminate by any means necessary."

"Now that they have set their sights on me, how could I possibly let him have his way?"

"Of course, someone like Spandam is nothing more than a clown in my eyes. The reason Enies Lobby's Chief Judge came to Marine Headquarters to put me on trial was not entirely because he and Spandam were in cahoots. The two of them alone are nowhere near enough to shake my influence within Headquarters!"

"The ones truly directing this matter are the Chamber of Power."

"As for the reason..."

At this point, Akira shook his head slightly and smiled. "Naturally, the Chamber of Power does not want Marine Headquarters to be united from top to bottom against external threats. Once the Navy, this colossal war machine, becomes completely united against the outside world, it will pose a far greater threat to the World Government than those lawless pirates on the Grand Line or the Revolutionary Army that has been causing trouble across the world in recent years!"

"Just imagine it. What kind of sight would it be if the Three Admirals of Marine Headquarters, every Vice Admiral, all officers of every rank, and Headquarters' one hundred thousand elite soldiers were loyal to only one person from top to bottom? Without the Navy, this enormous war machine, what would the World Government use to deal with the countless pirates who have grown ever more rampant since the beginning of the Great Pirate Era? What would it use to deal with the newly formed balance of the Four Yonko in the New World? What would it use to deal with the Revolutionary Army launching revolutions throughout the world?"

"The World Government must undergo a complete reshuffling!"

"The Celestial Dragons, who sit high above all others, enjoying every privilege while accomplishing nothing, should not exist. The pirates of the Grand Line and the Four Blues, who have been growing stronger by the day, must also be purged!"

"And I did not make this decision merely because I now stand at a crossroads between life and death. I have been laying the groundwork in secret ever since I was promoted to Second Lieutenant!"

"To be frank, the money I embezzled and acquired through illegal means was not merely two hundred billion. I never counted the exact amount, but it was certainly more than two hundred billion Beli! Naturally, I could never spend such an enormous sum on my own, nor would I indulge in the luxurious life that money could bring, because that was not what I sought. That is why the investigation team found only a little over one hundred thousand Beli in my home!"

"Because I gave all that Beli to colleagues who truly needed it, such as the gentlemen present here."

At this point, Akira turned to look at a Commodore standing to his left. "This is Commodore Modo. He carries justice in his heart, has prepared himself to sacrifice his life for justice, and has resisted every temptation! Yet while he protected those who needed protection and defended the unwavering justice in his heart, he failed to protect his own wife and daughter. While he was away on a mission, his hometown was attacked by pirates, and both his wife and daughter died at their hands."

"The moment he learned of it, he returned to his hometown and began hunting the pirate crew that had killed his wife and daughter! But because of that, the Colonel at his branch charged him with abandoning his post and threw him into prison!"

"I helped him! Not only did I let him personally kill his enemies, I also transferred him to Headquarters. In the end, through his own efforts, he became a Commodore!"

"There are many officers like Commodore Modo at Headquarters. And it is not limited to Headquarters, either. At least half the Colonels at the major Marine branch bases across the Four Blues are my people. If I give the order now, they will come from the Four Blues to help me ascend to the position of Marshal."

Sakazuki's expression instantly darkened upon hearing this. "Are you threatening me?"

"No, no, no." Akira waved a hand, his tone as calm as ever. "This is not a threat. It is a sincere invitation. I believe you have watched every mission I have carried out over the years, and have gained at least some understanding of how I conduct myself!"

"In my view, troubled times require harsh laws. Every kind of criminal spawned by the Great Pirate Era must be purged. For that, even certain sacrifices are necessary!"

"That is why, even though quite a few Headquarters officers keep their distance from you out of respect and fear, I have always maintained my respect for you. I have always hoped that we could stand side by side and accomplish something earth-shattering! For justice!"

Hearing this, Sakazuki slowly raised his head and fixed Akira with a burning gaze. "So your justice means starting a rebellion to seize the position of Marshal?"

Akira smiled and shook his head. "I told you, I will not keep this glory for myself. Seizing the position of Marshal is only one part of the plan."