All Requests Granted! The Holy Land's Latest Command

Meanwhile.

Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Residence.

Sengoku watched the uninvited Chief Judge with a grave expression. Unlike in the courtroom, the three-headed Chief Judge had become three separate people: Bass, Kabir, and another whose name even Sengoku did not know, only that she called herself Princess.

As the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Sengoku naturally knew that the Chief Judge was not some freak with three heads. He had always known they were three people in disguise, so he was not surprised when the Chief Judge became three individuals.

"Marshal Sengoku, I trust you have already guessed the purpose of our visit!"

The moment he sat down on the sofa, Bass, seated on the left, took the lead and went straight to the point. "That's right. We are here because of Vice Admiral Akira. This investigation and trial targeting Vice Admiral Akira were not something Enies Lobby forced its way into. Nor does Enies Lobby have the authority to intervene directly. After all, we both answer directly to the World Government and hold equal standing!"

As he spoke, Bass pulled out a document from his clothes and placed it before Sengoku. "This is the latest order issued by the Holy Land."

Hm?

Sengoku's pupils contracted slightly as he stared fixedly at the document before him. He knew that the Chamber of Power had authorized Enies Lobby's involvement in Marine Headquarters' investigation and trial of a Headquarters Vice Admiral. What he could not understand was why the Chamber of Power wanted Akira dead.

Though he had not interacted much with Akira, Sengoku knew that Akira had not become a Vice Admiral merely because of his close personal ties with officers at every level of Headquarters. A large part of it was due to Akira's formidable strength and his dazzling record.

The year Akira became a Major, he single-handedly captured more than a dozen notorious pirate crews. Although the members of those crews had nearly all been executed on the spot by Akira through extreme measures, it was precisely because of his thunderous methods that, in all the places Akira had visited—whether towns or villages—pirates had scarcely dared to emerge again over the years.

In Akira's words, harsh laws were needed in chaotic times. Imprisonment and reformation were basically useless against pirates. When it was time to kill, they had to kill. There could be no mercy, or the ones who suffered would be the hardworking common people at the very bottom.

More importantly, Sakazuki, as an Admiral, used methods far more extreme than Akira's. Since Sengoku could tolerate and tacitly approve of Sakazuki's methods, he naturally turned a blind eye to Akira's way of apprehending criminals as well.

As for Akira's corruption and bribery, Sengoku saw it as nothing more than the kind of mistake a young man his age was bound to make. As Fleet Admiral, all he could do was offer an appropriate warning at the proper time.

Most importantly, Akira had not used his illicit income to indulge in luxury. Instead, he had used it to do what the World Government had failed to do: help those who truly needed help.

As Headquarters' Fleet Admiral, and a man known as the "Wise General," how could Sengoku not know that corruption had always existed within the Marines? Yet he understood clearly that while some corruption had to be eradicated, corruption like Akira's was, for the Marines as a whole, a positive direction for development.

Seeing that Sengoku only looked at the documents without picking them up, Bass did not waste words. He took another report from his clothes and said sternly, "Marshal Sengoku, this investigation report is not from the internal investigation unit. It comes from CP0."

"According to this report, Akira began amassing wealth through various channels as early as five years ago, distributing all of his illegal gains among his colleagues. In just one year, his illicit earnings exceeded one billion Beli."

"During the following year, not only did he fail to restrain himself, he became even worse after being promoted to Captain, illegally obtaining more than eight billion Beli through various channels."

"That same year, he was promoted to Major and received commendation at the assembly for capturing and executing more than a dozen pirate crews. He became a hero and idol in the eyes of the younger generation of officers and Marine soldiers. CP0's investigation revealed that it was also from that year onward that things began heading in an uncontrollable direction. Using illegally acquired Beli, he began building factions, turning countless officers and soldiers trapped in desperate circumstances into men willing to die for him!"

"From that year onward, a saying spread through Marine Headquarters and many branch bases across the Four Blues: 'Headquarters Major Akira grants every request.'"

At this point, Bass raised his head and looked at Sengoku, whose expression had become incomparably grave. "Do I need to continue, Marshal Sengoku? I'm sure there are some things I need not spell out. You understand them better than any of us. To the Holy Land, the Marines are the largest and most efficient department under the World Government, but they are also a double-edged sword. The only way to ensure that sword does not threaten the World Government is to keep officers at every level of Marine Headquarters performing their respective duties and checking one another."

"But everything Akira has done is already close to slipping beyond the Holy Land's control. If he is not crushed in time, he will surely become a grave threat to the Holy Land in the future! You saw it yourself in the courtroom today. At least half of the officers participating in the trial ignored you, the Fleet Admiral, and even disregarded our judgment to defend Akira."

"That means those officers have no one in their eyes but Vice Admiral Akira! I do not doubt in the slightest that if Akira had raised his arm and called out then, not only would the officers inside the hall have rebelled on the spot, the officers and soldiers outside would have charged in as well!"

"Even if Akira has no intention of rebelling, he already possesses the ability and strength to do so."

Watching Bass ramble on without stopping, Sengoku suddenly let out a sigh.

Bass's meaning was simple: Akira had to die, or the Holy Land would not be at ease. Bass had not come to negotiate with him. He had come to tell Sengoku not to interfere in the matter.

After a brief silence, Sengoku picked up the document on the table and looked it over. Shaking his head helplessly, he said, "Why did the Holy Land choose this moment? Do they not know that the situation on the Grand Line is extremely dire right now? If turmoil breaks out within the Marines, the situation outside will become even more uncontrollable!"

"Is Marshal Sengoku worried about the situation in the New World?"

Bass smiled, unconcerned. "There are only two matters in the New World right now. First, Shanks, captain of the Red Hair Pirates, has risen abruptly and now stands alongside Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido as a new Emperor of the Sea. Second is the Elbaf incident! Rest assured, Marshal Sengoku. The Holy Land wants to see the four Yonko standing in balance in the New World. As for the Elbaf incident, the Knights of God sent by the Holy Land are manipulating it behind the scenes."

Hm?

Sengoku's pupils contracted again as he stared at Bass in disbelief.

At that moment, the Den Den Mushi beside him suddenly began to ring.

Immediately afterward, an urgent voice came from the Den Den Mushi. "Marshal Sengoku, this is bad! More than ten thousand soldiers and over a hundred officers have gathered at Marineford Plaza! The prison holding Vice Admiral Akira has also been occupied by dozens of Headquarters Officers!"