Following the Vice Admiral Into a New War!

Meanwhile.

Marine Headquarters Armory.

As intense gunfire echoed across the skies of Marineford, the soldiers guarding the armory were awakened one after another and rushed to the gate immediately.

However, just as they reached the gate, a group of people surged forward.

Immediately after, dense bullets whizzed out, instantly clearing out the soldiers inside the armory gate.

"Damn it!"

Inside the armory, several officers who were drinking and reveling stood up and rushed out upon hearing the sharp gunfire.

However, they were still a step too late.

As soon as they rushed out the door, the armory gate was blasted open.

Then, an officer wearing a Rear Admiral's coat rushed before them with astonishing speed.

"Gentlemen, the armory is now under my command!"

Before the officers could react, this Rear Admiral threw a document at them and said coldly, "You have two choices now: either follow Lord Akira into a new war, or die!"

Amidst the piercing alarm, a force of over a thousand people surged into the Marine Headquarters building like a tide.

Although it was already the early hours of the morning, there were still many duty personnel in the headquarters building.

Before the team that had just rushed into the headquarters lobby could spread out, the patrol soldiers on duty raised their guns. The man at the forefront, wearing a Headquarters Captain's coat, immediately shouted, "Whose subordinate are you, daring to trespass into Headquarters! I order you..."

Before the Captain could finish speaking, a figure flashed by like a ghost.

The next second—

"Shigan!"

As the cold voice rang out, the Captain's body stiffened. He then looked down at the hand piercing his chest, his face filled with disbelief.

Before the Captain could react, dense gunfire erupted, instantly killing the duty soldiers behind him.

"You—"

The sharp gunfire jolted the Captain awake. Ignoring the stinging pain from his chest being pierced by the "Shigan," he gritted his teeth and looked up. When he saw the face of the person who attacked him, he could no longer hold back and exclaimed, "Vice Admiral Hound..."

The one who killed the Captain was none other than Vice Admiral Hound of Marine Headquarters, with messy hair and wearing pointed glasses. He was an Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Hound.

"Apologies!"

Vice Admiral Hound said expressionlessly, "Killing you is not out of deep hatred. Rest in peace, Captain!"

After speaking, Vice Admiral Hound decisively withdrew his hand and quickly drew his gun, pulling the trigger at the Captain's forehead.

Meanwhile, a group of soldiers carrying buckets and various cleaning tools entered in an orderly fashion. After the Captain and other duty personnel were dragged away, they immediately cleaned the ground at the fastest speed and laid down a red carpet.

Vice Admiral Hound did not stop but quickly walked towards the elevator.

As he reached each floor, intense gunfire, roars, and shouts erupted from the floors the elevator passed.

Vice Admiral Hound remained unfazed, standing expressionlessly in the elevator until he reached the top floor.

When he stepped out of the elevator, soldiers who had arrived at the top floor before him were standing neatly on both sides of the corridor.

Seeing this, Vice Admiral Hound did not hesitate and quickly walked through the corridor to an office door.

Inside the office stood Admiral Borsalino, wearing an Admiral's cape.

Borsalino stood with his back to the door, looking up slightly at the plaque on the wall that read "Ambiguous Justice," as if he hadn't heard the gunfire outside, his body unmoving.

"Admiral Borsalino!"

Vice Admiral Hound, who had arrived at the door, raised his hand in a salute, then strode into the office and stood behind Borsalino, straightening his body and saying, "Lord Akira asked me to deliver a message to you."

"How terrifying~"

Borsalino pushed his glasses up his nose, then turned to look at Vice Admiral Hound, who stood ramrod straight before him, and the soldiers on standby outside the door, saying lazily, "I knew Akira wouldn't just sit idly by, but I didn't expect him to cause such a huge disturbance."

He paused slightly, then raised his hand to look at the Den Den Mushi on his wrist and said nonchalantly, "Go on, let me hear how he plans to persuade me not to interfere!"

"Lord Akira said that if he fails, he will bear all the blame. If he succeeds, he will not enjoy this glory alone!"

"Lord Akira also said that he has always granted requests and repaid favors over the years. As long as Admiral Borsalino does not interfere in this matter, it will be a great help to him!"

"That's not enough~" Borsalino shook his head. "Just a verbal promise like this to make an Admiral stand down? Even if you fail in the end, I, as an Admiral, will be held responsible!"

As if anticipating Borsalino's response, Vice Admiral Hound immediately took out a document from his pocket and presented it to Borsalino.

Borsalino was first stunned, then his expression changed drastically upon seeing the contents of the document.

"Not simple~"

After reading the document, Borsalino said with rare seriousness, "It seems Akira wasn't acting on impulse but had already made arrangements in secret. He even investigated my background so thoroughly."

He paused slightly, then suddenly looked down at Vice Admiral Hound, a killing intent in his words, "How many people know the contents of this document?"

Vice Admiral Hound shook his head. "Lord Akira said that if Admiral Borsalino discovers that the seal on this document has been broken, he can kill me and all the soldiers present!"

Hearing this, the killing intent in Borsalino's eyes gradually faded, and he said indifferently, "As expected of Akira. As he wishes, I will not interfere in this matter!"

"Splash--"

As soon as Borsalino finished speaking, two young officers suddenly rushed into the office and doused Borsalino with two buckets of seawater they were carrying.

"We apologize for offending you, Admiral Borsalino!"

The Hounds were not idle either. One of them immediately took out a pair of Seastone handcuffs and cuffed Borsalino's hands. "We're doing this so you can explain to the Holy Land after our failure! Also, if we fail, the contents of this document will be sealed forever along with our deaths!"

With that, the Hound casually took the document from Borsalino's hand and burned it right in front of him.

Soaked to the bone and weakened by the Seastone handcuffs, Borsalino slumped to the ground, his expression comically amusing.

However, the Hounds dared not laugh.

The reason they could get Borsalino to cooperate so readily was not because of their strength, but because of the document Akira had given him, which led Borsalino to choose cooperation. Otherwise, let alone those present, even all the officers and soldiers involved in this mutiny would have been no match for Borsalino.

After all, Borsalino was an Admiral, one of the strongest forces in the Headquarters, and a top-tier powerhouse who had developed the Logia-type Glint-Glint Fruit abilities to their extreme.