Deliberately Throwing a Wrench in the Works

After the incident ended, Sengoku's strong recommendation would certainly reach Akainu's ears, and Akainu would undoubtedly see it as a deliberate attempt to trip him up. After all, once Akainu became Fleet Admiral, Aokiji chose to leave, leaving two Admiral positions vacant at once. To solve this problem, Akainu had no choice but to recruit in the New World, eventually finding Fujitora and Ryokugyu.

However, these two newly appointed Admirals were not entirely trouble-free for Akainu. Ryokugyu was relatively easier to handle; he seemed able to get along with Akainu and also adhered to Akainu's doctrine of absolute justice. Fujitora, on the other hand, was completely different. His way of doing things resembled Aokiji's more, but compared to Aokiji, Fujitora's advantage was that he dared to take responsibility for his actions.

This was precisely what gave Akainu the greatest headache. As one of the Navy's highest combat powers, Fujitora represented not merely himself, but the Navy's intentions. Faced with a subordinate who did not obey his orders, any superior would likely have complicated feelings. On one hand, Akainu might admire Fujitora's ability and courage, but on the other, he would also feel helpless and annoyed by Fujitora's disobedience.

Secondly, Akainu found that his authority and status as a superior were frequently being threatened. He realized that if he wanted to consolidate his position in the Navy, he had to prove his own capabilities.

Before becoming Fleet Admiral, Akainu had already been infamous for his cold brutality. He had personally killed Ace, an act that drew the dissatisfaction of many people. Furthermore, during the contest for the Fleet Admiral position, he defeated Aokiji, causing Aokiji to leave in the end. These events made Akainu's image within the Navy somewhat awkward, and many people held negative opinions of him.

However, Akainu firmly