With the [Censored] Army as a convenient shield, no one was going to hold Loa's failure to catch Drake against him. Even Akainu, who believed in Absolute Justice, would not pick apart his mission at a time like this.
The photos Simon had sent back let anyone see the Icefield Loa had created in Drum Kingdom. If even an attack of that scale had failed to stop Drake, then Drake was simply that strong. No one could blame Loa.
Back at his quarters, Akainu hung his Admiral's coat on a rack and knelt in his room.
What he had learned about Loa today had shaken him more than anyone imagined. He thought back to their first formal meeting, when the Dragon People had sent Rob Lucci to pressure the Marines over the Blood Marrow Worms incident.
Loa had been strong even then. He had effortlessly frozen P9's elite members into cripples and even severed two of Rob Lucci's fingers.
But in Akainu's eyes, that had been the extent of Loa's strength.
But now!
Who could have imagined that in just over a year, Loa would grow this powerful?
More importantly, he was on Kuzan's side!
Of the Three Admirals, Akainu was undoubtedly the most ambitious. He was ruthless to an extreme and believed in Absolute Justice, willing to kill even civilians without hesitation. Yet no one could deny that he was a true soldier!
And as a soldier, his greatest wish was to purge the world of every source of turmoil!
That was not something he could accomplish as an Admiral!
The seat of Fleet Admiral had always been Akainu's goal. Like former Fleet Admiral Kong, he wanted to reach the very center of power in this world and reshape it according to his own convictions!
The dream sounded naive,