Hope of resurrection

"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, please give us our orders! I can't wait to make those bastard pirates pay dearly!" a newly appointed Rear Admiral said furiously.

But Sakazuki said nothing. He looked at the Rear Admiral with a conflicted expression, slowly clenching his fist beneath the desk. No one knew what was going through his mind.

One by one, the Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals arrived. Their faces burned with anger, their words impassioned. They wished they could cut those pirates into a thousand pieces right then and there!

Their reactions only made Sakazuki feel worse. He wanted to stand up and loudly encourage them, to send them out with the Marines' fury and wipe out every pirate who dared offend them! But he couldn't!

He was no longer an Admiral. He could no longer act as he pleased; he had to take responsibility for the entire Marine force. The supplies from the World Government were vitally important. Yes, he believed in absolute justice, but that didn't mean he was cold-blooded and heartless! Seeing those gaunt, malnourished soldiers pained him too. A soldier had to fight the enemy while also enduring physical suffering...

He had to seize this opportunity the World Government had offered the Marines!

"I'm sorry, everyone!" Sakazuki's voice was extremely low. Every officer froze, exchanging bewildered looks. Since when did their ruthless Fleet Admiral apologize? Had the sun risen in the west?

"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, what happened?" one officer couldn't help asking.

"The World Government has issued new orders. Eight World Nobles are going to the Golden City for a vacation, and they want us to send eight Vice Admirals and two Admirals to protect them! In return, they'll increase our supply allocation!" Sakazuki delivered those words with a grim expression. Sure enough, the moment he finished, disbelief