The day after Bondrewd's "Commercial Exhibition" ended.
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
Behind a dark hardwood desk, Akainu leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed on the desktop and his brow tightly furrowed.
His gaze rested on the report about the Sabaody Incident on his desk. His grip had already left the edges of the paper slightly crumpled.
Kizaru sat on the Red Sofa to the left of the desk, relaxed, with one leg crossed over the other, carefully trimming his nails.
Staff Officer Tsuru sat on the sofa to the right, a document spread out before her and a cup of tea in her hand.
"...So..."
Akainu's voice was low.
"At Sabaody, so close to Marine Headquarters-in front of the Marines-one Celestial Dragon died, and another was abducted?"
The Five Elders had given him a thorough dressing-down as soon as things ended yesterday.
They had only held back because Akainu had just become Fleet Admiral, and they themselves had put him there. And... Bondrewd truly could not be judged by normal standards.
The Five Elders had merely berated Akainu without imposing any concrete punishment.
Kizaru noticed Akainu's gaze but did not answer immediately. After a brief silence, he spoke, his voice less languid than usual.
"...At least Shalria is still alive."
That did count as a "breakthrough."
Shalria had become the only Celestial Dragon so far to encounter Bondrewd and still "never have died."
Even God's Knights had to die when facing Bondrewd... Their ability to resurrect was another matter.
"Given the circumstances, this wasn't the worst possible outcome."
That was what Kizaru said.
It was not that Akainu could not understand. He had fought Bondrewd himself. Against a monster like that, pursuing him relentlessly would not have saved Rosward either.
But understanding was one thing, and the