"Kakarot, what are you doing here? Are you really trying to stop the Marines and the World Government from carrying out their operation?"
As he spoke, the warship swiftly approached the shore like a steel behemoth.
Akainu looked stern. He turned and signaled for his men to remain aboard, then stepped onto the harbor alone with steady, firm strides.
He knew perfectly well that if the two sides clashed, given Kakarot and Lina's strength, the shock waves of their battle would surge like a tsunami. Those ordinary soldiers would have no chance of surviving such overwhelming power.
Akainu cared quite a bit about the soldiers under his command. After all, they were hardened men he had personally selected and rigorously trained, men who tolerated no evil. Every one of them was a worthy soldier in his eyes. How could he bear to let them die for nothing?
Still, from Akainu's seemingly straightforward question, it was easy to tell that he clearly did not yet know the operation was being broadcast live.
On closer consideration, that was perfectly normal. Given Akainu's consistently uncompromising and meticulous approach, discipline in the force he led was bound to be extremely strict.
During a mission, he would certainly forbid his soldiers from distracting themselves by fiddling with their Mobile Den Den Mushi, lest it interfere with the operation.
Yet no one at Marine Headquarters had informed him about the broadcast beforehand, either. Perhaps they assumed Akainu would know everything on his own, or perhaps there was some other unknown reason.
Kakarot looked at Akainu before him with a somewhat inscrutable expression.
Setting aside the fact that Akainu had killed Ace in the anime and earned the hatred of countless One Piece fans, in all fairness, he was actually a highly competent soldier.
He always carried