Chapter 305: The New Fleet Admiral
Vice Admiral Tsuru's voice was firm, her refusal absolute. The Five Elders' order had apparently crossed a line.
Given recent events, Tsuru immediately understood why they wanted Garp brought to the ruins of Mary Geoise.
Treatment?
What a clumsy excuse.
Marine Headquarters had all but sunk, its medical facilities were destroyed, and the evacuated doctors hadn't returned in time, which led to Sengoku's death. But was the Holy Land any better? The battle there had been even more intense. What doctors or equipment could possibly have survived?
Nearby, Akainu's face tightened as he heard the order relayed by Kizaru. His brow furrowed, clearly recalling something he found deeply unpleasant.
Fujitora, sensing the rejection from his two colleagues, understood. There was a secret here, something he didn't know. Something that could make even the loyal Sakazuki balk at an order from the Five Elders.
After a moment's consideration, Fujitora gripped his cane sword. "Then let us refuse them," he said in his low voice. "We can state that the Holy Land's medical conditions are even less suitable for Vice Admiral Garp's treatment."
"How troublesome~" Kizaru drawled, vexed by the problem.
"In that case, I will be the one to explain it to them," Tsuru said. She looked out at the ravaged, fractured remains of Marineford, her expression heavy. After a long silence, she looked down, a rare look of pain on her face.
"Kong-san... already compromised with them. Are they now trying to get their hands on Garp, too?"
The... change... that had happened to Kong was not a secret among the Marines' absolute highest command. Though Kong had never said it outright, Tsuru, Sengoku, and Garp had guessed what was done to him. They were furious, but it was an accomplished fact.
Tsuru could not, would not, accept the same thing happening to Garp. Setting aside whether it would harm him, she knew Garp would never allow it. He would rather die.
Akainu said nothing, his gloved hand resting lightly on his left arm.
Kizaru, sensing the mood, quickly changed the subject. "By the way, I have to warn you about something. The Archangel Pirates have new war machines. Their strength... exceeds even Vegapunk's first-generation weapons."
"Individually, they aren't much of a threat to us, but when they coordinate, they managed to tie me down for a long time, even when I was serious. It's a true 'one plus one is greater than two' situation. The more of them there are, the stronger they become. I faced over two hundred, and even going all out, I only managed to destroy about a tenth of them."
Kizaru then recounted the full details of his encounter. They all looked identical, possessed the synthetic Paramecia abilities Vegapunk was developing, and had even displayed multiple powers at once, including the Slice-Slice, Space-Space, and Life-Life abilities.
Akainu's face grew stern. If Kizaru's report was accurate, these weapons were terrifying.
"In that case," Fujitora said, "are these not comparable to that Lunarian subspecies we've seen in the New World?"
"I'm afraid so," Kizaru's voice came from the snail.
Tsuru's grief receded, replaced by her sharp, professional demeanor. "I saw similar reports from the officers who went to Mary Geoise. But in their encounters, the machines only displayed one ability: Borsalino's laser."
"..." Kizaru was stunned into silence.
Akainu's eyes flashed.
"My ability?" Kizaru finally said. "I don't recall my Lineage Factor ever being leaked."
"No," Akainu interjected, "this might not be related to your Lineage Factor. Do you all remember the reason for the first conflict between Archangel and Whitebeard?"
"You mean... the Copy-Copy Fruit user, 'Chameleon' Gamenio?" Tsuru recalled. "Archangel's assassins infiltrated Whitebeard's territory and captured him."
"It's possible," Tsuru concluded, "that these weapons are equipped with an artificial Copy-Copy ability. They copied Borsalino's power during their fight. They can't replicate his elementalization, but they copied his laser."
"An artificial Copy-Copy Fruit..." Fujitora gripped his sword. They took my blood, too. Perhaps an artificial Gravity-Gravity user was already in development.
"Ooh, how scary~" Kizaru's voice drawled. "Artificial copy abilities... No wonder their 'Green Blood' lets them use multiple powers. I was starting to think there was a scientist out there even more brilliant than Vegapunk..."
Akainu's mind was racing. "A copy ability... that means any Devil Fruit user who fights them will only expand their arsenal..."
Tsuru was also in deep thought, calculating Archangel's current strength. "Dozens of Lunarians, dozens of Buccaneers, the entire Fish-Man race, over a hundred Lunarian subspecies, and now... an unknown number of these powerful machines. And... Elbaf's giants..."
Her heart sank. The sheer scale of Terra's forces was chilling. And they were practically joined at the hip with Elbaf. Even if the Marines threw everything they had, victory was not certain. Unless they had an Ancient Weapon, Tsuru didn't know how they could win.
As her mind spun, a new, dreadful thought occurred to her. "Next... the Five Elders will likely turn their sights on the other giants."
Elbaf was lost, but there were other giant kingdoms in the West and South Blue. They viewed the Elbaf giants as barbarians. Sanjuan Wolf, the "Colossal Warship," was from the West Blue. Vice Admiral Saul was from the South Blue. And then... there were the "Snow Country People," a different tribe of giants, even larger than normal, whose last two brothers were active near Punk Hazard.
Tsuru could see it clearly: the World Government, desperate to replenish its forces, would conscript these giants. And the Marines would be the ones forced to hold the blade.
"Oh, by the way," Kizaru's voice cut in, "Lord Nusjuro asked us to quickly determine... who is most suitable to be the next Fleet Admiral."
"..."
The room fell silent.
"Who do the Five Elders favor?" Tsuru asked.
"Sakazuki."
The answer was both logical and absurd. Fujitora and Tsuru turned to look at Akainu, who remained silent. They hadn't forgotten that Akainu had been confined because of his actions leading to the death of the God's Knight Commander, Figarland Garling. And now, he was their first choice for Fleet Admiral.
Akainu himself, hearing he was one step away from the position he had coveted his entire life, felt no joy. Instead, he felt a... subtle dread.
"I'm going to deal with the pirates who are getting rowdy now that they think the Marines are weak," he said, standing and putting on his Justice coat. "I'll show them that even if the Marines are weakened, they haven't gotten any stronger."
He walked to the door, then paused. "I am... no longer suitable to be Fleet Admiral."
"What?" Tsuru and Fujitora were baffled.
Akainu didn't turn around, his hand instinctively going to his left arm. "If I were to become Fleet Admiral... the Marines would become just another Cipher Pol."
He left without another word.
"Sakazuki... could it be... you too...?" Tsuru whispered, suddenly understanding. Akainu's willful exit confirmed he was withdrawing from the running.
After another long silence, Tsuru sighed. "Borsalino, relay this to the Five Elders."
"Yes..." Kizaru's voice came back.
Just as he was about to speak, Fujitora, who had been quiet, spoke up. "I have only been with the Marines for a short time. It would be inappropriate for me to take the position of Fleet Admiral."
"Is that so?" Tsuru said. She knew Fujitora lacked the prestige of the other Admirals and would never be able to balance the hawk and dove factions.
Kizaru, on the other end, was beginning to feel a sense of dread. "If Sakazuki and Issho... are both out..."
"Tsuru-san, can a Vice Admiral be promoted...?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Tsuru cut him off. "I don't have the monstrous power you three have. I'd be a laughingstock."
"Then... the next Fleet Admiral..." Kizaru's voice was uncharacteristically hesitant, filled with a deep reluctance.
Tsuru shattered his last hope. "That would, of course... be you, Borsalino."
Kizaru's face went pale. He saw his future: sitting in an office 20 hours a day, sleeping and eating at his desk, buried under a mountain of never-ending paperwork, his door being knocked on every five minutes.
He saw the world in chaos, a new Marine draft, the selection of a new Marineford, the relocation, the question of rebuilding Mary Geoise, and... the problem of the Archangel Pirates.
The endless, crushing weight of responsibility flooded his mind.
"Why...?" he whispered, "would anyone want this job?"
In the conference room, Tsuru looked at the Den Den Mushi. It was perfectly mimicking Kizaru's face: his features slack, his eyes hollow and dead.
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