Chapter 63 – At the Grand Marine Meeting, Teasing a Marine Vice Admiral?
Night had fallen, yet the entire Marine fortress was blazing with light, its defenses tightened to the extreme.
Along the coastline, there was a post every three steps, and a guard every five.
Countless searchlights swept back and forth across the surface of the sea, illuminating the surrounding waters as brightly as daytime.
"Everyone, increase your vigilance!!"
A Marine Vice Admiral was personally inspecting the defensive line.
"Ace's execution is drawing near! The Whitebeard Pirates could launch an attack at any moment!"
"Any movement, no matter how small, must be reported immediately!!"
"Yes, sir!!!"
The soldiers gripped their flintlock rifles tightly, their expressions tense to the breaking point.
At that moment—
Splash—
A faint sound of water suddenly came from the reef area near the shore.
"Who's there?!"
The patrolling soldiers reacted instantly, raising their weapons and taking aim.
"There's suspicious activity!!"
"Quick! Searchlights!!"
Whoosh—!!
Several blinding beams of light immediately converged on the rocky shoreline!
It became clearly visible.
Two figures, their bodies completely soaked, were slowly walking out of the sea and onto land.
A man and a woman.
The man was tall and well-built. Even though his entire body was drenched, the relaxed yet dominant aura he gave off remained completely unaffected.
The woman wore a coat of justice, with a Famous Blade hanging at her waist. Even in such an awkward state, her breathtaking beauty and the oppressive pressure of her presence were impossible to conceal.
"Don't move!!"
The soldiers shouted nervously, fingers already resting on their triggers.
"Raise your hands!!"
However—
When they finally saw the woman's face clearly.
"..."
All shouting stopped abruptly.
The soldiers' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"That… that's…"
"Vice Admiral Peach Rabbit?!"
"It really is Vice Admiral Peach Rabbit!!"
"Hurry! Lower your weapons!!"
The soldiers hastily lowered their guns. Some immediately snapped into a salute, while others rushed to clear a path in a flurry of panic.
"Vice Admiral Peach Rabbit! You… why did you come from the sea?"
The Rear Admiral ran over, his face filled with confusion.
"Were you attacked? Was your ship destroyed?"
Gion didn't answer them.
Inside, she was screaming hysterically.
"Swimming all the way here…"
"We actually… swam all the way here!!"
She was a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral—a candidate for Admiral!
And yet she had followed this lunatic, digging a tunnel beneath the Red Line…
Then swimming across the sea all the way to Marineford?!
If this ever got out, she would never be able to hold her head up again for the rest of her life!
"Haaah…"
Beside her, Akira let out a long sigh.
He glanced at his soaked clothes and frowned slightly.
"What a pain. This is why I hate swimming."
"It feels sticky and uncomfortable."
As he spoke—
With complete naturalness, Akira placed one large hand on Gion's shoulder.
"What are you doing…?"
Gion almost dodged instinctively.
Buzz—!!!!
A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted instantly from Akira's palm!
But the Haki didn't spread outward.
Instead, with absurd precision, he compressed it into a high-frequency vibrational field surrounding only the two of them!
Hiss—!!!
Water splashed away and evaporated in an instant!
In less than a second—
Their drenched clothes, their hair…
Everything dried completely!
Not a single wrinkle remained!
"..."
Gion was utterly stunned.
She stood there blankly, touching her long hair—now dry and soft—then looked at Akira, who appeared completely at ease.
The shock surging through her heart was beyond words!
"Conqueror's Haki… can be used like this?!"
"How terrifying is his level of control?!"
"To manipulate Haki down to this degree, vibrating and evaporating only the water, without damaging the clothes at all…"
"This kind of microscopic control… even Fleet Admiral Sengoku probably couldn't do it, right?!"
The way Gion looked at Akira changed.
If before, her impression of him was merely "a monster with horrifying power"—
Then now—
She finally realized that the true terror of this man wasn't just his strength.
It was his absolute mastery over that strength!
"Let's go."
Akira patted Gion's shoulder, cutting through her shock.
"Lead the way."
"I want to see Sengoku. That old man."
"..."
Gion took a deep breath, forcing down the violent turmoil in her heart.
She straightened, restoring the dignity of a Vice Admiral, then issued an order to the still-dazed Rear Admiral.
"Take us to the Marshal's office."
"Immediately!"
"Y-Yes!!"
…
Marineford, Marine Headquarters Building.
Top floor—Marshal's Office.
At this moment—
The atmosphere inside was heavy to the extreme.
Around a massive round table sat the highest powers of the Marines.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku occupied the main seat, his expression grim.
Great Staff Officer Tsuru, a Vice Admiral, was flipping through the latest intelligence reports.
The three Admirals—"Akainu" Sakazuki, "Kizaru" Borsalino, and "Aokiji" Kuzan—sat in a row.
Akainu looked deadly serious, killing intent faintly radiating from him.
Kizaru was trimming his nails, wearing an indifferent expression.
Meanwhile, Aokiji had pulled his eye cover down, looking as though he were asleep.
Besides them—
Vice Admiral Garp, known as the "Marine Hero," sat at a smaller table to the side, crunching away as he ate senbei rice crackers.
And—
Another Admiral candidate, who had harbored unrequited love for Peach Rabbit Gion and pursued her for decades—"Chaton" Tokikake.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Akainu broke the silence, his voice heavy.
"Regarding Akira."
"My suggestion is to eliminate him completely—immediately!"
"An uncontrollable dangerous element like that must not be allowed to live!"
"I agree as well."
Chaton immediately chimed in, jealousy flashing in his eyes.
"I've heard Gion has always been with him. I'm extremely worried about her safety!"
"Hee~ how scary~"
Kizaru pursed his lips.
"He even defeated Whitebeard. If we really have to fight him, shouldn't we at least get paid properly first?"
The argument continued.
Bang!
The office doors were suddenly pushed open without warning.
"Yo."
"Pretty lively in here?"
A calm, casual voice rang out.
All eyes instantly turned toward the door.
There he was.
Akira, hands in his pockets, strolling in with a relaxed expression.
And beside him—
None other than Vice Admiral Peach Rabbit Gion, who had been missing for some time!
"Gion!!"
Chaton shot to his feet, emotions written all over his face!
"Are you alright?! That bastard didn't do anything to you, did he?!"
However—
Gion didn't even look at him.
She simply followed behind Akira in silence, like a wronged little wife?
The sight made Chaton's heart pound wildly, half his body turning cold.
"Something's wrong!"
"The atmosphere between those two… something is definitely wrong!"
"Could it be… could it be that the goddess I've admired for decades… has already—"
Veins bulged in Chaton's eyes as he glared furiously at Akira.
"Akira!!"
Sengoku suddenly stood up, eyes wide like bronze bells!
"You… how did you get here?!"
"Why wouldn't I be allowed to come?"
Akira ignored the terrifying gazes surrounding him—looks that would've scared ordinary pirates to death.
He walked casually toward the round table.
"There's no seat for you here."
Akainu spoke coldly, magma rippling along his arm.
"Is that so?"
Akira smiled.
He walked to an empty chair and sat down casually.
Then—
Under the stunned gazes of every Marine executive present—
Bang!
He propped his leg up on the round conference table—the very table symbolizing the highest authority of the Marines!
Leaning back, he adjusted himself into the most comfortable position.
"Now,"
Akira pointed at the seat beneath him.
"I've got one."
"You—!!!"
Akainu exploded in fury!
"How dare you!!"
"This is Marine Headquarters!!"
Crack!
The pen in Sengoku's hand shattered into pieces!
Arrogant!
Far too arrogant!
He had never seen a pirate act this freely in the highest Marine council!
"Bwahahahaha!!"
At that moment—
A burst of laughter suddenly rang out.
"Garp!!"
Sengoku roared angrily.
Garp could be seen, still stuffing senbei into his mouth, staring at Akira with great interest.
"This kid! He's interesting!"
"Not like a certain someone," he said, pointing at Akainu, "always wearing such a stiff face!"
As he spoke—
Garp casually propped his own leg up on his small table, perfectly copying Akira's arrogant pose!
He even raised his bag of senbei toward Akira.
"Hey, kid! Want some?"
"..."
Sengoku's vision darkened. He almost fainted on the spot.
They were even competing in posture?!
Were they holding a contest to see who was more arrogant?!
Akira looked at Garp, the corner of his lips curling upward slightly.
"This old man is pretty interesting."
A sudden urge to "compete" surfaced in his mind.
Akira reached out.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone present—especially Chaton—
With a single motion—
He wrapped an arm around the slender waist of Gion, who was standing beside him!
"Ah!"
Gion cried out in shock.
She lost her balance and fell straight into Akira's lap!
Pulled tightly against his chest!
"!!!!"
The entire meeting room instantly erupted!
Akainu's magma burned a hole straight through the table!
Aokiji's eye cover slipped down, his mouth forming a perfect "O"!
Kizaru's sunglasses slid down the bridge of his nose!
And Chaton—
Boom—!!!!
A violent aura exploded from Chaton's body!
The chair beneath him was reduced to dust on the spot!
"Akira——!!!!"
Tears mixed with blood streamed from Chaton's eyes!
"Let her go!!!!"
Gion herself was filled with both shame and fury!
"You bastard! Let go of me!!"
She struggled with all her strength, trying to break free from Akira's embrace.
But—
To her shock, she realized—
Akira's arm was like solid steel!
No matter how much strength she used, even secretly activating Haki—
It didn't budge at all!
Instead, it held her even tighter!
"Don't move."
Akira whispered into Gion's ear, his warm breath making the back of her neck tingle.
"If you keep moving, I'll demand some 'interest.'"
Gion's body stiffened instantly; she didn't dare move anymore.
She knew all too well what this man meant by "interest"!
"Enough!!!!"
Sengoku finally couldn't take it anymore!
Bang!!!
A single palm strike shattered the entire round conference table!
Wood fragments flew everywhere!
"Akira!!!"
Sengoku's roar echoed through the office!
"What do you think this place is?!"
"In front of all the Marine executives—teasing our Vice Admiral!!"
"Does this mean you're declaring war on the Marines?!"
Sengoku stared sharply at Akira.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the killing intent in his heart.
"Speak!"
"Your visit this time…"
"Which side are you really planning to stand on?!"
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