Upon hearing Kuzan words, everyone turned their gaze toward him.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Kuzan exhaled a cold breath, paused for a moment and then spoke.
"The three great pirates launching a joint assault on Marine Headquarters—this will undoubtedly be a massive battle!"
"If it were just Whitebeard alone, the destructive power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit might still be manageable for Marineford!"
"But with Kaido and Shiki added to the mix, the outcome becomes uncertain!"
"Shiki Float-Float Fruit and Kaido Azure Dragon Fruit, both possess destructive capabilities on par with Whitebeard Tremor-Tremor Fruit, capable of causing widespread devastation!"
As Kuzan spoke, he glanced around at everyone.
The room fell silent, for Kuzan words were undeniably true.
"With such formidable Devil Fruit abilities, we might not be able to hold our ground!"
"If we proceed with the public execution at Marine Headquarters!"
"Marineford could very well be sunk!"
"This would be an immense disgrace for the Marines!"
Kuzan words resonated powerfully, echoing through the entire meeting room.
In an instant, everyone expressions stiffened, their lips twitching involuntarily.
Kuzan words were not exaggerated or alarmist in the slightest.
The destructive potential of two Top tier Devil Fruits, fully mastered by top-tier fighters, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Kaido, who had already demonstrated his ability to transform into a blue dragon during the God Valley Incident, possessed the power to control wind and rain with unparalleled precision.
With such forces striking simultaneously, the idea of Marineford the strongest naval base being sunk—a notion that once seemed absurd—could very well become a reality.
And this was just the three great pirates, their subordinate forces hadn't even been factored in.
If Marineford were indeed sunk, even if Ace execution proceeded as planned, the Marines would lose all respect and the World Government credibility would be severely undermined.
"This is truly terrifying!" Kizaru, who had remained silent until now, adjusted his sunglasses and spoke up, shedding his usual laid-back demeanor.
For a moment, everyone felt an overwhelming pressure, their minds racing as they pondered Kuzan's words.
Was it really worth proceeding with Ace public execution at Marineford?
Should they consider alternative plans?
"BOOM!"
Amid the silence, Akainu slammed his fist on the table, shattering the brief stillness.
His resolute face was tightly knit with a deep frown.
"So what?"
"Are we supposed to bow down to pirates?"
Akainu spat out these words through gritted teeth, his body shooting up from his seat.
This former super rookie, who had participated in the God Valley Incident, now had streaks of gray at his temples.
But his unwavering belief in the Marines' justice had never waned with age.
Though he couldn't find a single point to refute in Kuzan speech, which was entirely factual, the idea of retreating in the face of pirate power was unacceptable.
What would the pirates think? What would the civilians think?
"The news of our public execution has already spread across the world!"
"If we back down now, the authority of the Marines and the World Government, painstakingly rebuilt over the years, will be shattered!"
"Everything will vanish at this moment!" Akainu, who has always upheld absolute justice, roared ferociously.
In the face of pirates, he would never choose to yield even an inch.
Beside him, Sengoku gritted his teeth so hard that they made a clenching sound.
Forty years had passed and this once top-tier powerhouse was no longer young.
But like Akainu, the absolute justice in his heart allowed no one to desecrate it.
Akainu words had ignited the justice within him and his slightly aged face was now filled with determination.
"Exactly!"
"We must never bow to the pirates!"
"There's nothing to fear. It's just three pirates, a bunch of old-timers!"
"Don't forget, after forty years of development, our Marine forces are much stronger than before!"
As he spoke, Sengoku abruptly stood up.
"Sengoku, Akainu, calm down!"
"This is not the time for impulsive actions. If Marineford is sunk, The cost to the Marines would be too great!"
"We need to consider relocating the public execution site or carrying out a secret execution!"
Kong understood the feelings of Sengoku and Akainu at this moment.
How could he not feel the same?
The Marines, fearing the pirates' attack, chose to retreat.
If this had been done before the public execution, when the public was unaware, it might have been acceptable.
But doing so now would be tantamount to bowing to the pirates, indicating that the Marines' strength was inferior to theirs.
But the current situation told him that he must calm down and think about whether this was the right course of action.
"I think we've all overlooked a key point!" Vice Admiral Tsuru white hair stood out in the crowd.
Once the most beautiful woman in Marine Headquarters, she was now the one who had aged the fastest.
"As previously mentioned, the pirates' attack on Marineford this time isn't solely because of Ace!"
"This is a trigger. Their ultimate goal is to use this opportunity to crush the Marines!"
"These old forces have united this time, possibly deliberately sending Ace to Marine Headquarters as a catalyst!"
"Don't forget, we didn't capture Ace ourselves!"
"Even if we relocate now, they will still directly attack Marine Headquarters!"
Whoosh!!
After Tsuru finished speaking, the room fell silent, everyone brows furrowed tightly.
It had to be admitted that Tsuru words were very reasonable and her speculation was quite logical.
Why did the old forces choose this moment to gather?
Why did the remnants of these old forces choose to attack during the execution?
There was a high possibility of premeditation.
If that was the case, then whether to relocate the execution site or even whether to make it public was no longer important.
Because the remnants of the Rocks Pirates would definitely come.
"Bang!"
Sengoku slammed his hands on the table and roared.
"Do these remnants of the old era really think they can take us down?"
"It's just Whitebeard, Shiki and Kaido! What is there to fear!"
After saying this, Sengoku abruptly turned to Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru.
"You're not the little brats from forty years ago either!"
"Now, as the Admiral of the Navy, bearing the mantle of justice, show the resolve you ought to have!"
"Forty years ago, it was the era of the World Government and it still is now and it will always be!"
Hearing this, their bodies trembled simultaneously, their eyes gradually turning resolute, their expressions becoming solemn.
After speaking, he tore off the coat symbolizing the Navy justice and laid it flat on the table.
He glanced around at everyone, then placed his hand on the two large characters written on it.
"If every place in the world that raises the banner of justice yields to evil, who will still believe in justice?!"
"If that's the case, what good would it do even if we managed to defend Marineford?!"
Sengoku words struck deep into everyone's hearts, causing them to shudder.
"Forty years ago, we were beaten so badly we couldn't recognize ourselves, but forty years later, I will fight back!"
"To uphold the justice in the hearts of the world people, I will never retreat even half a step. This is the justice I have always held firm in my heart!"
Akainu voice was firm and resolute, leaving no room for doubt.
The other two also nodded heavily at this moment.
No matter how many concerns they had, they would no longer retreat from the word "justice" they bore on their backs.
------------------------------
Hey i reupload some of my blocked fic under different account : OPlovers11
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator