Ten minutes ago, inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford, thick clouds of cigar smoke curled toward the ceiling.
"Given the current state of the world, you want to launch an offensive against the Four Emperors? Cero, are you even sober?" Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, known officially as Akainu, roared with frustration. His Marine cap was crooked, the brim low over his eyes, while a thick cigar crackled in his clenched teeth, sparks flying. His scarred face glowed as hot as magma itself.
Cero, newly promoted but thoroughly unrefined in temperament, swayed slightly, his focus nowhere near calm.
"In less than a month, the World Government will invite the Sky Island Alliance to host a world council. We cannot create havoc right now!" Akainu continued, his voice deep and rigid with judgment.
Cero scoffed, eyes flashing with electric energy. His patience for plans and diplomacy was visibly thin.
"The World Government leaders are weak," he snapped, slamming his palm down hard on the desk, the knock sending silverware rattling. "Send thirty airships, fifty thousand Marines, and I'll flatten the Sky Island Alliance's headquarters!" he declared, his aura crackling with raw intensity.
"Not a chance!" Akainu's face twitched with irritation. "Cero, this is not a trivial matter. You cannot take the Marines into battle on a whim!"
Akainu studied the brash new Admiral before him, a man with a hawkish spark in his eyes that reminded him of earlier days, and felt a tumultuous mixture of trust and frustration.
He knew Cero had immense combat prowess, but his impulsive nature was like a powder keg ready to explode — and the world was not ready for another blaze.
"You complain about nonsense?" Cero retorted. "All you do is compromise. You exchange Marine progress for future promises!"
Akainu's expression hardened as he leaned forward.
"When you recruited you, you were told you would face powerful fighters, not play at ruling a military council. You even mentioned wanting to fight one of the strongest instructors alive," Akainu said carefully.
Cero's brow twitched.
"Yes, that's why I accepted the rank of Admiral, to test myself against those of supreme strength," Cero said, voice tight with determination, though it wavered slightly under scrutiny.
"But since my appointment, what am I doing? When pirates raid here, I stroll over casually and we cannot pursue. And if I exert haloed strength and cause a minor shift in sea currents, you chastise me!"
Akainu's patience wore thin but he held his ground. He thrust his ash into a tray and met Cero's gaze with a colder glare.
"Do you remember when you detonated weather clouds and destroyed the Beast Pirates' fleet? The lightning rained down and damaged allied warships. Entire nations demanded explanations from Marine authorities," he explained, irritation biting through each word.
Those consequences had forced the Marine branch to withdraw from the region, since even the Four Emperors no longer dared to traverse a sea that rained lightning unpredictably.
Cero blinked, feigning drunken confusion, swaying as he looked around innocently.
Akainu continued without pause.
"And your so-called pursuit of pirates — did you really think barging into Totto Land to chase a Pirate Crew was wise? You nearly triggered open war with the Big Mom Pirates!"
Cero's expression faltered slightly.
"The situation is chaotic beyond reason. If the Sky Island Alliance had no influence, then perhaps I would support war against Big Mom directly," Akainu said, turning to face the expansive Marine strategy map. The colors of world zones showed influence and power distribution, the Sky Island Alliance highlighted in pale blue and white.
"If we secure the Alliance's technology and resources," Akainu continued, "the Marines can pursue every enemy relentlessly. No pirate will escape our grasp."
His gaze turned back to Cero, who was now distracted despite the gravity of the moment.
"Therefore, I order you to move toward the locations of Whitebeard and Kaido, and project Marine power there. Do not engage in full conflict, but restrain them, make them behave themselves. And as for the supernovas who wreck havoc across the seas — do not hesitate to eliminate them if you can."
Cero frowned, picking at his cap with lazy irritation.
"Just a mission to intimidate everyone again?" he muttered.
"Admiral Kizaru has other tasks monitoring Air Force movements that cannot be ignored," Akainu responded gravely.
"I want Issho and the others to go," Cero said dismissively.
"They are engaged elsewhere," Akainu said flatly, his eyes now heavy with additional intelligence reports in his hand, concerning Revolutionary Army activities and mysterious groups causing global unrest.
"This world's peace is fragile at best," he said, his gaze darkening.
Cero's aura flared with violent electricity as he stood, muscles tensing with power. His voice was cold, polished with resolve.
"Only by eradicating those who oppose the Marines can justice prevail," he declared, eyes burning with focus.
Akainu looked at him with a complex blend of respect and melancholy. In his younger days, he once believed that absolute marine strength could save the world, but experience had taught him that conflict spirals into more conflict.
As Cero turned to go, Akainu spoke once more.
"Strong enemies will keep appearing," he said quietly, "you will have many battles ahead."
Cero paused, then grinned slightly, shadows of excitement flickering in his eyes.
"Then let them come," he whispered, and exited with quiet confidence.
Outside, Marineford was already in motion.
Near Marineford's streets, in a lively tavern, Cero and Vice Admiral Onigumo were dressed in casual clothing, sharing drinks. A wooden staff tapped against the ground as festivities continued, a loud jockey of laughter rising above the crowd.
Various Marines and civilians watched in awe as these seasoned officers celebrated with unmatched zeal.
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