"K—Kuzan, Admiral… is it really going to be this sudden?!"
"The Navy's strength is already far from its peak. All the admiral seats are vacant as it is…"
"If we lose the Seven Warlords of the Sea at a time like this, then our reserve of top-tier combat power will be completely wiped out!"
"And what's more… we'll have to dispatch troops to suppress the former Warlords. Who knows how many soldiers we'll lose in the process!"
Inside the Navy Headquarters' conference room, just as the assembled high-ranking officers fell silent—seemingly prepared to tacitly accept the plan put forward by the newly appointed Fleet Admiral, Kuzan—
An ill-timed, rough voice suddenly rang out from a corner of the room.
In an instant, everyone turned toward the source of the sound.
They saw a Marine Vice Admiral stand up—a vicious-looking man whose face was marked with prominent X-shaped scars.
Vice Admiral Doberman. One of the Navy's elite vice admirals, immensely powerful, and a staunch believer in Akainu's doctrine of "Absolute Justice."
And compared to Akainu, there was a crucial difference.
Akainu obeyed the World Government's orders in order to secure more resources for the Navy, so that he could fulfill his belief in Absolute Justice.
But Doberman was one of the few high-ranking officers who stood firmly and unconditionally on the side of the World Government itself.
To the World Government, he was a dog even more loyal than Akainu—though far less capable.
"Vice Admiral Doberman…"
After recognizing the speaker, Kuzan, seated in the Fleet Admiral's chair, frowned slightly. A faintly intriguing glint passed through his eyes.
As the saying went: major matters were decided in small meetings; minor matters in large ones.
Although the proposer of the "Abolish the Seven Warlords Plan" was Issho, who had only recently joined the Navy, Kuzan had already taken Issho's proposal to the very man who had originally created and implemented the Warlords system—the former Fleet Admiral, Sengoku.
The fact that Kuzan was now presenting this plan so openly to the entire Navy meant that it had already been approved by the true center of power within the Marines.
Today's meeting was nothing more than a formality.
This was something everyone present understood.
Doberman was no fool. There was no way he didn't understand this as well.
Which meant—
"So, you're dissatisfied with me being Fleet Admiral after all?"
A flash of light flickered deep in Kuzan's eyes before quickly disappearing.
As a supporter of "Absolute Justice," Doberman clearly despised someone like Kuzan—whom he considered soft—for leading the Navy.
And although Kuzan's private conversation with the Straw Hat Pirates remained unknown, the sudden return of Zephyr, along with the mysterious full withdrawal of both Marine and World Government fleets from the battlefield…
These developments inevitably stirred speculation among those with sharp instincts.
It was just that the World Government's higher-ups had already set the direction, and with their own lack of strength, these people neither had the authority nor the ability to stop anything.
But…
There were always those who insisted on flaunting their sense of existence, as if only by doing so could their lives feel complete.
Doberman was exactly that kind of person.
"Do—"
After a brief pause in his thoughts, Kuzan was about to speak, intending to refute Doberman's objection in his capacity as Fleet Admiral.
But at that moment, someone else spoke before him.
"That's where you're wrong, Vice Admiral Doberman!"
"The Navy is the Navy. Pirates are pirates!"
"If we can simply invite pirates at will, grant them privileges, and turn them into the Navy's fighting force just because we lack strength…"
"Then how are we any different from those pirates themselves?!"
"And how could we possibly shoulder the word 'Justice' behind us, or the trust of all the people of this world?!"
Whoosh—
A righteous, resonant voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention once again.
They saw Issho—who had joined the Navy not long ago, yet had already become a vice admiral purely through strength—plant his cane sword against the floor, his expression solemn as he refuted Doberman.
"Hm?!"
Doberman, who had been focusing all his firepower on Kuzan, was taken aback.
When he realized that the one contradicting him was Issho—a man who had joined the Navy less than a month ago—his anger flared even more fiercely.
"Outrageous!!!"
Doberman bellowed:
"The world is in turmoil, pirates run rampant—since when does the future of the Navy fall to someone like you, who hasn't even been in the Navy for a month?!"
"Vice Admiral Doberman…"
Hearing Doberman openly lose his temper in such a formal setting, Kuzan finally could no longer tolerate it.
The temperature in the conference room plummeted instantly, a bone-chilling cold seeping into everyone's marrow.
Kuzan placed both hands on the table, leaning forward slightly as he raised his head, half his face obscured by shadow.
"Everyone present at this meeting is a pillar of the Navy. There is no one here who lacks the right to speak."
Whoosh—
Kuzan lifted his head fully. His eyes, glowing with a faint azure light, locked onto Doberman, making him feel as though thorns were pressing against his back and a lump stuck in his throat.
Then Kuzan slowly withdrew his hands and began tapping the tabletop lightly with his fingers.
Tap… tap…
The sound was soft, yet each tap felt as if it were striking directly against Doberman's heart.
Kuzan then continued calmly:
"There's one more thing I wasn't planning to announce just yet…"
"But since we've come this far, I might as well say it now."
"After a joint decision between myself and Navy Advisor Sengoku, Vice Admiral Issho will soon be promoted to Admiral, filling one of the current vacancies."
"The formal proposal has already been submitted to the Five Elders. Before long, the Navy will have a new Admiral."
"What?!"
Kuzan's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly sending waves rippling through the gathered high-ranking officers.
All eyes focused once more on Issho.
Though they had heard rumors of his immense strength, and knew he surpassed elite vice admirals…
With admiral candidates already available within the Navy, Kuzan still intended to elevate Issho directly to Admiral—
There were only two possible explanations.
First: Issho's strength far exceeded their imagination, enough to shoulder the responsibilities of an Admiral.
Second: Fleet Admiral Kuzan, in order to consolidate his authority, had shamelessly manipulated things behind the scenes to promote his own supporter.
Of course, having worked with Kuzan for many years, they all knew exactly what kind of man he was.
Even the hardliners who had supported Akainu didn't believe Kuzan was doing anything improper.
Because if he made such a decision, it meant Issho's strength had already been recognized.
Even Doberman understood that clearly.
However…
Perhaps Akainu's death had dealt him too great a blow—or perhaps there were other, more selfish reasons.
At this moment, in front of all the Navy's top brass, Doberman suddenly demanded:
"Why?!"
"Huh?!"
Everyone froze.
Even Vice Admiral Onigumo, seated beside Doberman, couldn't help but tug subtly at his sleeve.
But Doberman ignored him completely, continuing to shout heatedly:
"He's just someone who joined the Navy recently! In such a short time, you probably haven't even finished investigating whether he's a spy from another faction!"
"Why should he be made an Admiral straight away?!"
"His military merits probably don't even amount to one-thousandth of mine!"
Clearly, even in his fury, Doberman hadn't lost his rationality.
Military merit was a crucial factor in the Navy's promotion system.
And as a hardliner, Doberman spent his days either killing pirates or hunting them down.
Among the Navy's vice admirals, aside from a few special cases, no one had more military merit than him.
"Vice Admiral Doberman… have you forgotten the 'World Military Draft'?!"
At this point, Sengoku—though retired, still serving as a Navy advisor—couldn't help but join the discussion.
"The 'World Military Draft,' proposed by former Fleet Admiral Akainu, clearly states that during extraordinary periods when the Navy lacks manpower…"
"It is permissible to bypass considerations such as military merit and length of service, and grant exceptional promotions based on strength alone. Issho—"
Sengoku was about to continue, but Issho raised a hand, signaling for him to stop.
"That's enough, Advisor Sengoku."
Issho stood up. Though blind, he seemed to survey the entire room, before finally fixing his "gaze" on Doberman.
He spoke gently, with a benevolent tone:
"I know that many of you have strong reservations about me becoming an Admiral."
"But please give me a chance. I will prove through my actions that I can lead the Navy toward a better future."
"However, Vice Admiral Doberman…"
Issho's expression turned serious once more.
"Whether or not I become an Admiral has nothing to do with the Navy's next course of action."
"Colluding with pirates was always a dangerous gamble. And the facts have proven that although the Seven Warlords system brought a degree of stability to the seas…"
"In the long run, it has been entirely detrimental to the Navy's development."
"The Navy is indeed short on combat power right now. But precisely because of that, we should act decisively and seize this opportunity to cut away all bloated, burdensome excess."
"After suffering several consecutive defeats, the world's trust in the Navy is already hanging by a thread."
"And launching a purge against the Seven Warlords is the perfect opportunity to make the world recognize the Navy anew!!!"
"At this point, I am willing to make a wager with Vice Admiral Doberman…"
A lover of gambling, Issho was returning to his old habits.
Doberman's eyes flickered with contemplation.
"What kind of wager?" he asked.
Issho smiled faintly.
"In the upcoming 'Abolition of the Seven Warlords Plan,' I will go alone to deal with a single Warlord pirate crew."
"If I fail to return with the captured Warlord and the heads of their main leaders, then it will prove that my strength is insufficient to serve as an Admiral."
"At that time, I will personally request that Fleet Admiral Kuzan rescind his decision."
"But if I succeed in capturing a Warlord…"
Issho raised his head. A vast, surging aura erupted from his body—powerful, yet completely non-threatening.
With absolute confidence, he declared:
"Then I hope to gain Vice Admiral Doberman's recognition, and formally request that Vice Admiral Doberman serve as my deputy after I become an Admiral."
"What do you say, Vice Admiral Doberman?!"
(End of Chapter)