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"What's the situation? Didn't Vice Admiral Akira transform into a huge bat and release a swarm of bats into the sky outside?"
"That's right, but why did he suddenly appear beside Vice Admiral Tokikake? Does his ability include teleportation?"
"It's terrifying. Vice Admiral Tokikake isn't some ordinary weakling, and he didn't even notice it. If it were me... I don't even want to think about it."
"It's very strange. Based on my many years of experience fighting Devil Fruit users, it feels like we were just hit by an illusion ability."
"..."
The Vice Admirals were all shocked and whispered among themselves.
But without exception, they all looked at Akira with a sense of awe.
No matter what method he used, the reality was clear.
The powerful Tokikake had been defeated.
"This is your punishment for slandering me."
Akira stretched out his hand, grabbed Tokikakeby the collar, whose pupils were dilated, and his consciousness was fading.
He lifted him high, turned to face the other Vice Admirals in the corridor, and demanded angrily:
"Who else believes that Tokikake's slander against me is true? Step forward."
At this moment, Akira's face was smeared with Tokikake's blood, and he exuded an icy aura.
Gulp!
The Vice Admirals were stunned, swallowing hard, and quickly looked away, not daring to speak.
The hallway fell into an unbearable silence.
After a long pause.
Seeing that no one stepped forward, Akira didn't bother with them.
Under the awed and tense gazes of the Vice Admirals, he slowly walked forward.
Clack, clack.
The sharp sound of his footsteps echoed through the corridor.
As Akira advanced, people instinctively stepped aside, watching him from behind.
Finally, Akira entered the conference room.
Thud.
"Sengoku, Tokikake is one of your supporters, right?"
Akira casually threw Tokikake at Fleet Admiral Sengoku's feet, his face expressionless: "I need an explanation."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes slightly: "When he wakes up, I'll have him apologize to you."
The winner takes it all. Akira's "rewarding yourself" that had been forced into the plot was truly distasteful, a flimsy excuse that any reasonable person would see through.
Now that Tokikake was in such a pitiful state, he had received the lesson he deserved.
Akira: "Not enough!"
Sengoku frowned slightly, then after a moment of thought, he said, "I'll have the News Department publish an article to clear your name."
"Not enough!"
"..."
Sengoku's expression darkened. He took a firm step forward and spoke in a blunt tone, "What more do you want? Tokikake is severely injured, while you remain unscathed. Isn't that result satisfactory?"
"If our roles were reversed, would you be satisfied with this outcome?" Akira shot back, rolling his eyes with no hesitation.
Sengoku fell silent.
He couldn't afford to back down, and he knew it.
The Vice Admirals in the corridor were watching quietly. If this situation wasn't handled correctly, it could damage his reputation. Even though Akira was in the right, all these actions were still taken in his name. If he didn't defend his position, how could he maintain respect?
In the past, Sengoku might not have cared about conceding, as his subordinates would see it as a sign of generosity, not weakness.
But now, things were different.
Akira was a rival for the position of Fleet Admiral. If Sengoku disappointed those who supported him, even if they didn't side with Akira, their neutrality would still be a victory for Akira.
Sengoku figured it out and stared deeply at Akira.
So, this was his plan all along?
This incident was designed to make Sengoku lose face while intimidating the other Vice Admirals. Such a calculated move, such a quick response.
If that's the case, there's no way he could allow Akira to succeed.
Boom.
Sengoku's pupils narrowed slightly as his Conqueror's Haki erupted, descending like a mountain, the force of a king.
Akira, standing closest to him, was the first to bear the full brunt of this pressure.
The Conqueror's Haki whipped up a fierce wind that made Akira's cloak of justice flap wildly.
Thud, thud.
A dozen Vice Admirals dropped to their knees in the corridor.
Sengoku clearly wasn't holding back. His Conqueror's Haki expanded across a wide area, overwhelming those present.
Other Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals struggled under the immense pressure, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads.
"Sengoku Admiral's Conqueror's Haki feels even stronger than in previous years, gulp..."
"Conqueror's haki users are only one in a million, and this kind of pressure... Admiral Sengoku is terrifying."
"I can't hold up... someone support me, my legs are giving out."
"Admiral Sengoku is furious."
"Look, Vice Admiral Akira doesn't seem to be backing down. What's he going to do?"
"..."
In the Marine Headquarters, where strength and "qualifications" are highly prized, Sengoku's display of Conqueror's Haki immediately garnered respect.
As Sengoku sensed the awe among the Vice Admirals, his earlier frustration began to ease.
He looked at Akira with a cold gaze and calmly declared, "That's all for today."
Akira gritted his teeth, feeling the immense pressure weighing down on him. As someone in a unique position, he was enduring several times more pressure than the other Vice Admirals.
His physical strength had already been severely depleted, and if it weren't for his sword, Kyōka Suigetsu, supporting him on the ground, he might have collapsed by now.
Ordinarily, Akira would have known when to back down, but seeing Sengoku's condescending demeanor ignited an unfamiliar anger within him.
The anger surged like a torrent, flooding his mind and clouding his judgment.
A strange energy surged through his body, and Akira's focus narrowed until only Sengoku remained in his sights.
Zizizi.
Without anyone noticing, faint, black lightning-like sparks crackled in the air between the two, as their conflicting auras collided.
In his rage, Akira didn't notice the movement within his mind.
On the third page of a system within him, new text appeared.
[Ding, the log is updated!]
[Host was oppressed by competitor Admiral Sengoku's Conqueror's Haki, very angry and dissatisfied--Congratulations Host, your "king qualification" has awakened, please continue to be angry...]
[Special reminder: Conqueror's Haki is expected to erupt completely in ten seconds, please continue to be angry... Nine, eight, seven...]
Just as the countdown reached five seconds, Vice Admiral Tsuru suddenly stepped between the two imposing forces. With a calm, gentle demeanor, she placed her softly glowing palms on both Sengoku's and Akira's chests. (T/N: NO face slap????)
Her voice, soothing and kind, cut through the tension like a melody, calming the anger that had gripped both Akira and Sengoku.
Tsuru's Paramecia-type Wash-Wash Fruit allowed her to wash anything, including emotions. As her power washed over them, their intense emotions—anger, rage, and aggression—began to fade away.
"If you let me handle this, I'll make sure you are satisfied," Tsuru said softly.
The bloodlust in Akira's eyes faded, and as he regained his composure, he nodded in agreement.
"Alright, if you, Aunt Tsuru, make the decision, I'll accept whatever you decide!"
Akira realized that his goal for the day had been accomplished. He had successfully asserted his authority as acting Fleet Admiral. Now that Tsuru had provided a way to de-escalate the situation, it was wise to take it, especially considering her respected status as the Chief Staff Officer.
Besides, if Tsuru took charge, the outcome—whether favorable or not—wouldn't damage his reputation as acting Fleet Admiral.
And if he didn't accept her offer and continued to clash with Sengoku, things could escalate dangerously.
Akira glanced down at his fists.
Still not strong enough.
"Good, I won't let you be wronged."
Vice Admiral Tsuru smiled warmly, then turned her gaze to Sengoku. "Sengoku, what do you say?"
"Same here, Tsuru. You decide," Sengoku sighed, resigned to her judgment.
"Alright, then..."
Tsuru glanced at Tokikake, who was still lying on the ground. Remembering the situation that led to this, she frowned slightly, then shook her head and continued:
"Tokikake will personally publish an apology in the newspaper, no less than 2,000 words, for slandering Akira."
"It will be published by the News Department and distributed worldwide to correct Akira's name as acting Fleet Admiral. All costs will be deducted from Tokikake's salary."
"In addition, given the recent unrest at sea, the G-3 base requires a Vice Admiral in command. After writing the apology, Tokikake will immediately leave headquarters and take up his post at the base."
Tsuru then turned to Akira. "Is that satisfactory?"
"Yes, Aunt Tsuru," Akira nodded, finally feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He then addressed the Vice Admirals standing in the corridor, "Come in for the meeting; don't just stand out there."
With that, Tsuru led the way toward the podium, followed by Sengoku, Garp, and the three Admirals—Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino.
Akira lingered for a moment, taking a deep breath.
Hmm?
Why is it so quiet?
He opened his eyes and looked back, noticing that all the Vice Admirals were watching him silently.
"Why aren't you coming in?" Akira asked, puzzled.
"After you," one of the Vice Admirals said politely, and the others nodded in agreement.
Realizing the reason behind their deference, Akira couldn't help but smile.
Indeed, strength speaks the loudest.
"Let's go in, Gion."
"...Ah, right, coming!" Gion, who had been staring at Akira in a daze, snapped back to reality and quickly followed him, her high heels clicking as she hurried after him.
Once Akira and Gion were seated, the Vice Admirals filed into the room in an orderly fashion.
Soon, the conference room door closed behind them.
Meanwhile, medical soldiers arrived and carried the unconscious Tokikake away for treatment.