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At Marineford, Uchiha Kitaro had fully embraced his life as a Marine.
While Fujitora and Ryokugyu roamed the seas, capturing pirates and earning glory to spread their names across the four seas, Kitaro's days consisted of lazing around and doing nothing. He ate well but didn't catch a single pirate.
This lack of action drew plenty of criticism from others in Marineford. Many believed Kitaro didn't deserve his position as a Vice Admiral, accusing him of being a freeloading slacker.
Kitaro, however, couldn't care less.
Today, as he lay on the roof of Marineford headquarters, basking in the setting sun, a sharp voice interrupted his peace.
"Akira! Slacking off again, aren't you?!"
Opening his eyes, Kitaro saw a beautiful woman glaring down at him, hands on her hips. She had a delicate yet fierce appearance, dressed in a pink top under a Marine coat, with short shorts showing off her long legs. Her impressive figure made her outfit appear ready to burst at any moment.
This woman was Gion, code-named "Momousagi," also a Vice Admiral of Marineford.
The two had met during a Marine meeting. Curious about the famous Uchiha Clan, Gion approached him. Over time, they became familiar, though Kitaro suspected that Tsuru, the elder Marine strategist, had sent her to seduce him.
But Kitaro was no ordinary man; he wasn't someone who would fall for mere beauty.
"Hmm... they're big," Kitaro muttered lazily.
Gion's face turned red instantly. Without hesitation, she aimed a punch at his nose.
Kitaro dodged quickly. Despite her beauty, Gion was exceptionally strong—getting hit by her was not on his to-do list.
"Relax, it was a joke! Why so serious? What's up?" he asked casually.
"Can't I visit without a reason?" Gion huffed, crossing her arms—an action that only emphasized her figure.
Kitaro's eyes lingered on her chest again, causing Gion to blush even more. Yet, she didn't bother to hide it. After all, it was her pride.
"If it's nothing urgent, great! Let's go grab a drink," Kitaro suggested with a grin. "Drinking with a beauty—one of life's greatest pleasures."
"Drink, drink, drink! Is that all you ever do?!" Gion snapped. "Do you even realize how bad your reputation is here?!"
Kitaro waved dismissively. "Ah, my reputation wasn't great to begin with. How much worse can it get?"
Gion looked exasperated. "You don't care at all, do you? Don't you realize there will be an opening for an Admiral soon? You have the strength to compete—don't you want to try for it?"
Over their time together, Gion had sparred with Kitaro several times and found herself continually improving her swordsmanship through their duels. She admired his skills and saw him as a potential candidate for greatness.
"Of course I'd like the position," Kitaro replied. "But let's be honest—HQ doesn't trust me. They're never going to hand me that title. If effort won't change things, why not enjoy life instead?"
Gion sighed deeply. He wasn't wrong. As Uchiha Kitaro's twin brother, the infamous Uchiha Kitaro's shadow loomed heavily over him. It was unlikely the World Government would ever trust him, a Uchiha with an Admiral's authority.
"By the way, who do you think will become the next Fleet Admiral?" she asked, changing the topic.
The rivalry between Akainu and Aokiji for the position had grown fierce, with even Marineford officers beginning to choose sides. Ryokugyu had openly supported Akainu from the start, while both Kitaro and Fujitora remained neutral.
"Akainu," Kitaro answered without hesitation.
"Why? Most of the lower-ranked Marines seem to support Aokiji, and even Sengoku himself recommended him," Gion said, puzzled.
"Sure, Aokiji has the hearts of the troops," Kitaro explained. "But the higher-ups want Akainu. His uncompromising style aligns more with their goals. That's all that matters."
"Even with Sengoku's recommendation?"
"Even then. But they'll likely stage a fight between the two to keep up appearances. Ultimately, the winner will take the position.
"As strong as Aokiji is, Akainu is stronger. More importantly, Akainu's willing to kill without hesitation. Aokiji might hold back to spare Akainu's life, but Akainu? He'll go for the kill. In a fight like that, hesitation spells defeat."
Gion stared at Kitaro in awe. For someone often dismissed as a slacker, he understood the political and strategic intricacies of the Marines remarkably well.
Before she could respond, Kitaro suddenly frowned, his gaze shifting to the horizon.
"What's wrong?" Gion asked, following his line of sight. The moment she looked, her expression turned pale.
"What the... is that?!"
High above, a fleet of naval warships was floating in the sky, heading straight for Marineford.
The piercing sound of alarms filled the air.
Marines spilled out of the buildings, staring skyward in shock.
"What's going on?!"
"Warships?! In the sky?!"
"Could it be... Uchiha Kitaro? Is he here to destroy Marineford?!"
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