One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 269: Akainu's Helplessness!

Aokiji Kuzan remained slumped in his chair.

He slipped his blindfold down a crack, glanced at the list, and a lazy smile spread across his lips.

"Wow, what a grand affair!"

Aokiji yawned.

"The fiscal budget was already running low, and now they have to support five admirals. Sakazuki must be completely desperate, right? The World Government is going to have to bleed money this time. Is the military budget enough? What if they can't even pay the soldiers' salaries?"

He spoke in a relaxed tone, his words full of teasing.

After all, he knew the navy's operating system by heart.

The three generals' ironclad rules were maintained for such a long time.

It needs to be renovated now.

Power, command, logistics—everything has to be built from scratch.

This is not a good decision.

It's just like a gambler who's lost so much that he's thrown all his chips onto the table.

"I'm not angry."

A calm voice interrupted Qingzhi's teasing.

Chen Ye leaned back in his chair, twirling the rough pottery teacup between his fingers.

He raised his head, his face expressionless.

"It's fear."

"I took you two with me, and then I beat those five old bastards to a pulp during the Marineford War. They can't sleep now, afraid that if they close their eyes, Mary Geoise will be reduced to ruins."

He put down his teacup.

"Increasing the number of generals is not for offensive purposes, but to deter petty villains."

"It's like someone walking alone at night singing loudly; the louder the voice, the more insecure they feel."

Monkey D. Dragon stands in front of a giant world map.

"Mr. Chenye is right, but this isn't just targeting us."

"This is also to suppress the seas. After the Marineford War, and with your interventions several times, Mr. Chenye, the hearts of the allied people are unsettled. The Five Admirals... they want to carry out a comprehensive purge of the New World, and even the four seas."

The dragon turned around, its face shrouded in shadow.

"They need absolute force to regain the authority of the 'World Government'."

The young intelligence officer who delivered the information finally caught his breath a little better.

He then added, albeit tremblingly.

"Reporting to the leaders! There's one more thing!"

All eyes were on him.

"The Five Elders have approved the expansion and Dr. Vegapunk's two special projects. However, due to the vague intelligence, we have only been able to deduce a portion of the information..."

He paused for a moment and then read out those words.

"Mass production plan for the 'New Pacifista'".

The word "pacifist" made Zephyr's face instantly darken.

That was a thorn in his side.

For that soulless machine, the government sacrificed his student and even accepted a pirate who had his arm severed as a Shichibukai.

"Hmph! It's that same old junk again!"

Zefa slammed his hand on the table, making the stone table vibrate loudly.

"Pacifistas? They might be good at bullying ordinary pirates, but they're just a pile of scrap metal in front of true powerhouses! Trying to save the Navy from its decline with something like that? Dream on!"

Zefa's eyes were filled with fire, a contempt for the overwhelming dominance of technology.

Chen Ye listened to his roar without saying a word.

He simply lowered his eyes and slowly took another sip of the murky tea.

His expression held a hint of amusement, as if he were watching a good show.

……

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Marshal's office.

The solemnity and grandeur are long gone.

All that remained was the pungent smell of sulfur.

"A bunch of bastards..."

The newly appointed Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki, is roaring at the golden Den Den Mushi.

"I don't care what they're doing, this is a mandatory conscription order! Tell them, if I don't see any of them at headquarters port tomorrow, I'll personally go and bring them back!"

"Snap!"

Akainu snapped the Den Den Mushi's receiver in half.

His chest heaved violently, and veins bulged on his face.

Expand the ranks to include five generals.

The Five Elders' orders are absolute and there's no room for negotiation.

The World Government launched an unprecedented "World Military Draft" in response, even breaking the promotion rules within the Navy.

But the group of people they recruited...

Akainu closed his eyes, images of the intelligence department flashing through his mind, and his fists clenched even tighter.

Scene 1.

New World, Las Vegas Island.

The casino was filled with smoke and bustling with noise.

A burly blind man wearing a purple bathrobe sat at the gambling table.

His eyes were closed, with a hideous scar on his eyelids, and he held a cane-knife in his hand.

"Single! Single! Single!"

The gamblers shouted wildly.

The blind, burly man, Fujitora, smiled, and his ears twitched.

Every sound of the dice rolling in the cup is a rhythm of gravity.

"It seems... my luck is pretty good today."

He pushed out a bunch of chips, his smile both honest and unfathomable.

"I bet... even."

Scene 2.

The Grand Line, a deserted island.

The sun was blazing.

A long-haired, shirtless man lies inside a giant carnivorous plant.

He was wearing sunglasses and had several tubes inserted into his body, drawing nutrients from plants.

Green cattle are grazing.

He rolled over and complained to the Den Den Mushi.

"Going to headquarters? That's such a hassle... Do I have to eat there too? Eating is such a hassle, I haven't eaten in three years... But it's Mr. Sakazuki's order, so I might consider it. After all, he's pretty cool, hahaha!"

Scene 3.

Navy G-1 Branch.

Pink cherry blossoms fall, and the sound of a zither fills the air.

The newly appointed beautiful female naval admiral, Momousagi Gion, is polishing her famous sword, "Konpira".

A spider tattoo was faintly visible on her long, slender thighs.

Beside her feet, a sleazy-looking man knelt on the ground, holding a bouquet of flowers, weeping bitterly.

"Gion-neechan! This is the 101st time I've proposed! Please say yes!"

Tea Pig is a newly promoted general.

Peach Rabbit didn't even lift her eyelids.

"Get out. Also, Marshal Sakazuki's orders have arrived. Stop making a fool of yourself here and go back to headquarters."

Tea Pig instantly wiped the dust off his face, dusted himself off his knees, and stood up.

"Since it's Gion-neechan's order, I'll reluctantly accept the position of general."

……

Inside the Marshal's office.

Akainu lit another cigar, but the smoke couldn't hide the irritation in his eyes.

"A gambler, a lazybones, and two idiots who treat the navy like a matchmaking place..."

Akainu was chewing on a cigar, his jaw chattering.

"If it weren't for the lack of manpower... if that bastard Kuzan hadn't run away..."

He looked out the window, his gaze passing through the square of Marineford and reaching the sea.

The "Monster Trio" were once incredibly intimidating.

Aokiji is lazy, but he never lets you down when it matters.

Kizaru is cunning, but his execution is undeniable.

just now……

"The Five Generals?"

Akainu sneered, and lava flowed down his arm again.

"Only Kizaru is passable."

Hopefully, the remaining few will be of some use.

Otherwise, I'll bury them all myself!

……

Let's return our gaze to Baldigo, the island of white earth.

Underground conference room.

Zefa suddenly stood up.

His entire demeanor changed.

That's "Black Wrist" Zephyr.

He was the chief instructor who taught an entire generation of naval personnel.

He placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and his eyes behind his sunglasses gleamed coldly.

He looked at the list as if he were looking at a group of good-for-nothing students.

All eyes were on them.

The dragon stopped moving, Aokiji sat up straight, and Chenye looked at him with great interest.

Zefa is about to begin his "lecture".

No one is more qualified than him to evaluate these new generals.

Everyone on the list once lived in his shadow.

Zefa extended his robotic arm and pointed to the first name on the list.

"Momotogi Gion, Chaton Kake."

His voice was full of contempt.

"Which two brats did I teach? Gion's swordsmanship is alright, but his Haki is far from perfect; he relies too much on the sword. As for Kake, his toughness is so-so, but his brain is nothing but women and mush!"

"Giving them the position of general candidates was already too much of a favor; to promote them directly now?"

Zefa completely disdained it.

"Choosing the best among the worst! Just filling a quota!"

"As for the monsters recruited by these two world-wide conscriptions..."

Zefa squinted.

"Fujitora is a Gravity-Gravity Fruit user with superb swordsmanship. I've heard of this blind old man; he's kind-hearted and a decent person. But with his temperament, working under Sakazuki will inevitably lead to a falling out sooner or later."

"And that Green Bull is grazing..."

"Arrogant and conceited, utterly ignorant of their own limitations. They think they can do whatever they want just because they've obtained a worthless fruit? With that kind of mentality, they'll be the first to die in a life-or-death struggle!"

Zefa withdrew his hand and stood up straight.

He looked around at everyone, and finally his gaze fell on Chen Ye.

He gave a contemptuous sneer, a laugh laced with mockery.

"Five generals? That sounds impressive."

Zephyr took off his sunglasses and threw them on the table.

Those sharp eyes held a longing for past glories.

"Compared to our era, compared to Sengoku period Garp, even compared to Kuzan and Sakazuki..."

"The navy has really fallen on hard times."

"Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can now don that coat of justice."