Kapitel 98: 98. Captain Of Cp0: Your Excellency, We Cannot Accept The Marine Bank!
Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: p@treon.com/CosmicKaminari
----------
In a few days.
Holy Land, Mariejois.
"My lords, Fleet Admiral Akira is here requesting an audience with you outside!"
A guard entered the room, knelt before the Five Elders, and announced.
"Akira? What brings him here so suddenly?"
"Nothing major has happened recently, and isn't he supposed to be training?"
"I don't know, but it's unusual for him to seek us all out at once, especially for a casual chat."
"Hmm! This is the first time he's come to the Holy Land on his own accord; he must have serious business."
Although puzzled, the Five Elders instructed the guards to bring him in.
The Holy Land is divided into inner and outer circles.
The outer circle is the designated area for slaves, bodyguards, CP0, and the Commander-in-Chief's offices. Anyone permitted to enter Mariejois can visit this area.
The inner circle is the exclusive living quarters of the Celestial Dragons. Unless granted permission and escorted by guards, even the Fleet Admiral must be announced before entering.
Soon, Akira stood before the Five Elders.
"Fleet Admiral Akira, what brings you here today?" the Warrior God of the Environment asked.
"I do have something important to discuss."
Akira nodded, pulling out a document from his pocket and handing it over. "Please, take a look at this first."
The Warrior God of the Environment took the document and began to read.
But quickly, he passed it to the next Elder.
The next Warrior God glanced at it, a strange expression crossing his face, and handed it to the next.
Finally, it reached the hands of the Warrior God of the Finance.
He had been curious about what could be in the document that elicited such reactions from his colleagues.
As he read it, the title immediately caught his attention: "Report on the Collapse of the Marine Bank and Handover Request!"
The Warrior God of the Finance's throat tightened as he continued to read.
There were only two possible implications of this document:
1. The Marine Bank is no longer viable.
2. The request for the Five Elders to reclaim it under the World Government.
"So, you're suggesting we dissolve the Marine Bank entirely?"
"Will the Marines no longer manage their own funds?"
The Warrior God of the Finance asked, still uncertain about the situation.
He was sure the Marines had enjoyed the benefits of financial autonomy. Among other things, they could quickly implement any plan requiring funds without the need to convince or seek approval from others.
No leader could resist the allure of such unfettered freedom.
But the most unexpected scenario had occurred.
The Warrior God of the Finance was deeply puzzled, so he placed the file on the table instead of giving an immediate response.
He seriously asked Akira, "Have you encountered any difficulties?"
"There are no difficulties!"
Akira smiled slightly. "It's just that when I visited the office a few days ago, the Chief of Staff handed me some data. It showed that the majority of people at sea are now depositing their funds into the World Government Bank."
"Based on the current rate of deposit transfers, it's estimated that Marine Bank will be out of deposits within a year or two.
"So, I figured, why wait? The World Government might as well take over Marine Bank now."
"After all, we're essentially part of the same family."
Akira's expression was open and sincere.
The Five Elders did not doubt his words.
A recent CP0 report confirmed this trend. At this point, it's clear that people trust the World Government Bank more than Marine Bank.
After all, Marine is just one of the many institutions under the World Government's umbrella.
Even if Marineford were sitting on a mountain of gold, it would still technically belong to the World Government.
So, when everything from the deposit procedures to the decoration style and even the branch locations of the two banks is identical, it's only natural for people to choose the more powerful institution.
Even though the World Government represents the Celestial Dragons, this only affects a small fraction of the population.
Given this imbalance, how could Marine Bank possibly compete with the World Government Bank?
"If that's the case..."
After carefully reading the report several times, the Warrior God of the Finance finally smiled and nodded at Akira. "Then, from now on, leave Marine Bank to us, and you can focus on capturing pirates as usual."
"Indeed, Marine's primary role is to act as the World Government's external fist. It's not right for you to be bogged down by such trivial matters."
"Fleet Admiral Akira, your contributions in this matter won't be forgotten."
"Keep up the good work; the vacant position in the future could very well be yours."
"We have high hopes for you."
With the Warrior God of the Finance making the final decision, the other four Elders chimed in, each expressing their approval.
They all looked at Akira with satisfaction and warmth.
Previously, they had been quite critical of the Marines handling their own finances.
Even though they hadn't outwardly expressed their concerns, it didn't mean they weren't cautious.
Especially after seeing how successful Marine Bank had become in attracting funds, it was impossible not to feel a bit uneasy.
Unexpectedly, just as the World Government Bank began to assert itself, Akira, the Fleet Admiral, wisely decided to offer Marine Bank to ease their concerns.
Excellent!
This is exactly the kind of Marine they desired.
Akira observed their reactions and felt a sense of satisfaction.
"Graeme, come here!"
The Warrior God of the Finance picked up the Den Den Mushi beside him, dialed a number, and gave an order.
Soon, CP0 Captain Graeme, wearing a ghostly white mask, entered the chamber.
"My lord, what are your orders?"
"Your CP0 division is responsible for overseeing the World Government Bank, correct?" asked the Warrior God of the Finance.
"Yes, under our directive, CP1 through CP9 handle its operations."
"Good. Fleet Admiral Akira intends to hand over Marine Bank to your division, and we've agreed."
The Warrior God of the Finance picked up the document, and with a deft flick of his hand, sent it flying directly into the hands of CP9 Captain Graeme with the precision of steel.
Graeme caught it and began reviewing the contents.
The Warrior God of the Finance continued, "You will coordinate with Fleet Admiral Akira outside to discuss the handover process."
"My lord, I will ensure this matter is handled with the utmost care."
CP0 Captain Graeme tore his gaze away from the document and responded with confidence.
He then glanced at Akira with a peculiar look.
It was clear that he was puzzled by Akira's decision to relinquish control of Marine Bank.
At the same time, a hint of disdain flickered briefly in his eyes.
He couldn't help but recall a recent scene.
It had also taken place here, in front of the Five Elders.
Graeme, as the CP0 captain, was tasked with overseeing the construction and financial operations of the World Government Bank. When the Warrior God of the Finance initially gave him this responsibility, he was very direct:
"This move is to ensure Marine doesn't get out of control."
At that time, the Five Elders warned him that CP0 might face pushback from Marine, particularly from their highly intelligent leaders like Akira, and asked if he had the confidence to counter it.
To be honest, Graeme felt uneasy and lacked confidence back then.
As the head of the intelligence division, he was fully aware of Akira's capabilities and could access detailed reports on Akira's every move. He knew Akira was a formidable opponent, and the prospect of facing off against him was daunting.
However, as a seasoned CP0, Graeme understood that the Five Elders' words weren't meant to scare him off but to push him to succeed despite the challenges.
Refusal wasn't an option.
Knowing how sharp his opponent was, Graeme didn't walk into this unprepared. When the World Government Bank was still being established, he infiltrated Marine Bank and worked undercover as a regular employee for some time. He learned every step of their operation and discovered why Marine Bank had gained such popularity.
Beyond preparing for a possible commercial rivalry with Akira, Graeme also secured a large portion of the teleportation scroll orders from Marine Bank in advance, ensuring he had the upper hand.
He had anticipated a fierce competition between the two banks, but to his surprise, Akira, the Fleet Admiral, simply handed Marine Bank over without a fight.
It left Graeme feeling like he had trained for a battle that never came.
Still, he figured this was for the best—at least there would be no more trouble.
After their conversation, Graeme looked at Akira and said flatly, "Let's step outside and discuss the details, Fleet Admiral."
Akira nodded with a smile, and the two walked side by side toward the door.
The Five Elders watched them leave, the room falling silent for a moment.
After a while, one of them spoke up, "Akira is quite clever. I expected him to have other plans."
"Given that the one-year deadline hadn't passed, it wouldn't have been surprising if he resisted. But to hand it over immediately? That was unexpected."
"Having smart people in charge definitely saves us a lot of headaches."
"Even though we may seem overly suspicious, in our position, we can't afford not to be."
The Five Elders chatted among themselves, clearly relieved and pleased. Their wrinkled faces relaxed into smiles as they discussed the situation. The news that Marine Bank had been handed over without any resistance put them in good spirits, and the room echoed with their laughter.
They continued chatting as they awaited the conclusion of the handover between Akira and Graeme.
Soon enough, Graeme reappeared, but his demeanor had drastically changed.
Gone was the confident, composed captain. Instead, he now looked panicked, his previous self-assurance completely shattered. He rushed into the room, and under the surprised gazes of the Five Elders, he dropped to his knees.
He cried out hoarsely, "My lords, we can't take over Marine Bank!"
A heavy silence filled the room.
The Five Elders stared at Graeme, utterly bewildered by his sudden change in attitude.
"Why?" the Warrior God of the Finance asked in a deep, stern voice.
The other four Elders also dropped their smiles, their expressions now serious as they awaited Graeme's explanation.
Graeme held up the report with trembling hands. "Marine Bank is a massive liability."
"If the World Government Bank takes it over, not only will we have to cover all the salaries of its staff, but, more importantly, we'll also be responsible for its debts."
"Debts? What kind of debts could a bank possibly have?" the Warrior God of the Finance frowned.
The concept of a bank having debts was foreign to him. In his experience, individuals incurred debts, usually from borrowing money. But a bank? That was something else entirely.
"But what about Marine Bank? As a gold-absorbing entity, it shouldn't need to borrow money at all—it should be bringing in funds, not losing them."
The other four Warrior Gods didn't fully understand, but a sense of dread began to creep in.
CP0 Captain Graeme, however, had already grasped the implications from Akira's explanation outside, and he knew exactly what it meant.
He didn't dare to delay any further and quickly explained:
"Bank debt, simply put, is the money that Marine owes to others.
"When Akira was the Acting Fleet Admiral, in addition to the funds confiscated from criminals, he also 'borrowed' hundreds of billions of berries in subsidies from the bank."
"These funds belong to the common people, and they need to be repaid."
"Then there's the God's Generals plan. He mobilized powerful individuals from around the world to help with various tasks, and all of them had to be compensated.
"This amount is enormous!" Graeme swallowed hard.
"The costs for labor, materials, and construction of factories, along with providing food and lodging for these powerful individuals..."
"And the massive supplies prepared for those strong enough to assist Impel Down, all were temporarily covered by Marine Bank, relying on its good reputation, with payments due monthly."
"If we take over, we'll be responsible for all these debts as well."
The Warrior God of the Finance's breath hitched in the room.
Not only him, but the expressions on the other four Elders' faces were equally grim.
It was clear now—Marine Bank was a ticking time bomb.
No wonder Akira was so quick to hand it over to the World Government Bank after discovering the full extent of its liabilities.
"Do you think that bastard Akira has been waiting for this moment all along?" the Warrior God of the Environment muttered to himself.
The Warrior God of the Finance was about to respond when Graeme continued.
"That's just the external debt. There's also internal debt."
"Internal debt?" The Warrior God of the Finance's voice sharpened in disbelief.
He had thought that, compared to the potential benefits of taking over Marine Bank, these costs might be manageable.
But internal debt? Who could they possibly owe internally?
Graeme nodded heavily, quickly explaining:
"The bank's staff worldwide are mostly veterans who were disabled or retired after fighting pirates."
"Due to their service, in addition to their basic salary, these veterans receive various subsidies for social activities, leisure, meals, medical care, overtime, and even special grants."
"These subsidies also extend to the high-ranking officers, with their benefits surpassing those of regular soldiers."
"Even if you ignore these subsidies, there's still one significant expense that can't be overlooked."
Graeme was sweating profusely now. Under the scrutinizing gazes of the Warrior Gods, he braced himself and continued:
"If Marine stops generating its own revenue, then the World Government will have to revert to the old model."
"Salaries and pensions for soldiers will need to be paid directly from government funds."
"We'll need to allocate resources to build warships, establish bases, and purchase vast amounts of weapons and ammunition."
"When you add up the external debts, the monthly payouts, and all these additional costs, the total estimate is..."
"Around Eight trillion berries."
The Five Elders fell silent.
They stared at Graeme, speechless.
The magnitude of the financial burden was staggering, far beyond anything they had anticipated. The realization hit them like a ton of bricks—Marine Bank was not just a hot potato; it was a financial disaster waiting to happen.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein