Bab 257: 256 Marine’s decision
Surprised by the support Vice Admiral Tsuru received from many Vice Admirals, Akainu couldn't help but express his astonishment. He questioned: "Vice Admiral Tsuru, why are you also siding with them? Aren't you concerned about the reputation of the Marine Headquarters?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru firmly replied, "I'm thinking about the best interests of the Marine Headquarters. Since the Whitebeard Pirates have approached us with sincerity, it's only right to respond in a friendly manner. Engaging in conflict with them now wouldn't benefit the Marines in the slightest!"
"So, in the best interest of the Marine Headquarters, are we supposed to compromise with the pirates? Isn't the fundamental principle of the Marine Headquarters to kill pirates and uphold justice?"
Akainu suddenly became enraged, and the atmosphere grew intense. His eyes turned red, almost as if they were about to pop out.
"Sakazuki! Pay attention to your attitude!" Sengoku scolded immediately.
Vice Admiral Tsuru remained silent, her emotions slightly stirred, but she managed to keep her composure without any outburst.
"Oh, Fleet Admiral, take it easy. Let's keep the communication friendly; no need to get so worked up"
Kizaru immediately reassured Akainu with his weird tone
Sengoku quickly advised Akainu, staring right into his eyes: "Just listen to Kizaru's advice. Take your seat for now."
Sengoku then turned to Vice Admiral Tsuru and said, "Tsuru, please proceed."
Taking control of her emotions, she composed herself and said, "Given the current situation of the Marine Headquarters, engaging in a conflict with the Whitebeard Pirates would put us at a very disadvantageous situation."
"The strength of Whitebeard itself does not need to be said much. Everyone understands that it will need a lot of troops to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates, and it may not be enough to eliminate Whitebeard. At best, It can only be said that we are just dealing with the Whitebeard Pirates commander."
"Yet, just for this, our Marine Headquarters would need to pay a huge price. Considering the uncertainty of eliminating Whitebeard and the only outcome being a clash with the Whitebeard Pirates, choosing to avoid direct conflict with them seems wise"
"Of course, this is just a temporary measure. At present, it's important to maintain a certain relationship with the Whitebeard Pirates. Since they've initiated negotiations, let's go along with it. It's only five battleships; we can remove all the special weapons and keep only the basic equipment"
"Moreover, don't view this collaboration as a compromise; it's not the first time the Marines have taken such steps. If we're talking about compromise, it's worth investigating. Establishing the Shichibukai may, in fact, have violated the principles of the Marines"
Hearing this, everyone found Vice Admiral Tsuru's words quite reasonable. It's true that the Shichibukai were established by the Marine Headquarters to maintain a check-and-balance on pirates and recruit some influential pirates.
Both being pirates, the fact that Shichibukai wields legal authority is, in essence, a form of undermining the supposed justice of the Marine Headquarters.
Even Akainu didn't speak any more, because he also deeply understood the evil of Shichibukai's position, but some things that were deeply rooted were not so easy to change.
However, the dilemma is that even as the Fleet Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, he still can't implement his ideas, as the Five Elders would disagree.
Observing Akainu's helpless expression, Sengoku offered comfort, saying: "Just follow Vice Admiral Tsuru's advice. This aligns with the stance of the Five Elders. We can use the Whitebeard Pirates to handle the other Four Emperors in the future. Besides, the Whitebeard Pirates have made some strategic retreats for now, gearing up for a more powerful fight in the future."
The reason why Sengoku comforted Akainu so much is also apologetic. After all, they are seniors who have almost retired, but they have overstepped Akainu's power on certain issues.
While this conduct might seem ordinary to other Marines, Sengoku internally compared it with his own past. As the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, he passionately dealt with pirates and certainly wished for absolute authority and convenience in decision-making to strike the pirates decisively.
After some persuasion, Akainu reluctantly gave in. Soon, the Marine Headquarters chose five long-serving high-level warships. Despite being outdated, they were still in service, with some special weapons dismantled.
Even so, these five warships still possessed strong offensive capabilities compared to pirate ships. They could easily face multiple pirate ship at the same time
In negotiations with the Whitebeard Pirates, an admiral was naturally dispatched as a representative, representing the Marine's seriousness. Kizaru took charge of handling this matter.
Kizaru is accustomed to handling such matters and quickly set off with five warships. Simultaneously, the news was relayed to Vice Admiral Dirk.
....
After Vice Admiral Dirk received the reply, he immediately told Marco.
"Did the Marine Headquarters really agree?"
Marco was somewhat taken aback. He didn't anticipate such a swift response from the Marines, without any fuss or negotiation.
"Yes, the ships are already on their way here, but it may take a day and you need to wait."
Vice Admiral Dirk replied. At the same time, he himself was surprised. He didn't expect the Marines Headquarter to agree so quickly.
And since Akainu took office as Marine Fleet Admiral, the Marines Headquarters style has always been very tough, especially for pirates, it is full of brutality.
Therefore, Vice Admiral Dirk finds it hard to imagine the Marine Headquarters, known for its tough approach, agreeing to the conditions proposed by the Whitebeard Pirates in this deal.
Using the Whitebeard Pirates to handle the other Four Emperors seems too superficial. The underlying and most likely reason lies in the hands of the Five Elders.
Vice Admiral Dirk refrains from making assumptions, but this move could diminish the perceived authority of the Marine Headquarters, particularly in the seas of the New World.
Then again, in the New World, there were always groups that didn't hold the Marine Headquarters in high regard. If they did, they wouldn't go into the New World—or wouldn't last long if they did.
The Marine Headquarters agreeing so readily made Marco reflect. He thought to himself, "If only a few more ships were mentioned at that time."
If they had asked for ten ships, the Marine Headquarters would have agreed. It would have been a significant advantage for the Whitebeard Pirates. Of course, regretting it now is meaningless.
"In that case, let's wait here for a day. I'll go back and inform the old man about the news,"
Marco said before flying into the air with happy smile
Marco flew all the way out of the Marine branch, then flew into the air and landed on the Whitebeard ship.
"Oyaji." Marco shouted respectfully.
"How is the situation?" Whitebeard asked.
"The Marine Headquarters has agreed to our terms. They are on the way, and we need to wait for a day," Marco replied with happiness beaming in his voice, and there's seem to be a star in his eyes as he looked at Whitebeard
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
________________________
I put an advanced chapter at P@treon, you can read 100+ chapters ahead of everyone.
Link : patreon.com/MoonEater18
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone