Capítulo 14: 14. Akira: F**k you Sengoku!
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At 6:30 in the morning, Rouge was awakened by the sound of seagulls outside.
She opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling above for a moment, then blinked a few times.
Carefully lifting the quilt, she gently got up, straightened her clothes, and quietly opened the door to step outside.
Before closing the door, she glanced back and saw that Akira was still asleep on the bed, and felt a wave of relief.
She walked to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and continued brushing until her breath was fresh, then stopped.
Not wanting to waste any time, unsure of when Akira would wake up, she hurriedly took a warm bath. As quickly as possible, she took off the clothes Akira had worn last night and gently scrubbed them clean with her own hands.
Soon, it was 8 o'clock.
The square outside was already buzzing with people, and the dull sirens of warships preparing to set sail in the port echoed around.
The shouts of Marines training and running could also be heard.
On the dining table in the living room, a nutritious, delicious, and plentiful breakfast was laid out.
Rouge sat in the second seat, both hands resting on her belly, feeling the lively little life inside, her heart filling with warmth.
"It's been a hard journey, but we're getting closer to the day you'll arrive."
Her eyes were gentle, and her tone even softer.
No one understood better than she did that living for herself and her child was a defiance against the world.
Ever since Roger single-handedly triggered the era of the Great Pirate, the hatred of millions towards him was beyond words. Even the normally kind elders on the small island would grit their teeth at the mention of Roger.
Though she had hidden her relationship with Roger from everyone, what if someone had seen them?
When she was on Baterilla, she didn't dare relax, even in her sleep.
And then, that day finally came.
The Marines and CP agents found Baterilla, took over the island with force, and searched relentlessly for Roger's bloodline every day.
Rouge panicked and tried to flee, but it was in vain.
Just when she was at her wit's end, Garp, entrusted by Roger, appeared, took her away from the island, and revealed to everyone her identity and that of her child.
Rouge would never forget the anger, shame, and desire for retribution in the eyes of the villagers when they learned the truth.
She knew she no longer had a home.
After narrowly escaping countless assassination attempts, she was eventually brought to Marine Headquarters. However, the Garp who had rescued her then handed her off to another stranger, as if passing on a burden.
Perhaps the kind-hearted Garp had no other intentions, but the sensitive Rouge couldn't help but worry.
—There's no such thing as help without a cost. Everything comes with a price.
—She had to do her best to win over the Marine Fleet Admiral who was willing to protect her, the only one who could, Master Akira.
"Son, I'm sorry I can't give you a better life."
"But I promise you this: I'll bring you into this world safely, and I'll make sure you grow up safely."
"No matter the cost, even if it means sacrificing myself."
Rouge made up her mind. She knew she bore guilt, but she firmly believed her child was innocent.
It didn't matter what happened to her, how much she was mistreated, as long as her child was safe.
And last night, after trying her best, she finally secured a promise.
A promise she could rely on.
Tap, tap.
There were steady footsteps outside the door.
In the sunlight, Akira appeared, frowning in thought, holding a withered leaf in his hand.
"Good morning."
As he walked into the living room, Akira discarded the leaf, raised his hand to greet Rouge, and faced her with a calm expression.
You might have misunderstood me yesterday, but you're mistaken.
Although last night… but last night…
I still kept my principles.
In Blue Star, it "doesn't count if you wear it," and in this world, it "doesn't count as second base."
Rouge quickly stood up, bowed, and replied seriously in a low voice, "Good morning, my lord."
"Well, thank you for your hard work. After breakfast, come to work with me. Starting today, you'll be a member of the Marines, serving as the Fleet Admiral's exclusive secretary. Your internship will last two months."
"Yes! I'll do my best to earn my place."
Rouge was clearly very excited and looked at Akira with deep gratitude.
Going from being a hunted criminal to someone who could walk freely under the banner of justice was beyond anything she had imagined.
Akira smacked his lips, thinking about how if she could make it to the end of the internship, she'd naturally become the Fleet Admiral's secretary.
But if she couldn't…
He realized there was no need to mention it.
Anyway, becoming Marine Fleet Admiral was a certainty for him.
During the meal, with Rouge attentively serving him, Akira barely had to touch his food.
After they were finished, the two headed together towards the office building in the center of Marineford.
"Fleet Admiral Akira!"
"Good morning, Fleet Admiral Akira."
"Greetings, sir."
"…"
Along the way, every Marine they passed stopped to salute respectfully.
Akira simply nodded in response, hands in his pockets, his expression unchanged.
Rouge, walking a step behind him, noticed the admiration the soldiers had for the man in front of her, and the worries she had been holding onto slowly began to fade.
After the two disappeared from sight, the soldiers lowered their hands and began to chat excitedly.
"It seems everyone heard about it. That powerful aura last night that made people faint and terrified—it was released by Fleet Admiral Akira."
"I heard it was Conqueror's Haki. Currently, only Admiral Sengoku and the hero Vice Admiral Garp possess it in all of Marine Headquarters."
"Hiss... I could feel that pressure from Fleet Admiral Akira just now."
"Fleet Admiral Akira is not only resourceful but also incredibly strong."
"..."
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Fleet Admiral Office
Akira stood by the window, looking down at the square below, and muttered to himself, "Strange, Marineford seems a bit deserted today."
*Knock, knock, knock.*
"Fleet Admiral, today's newspaper has arrived. Please take a look."
A Marine soldier knocked on the door and entered, carrying a stack of newspapers.
"Just leave it on the table."
Akira came back to his senses, then paused and asked the soldier, "Where are the Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals? I didn't see them when I passed by downstairs."
"The subordinates heard from their colleagues, who heard from their chiefs... Last night, Fleet Admiral Sengoku urgently called a meeting with the generals."
"At the meeting, the two-month [All Marines Mobilize at Sea] plan was quickly approved. Early this morning, he urged Vice Admiral Garp to set sail to hunt down the most notorious pirates."
"The other Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals have their own missions. Most of them were sent to protect the allied nations and capture some of the rising pirate stars."
"Even the Chief of Staff left the headquarters with a warship."
Akira took a deep breath, holding back an urge to curse.
Good grief, Sengoku really went behind my back while I was 'busy' last night.
It seems that my display of Conqueror's Haki made him feel threatened, no longer as relaxed as before.
But Akira couldn't find any flaws in Sengoku's actions. After all, the plan Sengoku arranged had indeed been discussed at the meeting yesterday.
1. If the problem with manpower couldn't be solved immediately, ensuring the safety of the surrounding seas of the allied nations was the priority.
2. Focus on capturing the most notorious and troublesome pirates to cool down the Great Pirate Era, while using these victories to boost the morale of all soldiers and the public.
But there's just one problem!
They had agreed that there were still some small details to discuss today.
But in the middle of the night, Sengoku bypassed that and pushed the plan through.
And the timeline—two months—isn't appropriate. If Akira is supposed to take command, what can he do now?
Damn it...
Sure enough, as long as this 'acting fleet admiral' position isn't removed, I can't get anything done. Sengoku played me like a fool.
Damn!
Akira gritted his teeth.
"Which other generals are still at headquarters?"
It's impossible that Sengoku would have transferred all the high-ranking officers away, leaving Marineford's defenses dangerously weak.
If a big pirate learned about this and launched a full-scale attack, successfully capturing Marineford, the reputation of Marine Headquarters would be utterly destroyed.
Akira couldn't fully trust Sengoku, known for his cunning and strategic mind, to have overlooked something this critical.
"As far as I know," the soldier continued, "it seems that only Admiral Zephyr, Admiral Kizaru, Vice Admiral Momousagi, and...you remain in the upper echelon."
"Momousagi specifically requested to stay."
A Marine Admiral, an Admiral candidate, and a seasoned Vice Admiral.
There was also Akira himself, with Conqueror's Haki, known for its wide-range attack capabilities, capable of easily overpowering even a Vice Admiral.
This lineup wasn't overly luxurious, but it was sufficient to handle most situations.
And let's not forget, Fleet Admiral Kong was still nearby at Mariejois, sipping tea and reading newspapers. If anything serious happened at Marineford, he could quickly mobilize reinforcements.
Akira felt a bit more at ease. It seemed Sengoku still had a shred of conscience... or so it appeared.
Among those left, only Vice Admiral Gion, known as Momousagi, could be mobilized by him.
Admiral Zephyr couldn't leave Marineford, and Kizaru, the so-called "king of fishing," couldn't be relied on. The others, who were either "people first" or "wait and see" types, had shown their true colors after witnessing his Conqueror's Haki the previous night and hadn't stuck around.
If it weren't for Gion's own request to stay, it seemed Sengoku had plans to transfer her out and replace her with another Vice Admiral.
"Go and invite Vice Admiral Gion!" Akira ordered, sitting down and pressing his aching brows.
The soldier quickly ran off to carry out the command.
Soon enough, the distinct sound of high heels echoed in the corridor.
Gion walked into the office, her presence accompanied by a faint fragrance.
"Akira, you called for me?"
"Yes! I have something very important, and I need your help with it."
Akira stood up, approached Gion, and placed his hands on her shoulders, speaking in a serious tone, "This is crucial for my future. You're the only one I trust."
'My future' and 'I trust only you'!!
Was this...a confession?
Gion's heart began to race uncontrollably, her cheeks tinged with a blush as she gazed at his handsome face so close to hers. She turned her head slightly and replied softly, "What is it? Just tell me, and I'll help you."
"I need you to replace me and introduce wives to the soldiers."
Gion: "???"
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