Chương 82: Chapter 82 : Decision Made!!
"Though I'm pleased to receive your acknowledgment of my abilities," Shanks said with a faint smile on his lips, but his tone was as flat as ever, "I am, after all, a pirate!"
"Having a pirate become the Fleet Admiral, whether it's the Navy or the people of the world, won't accept it! No matter how outstanding the pirate's abilities may be, it's the same!"
Saint Saturn shot a glance at Shanks, his tone indifferent, "You're mistaken, Shanks. Whether you're a pirate or not isn't for you to decide, nor is it for those lowly people to decide! The decision is in our hands!"
Shanks was taken aback by these words, frowning.
Saint Marcus continued, "Celestial Dragon Figarland Shanks has been on special mission since childhood, acting as an undercover agent on Gol D. Roger's ship!"
"Over these decades, Shanks has made significant contributions to maintaining world peace and stabilizing the seas! For example, by administering chronic poison in Gol D. Roger's daily food, causing Roger's health to decline, leading to his eventual capture by the Navy!"
"Another example is how, under the guise of a pirate, he has exterminated numerous pirates, becoming one of the Four Emperors and maintaining stability in his domain!"
"You've never engaged in plundering merchant ships or killing civilians over the years, so your reputation remains relatively good. For such achievements, we can give you as much as you want!"
"This is also one of the reasons you can become the Fleet Admiral!"
Shanks's expression turned dark, and he retorted, "You can deceive people for a time, but not forever! Even if civilians and ordinary Marines believe this, what about the higher-ups in the Navy? They won't be fooled by such petty tricks! They will never agree to make me the Fleet Admiral!"
"They will," Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro said firmly, "They have no right to refuse now!"
Saint Marcus added, "You've just arrived from Marineford, and you should have noticed the casualties of the Navy Headquarters this time?"
"Out of the hundred thousand elite Marines, including those who can be saved post-battle, no more than twenty thousand will be able to continue fighting!"
"Among them, the casualties among the ranks of Rear Admiral and Vice Admiral are over seventy percent, and even Fleet Admiral Sengoku was killed in action!"
"To put it bluntly, the Navy right now is a mere shell! Without our support, the Navy's recovery is nothing more than a dream!"
"So they either accept the fact that you will become the Fleet Admiral or face extinction!"
"If they choose the latter, we won't mind accelerating their demise and then establishing a brand new Navy on their framework!"
"However, the new Fleet Admiral of that Navy will still be you, Shanks!"
Shanks closed his eyes with a heavy expression, and the Five Elders' words left him speechless. It was clear that the Five Elders had made up their minds and considered every aspect thoroughly.
However, Shanks couldn't shake the feeling that there were deeper reasons behind the Five Elders' decision, though he couldn't discern them at the moment.
Shanks thought for a moment, then suddenly opened his eyes and said, "What if I refuse? I have no intention of becoming a Fleet Admiral!"
The Five Elders showed no change in expression at his words, as if they had anticipated Shanks' refusal.
Saint Marcus cleared his throat and said, "Shanks, what do you think will happen to this world once the events at the Navy Headquarters spread?"
Shanks raised an eyebrow, surprised, and replied, "Oh, are you trying to appeal to my emotions and reason? I thought you'd use some kind of threat!"
Saint Saturn coldly responded, "There are many ways to threaten you. For instance, that Straw Hat kid would be a good choice. However, we'd prefer you to willingly take that position!"
Shanks' eyes flickered, and he remained silent.
Saint Marcus continued, "The Navy Headquarters has been severely damaged in this war! Although the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, have also withdrawn from the stage, don't forget that there are still three forces like the Whitebeard Pirates on the seas!"
"Moreover, the group that the clown Buggy brought out from Impel Down is composed of elite individuals. It's almost certain that he'll become the new Emperor of the Sea!"
"In other words, there will still be four Emperors in the future, while the Navy Headquarters, capable of contending with them, is now crippled!"
"The balance we had painstakingly established has been shattered! This world will fall into unprecedented chaos!"
"Unless we can place a sufficiently heavy counterweight on the Navy's side to balance the scales!"
"And Shanks, you are that crucial counterweight!"
Shanks pondered deeply. He had to admit that Saint Marcus's words made sense, but the implications were enormous, requiring careful consideration.
Saint Marcus paused briefly before continuing, "Of course, we're not asking you to remain as Fleet Admiral forever. Even if you wanted to, we wouldn't fully trust you!"
Shanks was taken aback and asked, "What do you mean?"
Saint Marcus replied calmly, "Once you take office as Fleet Admiral, we will invest substantial resources to help the Navy recover its strength. We will continuously select talents from the World Government to serve in the Navy until it can once again balance the pirates on the seas!"
"At this rate, it will take a few years, and then you'll be able to step down from the position of Fleet Admiral!"
Shanks' eyes flashed with understanding as he grasped the implication, saying, "You're planning to seize complete control of the Navy for yourselves!"
Saint Marcus showed no intention of hiding the truth and nodded in agreement, "In recent years, under Sengoku's leadership, the Navy has done quite a few things that go against our interests, and some Navy members have even developed unacceptable ideas!"
"They've forgotten the true purpose of the Navy's existence! As the tool in our hands, they are becoming increasingly unruly!"
"So we've decided to use this opportunity to correct their mindset!"
Saint Marcus spoke the truth but left out a crucial detail.
Once Shanks steps down from his position as Fleet Admiral, his situation will become very precarious! At that point, with a little manipulation, Shanks could end up being rejected by both the Navy and the Pirates!
We only hope that Shanks will be perceptive enough to avoid this fate. Otherwise, his best outcome might be returning to Mariejois to live out his days as a pampered "Celestial Dragon"!
Shanks' expression kept shifting as he wrestled with his thoughts.
The Five Elders remained silent, patiently awaiting Shanks' response.
After a long pause, Shanks finally looked up, his gaze resolute as he said, "I've made my decision!"
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