Aokiji dropped down onto the ground with a thud and sighed helplessly.
"This is just how you do things. You leave no room for the enemy… and none for yourself either."
"That's exactly why I can't feel at ease handing the Navy over to you."
"Hmph!" Akainu snapped back immediately.
"Once you dedicate yourself to justice, you should already be prepared to sacrifice for it! If you don't even have that resolve, what right do you have to call yourself a Marine?"
The moment their ideals came up, Akainu's emotions flared again.
But soon enough, he forced himself to calm down.
"Enough. There's no point talking about this anymore. According to our agreement, I lost. The Fleet Admiral position is yours."
Akainu might be ruthless in how he does things, but he keeps his word.
Since he lost, he had no intention of clinging to the Fleet Admiral seat.
"That's good to hear," Aokiji said calmly.
"Sengoku-san and the others are here too."
He looked up.
Sengoku was rushing over with a team of medics.
When he saw the final result, a deeper gloom settled onto his already stern face.
He recalled what Smoker had told him back in his office.
"The World Government will never allow Aokiji to take the position. Because that would be the same as denying the World Government's authority over the Navy."
Those words hit Sengoku like a heavy hammer to the chest.
Now that Aokiji had won the duel… what would the World Government do?
After placing Akainu and Aokiji aboard a warship, Sengoku immediately placed a call.
"Sengoku here. What is it?"
The Den Den Mushi sprouted a spiky, hedgehog-like hairstyle.
On the other end was none other than the Supreme Commander of the World Government's armed forces… Kong.
"Kong-san," Sengoku said gravely.
"I have something important to report, and I hope you can help me."
He explained the duel in detail and asked Kong to step in, hoping he could persuade the Five Elders to allow Aokiji to assume the Fleet Admiral position.
After hearing it, Kong could only sigh.
"This kind of matter… even I can't influence it. In the end, it still depends on what the Five Elders decide."
Despite holding the title of Supreme Commander, overseeing the Navy, CP agencies, the army, and even the police forces in name…
There were very few units Kong could actually command.
That position was more honorary than anything else.
The real power lay firmly in the hands of the Five Elders.
Sengoku knew that perfectly well.
Reaching out to his former superior was nothing more than grasping at a little extra hope.
After hanging up, Sengoku stared out at the sea through the window and muttered softly,
"I just hope nothing goes terribly wrong…"
Seven days later.
The report recommending Aokiji as Fleet Admiral had long since been submitted to the World Government.
Yet there was still no response.
Finally, today, Sengoku received word from above.
But what he got wasn't an appointment letter.
It was a punishment order.
"Marine Admiral Kuzan disobeyed superior orders, overstepped his authority, and engaged in a private duel with Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, causing extremely negative impact."
"Kuzan is hereby ordered to immediately depart for the New World, inspect territories formerly held by the Whitebeard Pirates, and capture the Blackbeard Pirates. Merit will offset punishment."
After reading the document, Sengoku couldn't help himself.
He slammed his desk to pieces again.
"What do these bastards take our Navy for!" Sengoku roared in fury.
Just like that, they directly confirmed Akainu's status as Fleet Admiral in an official document.
Not only did they reject the Navy's decision, they even reclassified the duel as an entirely illegal private affair.
The Navy's careful selection and respect for the Fleet Admiral position was casually tossed into the trash by the World Government.
"Promote Akainu and send Aokiji away… they're clearing the path for Akainu to seize full control of the Navy!"
Sengoku saw through the scheme instantly.
With the leader of the Dove faction gone and Kizaru's neutral faction unwilling to challenge Akainu, the Hawk faction would soon seize all key authority.
By the time Aokiji returned, it would already be too late.
"These damn bastards are really good at scheming against their own people…"
After venting for a while, Sengoku could only summon Aokiji and explain everything to him.
What surprised Sengoku was that Aokiji didn't seem particularly angry after hearing it.
It was as if he had already expected this outcome.
"After I came back from winning the duel, Smoker came to see me," Aokiji said quietly.
"He warned me that things probably wouldn't go the way I hoped and told me to be careful."
"I just didn't expect the World Government to leave the Navy absolutely no face at all."
"I thought they'd at least let me take the position first, then find an excuse later to kick me down."
"Turns out they couldn't even be bothered with that much."
Seeing how calm Aokiji was only made Sengoku more uneasy.
"Kuzan, don't rush this," Sengoku said firmly.
"Even though Sakazuki has been appointed Fleet Admiral, the Navy's justice hasn't changed."
"You're still an Admiral. You have a lot of autonomy. If you don't want to deal with him, you can station yourself in the New World long-term."
"No," Aokiji said immediately.
"Sengoku-san, I don't want to do that."
He looked up, his expression resolute.
"I'm sorry, but please allow me to leave the Navy."
Boom.
It felt like a bolt of thunder had struck Sengoku squarely in the head.
His voice trembled.
"Y-you… what did you say?"
"I want to resign as an Admiral and withdraw from the Navy," Aokiji repeated, his words unwavering.
Sengoku took a deep breath and forced himself to steady his emotions.
"Kuzan, I know you've been treated unfairly. But quitting the Navy altogether… isn't that too impulsive?"
"I can guarantee that if you stay, no one will target you because of this."
Aokiji shook his head calmly.
"Sengoku-san, I'm not worried about being targeted."
"In the Navy… I can't find my justice anymore."
Sengoku's gaze sharpened.
The moment those words were spoken, he knew things had gone bad.
"So I want to go out there and see the world," Aokiji continued.
"I want to find out where my justice truly lies."
Then he smiled faintly.
"Of course, I won't forget that I was once a Marine. If the Navy ever needs me… I'd still be willing to help."
For the first time, Aokiji's resolve was absolute.
Those words Aizen had once said to Smoker carried a much deeper meaning than most realized.
The World Government wanted a Navy that behaved like a loyal dog.
And the Navy's justice was equivalent to that dog developing its own will.
A dog with its own thoughts… would it still obey?
From that moment on, Aokiji understood.
The current Navy could no longer truly carry out justice.
If he became Fleet Admiral, he could try to change that.
But once he failed…
Leaving was the only choice left.
Seeing the determination in Aokiji's eyes, Sengoku knew he couldn't stop him.
He let out a long sigh.
"I hope you can find your justice soon."
Did Sengoku not understand the World Government's attitude toward the Navy?
He did.
He had always known.
***
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