Chapter 346

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

"First on the agenda: Blackbeard," Bai Ye began, his voice cutting through the quiet of the room as he lowered the newspaper. "Marshall D. Teach. He used the war at Marineford as a cover to raid Impel Down, freeing countless high-level prisoners and recruiting several into his own crew, including the former Head Jailer, Shiryu of the Rain."

He let that sink in before continuing. "From there, he rushed to Marineford. Through some unknown means, he not only ambushed the legendary pirate Shiki and stole his Float-Float Fruit, but he also used that power to rip the Marine Headquarters building from its very foundations."

Bai Ye's gaze swept over his crewmates. "His new bounty is 2.8 billion Beri. Nami, Zoro, you've met the man. You know what he's capable of."

Nami and the others gave a grim nod. Zoro crossed his arms, the memory of their encounter in Mock Town still vivid. A ragged, boisterous man, sprawled on the ground, laughing as he declared, "A man's dream will never die!" That single line was enough to reveal the terrifying scale of his ambition. But unlike Luffy's straightforward dream, Blackbeard's was wrapped in layers of cunning and ruthless scheming. Usopp and the others who had brushed against his crew felt a similar chill. They knew those pirates would be formidable opponents down the line.

"But that's a problem for another day," Bai Ye said, breaking the heavy silence. "For now, rest. Relax. You have three months to think about what comes next." He then turned to the skeleton swordsman beside him. "Brook. While we're here, there's an old friend of yours I'd like you to meet."

-----

In an office at the Marine G-1 Branch, Fleet Admiral Sengoku announced the decision with a heavy heart. "The new Fleet Admiral... will be Sakazuki."

His gaze fell upon Kuzan, who had been silent for some time. Seeing the familiar indifference on his friend's face—or perhaps something even colder—Sengoku felt a sense of foreboding. He remembered his conversation with the World Government Commander-in-Chief, Kong, just a day earlier, when he had formally submitted his resignation.

"The World Government has made its choice. It's Sakazuki," Kong had said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Not even your recommendation could sway them?" Sengoku had asked, clinging to a final sliver of hope.

"You know the answer to that, old friend," Kong had replied, a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. "Even if this war had never happened, they would never have allowed another from your faction to take the lead. They need a Navy that listens, not one that thinks."

"But if that's the case, Kuzan will surely—"

"That is precisely what they want," Kong interrupted. "After the formation of the 'Spark Alliance,' they no longer see a need for opposing voices within the Navy. They are abandoning checks and balances in favor of an iron fist. They intend to bring the entire institution back under their absolute control. Sengoku, even if you and Garp hadn't retired, the Five Elders would have forced you out. I am sorry. Your plan has failed."

Sengoku returned to the present with a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the years settle upon him. "Kuzan, you..."

Before he could finish, Aokiji stood. "There's no need to say anything more, Fleet Admiral," he said, his voice slow and deliberate. "I no longer have any interest in that position. Besides..." He paused. "I came today to hand you my resignation."

He looked Sengoku directly in the eye. "Admiral... I'm done."

With that casual bombshell, Aokiji—one of the Navy's Three Great Powers—was stepping down.

"Kuzan... you can't be serious," Sengoku began, but Aokiji cut him off again.

"It's done." Aokiji removed his white coat of justice and laid it carefully on the desk before Sengoku. "I do believe in justice. But I've found that the justice I'm forced to serve is one I can no longer enact in good conscience."

He continued, his voice quiet but clear. "So I embraced 'Lazy Justice.' It was easier. I thought I would never get the chance to see true justice done." He then removed the black eye mask he always wore. For years, he had used it to shield his eyes from a truth he was unwilling or unable to face.

But now, he no longer needed it.

"This time," he declared, his voice hard as the ice he commanded, "I will not turn a blind eye."

Cold air misted from his hand, freezing the eye mask solid. With a simple clench of his fist, the mask that had defined him for years shattered into a thousand pieces.

Sengoku's expression was a storm of conflict. Kizaru's usually unreadable eyes flickered with understanding. They both knew what this meant. It was not just a farewell to his old self; it was a complete and total break from the Navy. And his next move was painfully obvious.

"Are you going to betray us?"

It was Akainu. He had been silent until now, a smoldering volcano in the corner of the room. Unlike the others, there was no tacit understanding in his voice, only accusation. "Are you joining the rebels of the Spark Alliance? Will you become an enemy of Justice?"

"I resigned, Sakazuki. It's not a betrayal," Aokiji replied calmly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He turned to face his former colleague. "And an enemy of justice? Heh." A short, disdainful laugh escaped his lips. "Open your eyes. The World Government does not have a monopoly on defining justice."

"Anyone who opposes them is an enemy of justice, is that it?" Aokiji taunted.

"The World Government IS justice!" Akainu shot back, his face an unmoving mask of conviction. "Without them, how many more vile pirates would plague this world? Without the Navy, this sea would become a criminal's paradise. We, who eliminate evil, are the very definition of justice!"

Akainu rose to his feet, heat beginning to warp the air around him. "The Spark Alliance is just the Revolutionary Army by another name. Do they have the strength, the influence, the power to rule? Can they represent justice? Do they think announcing a few new policies can erase the centuries of sacrifice the Navy has made to keep this world from drowning in darkness?"

Magma began to drip from his clenched fists. "It is precisely because of men like you, men who are never satisfied and always greedy for more power, that the evil in this world is never truly extinguished."

He took a step forward. "If you intend to join the rebels, you will not be leaving this room so easily!"

"Hell Hound!"

"Ice Block: Partisan!"

A wall of jagged ice erupted from the floor, blocking the molten fist just inches from Aokiji's face. The hiss of steam filled the room.

Aokiji exhaled a cloud of frigid air. "Representing justice? Greedy for power?" he said, his voice laced with a cold, weary pity.

"You're the one who still doesn't see it, aren't you, Sakazuki?"

"Those people don't want power. They just want to live with a little dignity!"