CH 13: Marine Headquarters Is Shaken, Akainu’S Justice

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East Blue, Windmill Village Pier.

Amid the heartfelt farewells of the villagers, the Redvers drifted away.

"My left arm was bitten off by a mere Sea King. Boss, you are too inferior! Haha!"

"Did the captain secretly eat a Devil Fruit and become weak in the sea?"

"Idiot, Devil Fruit users should sink! But I bet I'll be beaten by that guy Hawkeye next time!"

…

On the deck, Lakilu, Yasopp, Dege, and other crew members bantered to hide their worries.

Benn Beckman, with a cigar in his mouth, leaned against the ship's railing, arms folded, speaking calmly:

"That's quite a sacrifice: to lose an arm and give away the straw hat that means so much to you for that kid. Was it really worth it?"

Shanks stood at the bow, his right hand resting on the Griffin at his waist. The refreshing sea breeze blew in his face, causing his cape to flutter behind him.

He gazed into the distance, as if seeing the future unfold. "Now that it's done, I have no regrets. It's time to head for the New World."

"Oh? Who are you planning to deal with? Kaido, Big Mom, or Whitebeard?"

Shanks smiled lightly. "You know I never had ambitions of dominating the world."

"Enjoying unseen landscapes, tasting unknown food, experiencing one adventure after another, and becoming the freest man on the sea!"

Beckman blew out a thick ring of smoke. Through it, cold words emerged.

"You've seen what happened this time. Gaining some fame will save us from future troubles and prevent harassment from lowly bandits."

Shanks nodded. "You're right. Let the New World have another sea emperor."

At that moment, Yasopp shouted from the deck, interrupting their conversation.

"Newspaper? I've been away from the Grand Line so long, I wonder what big news has happened."

Shanks took the newspaper with one hand, a look of surprise on his face.

"Garros? A new great swordsman?"

"That's good news. With him around, maybe Hawkeye won't bother me again. Losing my left arm isn't so bad after all."

"You're unbelievable..."

Beckman shook his head, taking the newspaper from Shanks. "A debut bounty of 500 million beli. This guy must be extraordinary..."

"Shanks, since he appeared in Sabaody Archipelago, he might head to the New World next. If we encounter him, we might as well get to know him. He could become one of us."

...

Marine Headquarters Marineford.

The atmosphere in the Marshal's office was tense.

"We deployed so many resources and let him escape?" Akainu's frown deepened as he looked at the bandaged Ghost Spider.

Ghost Spider's old face twitched, but he said nothing.

On the nearby sofa, Kizaru leisurely cut his nails.

"Who could have predicted silvers Rayleigh's presence? He's a legendary pirate and the Pirate King's former deputy. We've hunted him for years without success. Repelling him this time was a feat."

"And we did capture a dozen pirates with bounties of tens of millions on-site, a notable achievement."

He glanced at Akainu nonchalantly, as if the matter were trivial.

Akainu clenched his fists, fury simmering within. Among the three Marine Admirals, Aokiji was often absent, rarely catching pirates. Kizaru, tasked with guarding the Celestial Dragons, usually drank tea or read the newspaper. Finally, an opportunity arose, and Kizaru seemed to handle it half-heartedly.

His tone turned icy. "As an Admiral, you shouldn't boast about capturing a few incapacitated pirates."

"With your abilities, dealing with a remnant of the old era shouldn't be difficult. You should not have lost track of that guy!"

"Enough, Sakazuki!" Sengoku scolded in a deep voice. "Rayleigh's escape is a fact. Pursuing it further is futile. After this encounter, Rayleigh will likely remain hidden."

He pointed to the newspaper. "But this Garros deserves our attention."

Ghost Spider, silent until now, spoke up. "It was most likely him who sent a distress signal to the Marines."

Garp, sitting cross-legged, shook his head. "Why would Garros notify Marines if he intended to rob the auction? It makes no sense."

Marine Chief of Staff He suddenly spoke. "It's not impossible."

Everyone looked at her, waiting for an explanation.

"Perhaps his goal was to attract our attention deliberately."

"For what reason? Either to showcase his skills or because he has a grudge against the pirates present, summoning us to handle them."

Akainu's face darkened, sneering. "He's disregarding the Marines...?"

He continued, "Besides, don't you think Garros' bounty is peculiar?"

Everyone nodded. Over the years, many troublesome figures like Crocodile, Doflamingo, "Moonlight" Moria, and "Pirate Empress" Boa Hancock had emerged. While problematic, next to Garros' exaggerated bounty, they were nothing.

From intelligence reports, Garros was strong but new, and his dangers didn't match pirates with tens of millions in bounties. A 500 million beli bounty seemed strange.

"What secrets is this guy hiding?"

Everyone fell silent, contemplating.

Suddenly, Akainu stood, his "Justice" cloak billowing as he strode towards the door.

"Sakazuki! Where are you going?"

"The New World."

"Do you intend to...?"

Facing Sengoku's query, Akainu walked straight out, leaving cold words behind.

"No matter his purpose or secrets, capturing pirates is a Marine's duty. That's my justice!"

"I'll find him and impel him myself!"

...

Back at Sea.

Onboard the red force, Shanks handed the newspaper back to Beckman. "If Garros is heading to the New World, we should welcome him."

Beckman nodded. "A new era of talents..."

They gazed toward the endless sea, each anticipating new battles and alliances in their upcoming adventures.