169. Marine Needs To Vent! So I Choose The Second Half Of The Grand Line!

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High in the sky, dark clouds began to gather.

Everyone in Mariejois couldn't help but feel a sense of gloom and unease.

Those with more strength turned their attention to the source of the intense presence.

"That's... the mansion of the Five Elders. What could have happened to make them so angry?"

"I remember the last time they were this furious, it was because of Desmond, the director of Impel Down. But this time, I have no idea who it could be."

"I'm curious too. Who would dare provoke them like this?"

"Whoever it is, they're in for a rough time. I was the one who had to carry Desmond out last time."

The chief guards and CP agents stationed on the perimeter whispered among themselves.

It's rare for the Five Elders to get this angry.

Especially when their anger is so overwhelming that it affects nearly everyone in the area.

Even those who have worked in the Holy Land for over a decade have only witnessed such fury once before, during the incident with Desmond, the former director of Impel Down.

And the outcome for Desmond back then... well, it wasn't good at all.

Now, they were curious to see who the second person would be to anger the Five Elders—and what fate awaited them.

Meanwhile, in another room.

The other four Elders also set aside what they were doing to peer out the window.

"No killing intent," the Warrior God if Environment said after quietly sensing the situation.

The tension in the room eased.

"Wasn't it already decided that we could just deal with Akira casually? Why go to this extent?"

"Maybe Nusjuro has other plans. It doesn't really matter, let him handle it."

"Actually, this might be for the best. The Celestial Dragon's reputation has already been trampled once. Letting this slide too easily wouldn't look good."

The other three Elders shared their thoughts.

It was clear they didn't care much about the unfortunate Celestial Dragon who had been knocked out by Akira's Conqueror's Haki at the Sabaody Archipelago.

If it weren't for the fact that the other party was a Celestial Dragon, whose disgrace reflects on all of them, they wouldn't even bother to get involved.

To them, dealing with a foolish family member was just like handling a valuable subordinate—they knew how to prioritize what's important.

The four Elders stopped paying attention to the situation and returned to their own matters.

Meanwhile, at the villa.

Ordinary people, when faced with the pressure of the Five Elders, who sit at the pinnacle of world power, would be terrified and immobilized by the sheer force of their presence.

But Akira was not.

Instead, his focus shifted toward the rarely-seen strength displayed by the financial Elder.

'This aura is incredibly powerful, possibly at the level of an Emperor or beyond. 

This sword energy... it's giving me a genuine sense of danger.'

Akira's thoughts were racing. 'This is definitely the level of the world's greatest swordsman, someone like Hawkeye.'

Akira pursed his lips, remaining silent, as if he had nothing to say in response to the financial Elder's pressure.

In reality, he was using his Observation Haki and senses to evaluate the Elder's strength.

After all, knowing both yourself and your opponent is the key to victory.

While it wasn't a real battle where he could assess everything, having a rough understanding of their power was essential.

At this moment, Akira had only one thought.

—This trip to the Holy Land was worth it!

Noticing that Akira could withstand the pressure, a glimmer of intrigue flashed in the old eyes of the Elder, though his thoughts remained unreadable.

In the next moment, the aura surrounding the Elder began to grow even stronger.

'I can't reveal your true strength,' Akira thought to himself.

'Otherwise, they'll see me as a man with hidden ambitions and deep plans.'

'I guess it's time to act.'

With a silent sigh, Akira prepared himself.

The dining table began to creak and splinter under the overwhelming pressure.

Finally, just as it was about to shatter completely, Akira's face turned "ashen," feigning defeat, as though he was about to collapse under the strain.

The Elder withdrew his oppressive aura.

"Akira, do you have anything you'd like to explain?" the Elder asked calmly, his voice neutral but piercing.

Akira clutched his chest with his left hand, taking a moment to catch his breath, his breathing gradually calming.

"Master Nusjuro," Akira said quickly, "I wouldn't dare lie to you. What happened was indeed my fault."

"Why did you make that choice?" the Warrior God of Finance questioned, putting down his knife and fork. He picked up the goblet beside him, took a sip of wine, and looked at Akira with curiosity. "From what I know of you, you're not someone who acts without thinking."

In the eyes of the world, Akira was known as a figure of sharp intellect and cunning.

And to the Five Elders, this reputation was even stronger.

If it had been Garp, faced with the unreasonable demands of the Celestial Dragons, he would have simply punched them. The Five Elders wouldn't have thought much of it. At most, Garp would get a reprimand over the Den Den Mushi and have a few months' pay docked. After all, Garp was a hero of the Marines and had saved the Celestial Dragons in the God Valley. Punching an ordinary Celestial Dragon wouldn't be a big deal.

But for Akira, a man known for his intelligence, to do something similar? That raised questions. Was there a deeper meaning behind his actions?

The bigger concern was that Akira was the Fleet Admiral of the Marines. If he harbored any resentment or dissatisfaction, it could lead to serious problems.

This was why Nusjuro personally intervened and used his aura to suppress Akira.

"So, why?" Nusjuro pressed.

Akira sighed softly, downed the red wine in his goblet, and gazed up at the blue sky and white clouds with a complicated expression.

"I'm not going to hide it from you," he began. "To be honest, I understand and fully support how the five of you manage the Marine."

"But the generals below… they don't understand. This whole incident has caused them to grumble and sigh constantly. They're angry, and you can feel it in the air at Marineford."

"I thought I could stay unaffected by their frustration, but I didn't expect..." Akira trailed off. "Ah! I've made a mistake, and I will accept whatever punishment you deem necessary."

Akira paused for a moment, then added with a heavy sigh, "Even if it means my dismissal as Fleet Admiral, I will follow your orders without question."

Akira, knowing the Five Elders didn't want this situation to escalate further, was willing to play his cards boldly.

After all, it wasn't as if an ordinary Celestial Dragon could take his place as Fleet Admiral. Akira had been the one to steer the Marines through the chaos of the Great Pirate Era and bring them to their current state. His record was spotless, with no major faults in the past year.

If he were removed from his position without any significant mistake, how could the decision be explained to the Marines or to the world at large? The repercussions could be disastrous. The morale of the entire Marine force could crumble, and the damage would be immeasurable.

"No, that won't happen!" Nusjuro interrupted Akira, waving a hand dismissively as he thought deeply.

He was well aware of the anger brewing among the top Marine officers.

Not only that, but the soldiers at Marine Headquarters and across the world are also filled with frustration.

After all, they're rank-and-file soldiers, and it's normal for them to have a bit of a temper.

The Warrior God of Finance somewhat agreed with Akira's explanation. People are shaped by their environment, and even he knew that if he spent time at Marineford right now, his mindset would likely be influenced by the prevailing anger.

But that sentiment was misguided.

At least in the eyes of the Five Elders, it was wrong for the Marines to harbor resentment toward Cipher Pol or even criticize them over issues like the industrial transfer.

With that in mind, Nusjuro shifted his focus away from the Sabaody Archipelago incident, at least for the moment.

"Do you have any plans to address Marine's anger?" Nusjuro asked, his tone calm but probing.

"Plans?" Akira blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

But in the span of a breath, his sharp mind kicked into gear. His fingers twitched slightly as his thoughts raced.

After a few moments, he collected himself and responded quickly.

"The anger exists mainly because the Marines are too idle."

"The era of great pirates has come to an end, and there aren't any significant pirate threats in the first half of the Grand Line or in the Four Seas."

Akira paused briefly, then continued, "Marine's frustration should be redirected toward hunting pirates. So, I propose this—"

"I will send them into the New World, the second half of the Grand Line, extending the World Government's influence and at the same time, bringing everyone's focus back to their duties."

He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with the Elder. "What do you think?"