Belief and ambition
"...are you sure, Aramaki? You don't want to try to fight to get the admiral position?"
Sengoku looked at Aramaki speechlessly. Last night, Aramaki showed his determination to become an admiral, and his justice moved Sengoku. Yet, somehow, when the match between Aramaki and Masa was about to start, this guy retired and asked for a loss directly?!
What the hell?!
"Yes." Aramaki nodded. "I'm lost. I give up." Just kidding. While he was eager for the position of admiral, he still loved his life more. While he wasn't sure what kind of Devil Fruit Masa had eaten, many people had said that it was the Yami Yami no Mi, the Dark Devil Fruit, that gave the user a powerful power of darkness.
So, what kind of power does darkness have?
No one could tell as Masa only used the power of darkness to absorb people within his darkness, but this mystery was the one that made people feel afraid. Moreover, there was also Masa's swordsmanship and the support of many of his people.
If somehow Aramaki was assassinated, then he would be crying to death!
Aramaki might believe in his Devil Fruit, the Logia Type, Mori Mori no Mi, a Devil Fruit, which allowed him to become a human forest, controlling nature and everything, but even so, the darkness that Masa emitted was so vile, and Masa's men had come to him last night, telling him that there might be a chance for a new admiral to be chosen in the near future, so why should he risk his life now?
"Are you serious?"
However, Issho couldn't help but look at Aramaki with a certain amount of anger for letting such an uncontrollable individual like Masa become an admiral, a position that was only suited for someone who had justice within their heart.
"I don't want to die. If you want to, then just face him later."
Aramaki didn't look down on Issho, especially when everyone had seen Issho's power, but even so, this guy underestimated Masa's power. Or rather, he was sure that Masa's men had approached Issho and Gion, telling them to give up on the match, but unlike him, they were all so stubborn.
Still, Sengoku hadn't given up. "Are you really sure, Aramaki? If you really give up, then you won't have any chances to become an admiral."
"Yes, I am sure."
Aramaki nodded since even if he didn't have a chance to become an admiral within Sengoku's rule, what about the next Fleet Admiral?
"...."
Still, Sengoku looked at Masa fiercely and knew that Masa's men had worked last night to persuade the other three to give up the position of admiral to Masa.
Why did Masa do this?
If Sengoku had to find an answer, it was because Masa was too lazy, which made him hate this bastard who used his privilege arbitrarily and lawlessly!
"Then... the winner is King Masa!"
"....." Everyone.
Was this okay?
Was it right?
Yet, even so, despite how dirty Masa's method was and how cowardly Aramaki was, no one could look down on them, especially when they knew how powerful they were.
"Do you have to resort to that dirty method?" Vivi couldn't help but ask and sighed.
"I don't want to dirty my clothes."
"...." Vivi.
Just because you didn't want to dirty your clothes, you let your men persuade the other candidates to give up?
"The battle has never always been on the stage."
Yes, the battle had never always been full of blood, weapons, and taking the lives of others. The shape of a battle had changed for centuries, and most of the battles ended up under the table, with discussions between the two parties so they wouldn't be hurt much by the damage of their battles.
Still, while Masa and Aramaki never cared about the opinions of the weak, the battle between Gion and Issho was about to start.
"I am sorry, but I will end this match as soon as possible!"
"Huh?!"
Gion might be powerful, but there was a reason why Issho was chosen as the admiral in the original story!
As soon as their match started, Issho showed his power, the power that made him able to be chosen as an admiral!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!
As a powerful force blasted and pressed her down, Gion was at Issho's mercy before a sharp blade was placed within her neck.
"....."
Gion was full of frustration, but the match ended like that, and she knew she was no match for Issho.
Regardless, everyone sighed in relief since Issho didn't take Gion's life, and the final match was about to start!
In this match, no one looked away since, unlike Aramaki, Issho didn't give up and was ready to face Masa.
"Do you need to rest, Issho-sama?"
"No, please start the match right away. I am ready anytime, or do you need time to prepare yourselves, Your Majesty?"
"Let's do it right away. I don't like to waste my precious time."
As Masa's voice fell, he was already on the stage with an incredible speed that made many frown as they never realized that he had already moved from his spot.
Quiet, subtle, and dangerous.
No one could tell when Masa had moved, including Issho, who frowned as Masa's movement was just so silent, which made it hard for him to detect Masa. His eyes might be blind, but even so, he could see better than anyone.
"You are so strong, Your Majesty."
"If not, then I am not here."
"You are right." Issho nodded, then asked, "But can you tell me why you want to become an admiral?"
"As I have said before, I don't have time to answer a philosophical or belief question since no matter what I say, you have your own belief, and I have my own belief. If my words can sway you, then why have you even blinded yourselves? If your words can sway me, then what's the point of becoming a king?"
"But the way you rule is too uncontrollable! You will endanger the people around you!"
The way Masa ruled and took care of everything was just too random, like a child who wanted to do whatever he wanted, which made Issho angry, thinking that Masa was just playing around!
"Then, what's the point of me becoming a king if I can't do whatever I want?"
"...." Issho.
"....." Everyone.
"Then, what is being an admiral for you? Is that so you can do all of your selfish things?"
"That's right."
"....."
"Being an admiral means that I stand in front of all of them. I am the top! I am the one who can order their lives and death! That's why this position is awesome! That's why people want to take this position! Isn't that also the reason why you want this position?"
"..." Everyone.
"No! This position is for people who believe in justice! For those who believe that they can protect people from the injustice in this world!"
"You want to become a martyr? You want to protect all of them?"
"That's right!"
"That's a good goal, but does it have to become an admiral? Why didn't you do anything before? Aren't you just forcing your ideals on others? Everyone here is just wishing for a stable life. The life where they no longer have to worry about their lives being haunted by an unstable future.
"I am strong. I have money. I have everything.
"Under me, they have no worries about anything. Isn't that a good reason for me to become an admiral?"
"You are just selfish!"
"Aren't you also selfish for expecting people to throw their lives to follow your ambition and belief?"
"....." Issho.
"But then again, selfishness is a normal emotion. If you are not selfish, then it is impossible for you to stand here, or rather, only those who are selfish can stand where we are now. Those who are unselfish and let themselves be carried away by their unreasonable fate can only die in obscurity." Masa smiled at Issho and said, "But do you know the reason why I talk to you like this when I am just too lazy to talk to others?"
"...why?"
"Because of strength. You have power, but the others don't. In this unreasonable world, strength is everything. If you don't have it, then you can only rely on others; let yourselves be led by them so they can live peacefully.
"Isn't that the reason why everyone here is in the Marines? Because they know by joining this organization, they will have a stable and peaceful future since being a Marine means they will no longer be threatened by others."
"....." Everyone.
"You are wrong... you are wrong..." Issho shook his head and said, "There are those who truly believe that by entering this organization, they can help people. They can erase all the evil. They can bring help to others. That's why everyone joins the Marines!"
"See? You have your own beliefs, and my words can't sway you, so why should you talk so much nonsense instead of fighting directly?"
"You are right." Taking a deep breath, Issho held his trusted sword and said, "That's why I will become the admiral and show you that you are wrong!"
"Talk is meaningless in front of a powerful force. When you lose your power, your sword, your ears, your body, and everything, will others listen to your belief?"
"...." Issho.
Masa looked at the referee and asked, "Start the match."
"Please." Issho also nodded, wishing to teach Masa a lesson!
The referee was nervous, but even so, his heart was full of flame as he couldn't wait for the match between the two.
The rest was the same since they knew no matter who was the right one would be determined in this place.
Their eyes were glued on the monitor, and no one looked away.
Then—
"START!!!!"