One Piece Thundergod Marine

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Why did the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) consider Akainu for the position of Fleet Admiral when Aokiji was a popular alternative?

Half of the reason lies in the career black mark left by the Ohara incident.

The remaining half stems from Aokiji's laziness.

His indifference to engaging in the social maneuvering and scheming of the upper echelons led the Gorōsei to believe that he wasn't fit for the role of Fleet Admiral.

Sengoku, on the other hand, was always either taking the blame or on his way to take the blame. Despite bearing countless accusations over the years— enough to fill a library— the Gorōsei never considered replacing him.

Why? Because Sengoku could navigate both the light and the dark sides effectively, perfectly meeting the requirements of a Fleet Admiral who must speak the language of men and monsters alike.

Even when burdened with blame, the Gorōsei never doubted his personal abilities and continued to view him as the ideal Marine Fleet Admiral.

In fact, shouldering blame at just the right times only increased the Gorōsei's satisfaction with him.

Now, look at the three Admirals— who among them can do the same?

Not a single one!

Among the current Admirals, Kizaru has an inexplicable connection with the Gorōsei, so let's set him aside for now.

Akainu is extreme, and Aokiji is lazy. They both represent Justice in their own ways.

But the Gorōsei don't need a symbol of Justice; they need a Fleet Admiral who can bear the burden, someone who can operate in both the light and the dark!

Neither of them meets that requirement.

One refuses to do it, unwilling to tolerate even a speck of sand in their eyes.

The other is too lazy to bother, acting like he doesn't understand what's being asked.

But a Fleet Admiral must be chosen from among them... Given the history, the choice becomes obvious.

Akainu!

Because, unlike Aokiji, he doesn't have a black mark on his record, proving that he is obedient enough!

When faced with two unfavorable options, you choose the lesser of two evils.

It's a simple principle.

In the original story, the Gorōsei's decision conflicted with Sengoku's, leading to the battle at Punk Hazard. 

The two rivals, unable to reconcile their differences, engaged in a life-or-death duel, ultimately resulting in Aokiji leaving the Marines and even forming ties with Blackbeard.

In this matter, there was no right or wrong.

It all came down to perspective.

The Gorōsei and Sengoku have different statuses, and what they consider naturally differs as well. The resulting conflict... well, you could say it was inevitable.

So, Rowen is curious—after he exposed the scars Aokiji was unwilling to face, and reignited his passion, would Aokiji return to that once "passionate" state?

Would he confront difficulties head-on, solve them, and become the person he once despised, all in the name of upholding his Justice?

If so, the position of Fleet Admiral… might not be so certain after all.

"So, should I pay a visit to Admiral Akainu later?" Rowen pondered silently.

His faction's influence is not yet stable. If he could win over Akainu as an ally before the Fleet Admiral position is decided, Rowen would have ample time to solidify his foundation.

After all, he had just offended Aokiji.

This way, he could kill two birds with one stone.

And with a good excuse, he could even prevent potential problems… killing four birds with one stone!

"Doing this makes my conscience feel much better! I really am a genius!" Rowen thought, grinning as he looked at the large bundles of gifts he had packed.

Bribery?

Nonsense!

Could the actions of a cultured person be called bribery?

This is called political contribution!

...

Boom… Ka Cha!

The sky, covered in dark clouds, flashed with lightning.

The guards at Impel Down looked up in terror. Thunderclouds were forming above this prison, which extended into the Calm Belt, was unheard of!

"Calm down, everyone, it's just Vice Admiral Soryu coming. He's one of us!"

Hannyabal shouted loudly, but his words only made the guards even more fearful.

Soryu... Who else could that be?

The guards trembled as they recalled those dark, endless three months… when even the Great Characters, whom they had to look up to even in prison, were dragged out of the lab like dead dogs, their faces blank and drooling.

To this day, prisoners in Impel Down often wake up in the middle of the night, screaming horrifying phrases like "Demon". The demon ate their brains!" and other such terrifying words, scaring themselves into wetting their beds.

"Marine Soryu" was undoubtedly a nightmare that haunted everyone in Impel Down.

Friend or foe, it made no difference!

"..."

Hannyabal stared speechlessly at the scene, then shivered as he remembered the mad ravings heard daily in the prison.

---

"I won't enter Impel Down even if I die!"

"So, I must become the Warden!"

Hannyabal inexplicably firmed his resolve and placed his hand on his chest with a pull: "Keep it up!"

When Rowen stood firm, what he saw was this scene... Hannyabal, who had a very comical appearance, had his back to him. 

His left hand was placed on his lower abdomen, and although his palm couldn't be seen, his whole hand was sliding down.

"Is it that long?!"

Rowen was shocked, feeling utterly shaken.

The ancients were indeed wise; a unique person must have unique features!

But doing this in public, how inappropriate is that?!

Wait, something's wrong...

"Sadi ends up with Magellan after two years, and you can't mess with a friend's wife. But Domino might be worth pursuing, um… no, that's wrong too. If I remember correctly, she seems to be a lesbian, completely captivated by Hancock in the original story."

"So…"

Rowen glanced sympathetically at Hannyabal.

We're both men, so it's understandable!

Abandoning the thought of reprimanding him, Rowen walked forward and patted his shoulder.

"Keep it up, Hannyabal!"

[________]: How much sorrow can you have? It feels just like _________.

Damn it!!!

Rowen slapped him hard, and Hannyabal was so frightened he almost jumped up!

He had been thinking about "seizing power" in his mind, cheering himself on with "keep it up", and suddenly hearing someone say this from behind made his eyes widen in horror.

"I'm doomed, I'm doomed, I'm doomed! Did I accidentally say what I was thinking out loud?"

"If the Warden hears it, I'm dead!"

If things went as Rowen predicted, this shock might even leave a lasting trauma.

But Rowen didn't know any of this.

To avoid polluting his eyes, he even restrained his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), turned around after speaking, and scanned the spacious platform, giving Hannyabal time to sort himself out.

A few seconds later, he asked, "Hmm? Where's Warden Magellan?"

"Uh… the Warden suddenly had diarrhea and went back."

As a Poison Human, Magellan spends ten hours a day dealing with diarrhea.

After seeing who had come, Hannyabal swallowed his saliva and cautiously asked after answering, "Um… Vice Admiral Soryu, just now…"

"Relax! I didn't see anything or hear anything!"

Upon hearing this, Hannyabal did a 360° flip in place, followed by a triple backflip, and then prostrated himself on the ground.

"Arigato Gozaimashita(Thank You very much)!!!"

"Your great kindness and virtue, I will never forget!"

See, how understanding I am!

This is practically the highest form of gratitude!

"Hey, don't be like this, Hannyabal. I think highly of you, so stay strong!"

Rowen pretended to be displeased as he helped him up.

YES!

I survived!

Hannyabal was overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face as he was helped up.

"Rest assured, Vice Admiral Soryu! I will never forget your kindness. If you ever come to Impel Down, I promise to provide you with the best treatment!"

Rowen: "…"

"No, wait! I mean, if you have any friends in Impel Down who need care, I…"

Hannyabal was startled and quickly corrected himself.

But as soon as he said it, he realized it still sounded wrong. Why would Vice Admiral Soryu have friends in Impel Down? Wasn't that implying he harbored ill intentions?

Seeing Hannyabal racking his brains to think of a way to end the conversation, Rowen tugged at his sleeve, sneered, and opened his palm, asking, "Have you seen this before?"

Hannyabal: "Uh… yes, we're not short of people here."

"No, this is a fist the size of a sandbag!"

Bam!!

(End of this chapter)

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