One Piece Thundergod Marine

With the battle concluded, the most urgent matter at hand was not about rewards, but rather cleaning up the aftermath.

The immediate priority was how to handle the pirates.

The number of pirates captured this time exceeded ten thousand, marking a historical record!

With so many pirates to deal with, this became a central issue; if mishandled, the entire world would mock the Marines.

Thus, the judicial island, part of the whirlpool's triangle, operated around the clock under the supervision of the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars), conducting hearings to categorize the pirates one by one.

Only the most vicious among them would be executed!

There were plenty of pirates who jumped around, relying on their minor skills, and the judges found them quite annoying. They decided to simply kill them to resolve the matter.

Those with a bit of notoriety would be imprisoned!

Having experienced Rowen's temporary leadership, Impel Down had now become the "den of wickedness." Throwing these pirates in there to suffer would still have some deterrent effect.

However, the judges failed to consider one thing: while Impel Down seemed to have six levels, the actual number of cells suitable for imprisoning inmates was quite limited.

So, it didn't take long before Magellan came crying about the overcrowding, saying Impel Down was at capacity and that either fewer people should be sent or more funds should be allocated for expansion.

Whether Magellan was genuinely concerned about too many prisoners causing political trouble, no one knew; the problem existed nonetheless. After discussions, the judges at the judicial island quickly adjusted and divided the notorious pirates into three tiers.

High-ranking citizens… no, pirates would have the privilege of suffering in Impel Down, playing a daily game of survival.

Medium-ranking pirates were sent to the "Black Pit" to mine coal, akin to Law's hometown of Flevance. Such places were abundant in the Sea, desperately needing strong, able-bodied workers to sustain the workforce.

Naturally, some pirates along the way were sold to interested slave traders, and whether the judges lined their pockets was open to interpretation.

The establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption had kept them from profiting for a long time, and as long as they didn't overreach, even Sengoku turned a blind eye at this critical juncture.

As for the most inferior grade of pirates…

After a few days of imprisonment, they too were sent to the execution platform.

The bloodstains on the execution platform had not dried for several consecutive days; the guillotine's blade had dulled several times, with hundreds of pirates being executed daily, sending chills down everyone's spines.

This time, the information released by the judicial island was not about which pirate committed how many crimes, but simply a list of names spread out for all to see.

The implications of this left many feeling terrified.

While the pirate disposal issue was heating up, the second problem was brought to the table...

That was the reconstruction of Marine Headquarters! 

Although the soldiers had worked hard, the Headquarters fort and even the entire Marineford island had suffered severe damage! 

Whitebeard's punch and Teach's dark hole attack made the magnificent Headquarters look like cheese that had been gnawed by rats, missing chunks everywhere.

The government, which valued their pride above all else, would not allow the dilapidated Marineford to become a laughingstock. This wasn't a man's scar that became more charming with each addition.

Thus, extensive repair work was quickly initiated. Any generals without specific missions had to participate unconditionally as long as they remained at Headquarters.

Even if they only moved a few stones, they could not be idle.

As a result, the generals grumbled incessantly, hoping for a moment of rest after the great battle, only to be forced into labor.

Aside from the sixteen Vice Admirals and Admirals who needed to assist Sengoku with post-battle matters, everyone else was no exception.

Especially the soldiers belonging to G-10, none of whom escaped. They all stayed obediently at Headquarters to help rebuild the port.

Rowen had promised Sengoku that he would take care of this position.

It seemed that Rowen was at a disadvantage, having fought hard only to exert effort and contribute funds. But let's not forget… this was Marine Headquarters!

Initially, all expenses should be covered by the government; there had never been a precedent for a national defense project to be contracted out to outsiders.

Was Rowen really at a loss in this matter?

Who else could personally undertake a repair project of this scale? 

Many sensed something significant behind this unreasonable scene, leading to a steady stream of visitors to Rowen's home at Headquarters.

Even Kizaru showed up to grab a meal, only to be chased out by Zephyr, who was annoyed at Kizaru's slippery behavior during the war.

Zephyr knew Kizaru best.

If only he had resolved to fight earnestly earlier, the losses would have been reduced significantly.

But! 

Just as the situation seemed promising and all tasks were proceeding in an orderly fashion, one morning, a piece of news emerged that was monumental for the Marines and the entire world.

"What? The Fleet Admiral has applied to resign from the government?!"

"It's not an application; it's already confirmed! Otherwise, why do you think it would be circulating?!" 

Two chatting soldiers leaned against a wall, one rolling his eyes as he explained.

The resignation of "Sengoku the Buddha" from the position of Fleet Admiral was such an important matter that if it weren't certain, the government would never allow any news to leak.

"But… why?!" 

The anxious soldier asked, "Didn't we win? The Fleet Admiral doesn't need to resign!" 

Twenty years ago, the then Fleet Admiral of the Marine, "Steel Bone" Kong, resigned due to Roger's remarks.

Although he ultimately did not succeed and instead got promoted, everyone knew that the pirate era opened up by Roger was an indelible stain on him as Fleet Admiral for his entire life.

His resignation was understandable.

But this time was different; this time was a great victory for the Marines!

Even the pirate groups that most despised the Marines had to admit that the Marines had fought a spectacular battle.

So why was Sengoku retiring?

"I don't know, but…" 

The soldier shrugged, and suddenly the tall figure standing amidst the thunderstorm on the day of the battle flashed into his mind.

But it was also understandable.

Because the era has changed!

---

At Marine Headquarters, in Aokiji's temporary office.

"Pfft hahahaha, don't look at me with that kind of expression!" 

Garp laughed heartily, patting Aokiji's shoulder with his greasy hand. "I've been a Marine for most of my life; what kind of storms haven't I seen? Now, I'm just tired."

Aokiji remained silent for a moment before raising his head to look at him firmly.

"Garp San, this time, I want to fight for the position of Fleet Admiral!" 

Aokiji was known throughout the Marine for his laziness, but now, hearing him say this was shocking!

Garp was momentarily taken aback, then asked seriously, "Do you know what the situation is now, Kuzan?"

"I do!" 

Aokiji nodded. "The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) have agreed to both Fleet Admiral and your resignation requests. They then considered Sakazuki to take over Sengoku's position, but the Fleet Admiral disagreed with that appointment and strongly recommended me to the Gorōsei."

"Given Fleet Admiral's significant contributions during this major event, the Gorōsei had no choice but to abandon their previous plan of issuing orders and decided to let us choose ourselves." 

This provided Akainu and Aokiji the opportunity to compete for the position.

"Not only that!" 

Garp suddenly added, "A long time ago, someone discovered that that little brat Rowen took a gift to Akainu's house and only returned after dinner…"

"If we really think about it, the way the Assassination Force operates aligns more with Akainu's War Faction than with you." 

"Don't forget his current influence, Kuzan!" 

"Are you sure you can win against Akainu with Rowen's support?" 

Aokiji fell silent, then shook his head after a moment.

"No!" 

The advantage he had was merely the prestige and admiration accumulated within the Marine… and this popularity was only an advantage because his opponent was Akainu.

It wasn't that he was so good; he was just being propped up by the competition! 

If we were to discuss popularity, he couldn't even compare to Momousagi; Garp had the highest popularity among them all!

In this situation, if Rowen were to publicly declare his support for Akainu, how many people would flip sides and join the opposing camp?

At that point, even if Sengoku wanted to support him, there would be no reason to do so.

(End of Chapter)

You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395