Chapter 31

Title: Deputy Akainu

"Who else but that woman? She must have known early on that Rocks wasn't dead," Whitebeard replied, his countenance darkened. He had been thoroughly deceived.

Whitebeard gazed at Xilan with anticipation. "Will you accept the offer? Rocks is not only my enemy; he's your enemy too. Once that man is revived, you'll be the first one he targets."

"Revenge on me?" Xilan furrowed his brow and responded disdainfully. "In his prime, he was defeated by his own subordinates, and now he can only exist within Blackbeard's body."

"You talk as if you won all by yourself, Garp, and Roger were there too," Whitebeard corrected.

"I'm the one who sent him on his way and smashed his head!" Xilan asserted, deeming it the proudest moment of his life.

After a moment of silence, Xilan relented. He had been dragged into this situation.

In truth, Whitebeard's argument held merit. Once Rocks was resurrected, the former enemies would likely be his first targets. The headshot specialist Xilan would be at the top of that list.

After the negotiations, Xilan and Whitebeard shook hands and promptly departed.

Despite everything, Xilan had a certain fondness for Whitebeard. After all, he was one of the greatest benefactors of his immense wealth. Without Whitebeard's substantial assistance, his trillion-Beli retirement plan might have been disrupted prematurely.

As for Ace, regardless of any resentment, Xilan couldn't deny that it was reckless individuals like him who had paved the way for his easy accumulation of wealth.

Half a day later, Xilan returned to Naval Headquarters and reported to Sengoku.

"While Whitebeard may be injured, his combat capabilities remain formidable. We mustn't underestimate him," Xilan informed Sengoku.

"I understand. Thank you for your efforts," Sengoku acknowledged, satisfied with the outcome. Though Whitebeard hadn't been defeated, the skirmish had served as a valuable lesson for the Whitebeard Pirates, enhancing the Marine's reputation.

"Considering your combat prowess, it's quite puzzling that you lost to Doflamingo. An unusual occurrence, indeed," a peculiar voice chimed in, and Xilan's brows knitted.

Glancing to the side, he noticed Akainu seated on a sofa.

"As one ages, fluctuations in one's condition are inevitable," Xilan casually replied, seeking to brush off the inquiry before departing without further words.

The marshal of the Marines was Sengoku, while Akainu held the rank of Admiral. Xilan paid little heed to the latter.

Sengoku had yet to step down, keeping Akainu forever in the position of a deputy.

In Sengoku's eyes, Aokiji was the true successor, with Akainu at most serving as a vice, colloquially referred to as a spare tire.

Most Marine higher-ups preferred Aokiji as the next marshal anyway.

"Damn old fart!" Akainu muttered under his breath while returning to his office, his frustration evident.

Everything that could be thrown had been thrown, and Xilan didn't suffer humiliation. Instead, he had been ridiculed by that man, causing his frustration to boil over.

Tok, tok, tok!

A series of knocks echoed on the door. Akainu took a few deep breaths, his gaze gradually clearing. "Come in."

Creak.

The office door swung open, revealing a dark-skinned man with a fierce countenance. This individual was known as Ghost Spider, a Marine Vice Admiral, and a staunch supporter of Akainu's faction within the Marines.

In their pursuit of missions, they were willing to sacrifice even their own subordinates, a characteristic shared with Akainu. Given their similar personalities and styles, Onigumo had naturally aligned himself with Akainu's faction.

"Sakazuki Admiral, what would you like me to do?" Ghost Spider inquired.

"Sneak over to the G0 base and conduct a thorough investigation of those individuals. I want you to secure concrete evidence. This time, we must get rid of that pest, Xilan, from the Marines," Akainu growled in frustration.

"Investigate the G0 base?!" Ghost Spider's heart raced at the mere mention of it.

While investigating a regular facility was one thing, the G0 base was none other than the residence of Admiral Xilan himself. Asking a Vice Admiral to investigate an Admiral was like playing with fire and risking self-incineration.

"What if we're discovered?" Ghost Spider looked at Akainu, silently conveying his concerns.

"Nonsense!" Akainu reprimanded sternly. "Sometimes, for the sake of justice, certain sacrifices are unavoidable. If you're exposed, I authorize you to take down the other party!"

Ghost Spider hesitated, still unsure.

He might be a hawk, but he was not a death-seeker.

"So what if you anger him?" Akainu sneered. "Once we capture evidence of his crimes, Marshal Sengoku won't spare him, and the World Government won't tolerate him either."

"Wait until I become the Marine Marshal," Akainu added, his voice tempting. "You'll be my confidant, my right-hand man!"

"Very well!!!" After much deliberation, Ghost Spider, the Vice Admiral, reluctantly accepted the mission this time.

Akainu smiled faintly. "Xilan, Xilan, let's see how long you can keep dancing!"

....

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