Chapter 139: Accidents

At this moment, Shiro looked at Sengoku the Buddha, who had become an Inspector General, with a half-smile.

For Sengoku, Shiro still held some respect. After all, as an old sailor, Sengoku was undoubtedly a highly qualified and experienced leader. Just a little too stubborn, perhaps. Shiro wasn't quite ready to pull someone like Sengoku into his camp.

At least, not yet.

"Hahaha, you little brat! You deserve to be the youngest Admiral in the history of the Navy. Arrogant enough! I hope when you face that man in the future, you'll still be as fearless as you are now and wash away the shame of the Navy's past failures!" Sengoku, the Navy's Inspector General, squinted at Shiro, not hesitating to express his admiration.

The young man before him, despite his age, was already qualified to be an Admiral. Sengoku couldn't help but think back to someone else—Shiro. If that guy Shiro hadn't left the Navy, today's Admiral might have been him!

Once upon a time, Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru believed Shiro would surely become an Admiral, the youngest in the Navy's history, and perhaps the strongest.

But now things were different. Shiro had rebelled against the Navy and established the Central Authority, challenging both the World Government and the Navy.

And today, the Navy had indeed welcomed the youngest Admiral in its history—but it wasn't Shiro.

Maybe this was fate.

With this thought, Sengoku the Buddha, now "promoted" to the role of Navy Inspector General, personally picked up the Cloak of Justice belonging to the Admiral and approached Shiro with a smile, ready to drape it over him.

After all, by age and seniority, Issho should have gone first.

"No, please give it to the young man. Don't worry about me!" Issho said, politely declining the honor.

It wasn't that he had any issues with Sengoku. It just felt out of place. He was planning to leave soon, quit the Navy, and join the Central Authority. Receiving such recognition from Sengoku at this time seemed inappropriate.

"Alright," Sengoku saw that Issho was insistent, so he didn't press the matter further. He walked up to Shiro and made as if to place the Cloak of Justice on him.

"Wait, Senior Sengoku," Shiro interrupted, smiling. "I think I'll do it myself. You're old, let us young ones handle the future."

Just as Sengoku was about to drape the cloak on him, Shiro gently stopped him and took it from his hands. He had no personal grudge against Sengoku, and there was no need to provoke the old man. It was better to leave on a good note—who knew when they'd meet again.

"Hahaha, you're a strange kid!" Sengoku laughed, not catching the deeper meaning in Shiro's words. He simply took it as youthful arrogance, a desire to replace the older generation. He didn't mind it too much.

The ceremony proceeded quickly.

Shiro donned the Cloak of Justice, officially becoming an Admiral. Issho, however, merely held his own cloak, refusing to wear it.

Shiro didn't press the matter.

The moment had arrived.

Now it was time for Shiro's performance. Whether Issho decided to join him or not didn't matter.

After Fleet Admiral Akainu delivered an inspiring speech, announcing the Navy's commitment to eradicating the Central Authority, it was time for the new Admirals to take their oaths.

Shiro went first.

Before he could begin, however, Issho had already slipped away, hiding in the shadows, ready to support Shiro if necessary. This was, after all, the Navy's territory. Even though Enel had assured them that they were prepared to escape, getting out wouldn't be easy.

Even if Shiro could incapacitate most of the Navy, breaking through the barriers between the Navy and the World Government was no small feat.

He knew that a large number of troops were stationed on the outskirts, near the boundary of the New World and the first half of the Grand Line.

Breaking through wouldn't be easy. But returning might be even harder.

Still, Issho knew Shiro had many unpredictable methods. Maybe he had something up his sleeve.

But whatever happened, Issho had made up his mind to be cautious.

"All marines here, and those about to join through world conscription, listen up."

"Next, it's my turn to declare my position as an Admiral!" Shiro's voice boomed, grabbing the attention of the audience.

Everyone, from Aramaki to Sengoku the Buddha and Borsalino, fixed their eyes on Shiro. At this moment, to the nearly 200,000 onlookers, none of the other Admirals—not even Issho—could compare to him.

He was the youngest Admiral in Navy history, a figure brimming with potential!

His popularity among the marines had reached a level that rivaled Fleet Admiral Akainu himself!

And this was exactly what Shiro wanted. This was how he would sway the Navy.

After this day, the Navy would be left crippled, nothing more than a hollow shell under the control of the World Government.

Meanwhile, the Central Authority would rise to become the supreme power in the seas, especially before fully entering the New World.

At this critical moment, under the watchful gaze of hundreds of thousands of marines, Shiro began his declaration. But before he could speak more than a few words, he paused, his gaze shifting towards the high east.

Everyone, including Akainu, Sengoku, Borsalino, and even the audience, followed his line of sight.

And there, suspended high in the air, was a massive screen.

A dozen Den Den Mushi were at work, projecting a single image onto the screen.

A man, standing with righteous indignation.

When Akainu and Sengoku saw the man's face, their expressions shifted from shock to pure panic.

For the man on the screen was none other than the man who became the Navy traitor, a known criminal - Shiro!

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg