One Piece: I am the Fleet Admiral?

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Remainder: Giveaway will end on 24th

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Grand Line, a magnificently decorated Marine branch bank.

"Rear Admiral-sama, please don't take offense."

"My Chief Spandine was just released from Impel Down a few days ago, and he was upset when he treated you that way."

"After returning, he realized his mistake and brought a gift to apologize."

"I hope you can let bygones be bygones, and most importantly, please don't inform Fleet Admiral."

In the reception room, a man in a black suit and black sunglasses held numerous gifts in his hands, speaking in a tone full of humility.

In front of him, the Marine Rear Admiral sat on a chair, turning a teacup while his eyes flickered with curiosity.

He was puzzled.

Why had Spandine, the head of CP9, suddenly changed his attitude so drastically?

When they first met yesterday, that guy's attitude toward him and the entire Marine branch bank was extremely arrogant.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was acting lawlessly.

If not for the Rear Admiral's good temper cultivated over the years, and knowing that Spandine had just suffered in Impel Down because of the Fleet Admiral, he might have drawn his sword on the spot.

After holding back and sending him away, he thought he'd have to deal with an annoying pest in the future.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Spandine sent someone over to smooth things over.

'What on earth happened?'

'How could a dignified CP9 officer send someone to apologize? This doesn't match their usual behavior at all.'

The Rear Admiral thought to himself.

The head of CP9, if translated to Marine ranks, is basically equivalent to a Vice Admiral of the headquarters.

And yet, such a figure was actually apologizing to him, a Rear Admiral.

Even though it was through a subordinate, it still shocked him.

'Perhaps I can learn the real reason from this guy.'

The Rear Admiral cast his eyes on the CP member who was still waiting for his reply and suddenly smiled.

He stood up and moved to assist him.

"I didn't take yesterday's words to heart."

"And how could such a trivial matter be worth bothering the Fleet Admiral?"

"Come, have some tea!"

The Rear Admiral leaned in like an old friend, chatting gently with the CP member.

With persistence, smooth talk, and intentional probing, he finally learned the reason behind Spandine's strange behavior.

"So, you mean that bastard Spandine got scared because the Fleet Admiral beat up the Director of Impel Down?"

The Rear Admiral raised his eyebrows and asked again.

The CP member looked embarrassed.

It was truly awkward to have such a cowardly superior, greedy for life and fearful of death.

Although the Rear Admiral called Spandine a bastard to his face, the CP member didn't dare say anything back.

Since their boss was scared, naturally, the lower-ranking members wouldn't be bold.

"Yes," the CP member nodded, confirming the news.

This wasn't classified information, so he didn't need to hide it.

"Why didn't I see such a big event in the news?"

"Rear Admiral-sama, a conflict between two forces under the World Government isn't something to be proud of. How could the Five Elders let the world know about it?"

"That's right!" the Rear Admiral nodded.

The dignified Marine Fleet Admiral personally led the top officers from headquarters, all because of a conflict at Impel Down.

Setting aside the public's reaction, pirates and outlaws would be thrilled to see such a blunder from the World Government.

Moreover, Impel Down being breached so easily, and the director getting beaten up by the Fleet Admiral, would shatter the 800-year-old myth of its Iron and Bronze wall reputation.

From both a reputational and influence standpoint, it's understandable why this incident wouldn't be publicized.

And knowing how stubborn the Fleet Admiral can be, it's no surprise he dared to take on the director of Impel Down, leading to the director's downfall.

Spandine, being the cowardly villain he is, would naturally be worried and afraid.

After all, there was bad blood between them. If the Rear Admiral reported Spandine's actions from yesterday, who knows if Fleet Admiral Akira would let him off the hook.

Compared to the Fleet Admiral's rank, Spandine's position as CP9 chief is much lower. Only the captain of CP0 would have the status to even speak with the Fleet Admiral.

But after this incident, even the CP0 captain likely wouldn't want to risk conflict with the Fleet Admiral.

With his personality, if someone from another branch tried to push him around, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate.

Thinking this over, the Rear Admiral decided not to be polite anymore and called for someone to see the guest out.

"Rear Admiral-sama, you haven't given me a clear answer yet," the CP member said, turning around in confusion.

Wasn't this turnaround too sudden?

"Answer? Go tell Spandine that I was appointed by Fleet Admiral Akira to oversee all affairs of this bank," the Rear Admiral said firmly.

"Of course, I'm not going to hide anything from him."

With that, the Rear Admiral waved his hand, signaling for the soldiers to escort the CP member out.

He stood by the window, watching as the CP member was led out of the gate and walked directly to the bank across the road. His expression grew serious.

"World Government Branch Bank..."

(800-year-old brand, more trustworthy than the Marines!)

(World Government Bank: Who do you trust if not us?)

He glared at the new bank facing their gate, the golden plaque gleaming under the sunlight.

The Rear Admiral grew angrier the more he looked, his face darkening.

"Damn it, could they be any more shameless?"

Not only was the overall decoration and layout of the newly built World Government Branch Bank identical to theirs, but even the font and gold designs on the plaque were a perfect match.

What was even more infuriating was that the promotional text at the bottom seemed designed to belittle the Marine Bank.

How could anyone remain calm after seeing such blatant provocation?

If it hadn't been confirmed that the bank opposite was actually built by the Five Elders, the Rear Admiral might have led his soldiers over to burn it down.

"Hi, may I help you?"

"Yes, I'd like to withdraw some money."

"Okay, how much would you like to withdraw? What are you using it for? Please don't misunderstand, I just don't want you to be scammed by criminals."

"I want to take it all out, and, um, deposit it in the World Government Bank."

The Rear Admiral's ears perked up.

He could clearly hear the conversation between the staff downstairs and a customer.

This made him uneasy.

"Opening a bank right across from us, aren't they just stealing our business?"

"How could Fleet Admiral Akira not know about this?"

"I'm sure Fleet Admiral Akira will find a way to crush them."

The Rear Admiral took a deep breath and immediately walked back to his seat.

He took out the Den Den Mushi and dialed the number for headquarters.

Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~.

"Moshi moshi, this is Marine Headquarters. Please state your name, rank, and the reason for your call," the operator's calm voice came through.

The Rear Admiral didn't hesitate. He held the receiver close and began recounting everything that had happened recently.

As he spoke, the expression on the operator's face grew increasingly serious.

Finally, after twenty minutes, the operator responded.

"Headquarters has recorded the information. We will now inquire with other branches to see if similar situations have occurred. Once everything is compiled, it will be submitted to Fleet Admiral Akira for review in a few days."

"Please continue to do your job well and await orders from the Fleet Admiral!"

The Rear Admiral heaved a sigh of relief after getting a reply from the operator. With headquarters now informed, the burden wasn't solely on him anymore.

"Understood!" the Rear Admiral replied firmly.

---

Marineford.

In the Fleet Admiral's office.

"Fleet Admiral Akira, the God's Generals plan has been mostly implemented," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru reported, holding a detailed report in her hands.

"Whether it's powerful individuals among the civilians, pirates, or all those imprisoned in Impel Down, they're all being duplicated among the strong clones, also working overtime."

Akira rested his chin on his hands, listening quietly as Tsuru detailed the progress of the plan.

As she listed various statistics, Akira gained a clear understanding of the God's Generals plan's progress.

Of the three groups, the duplication results of the strong civilians and Impel Down pirates were the most promising.

Though the strong civilians were scattered across the world, they were manageable compared to the prisoners of Impel Down, where no weaklings or good people were locked up.

The staff department had no leniency for the pirates in the lower levels, except for those in LV6: Eternal Hell.

They were worked to exhaustion daily, with no mercy shown.

Moreover, with Akainu, the hawkish faction's representative, overseeing the operation, his ruthless methods ensured compliance.

Most of the pirates in LV1-LV5 obeyed orders to ensure their survival and food.

Although the LV6 powerhouses couldn't be forced like the others, the principle of voluntary participation was implemented.

However, when one of the more depraved prisoners, under Marine's deliberate arrangement, became the first to indulge in a reward—a woman provided by the Marines—everyone went wild.

For the pirates, the Marines' tangible rewards were far more convincing than empty promises.

That night, to celebrate the first prisoner to receive a reward, the Marines arranged for three attractive women from the Pleasure District to visit.

They even paid extra to have them "sing" live in front of everyone.

The loud and clear singing from the Pleasure District workers lasted all night, tormenting the big pirates.

Although this tactic was questionable, its results were remarkable.

The next day, the LV6 pirates, sporting dark circles under their eyes, worked harder than ever.

Many who hadn't signed up for the competition before rushed to enroll.

So, even though Impel Down was the last to start production, their progress was rapidly catching up, even surpassing the civilians in some areas.

"Huh? Wait a minute, Tsuru-san, did you say that Patrick Redfield is now ranked first in points?" Akira suddenly raised his hand, interrupting Tsuru's report, and asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Tsuru nodded.

The points system was designed specifically for the pirates, awarding points based on the number, ability, and strength of the clones they created.

Akira wasn't surprised that someone as strong as Patrick Redfield, whose strength was on par with an emperor's, could rank first when fully utilized.

What puzzled him was, "A strong man like the Red Count wants a woman? That doesn't seem right."

"According to Sakazuki's observation report, the Red Count likely has other desires," Tsuru clarified.

"I see... then let's not worry about him for now. He'll bring it up when he meets the requirement."

Akira dismissed the concern quickly. There was no need to focus too much on a dangerous beast caged and under control unless it became profitable.

He had only interrupted earlier because the news had caught him off guard.

Tsuru nodded and continued her report.

"On the pirate side, except for a few who hide their identities and appearances to avoid duplication, most are cooperating."

"However, regarding God of Fortune Lu Feld, progress is swift, and the quality of his duplicated strongmen is also excellent."

"We've sent the fleet to the agreed location to finalize the deal with them."

"But..."

Time passed slowly as Tsuru wrapped up her report. Ten minutes later, she finally placed the document on the table and pushed it toward Akira.

"The basic situation is as follows: all we can do now is continue duplicating and wait."

"When we have a large number of these replicas in hand, it'll be like pouring a cold bucket of water over this Great Pirate Era," Tsuru remarked, her eyes gleaming with determination.

"Maybe," she continued, "we can finally bring this era of pirates to an end."

Hearing this, the corners of Akira's mouth curled up slightly. The thought of completing his ultimate mission and receiving the reward that had piqued his curiosity filled him with anticipation.

"Aunt Tsuru, I have a personal request. Could you give me some advice?" Akira asked suddenly.

"Of course, please go ahead," Tsuru replied without hesitation.

"It's like this," Akira began, "since I ate the Devil Fruit, the physical limitations that once hindered my strength have been removed."

"Therefore, I want to arrange for some strong individuals to help me further improve my abilities."

He looked at Tsuru seriously.

During this period of waiting, he had plenty of time—only spending two hours a day processing documents left him with ample free time. Rather than letting it go to waste, he thought it would be better to use that time to enhance his strength.

As the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, he didn't need to go through the usual struggles to grow stronger. Instead, he could seek out formidable opponents and push himself to break through his limits.

It wasn't unreasonable for him to request that headquarters arrange experts in various fields to provide direct, hands-on training.

Tsuru's lips parted slightly, then closed as she considered his request. After a moment, she nodded. "Of course. Do you have anyone in particular in mind?"

"For Conqueror's Haki, I'd prefer Vice Admiral Garp," Akira began.

"As for swordsmanship, it seems that Gion at headquarters is renowned for her skill."

"I'll also need you to arrange for some Marine Six Styles experts to teach me. I don't want half-baked instruction; I'm looking for training on par with, or even surpassing, what Garp could provide. Aunt Tsuru, do you understand?"

Tsuru thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I understand."

She knew that the Marine had plenty of experts in the Six Styles—officers who not only understood the techniques but had mastered them.

"I'll make the arrangements as soon as possible," Tsuru said, leaving after ensuring Akira had no other requests.

---

The Next Day.

In the large training ground, a group of a dozen instructors and generals, varying in age but all exuding a sense of authority and strength, stood in formation. Under Tsuru's leadership, they approached Akira.

Tsuru addressed them, "Please introduce yourselves."

"Hello, Fleet Admiral. I'm a senior instructor at the Marine Academy, specializing in Moonwalk and all its developments."

"Fleet Admiral Akira, I've been perfecting Iron Body for sixty years."

"Fleet Admiral, I'm here to teach you Finger Pistol and its extended techniques."

"Sir, I have a unique skill in..."

One by one, they introduced the abilities they had mastered, each with their own specialized skills.

As Akita listened, he couldn't help but nod in approval. This was exactly what he had hoped for.

The variety and expertise they brought would allow him to learn from the best in each discipline.

Looking at the serious expressions and the air of absolute dedication from the group in front of him, Akira felt a surge of satisfaction.

"Power is indeed intoxicating," he mused to himself. "There's no way an ordinary person could gather these experts together just for personal training."