While Kuro was fretting about that...

Mary Geoise.

This is the name of a place on the Red Line where the Celestial Dragons live, and the largest golden palace in the area is called Pangaea City.

One of the rooms in the palace is called the "Room of Power," where the Five Elders, the supreme rulers of the World Government, often hold meetings.

"I disagree!"

Inside the room, Akainu, now dressed in a white suit, wearing a bright red shirt with a wide collar, and a loose coat, with a mustache growing around his lips, stood ramrod straight and addressed the five old men, some standing and some sitting, in a deep voice:

"Lucille Kuro is a highly honorable naval officer. It's utterly absurd that his promotion is being suppressed simply because of a complaint from some North Blue family! I will not back down an inch when it comes to defeating Redfield!"

"That's enough, Sakazuki."

Among the elders, the tall, thin, long-bearded elder said calmly, "The Vinsmoke family is on good terms with the Celestial Dragons. Many of their cloned soldiers have been bought by the Celestial Dragons. Now, it's not just because of that family; the Celestial Dragons are also coming after us."

"Does being a Celestial Dragon give you the right to do whatever you want with the Navy?!" Akainu's forehead veins bulged. "I think the five of you have become puppets of the Celestial Dragons!"

"Watch your words, Sakazuki!"

The bespectacled old man holding a knife said coldly, "Your Navy is merely an external organization of the World Government. When did you become allowed to interfere in the affairs of the World Government?"

"Enough with the nonsense! I simply won't agree!"

Akainu, cigar in mouth, looked up and glared, "Lucille Clow has always been on the path to promotion. Now that that bastard Kuzan is gone, and I've been promoted to Fleet Admiral, it's time for the Navy to move on to the Admiral rank. Lucille Clow's feat of killing Redfield, and although he won't admit it, his record of killing Shiki is undeniable. With that kind of strength, he's fully qualified to be an Admiral!"

"no."

The old man with a map on his head crossed his hands and said calmly, "We've heard of that Lucilfer Kuro. He did a good job this time, but we need to be careful about the impact. That photo of the 'North Sea Vinsmoke Four Killers' has had a huge impact. The Vinsmoke are cooperating with us. Therefore, we have to make some choices."

"That's right."

The red-skinned old man said, "Let's put that man's becoming a general on hold for now. I remember he was Borsalino's direct subordinate. Although Borsalino is a good person, it's better to avoid trouble in this area since we're from the same faction. Once that old monkey retires, that man can take over."

"Then what do you mean by vacant admiral positions?!" Akainu roared.

“Momoto and Chaton, aren’t they reserves? They can be put in place if necessary,” the curly-haired old man said.

“No…that’s a special case. It’s not time to use the reserves yet.” The long-bearded old man shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, “Sakazuki, do you have any ideas?”

"The best way, of course, is for Lucilfer Kuro to replace an admiral, and then recruit righteous people from all over the world to join the Navy. Now is the time for us to make up our minds. Let the pirates on the high seas see our determination to punish them. As long as they are willing to join the Navy, even if they are not pirates, we can accept them. For this, we can even promote them without sticking to the rules!" Akainu shouted.

“The idea is good, but Lucilfer Kuro is out of the question. As for him... we can’t keep him in the West Blue for the time being, there are too many complaints.”

The bespectacled old man pondered for a moment and said, "How about this, promote him to Rear Admiral and transfer him to Sabaody. Didn't you want to relocate headquarters? That would greatly reduce the level of surveillance at Marineford. Also, Sabaody, as a place where you can directly ascend to Mary Geoise, needs a strong navy to garrison it. If he comes here, we can keep him under our watchful eye and prevent him from continuing to act recklessly outside."

“I agree. Let’s let this storm pass first. Too many complaints about the Navy will damage the reputation of our World Government.” The curly-haired old man nodded.

“Alright, Sakazuki, do it your way.” The red-skinned old man said to Sakazuki.

"How can it be repaired!"

Akainu pursed his lips, his expression furious, clenched his fists, and in the end, he only uttered one sentence before turning and leaving.

Stepping out of the office, he couldn't help but look up at the sky and curse, "Kuzan, you bastard! Because of your withdrawal, things are in such a mess now. Where is your sense of justice?!"

You don't know the hardships of being a marshal until you become one.

Compared to a general, a marshal has far more to deal with. Sometimes, the "better to kill a thousand innocent people than let three hundred guilty people go free" approach simply cannot handle it.

Perhaps a more lenient approach is needed when dealing with a marshal...

Akainu clenched his fists, the smoke from his cigar obscuring his expression and making his face unrecognizable.

...

Three days later.

West Sea.

Pegasus Island.

"Kuro, let's go out to eat."

Inside the office, Lida leaned on the desk, her small body sticking up, her little bottom wiggling, grinning at the mentally challenged man slumped in a chair in front of her, who seemed to have lost his mind and could only mumble "Aba aba".

Kuro's eyes had become completely lifeless. He glanced at Lida wearily and listlessly, then waved his hand weakly: "Don't bother me. Let me enjoy this last bit of peace."

As the ancients said, time only slows down when one is on the verge of despair and life has become meaningless.

If you only had three days, where would you spend them?

There are many versions.

Kuro, who was basically a poor student in his previous life, might say: "I'll be in the classroom, because in the classroom, every second feels like an eternity."

Similarly, only in this quiet office can he feel time slowing down and not passing by so quickly.

That way, the despair he experiences can come a little later.

Because there was really no other way.

The news spread like wildfire.

Kuro, who had been keeping a close eye on things, went out to check the spread of the news and found that almost anyone on the island was talking about his feat of killing Redfield.

Even if it's Kro, no, that idiot is useless.

Anyway, Kuro couldn't think of any good ideas.

If you want to deliberately demote someone now, you need to create a scandal, and scandals basically only involve deliberately colluding with a big pirate and protecting him, thus getting demoted.

But those who reach that level of fame, Kuro either can't beat them, or he kills them as soon as he sees them.

After all, one should have a conscience.

Even if he were to be promoted to general, he still wouldn't be able to do this.

But apart from that, there really isn't any other way.

Besides lying here like a salted fish, what else can he do...?

Should I resign?

Stop joking.

If I don't want to be in the navy, am I supposed to go farming?

Is he destined to become the king of farming?