After Sherwin whereabouts were exposed by Shanks, the Navy Headquarters quickly received the news. As a hawk within the Navy and having had a foot severed by Sherwin, Akainu immediately volunteered to go and find trouble for Sherwin.
Furthermore, his reasoning was quite sufficient—
"There is a vast amount of data left behind by Vegapunk in Baldimore. It would be disastrous if the Hunter obtained it! Among his subordinates is a Felyne capable of constructing a 'Valstrax'!"
After learning the name "Valstrax" from Sherwin, the Navy had also begun calling their bootlegged airships by the same name...
Although Sakazuki himself wasn't particularly keen on using a designation that originated from Sherwin side.
"It wouldn't be a big deal even if that data were taken," Kuzan, who had already become Fleet Admiral, shook his head.
"The World Government has long since reviewed those materials. They consist of relatively unimportant cultural technologies, and most of them cannot actually be realized they are merely concepts."
"Even so, we must show our stance!" Sakazuki clenched his fists and growled in a low voice.
"Allowing the Hunter to come and go as he pleases in a place we are guarding is a disgrace to the Navy reputation!"
Despite Sakazuki carrying somewhat of a personal grudge, there was still some truth to his words. Several Vice Admirals from the headquarters who were also hawks began to chime in with their support.
"I agree with Admiral Akainu statement. We cannot let the Hunter off so easily!"
"Exactly! Even if we can't capture him, we can't remain completely indifferent! At the very least, we must make him pay a price!"
"Everyone, quiet down."
The Headquarters Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Tsuru, lightly tapped her teacup against the table as a reminder.
"Don't forget, Red Hair is also there. Previous events have clearly shown us that the current Navy simply cannot afford the consequences of going to war with two Emperors of the Sea simultaneously.
While Sherwin hasn't reached the level of an Emperor yet, our current military strength is also not what it used to be."
Vice Admiral Tsuru words caused the atmosphere in the meeting room to instantly freeze.
For these high-ranking Navy officials, being forced to bow their heads to pirates was a deeply humiliating matter, yet they unfortunately had to accept this reality.
Only Sakazuki remained unwilling to give in after all, it was because of Sherwin that he was now forced, much like those pirates, to fit himself with a prosthetic leg...
The Magma-Magma Fruit simply couldn't compare to the Ice-Ice Fruit in this regard Akainu could not use magma to create a prosthetic limb for daily use that wouldn't incinerate everything it touched.
Even more troublesome was that once Sakazuki engaged in intense combat, the prosthetic leg would be destroyed by the magma produced during his elemental transformation.
Akainu had considered following Zephyr example by having Vegapunk install a durable prosthetic leg, preferably one with additional functions. However, precisely because of the Magma-Magma Fruit nature, Vegapunk needed time for research and development.
Nevertheless, as much as Sakazuki loathed Sherwin, he wasn't so foolish as to pursue a futile effort. His proposal to deal with Sherwin was naturally backed by a sufficient reason...
"If it to deal with the Hunter, the Holy Knights will also take action! With their involvement, we have the strength to wage war against both Red Hair and the Hunter simultaneously!"
"It is precisely because Red Hair is there that I disagree with taking action," Kuzan sighed, explaining, "Red Hair situation is quite unique. With him present, the Holy Knights will not mobilize, and even if they do, they won't put forth much effort."
He had only learned these secrets after becoming the Fleet Admiral...
Who could have imagined that one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, was actually a Celestial Dragon lost among the common folk?
Sakazuki furrowed his brows.
Kuzan vague explanation was naturally not enough to convince him, but he also knew the man wasn't one to talk nonsense.
Furthermore, since it involved the "Military Police" of the Celestial Dragons—the Holy Knights—there were clearly matters that even he, an Admiral, was not yet qualified to know.
So, despite the lingering resentment in his heart, Sakazuki did not continue to persist. Instead, with a darkened expression, he sat back down in his seat.
"Next, let get back to discussing the matter of the new Admiral... Ultimately, it because our Navy current strength is insufficient otherwise, why would we be so restricted?"
Even though Kuzan had disagreed with Sakazuki ideas from the beginning, he felt equally frustrated by the fact that the Navy had to turn a blind eye to the Hunter actions.
And don't forget, his relationship with Sherwin wasn't great either. Although the fact that Sherwin had taken in Robin meant there was some degree of connection between them, they had previously clashed over Cavendish, and Sherwin had mocked Aokiji quite a bit back then.
Before, Sherwin was "one of their own," so Aokiji naturally couldn't be too bothered by it, but now that Sherwin had "defected," the situation was different.
In fact, if Sherwin ever leaked the recording from back then, Kuzan would likely feel the same as Sakazuki—wanting to kill him.
Therefore, after opening the topic of the new Admiral, Aokiji first shot an apologetic look at the two Admiral candidates in the meeting room, "Momousagi" Gion and "Chaton" Tokikake, and then continued:
"According to the original plan, the new Admiral should have been chosen from between Gion and Tokikake. However, among those who have joined our Navy during this period, a guy has appeared who is as strong as a monster..."
He looked around at the high-ranking Navy officers present and voiced his thoughts: "What our Navy needs most right now is top-tier combat power, so I believe we should handle this as a special case and give the position of Admiral to the strongest one."
"So, if I can defeat the monster you mentioned, Admiral Kuzan, I can still be promoted to Admiral, right?"
Tokikake, who looked somewhat wretched and had a style reminiscent of a junior Kizaru, didn't feel angry because of Kuzan words instead, he asked with a smile.
However, being able to ask that question meant he wasn't truly indifferent about it.
"Of course. As I said, the vacant Admiral position can only be earned by the strongest one."
Kuzan nodded. The reason he hadn't directly nominated the person was that he knew Gion and Tokikake wouldn't admit defeat easily. They were colleagues who had worked together for many years, after all, so he didn't hesitate to give them a chance for fair competition.
He even took the initiative to share that person information with the two of them...
"That person name is Aramaki, hailing from the South Blue. Not only is he a user of the Logia Woods-Woods Fruit, but his Haki cultivation is also not weak.
Even for me, defeating him wouldn't be an easy task. On the contrary, Sakazuki fruit ability counters his, so it should be easier for him than for me."
Sherwin was unaware that after he had inadvertently derailed the Navy recruitment of "Fujitora," the "Green Bull" had joined the Navy ahead of schedule due to the butterfly effect and world-line convergence, and was now on the verge of becoming a new Admiral.
Of course, even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
Setting aside the fact that Aramaki performance in the manga made Admiral fans want to kill him, the Woods-Woods Fruit ability was naturally countered perfectly by Klee Meow, so Sherwin didn't fear him at all.
After parting ways with the Red Hair Pirates, Sherwin and the others sailed for several days and finally arrived near a massive golden ship.