"What about the World Government?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru raised a new question.
This female vice admiral, renowned for her intellect within the Navy, had a trace of concern on her face: "How should we deal with the World Government? Should we continue to let the World Government and the Heavenly Celestial Dragons get ravaged by the Konoha Pirates, just like we've been doing?"
"In any case..."
"The World Government still holds a certain degree of control over the world..."
"If in the future we also stand against the Konoha Pirates, the role of the World Government will be indispensable..."
"Isn't it fine to keep it this way?"
Kizaru chuckled lightly, feeling that Vice Admiral Tsuru's question was somewhat peculiar, and smiled, "We don't have to do anything, right? If the Konoha Pirates decide to do something in the future, we can't stop them anyway. If the Konoha Pirates do nothing, we just pretend nothing happened; we continue to work when we need to and enjoy our tea breaks too..."
"..."
Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at each other.
This guy Kizaru...
It sounds like he's just slacking off, but somehow it also makes sense when he says it!
Sengoku thought about it and, for once, gave an approving glance at Kizaru, who always acted ambiguously. Maybe the Navy being as ambiguous as this guy in times like this is not a bad thing...
Anyway...
They can't stop whatever the Konoha Pirates decide to do...
If the World Government asks the Navy to do anything, the Navy still needs the assistance of the World Government, making it inconvenient to refuse certain things.
It seems quite right...
But somehow feels a bit off when spoken...
"Time to clock out..."
Kizaru reached out and picked up the tea from the table.
"Meeting adjourned."
Sengoku could only wave his hand, signaling everyone to leave the meeting.
However, as everyone was about to leave, Sengoku stopped Akihara Kagura and specifically instructed, "Wait, Kagura, make sure not to let Fujitora notice any flaws, and don't alert him..."
"I understand."
Akihara Kagura nodded noncommittally.
By the shore of Marineford.
After arriving at Marineford, Fujitora did not attend the high-level meeting.
However, this Vice Admiral wasn't anxious, nor did he care about the thoughts of the Navy's top brass. He just sat quietly there; his eyes were blind, unable to see any ocean view. Nobody understood what this Vice Admiral was thinking.
"Vice Admiral Fujitora."
Akihara Kagura's voice appeared behind Fujitora.
"Is it Lord Kagura?"
Fujitora leaned on his cane sword and stood up.
This Vice Admiral, however, did not address Akihara Kagura by her rank.
In front of Akihara Kagura, who held the same military rank, Fujitora inexplicably showed a kind of respectful attitude, making one feel a bit strange.
"The meeting's over upstairs..."
Fujitora sighed quietly, showing no indignation at not being able to attend, but instead breathed a sigh of relief: "I've got some questions I want to ask Lord Kagura, and I've finally waited for your meeting to end..."
"Hmm?"
Akihara Kagura raised an eyebrow.
Fujitora...
Wanted to ask her something?
"Lord Kagura."
This blind man, Fujitora, leaned on his cane sword and slightly lowered his head in front of Akihara Kagura, sincerely asking a question first: "In the eyes of Lord Kagura, does this world still hold any value in existing?"
"..."
Akihara Kagura remained silent, not speaking, but slightly raised her eyes to look at the tall, blind Vice Admiral before her.
At this moment...
A sighted person and a blind person, though unable to look each other in the eye, seemed to be able to see the other's mind, as if they knew what each other was thinking.
This question... this formality...
Shouldn't just be recklessly asked...
Because Akihara Kagura was just an ordinary Vice Admiral...
The next moment.
Akihara Kagura's lips suddenly curled into a smile, with a hint of approval in her eyes.
"It seems you've guessed quite a lot..."
"Just happened to figure out some things."
Fujitora slowly shook his head, maintaining a respectful demeanor: "If not for the chance to cross swords with Lord Kagura, perhaps I wouldn't have imagined Lord Kagura's true identity..."
Indeed.
Fujitora had guessed the truth.
This blind Vice Admiral was the first to discover Akihara Kagura's true identity.
Though blind...
It didn't hinder Fujitora's keen intuition.
Besides this sharp intuition, Fujitora had also observed the world once as an ordinary person.
"Before I figured everything out..."
"It was something even I couldn't imagine."
With a sigh in his heart, Fujitora spoke of the thoughts he had from Enies Lobby to Marineford: "But no matter what, even if the truth is elusive and bizarre, only that one truth exists..."
"I once denied my own conjecture because I thought Lord Kagura's age did not match..."
"Yet I discovered another problem; age and time should never be a problem for one as powerful as a god, thanks to the Goddess of Rabbit who once created the world. Since that Goddess could live eternally, the person standing behind the Konoha Pirates must possess the ability of eternal immortality..."
"Age and time are just limitations of our thinking... not limitations for Lord Kagura..."