One Piece: So What If I Sin, Lie, and Lust? I'm Still a Good Marine Chapter 366: Volume 3 – - 9: Any Objections?

Those damn brats!!

Sengoku glared at the three arrogant punks seated on the stage, his face flushing red with fury, fists clenched tight. He could barely hold himself back from storming up there and beating the crap out of them.

This was supposed to be a serious inquiry hearing! Sure, most of the ti it was just a formality, but it still played a part in their promotion to Vice Admiral!

Worse yet, the headquarters was strapped for funds. This was the crucial mont to ask the World Governnt for financial support, and these three idiots had just stirred up trouble—making it even harder to deal with that stuck-up group of officials.

They might be enjoying themselves now, smoking and lounging with their legs crossed, but it'd be him who had to suck up to those pompous bureaucrats later!

The more Sengoku thought about it, the more his veins bulged. He pressed a hand to his chest, trying to calm himself.

But then again... these three had gone head-to-head with the Golden Lion and held their own. Honestly, he probably couldn't even take them anymore. That realization gave Sengoku an even bigger headache.

He instinctively turned to Zephyr, who had turned his face away. Sengoku shot him a look and subtly signaled with his eyes.

"Get your students under control!"

Zephyr rolled his eyes and ignored him completely.

"You're the future Fleet Admiral. They're your problem, not mine."

Sengoku: "..."

"Ahem... Let's move directly into the inquiry."

At that mont, Tsuru pinched her temples, cleared her throat gently, and broke the deadlock.

She smiled at the group of Inspection Departnt officials and said,

"Rear Admiral Sakazuki, Rear Admiral Borsalino, and Commodore Daren each have rather unique personalities, but they an no harm."

"As senior officers of Marine Headquarters, we ought to be more tolerant of the younger generation, don't you think?"

Tsuru's words made the officials frown, but their irritation began to ease.

As the Chief Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, Tsuru had plenty of dealings with the Inspection Departnt. Like it or not, they had to give her so respect.

"A little arrogance in the young... it's normal."

"Vice Admiral Tsuru has a point."

"Let's just begin."

The officials responded haughtily, their tone laced with cold disdain.

"Very well. We'll begin by reviewing and questioning Rear Admiral Sakazuki's promotion request to Vice Admiral."

Tsuru nodded, picked up one of the files in front of her, and began with a smile.

"Rear Admiral Sakazuki hails from the North Blue. He served as a Captain in a North Blue Marine branch, then as Deputy Base Commander, and eventually as North Blue Admiral. After that, he trained at the Marine Headquarters Officer Training Camp, and upon graduation, served as adjutant to forr Marine Admiral Zephyr."

"His current post is Rear Admiral at Marine Headquarters. Over the course of his career, Rear Admiral Sakazuki has completed 736 combat missions and eliminated 36,225 pirates. Among them, over 3,000 had bounties exceeding ten million Belly."

"He possesses unwavering resolve and determination in carrying out justice, with a mission completion rate exceeding 95%. His overall evaluation is 'excellent.'"

"After careful deliberation, Admiral Sengoku of Marine Headquarters has officially submitted a recomndation to promote Rear Admiral Sakazuki to Vice Admiral."

"If any of you have questions or objections regarding Rear Admiral Sakazuki's promotion, please raise them now."

Silence fell over the room.

Many Marines were visibly stunned by the numbers Tsuru had just read aloud.

Over 700 missions. More than 30,000 pirates eliminated. A completion rate of over 95%!

Only fellow officers could truly grasp the terrifying weight behind those statistics.

Monster.

That was the only word that ca to mind.

Even the proud officials of the World Governnt, faced with such an overwhelming record, fell into a prolonged silence.

They stared at the docunts in their hands—packed with dense, detailed mission data. The endless rows of numbers seed to radiate a bloodstained glow that sent chills down their spines.

But what unsettled them most was that every single mission report had the sa brief yet chilling remark in the notes column.

"Exterminated."

Not a single survivor.

In Sakazuki's hands, pirates didn't even get the chance to be sent to Impel Down. The only outco was death.

That realization made the Inspection Departnt officials look at Sakazuki with completely different eyes.

Wary. Hostile. And beneath it all—undeniable fear.

He's a madman.

That sa thought crossed all their minds at once.

And then, from the questioning table, Sakazuki suddenly spoke.

His voice was hoarse and cold, like steel scraping across stone.

"So... does anyone have an objection to my promotion?"

Sakazuki bit down on his cigar, his broad hands pressing against the marble table. A deep red glow flared beneath his palms, scorching two clear handprints into the surface as faint wisps of black smoke curled from his body.

He leaned forward slightly, like a predator poised to strike. His cold, piercing gaze swept across the bloated faces of the officials seated below.

Not a single one dared to et his eyes.

The room was dead silent.

Sengoku let out a long sigh, his face tense, the corners of his mouth twitching.

You're outright threatening them!

Just then, as if the silence had beco too humiliating for the World Governnt's dignity, one of the Inspection Departnt officials gritted his teeth and suddenly spoke up.

"I have a question!"

Sakazuki cast him a glance.

That hellish, bone-chilling stare instantly sent a cold sweat down the official's back. But unwilling to lose face, he swallowed hard and forced himself to speak.

"A year ago, during the operation in the Bada Kingdom, your actions resulted in the death of the prince. According to CP's investigation, your attack was suspected of being an intentional strike. How do you explain that?"

Sakazuki stared at him with a blank expression, the pressure making the man's nerves fray. Then he broke into a sinister smile.

"I don't have an explanation."

"My mission was to 'prevent the marriage between Big Mom Charlotte Linlin and the Prince of the Bada Kingdom.' And in the end... because of my actions, that marriage never happened."

"The Bada Kingdom wasn't absorbed into Totto Land. And a few months ago, after the 'natural death' of the old king, the pro-World Governnt prince took the throne. The Bada Kingdom is now a mber nation of the World Governnt."

"That is the best possible outco."

"As for casualties during the operation? I won't deny it."

He narrowed his eyes, now filled with palpable nace, and locked eyes with the official.

"After all... taking down pirates isn't child's play."

The official visibly flinched, his face turning pale. He didn't dare say another word.

"So... any more objections?"

Sakazuki looked down at the room once again.

No one spoke.

Faced with the madman before them—soone who carried tens of thousands of lives on his back—none of them dared raise a single word of protest.

If he bore a grudge, they'd never sleep soundly again.

The vote comnced.

Unanimous approval.

Sakazuki smiled.

He turned to Sengoku.

Sengoku sighed, already imagining the fallout he'd have to deal with later.

He stood from his seat and declared solemnly,

"I hereby officially announce: Rear Admiral Sakazuki's application for promotion to Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters... is approved!"

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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