A killer in the navy? I’m just trying my best to survive Chapter 026

“Borsalino.”

“You want to take Hawke from me?”

Akainu’s voice was full of warning, “Don’t even think about it!”

Seeing Kizaru’s enthusiastic face, Akainu instantly understood.

This guy wasn’t here to greet his colleague at all.

He was here for Hawke!

To hand over a prime candidate like Hawke, an absolute hawk, to a lazy and indolent fellow like Borsalino?

What if Hawke learned from his sloppy demeanor and started saying “Yo~” and “Scary, isn’t it~” all the time…

Akainu couldn’t even bear to imagine that scene!

Unlike Kizaru’s deliberately lowered voice, Akainu’s sharp shout instantly ignited the entire pier.

Countless Marine soldiers, and even some Headquarters generals and officers, all turned their gazes towards them.

“It’s Admiral Akainu!”

“He’s back from the East Blue?!”

Soon, everyone saw the young man behind Akainu.

“Look! Is that Rain Hawke?!”

“It’s him! Admiral Akainu just called out his name!”

“Is he the newly promoted Rear Admiral Hawke? He’s so young?!”

The murmurs spread like a rising tide, reaching every corner of the pier.

“Don’t let Rear Admiral Hawke’s youth fool you, he wiped out all the pirates in the entire East Blue!”

“I heard about that too! Because of this, Admiral Akainu personally went to the East Blue to investigate, and then directly used a special promotion slot to elevate him to Headquarters Rear Admiral!”

“That’s nothing!”

“Your news is outdated! I just heard from a friend that Fleet Admiral Sengoku personally approved his appointment!”

“He’s going to be the Branch Commander of the Grand Line G- 3 Branch!”

“What?! G- 3 Branch?! Isn’t that a place only Headquarters Vice Admirals can command?!”

“Oh my god! A Rear Admiral becoming a Branch Commander on the Grand Line!”

“This must be the first time since the establishment of the Marines!”

“It is indeed the first time, but what does this have to do with Admiral Kizaru?”

“Yeah, doesn’t Admiral Kizaru usually slack off in his office? Why is he so unusually proactive, coming to the pier? I just saw him looking around here, waiting for quite a while.”

Everyone’s faces were full of question marks.

“Didn’t Admiral Akainu just say that Admiral Kizaru wanted to take Rear Admiral Hawke?”

“……”

“So, two Admirals are fighting over someone?!”

“Is that real?!”

On the pier, all the Marines stared at Hawke.

Good heavens, such a grand spectacle, a once-in-a-century sight!

Two Headquarters Admirals, actually fighting over a Rear Admiral?!

This… they won’t actually fight, will they?!

“Uh…”

Hawke’s scalp tingled.

He also realized.

Damn it!

No wonder Admiral Kizaru was smiling so lewdly just now, like a blooming chrysanthemum.

He was here for him!

However, with Admiral Akainu here.

He’d just wait and see.

“Sakazuki, don’t be so hot-headed~”

Kizaru looked at the fuming Akainu, his smile unwavering.

He had long anticipated that it wouldn’t be easy to poach someone from Sakazuki.

But he truly didn’t want to miss out on this heaven-sent adjutant.

“I just think that an excellent talent like Hawke is wasted staying in a branch.”

“Young people, they always need to be by the side of us, the Headquarters’ top combat forces, to receive the best training and see a broader world~”

“Your side isn’t suitable for Hawke to unleash his potential freely.”

“My side is different, you know~”

“I, this old man, am very open-minded~”

“……”

Hawke was somewhat speechless.

Kizaru, you old geezer, you say you want to train me?

I’d believe you if pigs could fly!

It’s obvious you see that I’m capable and efficient, and you want a powerful tool to completely free yourself and slack off in peace!

But I only want to kill pirates, eliminate evil, and gain Justice Points…

I don’t want to help you deal with annoying military affairs!

Hawke’s mind raced, and he was about to find a subtle way to refuse.

Akainu’s voice already boomed first, “Borsalino!”

“Hawke is about to take office as the G- 3 Branch Commander, this is an appointment letter personally signed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku!”

“It cannot be changed!”

He snorted coldly in his heart.

What do you mean you’re open-minded?

A soldier’s duty is to obey orders!

But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to adapt.

After I learned of Hawke’s abilities, I directly placed my only daughter under his command, letting him train and discipline her on my behalf!

This represents absolute trust and importance!

How can the bond between me and Hawke be compared to your lighthearted “open-mindedness,” Borsalino?

“Hmm…”

Kizaru shrugged indifferently, so now you’re bringing up the Fleet Admiral?

I already knew the ins and outs.

It was clearly you, Sakazuki, who acted first and promised the Branch Commander position, and the Fleet Admiral only approved it afterward.

“The G- 3 Branch Commander position~ it’s not like it has to be Hawke.”

“Under my command, I have a few capable Vice Admirals, I can recommend one to the Fleet Admiral to take the position.”

“A talent like Hawke should be placed in a more suitable position!”

For example, my long-vacant adjutant position, that would be very suitable.

Kizaru’s eyes behind his sunglasses flickered.

Hawke’s current rank of Headquarters Rear Admiral is neither too high nor too low, it’s just right.

If he were to be promoted to Major General or Vice Admiral, it would be overkill to have him as his adjutant.

Therefore, now is the best time to bring Hawke under his command!

He must get him!

“The G- 3 Branch Commander is the most suitable position!”

“Hawke is one of us, the Hawks!”

Akainu emphasized, “You neutral faction, don’t get involved!”

The factional disputes within the Marines were no longer a secret.

The Hawks, led by himself, advocating for the eradication of all evil with iron-blooded means.

The Doves, led by Kuzan, with a relatively gentle attitude.

And Borsalino’s neutral faction, who offends no one, plays both sides, and prioritizes “no trouble” above all else.

Or more accurately – the Fish faction!

“Sakazuki…”

Kizaru persisted, “If Hawke really could come…”

“I, this old man, occasionally guest-starring as a Hawk, is not out of the question, you know~”

“……”

The air on the entire pier instantly solidified.

“Ah—?”

Akainu’s tall body visibly stiffened for a moment.

He was severely choked by Kizaru’s flexible bottom line.

You bastard, you’re willing to casually change factions just to bring Hawke under your command?!

“……”

Hawke watched silently from the side, his mood somewhat complex.

First, he didn’t expect himself to become a hot commodity fought over by two Admirals.

Second…

As expected of you, Admiral Kizaru!

You old man, to comfortably slack off, you truly embodied what it means to have “no bottom line, is my bottom line.”

“……”

The surrounding Marines who were watching the show were also stunned.

Admiral Kizaru…

If you go to the Hawk faction, what about that large group of neutral faction generals behind you?

Without you, how will the neutral faction survive?!

Suddenly, “Hiss—”

The temperature on the pier abruptly rose.

Akainu looked at Kizaru, who still refused to give up, even willing to change his “factional stance,” and became truly enraged.

Borsalino, you bastard!

Do you really think I have a good temper?

If it weren’t for you, I would have punched anyone else already!

Precisely because he was a “long-time friend,” he had patiently explained repeatedly.

But Hawke was the Hawk faction successor he favored, and he would absolutely not hand him over to you!

The temperature around Akainu continued to rise, and one of his arms had already begun to glow a dark red.

If Kizaru didn’t back down, he was going to make a move.

“It’s over, Admiral Akainu is going to make a move!”

“Oh my god! Two Admirals are going to fight on the pier over Rear Admiral Hawke!”

“Quick! Go notify Fleet Admiral Sengoku!”

“Spread the word! Say that Admiral Akainu and Admiral Kizaru have already started fighting on the pier because of Rear Admiral Hawke!”

“What?! They’ve already started fighting?!”

“Spread the word! Headquarters’ top combat forces are having an internal conflict!”

“Spread the word! The Headquarters fortress has collapsed! Marineford has sunk!!!”

Kizaru, Akainu: “???”

“Who the hell is spreading rumors?!”