Chapter 156: 159: The Fleet Admiral Position
Seeing Aether walk past her toward Aokiji, Akainu suddenly spoke in a weak voice.
"Roger, does the favor you owe me still count?"
Aether stopped walking and answered without turning around.
"It still counts. Are you planning to use it now?"
"Let me and Aokiji leave today, and we'll consider the favor repaid."
"You really calculated everything perfectly."
Aether turned to look at Akainu. Her face was pale from blood loss, and the usual cold dominance she carried was gone. Right now, she looked exhausted and fragile. Anyone unfamiliar with her would never believe this woman was the Marine Admiral known for absolute justice.
Today's battle gave Aether a completely different understanding of Akainu. He finally realized just how insane her actions during the Marineford War had truly been.
"I can't do that. The favor only allows me to let one person leave. Choose, you or Aokiji."
Akainu answered immediately, without the slightest hesitation.
"Then let Aokiji leave. I'll stay behind as your prisoner, or you can kill me here."
Her answer stunned Aether.
He stared at her for several seconds, thinking he had misheard. But Akainu never changed her expression or repeated herself. The determination in her eyes made it clear she was completely serious.
To make sure she was not acting irrationally because of her injuries, Aether gave her one final warning.
"If you become my prisoner, then Aokiji will inherit the Fleet Admiral position. Can you really accept that?"
Akainu's hoarse voice remained steady.
"This is my decision. It is the justice I choose to uphold."
"..."
Aether fell silent.
He had no idea what Akainu's sense of justice had become anymore, but after thinking for a moment, he suddenly lost interest in taking her prisoner.
After all, he already owed her a favor. Beating her half to death and then claiming to repay the favor by sparing her life felt shameless, even for him.
Akainu's current attitude made his earlier sneak attack seem petty in comparison.
In the end, Aether abandoned the idea of capturing either Admiral.
Even if releasing them would create future problems, he preferred doing things without regrets. He turned around and prepared to leave in search of Hancock.
As he walked away, he casually removed his cloak and draped it over Akainu's body. Her torn clothes no longer matched the dignity of an Admiral.
It was the smallest gesture of respect he could give a worthy opponent.
Then he left behind a final sentence.
"Akainu, now you owe me a favor."
Akainu quietly lowered her eyes.
"I'll remember this favor, and I'll remember today's humiliation."
Aether heard her clearly, but he did not care.
As time passed, the distance between them would only continue to grow wider.
Not long afterward, Aokiji was the first to stand back up from the frozen battlefield. Although the wound across his waist looked severe, his injuries were still lighter than Akainu's.
Step by step, he slowly walked toward her.
Akainu remained lying on the ice, staring at the sky above.
The moment Aokiji approached, she suddenly spoke.
"Aokiji, if you make your move now, the Fleet Admiral position will be yours."
"..."
Aokiji remained silent.
His expression was complicated as he looked down at her injured figure. He had heard enough of the conversation between Akainu and Aether to understand the situation.
Akainu secretly had ties to the Pirate King.
If he reported that information to the World Government, the Fleet Admiral position would absolutely become his.
But instead of acting, he simply sat beside her on the ice.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"So now you owe Roger a favor instead, a favor used to save my life."
"Yeah..."
Akainu's expression darkened slightly.
Getting tricked by that shameless bastard and ending up indebted to him instead made her furious.
But Aokiji's next words completely froze her expression.
"You saved my life. The Fleet Admiral position belongs to you."
Akainu stared at him in disbelief.
There was no joy in her eyes, only shock.
After several seconds, she finally asked quietly,
"Are you planning to leave the Marines?"
She understood Aokiji's personality very well. In her original expectations, if she won the battle, there was at least a fifty percent chance he would resign from the Marines.
But Aokiji simply shook his head.
"No. I'll remain an Admiral. What, can't the new Fleet Admiral tolerate her former rival?"
As he spoke, Aokiji used his Ice-Ice Fruit ability to freeze her wounds and stop the bleeding.
At that moment, the hostility and prejudice between the two Admirals finally disappeared.
Akainu revealed a genuine smile.
The sight left Aokiji stunned.
This woman smiling naturally in front of him almost felt unreal.
Feeling the cold spreading across her injuries, Akainu unexpectedly let out a rare joke.
"I won't make things difficult for you. But you should prepare yourself mentally. Once I become Fleet Admiral, the Marines are going to change completely. Don't run away from the workload when that happens."
Aokiji sighed helplessly.
"Then maybe I should reconsider staying in the Marines."
Akainu narrowed her eyes slightly.
"If you dare resign, I'll personally label you a Marine traitor."
"What a terrifying Fleet Admiral."
Aokiji grabbed Akainu's hand and slowly pulled her to her feet.
But what he failed to notice was the faint flash in Akainu's eyes.
Everything was unfolding exactly the way she had planned.
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