As soon as Orion finished speaking, the officers of the Navy Headquarters standing around him all pulled red scarves from their pockets and tied them around their left arms. Then, with fervent expressions, they turned their gaze to Sakazuki, ready to attack him at the slightest sign of resistance.
However, Sakazuki paid them no mind. Although the officers present were all at least lieutenants, including one vice admiral, if a fight broke out he alone could wipe them all out.
Of course, he wouldn't choose to do so.
He was curious, where did Orion get the courage to declare such treasonous words in front of him, one of the Marine strongest admirals, about replacing Fleet Admiral Sengoku?
Orion, of course was well aware that a simple statement like this wouldn't convince Sakazuki to stand by his side and might instead provoke his wrath.
Seeing that Sakazuki showed little reaction, Orion turned and walked over to a nearby chair, sitting down calmly. The two prison guards, now dressed in officer uniforms, quickly brought a chair and placed it behind Sakazuki upon seeing the situation.
Not hesitating, Sakazuki sat down facing Orion.
Orion wasted no time and got straight to the point.
"Under normal circumstances, cases of corruption and bribery involving senior officers of the headquarters should be investigated by a team led by the Marine Headquarters' Chief Inspector. However, this investigation targeting me wasn't initiated by the Chief Inspector but was instead carried out by Enies Lobby."
"From the moment the Chief Judge of Enies Lobby appeared in the Marine Headquarters' trial hall, I knew that no matter the outcome of this investigation, I was doomed to die!"
"At the time, I naively thought that Vice Admiral Onigumo was secretly behind this, but with his limited capabilities, he couldn't possibly stir up much trouble, so I didn't take it seriously. However, based on the information I've gathered now, it's not Onigumo who wants me dead—it's Spandine, the leader of CP9!"
"As for Spandine, Admiral Sakazuki you should know him better than I do!"
"Spandine is a coward who fears death. The reason he became the highest authority of CP9 is through shady means, stepping over the corpses of his colleagues to climb the ranks! In his eyes, there's only promotion and power. Anyone who stands in the way of his ascension will be ruthlessly eliminated."
"Now that they've set their sights on me, how can I let them have their way?"
"Of course, in my eyes Spandine and his ilk are nothing more than clowns. The Chief Judge of Enies Lobby came to the Navy Headquarters to judge me not solely because Spandine colluded with him, as the two of them alone are far from enough to shake my influence within the headquarters!"
"The true mastermind behind this is the Room of Authority The Five Elders."
"As for the reason…" At this point, Orion shook his head slightly and smiled.
"Naturally, it's because the Room of Authority doesn't want the Marine Headquarters to be united from top to bottom, working together against external threats. Once this massive war machine of the Marines becomes fully united, the threat it poses to the World Government would far exceed that of the lawless pirates on the Grand Line or the Revolutionary Army that has been causing trouble around the world in recent years!"
"Just imagine, what would it be like if the three Admirals, all the Vice Admirals, and every other officer and the 100,000 elite soldiers of the headquarters were loyal to only one person from top to bottom? Without the Marines massive war machine, how would the World Government deal with the ever-increasing number of rampant pirates since the Great Age of Pirates? How would they handle the newly formed balance of power among the Four Emperors in the New World? How would they confront the Revolutionary Army that's inciting revolutions worldwide?"
"The World Government must undergo a complete reshuffle!"
"The Celestial Dragons, who sit high above enjoying all privileges without contributing, should not exist. The pirates growing stronger on the Grand Line and the four seas must also be eradicated!"
"And all of this isn't a decision I'm making now because I'm facing a life-or-death situation. It's a plan I've been laying out in secret ever since I was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade years ago!"
"To be honest, the amount of money I embezzled and obtained through illegal means is not just 200 billion. I haven't kept a detailed tally, but it's certainly more than 200 billion Berries! Of course, such a vast sum is far beyond what I could ever spend myself, and I have no intention of indulging in a life of luxury fueled by money, as that is not my pursuit. This is also why the investigation team only found a little over 100,000 Berries in my home!"
"Because I distributed all those Berries to my colleagues who truly needed them, such as those of you present here." At this point, Orion turned his head to look at a Rear Admiral standing to his left.
"This is Rear Admiral Mordo. He is a man of justice, ready to sacrifice his life for it, and he has resisted all temptations! Yet, while he protected those who needed protection and upheld the unwavering justice in his heart, he failed to protect his own wife and daughter. While he was away on a mission, his hometown was attacked by pirates and his wife and daughter were killed by them."
"When he learned of this, he immediately returned home and began hunting down the pirate crew responsible for their deaths! But because of this, he was accused of desertion by the Commodore of his branch and thrown into prison!"
"It was I who helped him! Not only did I allow him to avenge his family, but I also transferred him to headquarters, where he eventually rose to the rank of Rear Admiral through his own efforts!"
"There are many officers like Rear Admiral Mordo at headquarters, and of course this isn't limited to headquarters. At least half of the Commodore in the various Navy branch bases across the four seas are my people. With a single command from me, they will rally from all corners to help me ascend to the position of Fleet Admiral."
Hearing this, Sakazuki face darkened instantly.
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, no" Orion waved his hand, his tone as calm as ever. "This is not a threat, but a sincere invitation to you. I'm sure you've witnessed my actions over the years during my missions and have come to understand my style of doing things to some extent!"
"In my view, a chaotic era calls for strict measures. All criminals spawned by the Great Pirate Era must be eradicated, and for this some sacrifices are necessary!"
"That's why, even though many officers at headquarters keep their distance from you, I have always held you in high regard and hoped to join forces with you to accomplish something earth-shattering! For the sake of justice!"
At this, Sakazuki slowly raised his head, his gaze intense as he stared at Orion and said in a deep voice.
"Your idea of justice is to launch a coup and seize the position of Fleet Admiral?"
Orion smiled and shook his head.
"I've said before that I won't keep this glory to myself. Seizing the position of Fleet Admiral is only part of the plan."