Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro paid no attention to their petty squabbles and continued announcing the restructuring plan for the three military branches. After all, this concerned the World Government's future conquest of myriad worlds and had to be taken seriously.
"The Ministry of Military Affairs will oversee the promotion and demotion of officers below the rank of Admiral, supervise military administration, and manage military academies across all branches. Its subordinate departments will include the Army Military Affairs Division and the Navy Military Affairs Division!"
After hearing this, Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged glances, both realizing that the position of Minister of Military Affairs would most likely go to Zed. No one else was more qualified for the role.
It seemed that if not for Zed needing medical treatment, he would have been required to attend this meeting as well.
"Next, let's discuss the adjustments to your respective positions. Orders!"
The moment Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro uttered the word "orders," the six individuals on either side of the conference table immediately stood up.
"Current Navy Fleet Admiral Kong is hereby appointed as the Minister of the Command Department!"
What?!
Lemoncheese stared at Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro in shock, but the latter remained expressionless, offering no explanation. He quickly turned his gaze to Kong standing opposite him, only to find the man equally surprised.
"Current Commander-in-Chief of the World Government Lemoncheese is hereby appointed as Army Fleet Admiral!"
"..."
Lemoncheese lowered his head slightly, his face darkening as he remained silent. He had been demoted, and now his former subordinate had become his superior.
But he dared not voice any dissatisfaction toward Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, instead directing his resentment toward Kong, suspecting that the latter must have pulled strings behind the scenes.
Otherwise, why would he—who had done nothing wrong—be demoted?
"Current Marine Admiral Sengoku is hereby promoted to Navy Fleet Admiral!"
"Sir, this would leave our Navy without any Admirals." Sengoku showed no excitement over his promotion, calmly pointing out the issue instead.
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro glanced at him.
"Current Navy Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp is hereby promoted to Marine Admiral!"
"What?"
"What?!"
Kong, Sengoku, and Tsuru were stunned once more. Even Sakazuki froze momentarily before Sengoku hesitantly spoke up.
"Sir, Garp will most likely refuse."
But Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro ignored his words, instead addressing everyone in a solemn tone.
"From the moment the Stargate opened for us, from the moment the World Government embarked on the conquest of other worlds, the warship we are on has been moving forward at full speed—with no possibility of stopping, nor any destined island to reach."
"Though the beginning has been relatively smooth, we all know this long voyage is perilous. No one can predict when we might encounter powerful enemy ships or adversaries, or even face a counterattack breaching our own vessel."
"Faced with such an unknown, pitch-black ocean of danger, we must mobilize all our high-level combatants to safeguard our ship. I doubt even Garp would wish for the day when an otherworldly army invades our world, would he?"
The room fell silent. After a moment, Sengoku sighed. "Understood. I will persuade Garp."
"What about the Army Admiral?" Lemoncheese asked expressionlessly.
"Current Navy Vice Admiral and Admiral candidate Sakazuki is hereby transferred to the Army and promoted to Army Admiral!" Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro declared firmly.
This drew everyone's attention to Sakazuki. Sengoku, now the Fleet Admiral of the Navy, looked particularly displeased, but the most intense reaction came from Sakazuki himself.
"I refuse!"
Sakazuki growled through clenched teeth, "My goal is to purge the scum from the seas, not play in the dirt on land!"
"..."
Lemoncheese's already foul mood worsened. What did he mean by "play in the dirt"? Couldn't he speak like a civilized person?
"You may all leave. Sakazuki, stay."
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro issued the command in a low voice. Sengoku and the others exchanged glances but ultimately left in silence. Once the room was empty, only the two of them remained.
"Sakazuki, I know you're no fool. You must understand that in the current state of the world, pirates cannot be eradicated completely. As long as maritime trade exists, pirates will persist—and our planet, Seablue, happens to be one with an exceptionally vast ocean."
When it came to impressions of high-ranking Navy officers, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro admired Sakazuki the most, with Sengoku only coming in second.
Because Sakazuki was the perfect soldier. While Sengoku was also exemplary, he wasn't as uncompromisingly flawless as Sakazuki. Yet, convincing Sakazuki to transfer from the Navy to the Army was no easy task.
Truth be told, Ethanbaron had been troubled by this, but regardless, it had to be said and done.
There was no other choice.
Because the Army was short on manpower!
"With all due respect, I believe the Navy's current stance toward pirates is far too lenient. If you were willing to fully support me, I could purge all the scum from the seas within ten years!"
"Sakazuki, I admire your confidence, but remember—confidence alone doesn't guarantee success." For once, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro tempered his usual dominance.
"Even if you spend ten, even twenty years wiping out every pirate of this era, what then? Once your generation passes, pirates will emerge again like fish in the sea. What will you do then?"
"This..." Sakazuki faltered.
"You're familiar with Thunder Dragon Ald from two hundred years ago, aren't you?"
"Of course. He ranks among the greatest Admirals in Navy history—a Rumble-Rumble Fruit user who laid the foundation for what became known as the Great Navy Era."
Sakazuki revered this legendary figure, renowned as the strongest in combat and the most ruthless in his stance against pirates.
"Then you should know that during his tenure, pirates were nearly eradicated, to the point where even a pirate with a bounty over a hundred million was a rarity. Yet, less than twenty years after his death, piracy flourished once more."
"Now, we've finally identified the root cause."
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro gazed steadily at Sakazuki. "The rampant slave trade, oppressive taxation by kingdoms, extreme noble suppression, treacherous maritime conditions, scarce resources, and the exorbitant burden of the Celestial Tribute—all of these forces drive countless civilians to take to the seas as pirates."
Sakazuki was utterly stunned. He hadn't expected the elder to lay things out so bluntly—even daring to question the Celestial Tribute itself.
"So we began to change. I believe you've seen our efforts, because we're convinced that solving these issues will completely eradicate the scourge of pirates—or at least prevent it from growing too vast and severe. Don't you agree this is the best way to eliminate piracy?"
"What does that have to do with me joining the Army?" Sakazuki asked unwillingly.
"Because the Army will be the main force in conquering countless worlds in the future!"
"Legal reforms can be gradually improved through the Levely. The royal families and nobles of various nations can also be dealt with. Maritime transportation can be handed over to the Sea Train currently under development. But resources—only you can solve that!"
"If we can freely harvest the resources of one, even multiple worlds—food, meat, fresh water, timber, metals, ores—then the people of our world can truly live in abundance, well-fed, clothed, and prosperous. How many would still be willing to risk their lives with swords and guns on the treacherous seas?"
At this point, Sakazuki's expression was no longer so angry and resentful. Though still conflicted and hesitant, his eyes grew calmer.
But his demeanor shifted drastically upon hearing Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro's next words.
"Most crucially—would you be willing to entrust our world's most vital Army to men who were once pirates? For instance, letting Douglas Bullet or Crocodile become the future Marshal of the Army?"
"What?!"