Mercer listened to the Fleet Admiral's words half halfheartedly, all Blackwatch soldiers had memories of similar speeches. It was a proven recipe of demonizing the enemy and highlighting their own nobility and purpose.
Alex glanced to the other people in the room. The Vice-Admirals were all seated around a table watching Akainu burn up from anger. He could see that the Marines didn't take Zephyr lightly, even though the years have diminished much of his strength.
The older generations felt both sorrow and determination at the prospect of having to fight their old mentor. They respected Zephyr, but were ready to stop his rampage in the New World at any cost.
No wonder...the disaster of Firs Island was proof how far Zephyr will go to achieve his goals. Not that Mercer blamed him or anything, every person has the right to do as he pleases as long he accepted the consequences of his actions.
His eyes fell on a blue haired girl that stood opposite to him.
Captain Tashigi. Now she wasn't that interesting, but the man standing beside her was.
Vice-Admiral Smoker. Alex had no idea why Smoker was left standing when all the other Vice-Admirals were seated around the table. Perhaps there is some bad blood between him and Akainu? Aokiji was his superior after all...The man made a huge impact on the New World ever since he was transferred to G-5. A logia user...Moku Moku no Mi...personally the ability didn't interest him much, it was too limited in its use. Now if it was fire!Too bad Fire Fist kicked the bucked so soon...the good part was that when an ability user dies the fruit regrows and is again on the market.
"...ame of justice" said Akainu making Mercer shift his attention back on the Fleet Admiral. Alex could easily categorize the soldier, Akainu was the typical military man who viewed the world in absolutes. Mercer always found the idea of absolutes strange. But he had to give the Marines some credit, the plasma TV was spectacular, too bad it had only one channel – that of the Firs Island going up in smoke.
They can make plasma TVs, cyborgs, lasers, robots, nukes etc. but still have sails on ships...not to mention guns with apparently unlimited ammo...well that was nothing stranger than half the things he saw in this world.
Finally Sakazuki stopped his rambling and addressed the core of the problem, and Mercer was not happy with the Fleet Admirals decision.
It was decided that Borsalino and a handful of active Vice-Admirals will go to Piriodo Island and deal with Zephyr and the Neo-Marines there...and Alex wasn't included...
Mercer frowned, his face hidden behind the veil As if they can stop me.
When the meeting ended all the Marines silently left the room to begin the preparation for the upcoming battle. Ships will have to be rerouted so that important island and shipping lanes don't remain unprotected with the absence of the vice-admirals.
The Marines didn't speak often about it but Aokiji leaving hurt them, and hurt them badly.
His footsteps could be heard down the hallway as he made his way to the archive. After navigating through the rows of bookshelf's he finally found the records about known ability users.
Not only the fruit's name and user, but large folders full with detail information down to the users personal life.
Mercer pulled one of the files.
Gecko Moria...
Alex read the folder quickly, his eidetic memory easily storing all the information into his very cells. Strange...from Shu's memories he remembered that Moria was alive in the time when Red Hair arrived...was he killed by Blackbeard?...no, he and his crew were busy with Sengoku. So how did he die?...or did he die at all? There was a rumor about Doflamingo killing the former Shichibukai, but rumors are not facts...
Instead of getting answers he only had more questions.
Alex returned the document back and glided his finger across the row until he reached Crocodile's file.
He pulled it out and started to read. Sand control and the ability to dehydrate, both very useful traits. Weakness to water...well lucky me. Smart but hindered by his arrogance...reminds me of someone Mercer smiled.
After finishing reading it he returned the file back in its proper place and took out a new one.
Marshall D. Teach aka Blackbeard...reading on the newest Yonko on the block he had to admit that the man was...well, strange. But the biggest diamond in the archive was the information about him underestimating enemies and taunting them in battle. That I can exploit. Though superior to humans Alex was not a fool, Blacklight was created by humans and with enough time can be unmade by them, so keeping a low profile and avoiding any stupid moves was advisable. Naturally its easier said than done, he won't have the luxury of staying anonymous in every situation, what he needs is to acquire as many powers as quickly as possible, find as many candidates to turn into Evolved and occupy any and all important positions in human society. That way even if a counter for Blacklight was invented the Evolved will have enough numbers to outlast the genocide until they either adapt or find a countermeasure against it. It would be so much easier if he could simply exterminate humanity, but a Virus can only infect, without human livestock there would be no more Evolved. Individuals with new and diverse skills and interests different from his own. No, the humans had to stay but under the rule of the new race. They will pick the most promising of humans and offer them the opportunity to join and for the bait he will offer what humans normally desire - immortality.
Boa Hancock...Alex frowned when he read the specifics of the Mero Mero no Mi. All right, she is definitely out. Turning his pray into stone is rather counterproductive. Most of the top-dogs here weren't even that bothered with the fruit's power. And the most obvious argument against consuming her was that he wouldn't be caught dead doing ridiculous poses to heighten someone's passion to be able to petrify his pray.
He discarded the document and started to go through other files.
After spending a few hours in the archive he took the last folder that he found, and to his disappointment it was not about the Goru Goru no MI.
Where could it possibly be...the ability to create and control electricity was a top priority in his search, but so far besides mentioning the fruit nobody even knows if there is a user.
It could be anywhere. An animal could have eaten it, it could have been put in a container and forgotten or lost for all he knew...too many possibilities...it would actually be best if someone consumed it. At least when that person/animal dies the fruit will reappear.
Then finally the Zeus codename will actually make sense...why even give him the name of a Greek God of Heaven and Lightning? If it's because of his shape-shifting then there are better options. At least shape-shifting was a common power amongst divinities. Personally Odin or Loki would have been better choices. Hell, Zeus only changed his appearance when he was in heat.
"Shu? What are you doing down here?" said a voice from the end of the row.
Mercer looked at the man and identified him as Captain Gorilla "Doing some research" Well, the name is fitting at least...
He approached Mercer and looked at the file he was holding "Lieutenant Commander Ain? Why would you be looking in her file, you're not even going to face the Neo-Marines?"
Mercer didn't let the man's questions distract him from his reading "It's still better to learn about your enemies, there is no guarantee all will be caught."
The man nodded accepting the explanation "True true, I still remember that group of pirates that managed to escape us on that winter island. We ended up pursuing them to their ship while T-Bone got caught by that avalanche..." he said as he scratched his cheek.
"Wrong" said Mercer not lifting his eyes from the papers.
That made Gorilla blink "What is?"
"The avalanche buried me while you and T-Bone resumed the chase" he corrected him.
The man frowned but then he seemed to remember "...you're right...how did I get that bit wrong...well, never mind. Good luck with the reading."
Mercer didn't spare a second glance to the retreating Captain.
A knock announced that somebody was waiting in front of the door.
"Come in" commanded the voice.
The door opened and in the large, dimmed room entered the unmistakable figure of Captain Gorilla.
"Sir" he saluted.
"Report."
"We have learned by observing and interacting with the suspect that we have nothing on him" he said before pulling open a folder with Shu's personal file "if Lucci′s accusation is real we have no certain way to prove that the person is not Captain Shu's beside attacking him, perhaps later we can find some excuse to do a medical examination" he flipped a few pages "he knew information that only me, him and T-Bone would know."
"So Lucci lied" replied the voice.
That made Gorilla stop with his report "..not necessarily. If Lucci was truthful the creature could not only use agent Kalifa's devil ability but also Rokushiki, it could imply that he also takes the peoples memories about their use. We have to remember that Rokushiki are skills learned and trained not given..."
Akainu tapped his fingers on the armchair "And there is always the possibility he knew them before the attack if it happened. Where is Shu now?"
"In the archives, reading on ability users."
"This gives credibility to Lucci's message" said the Fleet-Admiral. The possibility of another Blackbeard running loose didn't really fill him with joy.
"Should we arrest him?" asked Captain Gorilla, If it was true that this thing devoured Shu then he will do his utmost to see it brought to justice.
After a minute of thinking Akainu reached a decision "Not now, we can worry about Shu when this mess with Zephyr is done."
"Is that wise? This would place many of our soldiers at risk..."
"From what I understand, it had more than enough opportunity to devour both Captain Hina and Very Good. If I was in its place I would only bother with abilities that are useful, like those of the Admirals" he smiled "and this whole masquerade is proof that he isn't confident in his ability to defeat us."
For now...thought Gorilla "Very well, we will keep an eye on Shu but will not hinder his movements."
Akainu nodded but called out to Gorilla before the Captain left the room.
"Make sure he doesn't leave until Borsalino returns."
Gorilla nodded and closed the door behind himself.