Sakazuki looked at Enel and said, "Whether killing them was right or wrong, that can't be clearly defined. From a moral standpoint, we were wrong. But from the perspective of justice... they were pirates. They had to die.
"People like them shouldn't exist. They drift between justice and evil, doing the occasional good deed that turns them into heroes in the eyes of others. They reject the evil that pirates represent, while also denying the justice the Marines stand for. But what about the truth?"
By now, Enel's eyes had grown resolute. After a moment, he spoke. "The truth is, pirates like them are rare. They did save lives… but the ones who pillage and kill are pirates too."
Sakazuki nodded. "Correct. You've improved. There are corrupt men in the Marines, and there are decent souls among pirates. But just because of that, can we deny the justice of the Marines? Or turn a blind eye to the evil that piracy breeds?
"Every year, the number of civilians slaughtered by pirates is several times more than the population of this town. Similarly, the number of Marines who die protecting those civilians is also several times more than the people living here.
"People like Blake, even though they're pirates, do a few good deeds, and suddenly, the lines between justice and evil are blurred. To the soldiers who died in battle, and the civilians killed by pirates… that's unforgivable."
Enel gave a quiet nod.
Sakazuki went on, "I've shown you a lot these past two days. All of it was to help you understand that there is no absolute light or darkness. And if you want to accomplish something great, you can't act on emotion alone.
"There's darkness in the Marines, and there's light among pirates. But sometimes, you have to make a choice. Even if one day, because the Note Pirates are gone, an island ends up being slaughtered or plundered. They still had to die.
"They were pirates who were treated as heroes. Now, their will spreads across this island, shaping the hearts of the next generation. If we spare them just because they haven't done anything wrong yet, then the pirates of this sea will never truly be wiped out."
Sakazuki turned his gaze toward the fading horizon.
"The path to the light is covered in thorns. We can't stop moving forward just because we're afraid of sacrifice, or hesitate to be harsh.
"Countless have fallen before the break of dawn. During the God Valley Incident, marines from all four sea branches were crushed. At the Battle of Sgri, the G-4 Branch was wiped out. Over twenty thousand Headquarters soldiers died. The names carved into the memorial at Marineford's plaza... they're not just names. Each one was a living, breathing person.
"And even that's only a small portion of those who've fallen. There are far more soldiers and civilians who died—so many that no one can keep count. What we carry is the future of the world. We have to make decisions, and we have to carry the weight of those choices.
"So tell me, Enel… do we wither away out of mercy and hesitation, or do we strike back from the brink of death? What would you choose?"
In that moment, Enel seemed to mature all at once. "Strike back."
Sakazuki agreed. "That's right. Strike back. This path will be full of blood and sacrifice. Civilians. Soldiers. Family. Friends. But there's no turning back.
"If you look back and see the people lying in pools of blood, you'll hesitate. You'll feel pity. But that will expose your weakness. It'll ruin everything. Throughout history, every revolution has been soaked in blood. What will end this era of chaos… is the sword, not words.
"Right now, all we can do is build our strength. And when the time comes to strike a fatal blow, we hit like thunder and reshape the world. Every last piece of trash will be thrown where it belongs—the garbage heap.
"The world we create won't be perfect. Because where there's light, there will always be darkness. But... at the very least, it will be better than what we have now."
Enel nodded firmly. The two of them stood in silence, watching the sun sink beneath the sea.
After a long time, Sakazuki let out a soft chuckle. "Come on. Lesson's over."
Under the setting sun, their two shadows stretched far into the distance as they slowly walked away...
...
A few days later, on Palini Island.
A warship slowly entered the harbor. Without warning, a wave of Observation Haki swept across the island from the vessel.
Onboard, Garp suddenly leapt into the sky. "Bwahahahaha! Found you, Sengoku!"
His voice echoed across the island as his figure zipped through the air.
At the same time, Sengoku in the distance seemed to sense something. A familiar presence was rapidly approaching.
He furrowed his brows. Just to be safe, he turned to the dirty little boy he had recently taken in and said, "Rosinante, go and hide for now."
The messy-haired boy blinked, then replied softly, "Mhm."
He turned and ran into the house. Just as he stepped inside—
Bang!
A figure smashed into the ground outside as dust exploded into the air.
Garp stood grinning, fists on his hips. "Bwahahahaha! Finally tracked you down!"
Sengoku frowned. "Who are you? Do we know each other?"
The vice admiral was stunned, his eyes bulging. "It's me! Garp! Did you lose your memory or something?!"
Sengoku couldn't quite figure out what this guy's intentions were, but his senses told him the man meant no harm. In fact, he felt oddly familiar, like an old friend. Cautiously, he gave a slow nod.
Garp's grin stretched even wider. He clenched his fist, coating it in Armament Haki. "Must've banged your head during the Battle of Sgri. Just need another hit to fix it!"
Sengoku stared at the man, a bad feeling rising fast. He wanted to defend himself, but with his memories gone, his instincts alone couldn't keep up with the vice admiral's speed.
"Seismic Smash!"
With a shout, he vanished in a blur.
In Sengoku's panicked eyes, Garp's punch shattered his glasses and slammed straight into his forehead. The admiral's body flew back like a missile, crashing through the house and several trees, finally hitting the ground hard and not getting up.
Rosinante screamed and rushed to him, tears streaming down his face as he tried to wake him.
That punch really fixed Sengoku. But the dizziness from the concussion, mixed with the sudden merging of his lost and returning memories, left his head spinning.
He couldn't move, his body unresponsive, but he was aware of everything happening around him.
As Rosinante shook him in panic, Garp strolled over, one finger casually digging in his nose. He looked down at the boy.
"Relax, kid. He's fine. Anyway… where'd you come from? Did Sengoku pick you up? Step aside. Looks like the punch didn't quite fix everything. I'll give him a few more just in case."
Rosinante quickly stepped in front of Sengoku, arms outstretched, trying to shield him.
Raising an eyebrow, Garp grinned mischievously and pretended to threaten him.
"You wanna taste my iron Fist of Love?!"
Rosinante swallowed nervously. Fear flickered in his eyes, but he didn't move.
Garp raised his fist with a dramatic flair. "Well…"
Just then, golden light flashed behind Rosinante.
"GARP!!!" Sengoku's furious voice echoed through the sky.
A towering golden Buddha, a hundred meters tall, materialized above the boy. White light gathered in its palm, then came crashing down toward Garp in a radiant wave.
BZZZZZMMM—!
Garp looked up at the incoming strike and burst out laughing. "Bwahahahahaha! Looks like you're back to normal, Sengoku!"
He pulled his arm, Haki surging across it, and met the attack head-on with a punch.
Sengoku roared angrily, "GO TO HELL, YOU NASTY BASTARD!!!"
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