Seeing that Sakazuki had changed his usual style and was actually trying to persuade him earnestly, Rosen felt a warmth in his heart.
Even Admiral Akainu, who is regarded by many Marines as cold-blooded, actually has feelings.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been forced to admit his mistake by Borsalino's single sentence in the Egghead incident.
He is a champion of absolute justice, and he is willing to use any means necessary to achieve it—that much is true.
But at the same time.
He was also a soldier, with an upright character and strict discipline.
As long as it doesn't involve pirates or matters of principle, coldness and ruthlessness are just appearances; a heart as vast as the ocean is equally present.
When faced with deserters, the first reaction is not to take action, but to persuade them.
Only after persuasion failed did they take action to uphold military discipline; otherwise, if everyone chose to run away from the Whitebeard Pirates, the Marines would have mutinied.
The fact that after the Marineford War, instead of executing Koby, the king of deserters was repeatedly promoted and even given the title of hero is the best proof of this.
Even when faced with the king of deserters, Sakazuki was able to be so tolerant.
Not to mention facing his junior classmates.
"Senior, I understand what you mean."
"However, I have a reason to wage war against the Four Emperors."
"The reason I'm going to fight alone isn't just to convince you, senior, but also because it involves a personal matter of mine. Since it's a personal matter, I shouldn't use public resources for private purposes and involve the entire Marine Headquarters, even if it means going to war with one of the Four Emperors."
Rosen understood Sakazuki's good intentions, but had no choice but to refuse.
He was taking this step not only to win Sakazuki's heart, but also to bring relief to his teacher, Zephyr, who had been mired in pain, self-blame, and hatred for twenty years because of the deaths of his family members.
This strike will surely slay one of the Four Emperors.
However, because it was a private matter, he didn't want to involve the entire Marine Headquarters, and if he did, the first person to object would inevitably be Zephyr.
so.
Rosen didn't tell anyone except Sakazuki about going to war with the Four Emperors.
"I don't care what your private matters are, or what your reasons are."
"As an admiral, I must stop you from engaging in battle with the Four Emperors' pirate crews without permission from your superiors."
"Personally, I'm your senior, and I can't watch you go down the wrong path."
Sakazuki spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Senior, can I trust you?"
Rosen was silent for a few seconds before asking.
"As long as you don't betray the Marines and violate my justice, you can treat me as the second Borsalino."
"Although this is our first meeting, I genuinely respect you as my junior."
"So, you understand now, right, Rosen?"
Sakazuki tapped the table and said with a serious expression.
"What if I said it was because of Professor Zephyr's family?"
Rosen nodded slightly, then said something that surprised even Sakazuki.
"What's the meaning?"
"etc!"
"You're not trying to tell me that one of the Four Emperors is the pirate who killed Professor Zephyr's entire family, are you?"
Sakazuki stared at Rosen in astonishment.
"It might not be one, but two."
Rosen sighed softly, then told Sakazuki the results of his investigation, which had taken him half a year to complete.
"It's actually Ochoku?"
"And then there's Buckingham Stussy, that woman is easy to deal with."
"But she is Whitebeard's lover. Whether she is imprisoned or executed, it means going to war with Whitebeard."
Sakazuki's expression shifted constantly, and his gaze toward Rosen changed repeatedly.
Whether it's gratitude or filial piety, these are always two essential skills.
Even a ruthless admiral like Akainu was moved by Lonz's actions, and in addition to his previous recognition, he now felt admiration for him.
He had investigated the deaths of the Zephyr family, but since the Cipher Pol case had already been closed, and the Marines' criminal investigation had been ongoing for many years without finding any such person, he had no choice but to put it aside and focus his attention on eliminating the pirates.
Unexpectedly, after graduating, in addition to reforming the Four Seas and taming the Shichibukai, Lonz secretly continued to investigate the murderer of the Zephyr family.
After learning everything, he had to admit that he was inferior to Rosen.
At least in terms of respect for teachers and elders, they are far behind.
"Since it involves two Yonko, you should not act alone. Reporting to the Marine Headquarters is the best option."
"I think."
"Even Professor Zephyr wouldn't want you to do something so dangerous for him."
After a moment's thought, Sakazuki offered his opinion.
"And then what? Putting aside the Five Elders' actions in this matter, would they allow the Marine Headquarters to wage war against two Yonko?"
"Twenty years ago, Teacher Zephyr was an insignificant instructor in their eyes. Twenty years later, Teacher Zephyr is still a dispensable instructor in their eyes."
"They will absolutely not allow the Marine Headquarters to go to war with the two Yonko over Zephyr's matter. On the contrary, they will do everything in their power to prevent it from happening."
Rosen gave a cold laugh:
"In the eyes of the Five Elders, the Marine Headquarters is nothing more than the face of the World Government, let alone a retired admiral."
"The fact that they insisted on implementing the Shichibukai despite their own feelings already shows the World Government's response to the Four Emperors."
"Balance the three major forces, and then outlive the Four Emperors at their peak, or rather, outlive the Rocks Pirates."
"This is the decision of the Five Elders."
Every word Rosen uttered was like a heavy hammer imbued with Conqueror's Haki, striking Sakazuki's heart again and again.
The Five Elders are wary of the Four Emperors.
It's not about any single Yonko, but rather about being wary of all four Yonko who are at their peak and all came from the Rocks Pirates.
The strongest man in the world.
The strongest creature on land, sea, and air.
A born destroyer.
There was also Ochoku, who replaced Rocks and seized control of Beehive Island.
Having experienced the God Valley incident and been traumatized by the Rocks Pirates, the Five Elders least want to see the Rocks Pirates resurrected, even if the possibility is very low.
Therefore, they adopted the safest approach.
The balance of power among the three major forces has led to mutual distrust and constant friction among the four emperors.
At the same time, they accumulated strength while using time to defeat the Four Emperors at their peak.
Once the Four Emperors are old and frail, or plagued by illness, or their fighting strength is greatly reduced, then seize the opportunity to defeat them one by one.
Finally, they completely wiped away all traces of the Rocks Pirates in the Grand Line.
"..."
Sakazuki listened with gritted teeth and a clenched fist in his right hand, but he could only remain silent.
Even Rosen, who had been in the Marines for less than a year, could see the Five Elders' plans, so how could he, a Marine Admiral, not see them?
If the establishment of the Shichibukai was a trampling on the Marines' justice, then the practice of balancing forces and outlasting the Four Emperors is a second trampling on the Marines' justice.
Moreover, the Five Elders' cover-up of the truth about the deaths of the Zephyr family members disgusted him.
after all.
Before he became a Marine, his closest relatives also died at the hands of pirates.
"Senior."
"Are you still going to try to stop me now?"
Rosen picked up the fairness cup and filled the teacup in front of Sakazuki to about seven-tenths full.
"I'll give the same answer."
"As an admiral, I must stop you from waging war against the Four Emperors without permission from your superiors."
"Personally, since you call me senior, I can't just stand by and watch you risk your life because of Professor Zephyr."
There is no reason for me not to stop you.
Sakazuki was silent for a moment, then his eyes hardened again.
He was a soldier, and obedience to military orders was ingrained in his very bones.
Even after becoming a Marine admiral, he would still obey orders from his superiors as long as they did not infringe upon his own sense of justice.
Of course, this time it's not just because of my duty as a general, but also because of my responsibility as a senior student, Rosen.
"What if I choose to persist?"
Rosen and Sakazuki looked at each other.
"I knew you would."
"It should be said that people with great magnanimity are all like this."
"We will all steadfastly follow our own path and uphold justice without complaint or regret."
Sakazuki, upon hearing this, was not angry. Instead, he reached for the teacup and drank the tea in one gulp.
"Rosen."
"If you insist on doing this, then you'll have to get past me first. If you can't even beat me, then your challenge to the Four Emperors' pirate crews is nothing but a joke."
"If you defeat me, you will become the next Fleet Admiral, and your words will be equivalent to the Fleet Admiral's orders."
"Since it is the order of the Fleet Admiral, I, as an admiral, have no reason to question or stop you."
After saying that.
He stood up from his chair and stared at Rosen with a resolute expression.
A chilling and intense fighting spirit instantly spread throughout the office.