Chapter 35 Kokosia Village
New World Marine Homeward Bound, Day 7
The morning light shone on the sea, and golden light danced on the hull.
The Suzheng ship and the training ship followed one after the other, breaking through the waves steadily and returning home, with their flags flying high, reflecting a golden glow on the sky.
[Military Medical Office]
Lei Te gritted his teeth and pulled off the last piece of gauze. The bloody scar on his chest had already scabbed over. "Alright! Laozi, this iron plate has been re-polished!"
Enel sat across from me, leisurely operating the micro-thunder massager. "Don't worry, the muscles will be twice as strong after the shock—but of course, it will also hurt more."
Lei Te rolled his eyes. "No wonder you sleep with your lollipop in your arms. Are you afraid of the pain and breaking your teeth?"
"...What did you say?"
The electric current exploded with a crackling sound.
Just as the two were about to start fighting again, the cabin door was pushed open with a "whoosh". Rogge stood with his hands behind his back, his cloak lifted by the morning breeze, his eyes as cold as before.
"If you keep playing around, I'll make you two the figureheads."
The two of them paused and lay down together: "Yes——"
Lei Te rolled his eyes: "Boss...shouldn't you go see the teacher?"
Rogge's eyes narrowed: "I was just about to go."
[Training Ship · Medical Area]
Zephyr leaned back in a specially made chair, receiving an IV drip in his right hand while flipping through the newly delivered Shichibukai establishment notice with his left hand, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
He heard the door open, his eyes turned slightly, and he saw the figure of the young man wearing a wind cape and with slightly wet black hair.
"You kid..." Zephyr laughed bitterly, his voice low and hoarse, "Ten years later, you're still so troublesome."
Rogge smiled lightly, without any sharpness. "I have no choice. I heard that the teacher has to lead the team out at his age. I have to come and see."
"If you really saw what I was saying, you should have beaten those old dogs of the World Government into submission for me."
Zephyr narrowed his eyes and suddenly changed his tone. "They're doing this so-called Shichibukai. What do you think?"
"What Hawkeye, Empress, Jinbei... Ha, what a bunch of scum wearing embroidered badges."
Rogge said calmly, "You're inviting the Pirates to a higher level, giving them special privileges, and yet you still want to use order to curb madness?"
"That's... handing over the world's justice and bottom line to the blood sea smugglers to polish their shoes."
Zephyr sat up straight, his chest heaving. "Well said! If you want to do it, I support you!"
"Although I have retired, my students and my ship...are still running in this world!"
Rogge looked into those tired yet determined eyes and replied softly, "I'll take care of it and won't let you down."
"The Shichibukai system is a surrender to the lowest point of justice."
"Since the World Government is condoning the butcher's knife—then I will prepare the whetstone."
Zephyr was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled softly, his face full of vicissitudes but also filled with fighting spirit:
"If you're going to touch them, do it thoroughly. Don't be like me back then...trying to keep some fire alive."
He looked up at Rogge with a serious look:
"Remember, justice doesn't just win once."
"It's a belief that must be held tightly in the fist every second."
Rogge nodded.
[Training Ship · Training Deck]
The fleet sailed towards Marineford, and during the rest period along the way, the interns surrounded Leiter and Enel.
"Brother Leit, are those brass knuckles of yours specially made? How did you achieve that thickness with your Armament Haki?!"
"Enel-senpai, when can I learn Thunder God Form!?"
"How can I turn into thunder if I don't have enough electricity?"
Lei Te smiled as he bandaged the wound: "You'll understand after getting beaten by your teacher a few more times."
The hull vibrated. On the training deck, Binz controlled a giant vine that circled the target, while Ian kept moving back and forth to avoid the simulated attack.
"Brother Lei Te, what do you think of this move!?"
Lei Te held the bandage in one hand and instructed with the other: "It's too fancy, and your foundation is unstable!"
Enel leaned leisurely against the mast and said, "Don't just practice your hands and feet - first learn to judge the situation with your eyes open."
Aft Deck
Ion and Binz saluted Rogge formally, saying earnestly:
"Commando Rogge, we hope to join the G-5 branch after graduation!"
Rogge didn't agree immediately, but turned to look at Zephyr.
Zephyr leaned against the railing, smiled, and raised his hand: "Let's take it."
"There's a shortage of crazy people who know the rules over there."
Rogge smiled and nodded.
The two warships advanced like double blades, moving side by side on the line between sea and sky.
Marineford Naval Headquarters Arrival Terminal
The Combat Training No. 1 slowly approached the shore, and the port welcomed a rare group of people.
Zephyr's return attracted almost all the backbone members of the headquarters to come and greet him.
"teacher!"
Flying Squirrel, Ghost Spider and other former students came quickly and saluted with red eyes.
"You're holding on again, old man!" complained Vice Admiral the flying squirrel.
"You even dare to confront Weeble... Are you trying to p**s us off to death?"
"nonsense!"
Zephyr laughed loudly. Even though his lungs hadn't fully recovered yet, his voice was still booming. "Laozi's bones are much stronger than you little brats!"
Among the crowd, two lazy figures stood out.
Kizaru Borsalino, wearing sunglasses and with his hands in his pockets, spoke slowly, "Ah~ Brother Rogge, you're really scary..."
"It seems...G-5 is quite busy lately."
Aokiji Kuzan sighed and whispered, "If he's not lively, then the Pirates will be lively."
The two Admirals made an exception and arrived at the port together, obviously approving of Rogge's actions.
Rogge remained silent and simply responded.
Sengoku finished reading the intelligence documents and nodded solemnly, "The matter of Axe Island... was handled cleanly and efficiently."
"Bakingom, Weeble, destroy them all."
Looking up at Rogge, he said, "G-5, you continue to be in charge. I will approve any personnel transfers as soon as possible."
Rogge nodded and closed the briefing paper. "Then I'll be back."
Sengoku: "...Those interns were pretty good."
"They can go anytime they want."
Rogge saw Sakazuki at the entrance of the corridor and stopped for a moment.
Sakazuki grinned, "Nice job, kid."
"Those who deserve to be beaten should be beaten, and those who deserve to be killed should be killed—you have done more cruelly than I expected."
Rogge said softly: "Shichibukai system, they will regret it."
"I will let them see the cost of institutional miscarriage of justice."
[Same day, G-5 on the way back to prepare, on the warship]
"Report!"
"East Blue Cocosia Village was attacked by unknown pirates, suspected to be a group of fish-man pirates calling themselves 'Arlong'."
"The supporting team, led by Trafalgar Law, has confirmed the completion of their mission and is currently cleaning up the scene."
Rogge finished reading the report, put down the paper, and said lightly:
"Where did this little minion come from?"
East Blue · Kokosia Village
As the sun sets, at the edge of the village ruins, Trafalgar Law, wearing a Marine cloak, is directing his soldiers to dispose of the murloc corpses.
The remaining air currents in the ROOM area were still swirling slightly on the stone road, and a faint smell of medical alcohol mixed with gunpowder smoke was floating in the air.
The collapsed roofs of the fishing village, the soaked fishing nets and the broken weapons of the fishmen form an "anatomical diagram" that has been subjected to a just operation.
"Pull the body away from the well over there so as not to pollute the water."
"Search the murloc's room for slave contracts and account books."
"And the body of that Arlong fishman. Cut off his head and bring it back to be put on the G-5 warning list."
The instructions were calm and clear.
The Marines moved quickly, having long been accustomed to the style of this young, combat-oriented commander.
Luo stood among the ruins, staring down at the broken serrated blades at his feet, muttering to himself, "How dare this kind of b*****d claim to be the king of a village?"
He looked up and took in the frightened eyes of the villagers. Just like himself back then, he was numb and seething with anger, but he couldn't find a way to vent.
"Don't worry."
He whispered, "There will be no more Murloc Kingdom here."
Beside the orange grove, Bell-mère stood at the entrance of the village holding the young Nami's hand, holding unripe oranges in her hands, her eyes full of shock and yearning.
She looked at the stern young man in black, waving his hands to direct the battlefield, like a young surgeon performing a just operation.
She made a silent promise in her heart:
"I want to...become stronger."
"I want to be that kind of person—"
"Someone who can smash bad guys to pieces."
Bell-mère looked at the young Luo's style of behavior and said: "Marine...I really miss it."