Chapter 454: The Lower Overthrowing the Upper?

"Speaking of which, the Blade Unit was originally supposed to be handed over to Mr. Zephyr, but Fleet Admiral Sengoku at the time changed his mind at the last moment."

"This is your luck, and also your misfortune."

Drake froze slightly; after confirming that the man before him bore no hostility, he sat down right there and asked the question that had long lingered in his heart:

"Why did Instructor Zephyr make such a decision back then?!"

He did not understand.

He had never understood this point.

Zephyr had once been the person he respected most, or rather, Zephyr had once been the person respected most by the vast majority of officers and soldiers at Marine Headquarters.

Within the Marines, the only one who could surpass Zephyr in prestige was Garp, known as the Hero.

More importantly.

When Zephyr reached out toward Mary Geoise and committed endless slaughter, he completely severed ties with his past, personally burying that justice of non-killing.

What exactly happened to Zephyr that forced that man to make such a decision?!

Drake's gaze burned intensely, attempting to find an answer on Fujitora's face, yet he saw only a trace of barely perceptible pity in the other's eyes.

Fujitora took a sip of tea and slowly said:

"What do you think justice is?!"

"Justice... justice is..."

Drake opened his mouth, only to suddenly realize he could not provide an accurate answer.

These two words, which supported his will even in darkness, the words he and countless Marines regarded as their faith, now seemed so strange.

"Destroying pirates? Protecting civilians? Maintaining the stability of the seas? Or upholding the rule of the World Government and defending the privileges of the Celestial Dragons?!"

"Whose justice is such justice?!"

"You, who do not even know what justice is, do you truly have the qualification to bear justice?!"

Fujitora's words were like a knife stabbing into Drake's heart, flushing his face red with agitation, yet he could find no reason to refute them.

It was simply because he clearly realized that Fujitora was right.

But what exactly is justice?

What exactly have I been bearing all this time?

Drake did not find his answer; he subconsciously looked up at Fujitora, only to see the other's retreating figure, along with the words Zephyr had left behind:

"Old Mr. Zephyr once said:"

"When you realize this point, when you begin to examine your past, to examine the justice you bear, and even what everything you have done truly means,"

"your hand has already touched the essence of justice."

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

The sound of footsteps gradually faded as Fujitora's figure disappeared at the edge of vision.

Drake continued to stare fixedly in the direction where Fujitora had vanished, chewing over the words Fujitora left behind, yet all he saw before his eyes was confusion.

During this period, he had seen much in Britannias.

To speak honestly, if one ignores the fact that this is a nation founded by pirates, perhaps Britannias is the most stable and ideal nation on these seas.

It even seems somewhat transcendent of this era.

Sound laws and the will of freedom and equality gradually carved into the blood and bones of its citizens are different from all other regions of the world.

Yet even Drake, born of the Marines, could feel that this is how the world ought to be.

As for the tragedies born of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, he had seen many during the years he became a pirate.

Had he not firmly believed in justice and firmly believed he was always doing the right thing, his stance would have wavered long ago.

Fujitora's words were like the whisper of a demon, gnawing at the very foundation of Drake's beliefs, yet he could not stop himself from thinking.

Because to have faith in justice, one must necessarily understand what justice truly is.

And the more one understands the essence of justice,

the more one compares everything seen in Britannias with the kingdoms under the rule of the World Government,

the more clearly one feels that the justice one bears might never have been justice from the very beginning.

Drake sat blankly in the shipyard for a long time, departing only when night fell.

Hawkins, standing in the distance, watched him and subconsciously drew a brand-new deck of Tarot cards from his bosom.

Though he no longer blindly trusted the results of his divination, nothing prevented him from using them to glimpse some hidden information.

The faces of the Tarot cards fluttered in Hawkins' hands; he casually drew three, and after seeing the faces, the corners of Hawkins' mouth curled up:

"Wavering, destruction, and then revolution?!"

"You..."

"What choice will you ultimately make?!"

"Drake!"

Several days later.

Marine Headquarters.

A group of high-ranking Marines, led by Akainu, gathered in a conference room on the top floor.

The Video Den Den Mushi used for recording was stepped on and crushed by Green Bull Aramaki, who stood guard at the door, leaving behind nothing but shattered shells and slime.

Tina, sitting at the back of the crowd, witnessed this scene, her pupils contracting imperceptibly.

That Video Den Den Mushi had been installed as a mandatory requirement by the World Government to record every internal Marine meeting.

The meaning behind Huang Mu's actions was far too obvious, yet what was even more astonishing was that no one present felt surprised or moved to intervene.

Marshal Sakazuki...

What exactly are you planning to do?

Tina was terrified in her heart and could not help but raise her eyes to look up at Akainu above.

Recently, within the Marines, storms have been brewing.

News of Akainu's preparation to reform the Marines had already spread like wildfire, drawing attention from the World Government and the entire world.

Everyone was speculating on what cruel and fierce methods this most radical Marshal in the history of the Marines would employ to suppress the seas!

However.

Contrary to their expectations, Akainu's first target after taking office was not the pirates, but the World Government itself!

"Everyone present is trustworthy, so I will skip the nonsense."

Akainu spoke, breaking the silence in the conference room; instantly, everyone perked up, focusing their attention on him. Seeing this, Akainu continued:

"For eight hundred years, since the establishment of the Marines, justice has been nothing but empty talk."

"What we have always borne is not the justice of the Marines, but a distorted justice imposed by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons!"

Tina was slightly stunned, suddenly realizing what Akainu intended to do; this man's target had never been the pirates, but the World Government, and this world itself!

Was this still the same man whose radical actions were unbearable even to his colleagues?!

Tina's heart shook violently; she glanced around, seeing that everyone else maintained their composure, clearly having anticipated this.

This was a premeditated coup!

The high command of the Marines joining hands, a blade Stab Toward the World Government!

Perhaps preparations for this day had begun the very moment Akainu took office.

Otherwise, there would be no explaining why things proceeded so smoothly, or how he managed to persuade the vast majority of the Marine high command.

Realizing this point, Tina understood even more clearly what Akainu planned to do.

Indeed.

She only heard Akainu continue:

"The power of the Celestial Dragons must be restrained!"

"I will initiate a reform aimed at creating a regime led solely by the Marines, built upon the existing framework of the World Government!"

"Justice..."

"... should be defined by those who execute it, rather than serving as a tool for a specific group."

Boom—!

Akainu slammed his palm heavily onto the table, then stood up, calmly scanning the room:

"I have finished speaking. Who agrees?"

"Who opposes?!"