Chapter 394: The Darkness of the Pirate World
"Defect?"
Aokiji replied with a blank expression, "Are you joking, Shanks?"
Even he found the idea ridiculous.
If Shanks were trying to recruit an average marine, maybe—
but he was a Marine Admiral, one of the Navy's highest combat forces.
Did Shanks think a few words were enough to make him turn traitor?
"No, I'm completely serious."
Shanks's face turned solemn. "You're not fit to be a marine, Kuzan. Join me—become an adventurer."
"Ridiculous, Shanks."
Aokiji exhaled cold breath. A strange irritability flared within him.
The fighting spirit that had just died down reignited,
and the tension between them thickened once again.
To say he wasn't suited for the Navy—
was to question the very core of his justice.
After upholding justice for so many years and rising to the rank of Admiral,
Aokiji being challenged on his belief was naturally infuriating.
This was a person's faith—
no different than Luffy's dream to be the freest man at sea, or Sanji's wish to eat the Clear-Clear Fruit.
When beliefs were denied in higher-level worlds, it could even lead to corruption and pollution.
Already,
Aokiji had nearly killed the Straw Hats because of Robin's deception.
He had barely reined himself in, choosing to continue observing his own sense of justice—
and then Shanks had to come say this?
Even if he couldn't match Shanks in strength,
Aokiji wouldn't hesitate to fight if it came to that.
Shanks pressed on. "If you were truly committed to Navy justice, no one would've survived the Ohara incident."
Bang.
The ground erupted with dozens of icy spears shooting up from below.
Shanks casually shifted his stance, avoiding every single one,
and stood calmly between the crisscrossing spears.
He didn't counterattack. He simply said, "Navy justice doesn't suit you."
Aokiji scowled and retorted, "The Navy now operates independently of the World Government. Shanks, your attempts to provoke me are childish."
It was true—
the Navy had committed many acts that disappointed Aokiji, blurring the lines between good and evil.
But those misdeeds had stemmed from the World Government's influence.
Now, with the help of the Reincarnation Game, the Marine Alliance had broken free.
It was a new and independent force of justice.
"This isn't provocation."
Despite Aokiji's hostility, Shanks remained intent on recruiting him.
Then—another voice joined the conversation.
A blind man with a purple cane approached, standing beside Shanks.
His aura felt eerily similar to Shanks's.
"An Asura?"
Aokiji lifted his eyes, quickly recognizing the man.
Fujitora.
A Gravity-Gravity Fruit user. Honest, upright, with a strong sense of justice.
His game class was Asura.
The Marine Alliance had once tried to recruit him.
And while Fujitora had once held the Navy in high regard,
he had ultimately refused—and chosen to join the Adventurers' Guild.
Aokiji had read his profile. That's how he recognized him.
"Admiral Aokiji."
Fujitora bowed respectfully.
His glasses fogged up in the cold air. Aokiji frowned. "You rejected the Navy and abandoned justice. And now you want to turn me as well?"
Truthfully, he had always been curious about Fujitora's choice.
By any measure,
the Navy was the greatest force for peace in the world—
not a bunch of adventurers chasing chaos.
How could someone like Fujitora make such a decision?
Fujitora shook his head. "I thought long and hard, and I came to believe that President Shanks's vision is the true justice."
"Delusional nonsense!"
"Admiral Aokiji, has your great power made you lose your way?"
Fujitora's tone turned hard. "I care about the safety of ordinary people, not serving the Navy's hollow sense of justice. Isn't that reason enough to refuse?"
"'Hollow justice'?"
Aokiji's expression darkened. "Fujitora, who do you think is maintaining order on these seas?"
If not for the Navy's patrols, countless countries would've already fallen to pirate chaos.
Many young marines had died for that order—he wouldn't let anyone slander them.
But then Fujitora asked calmly, "And has that brought any real change to the lives of the common people?"
"Of course it has. The Navy captures pirates—"
Aokiji began to argue, but Fujitora cut him off.
"I visited countless towns and nations before I declined the Navy's offer.
The Navy's independence didn't improve things.
Civilians are still drowning in suffering."
"In fact, some are worse off than before."
Aokiji didn't reply. Doubt flickered in his eyes.
The Marine Alliance had grown immensely powerful thanks to the Reincarnation Game.
Most scattered pirate crews had already been eliminated.
How could civilians be worse off?
Fujitora sighed. "Admiral Aokiji, do you think pirates are the only enemy civilians face?"
"The World Government has become the God Race.
The Heavenly Tribute tax? It's now a divine offering.
Every nation must sacrifice massive resources to these so-called gods."
"Has the Navy ever stepped in to stop it?"
Aokiji remained silent.
Though the Navy had broken from the World Government, they still maintained a delicate alliance.
Of course they wouldn't provoke them over such issues.
After a long pause, Aokiji finally said,
"When I return, I'll speak with the Fleet Admiral. We'll try to lower the tribute."
Canceling it outright was impossible—
but reducing it might improve things for the people.
Fujitora sneered. "And then the Navy will just take the surplus for themselves?"
Aokiji caught the implication. "What do you mean?"
From what he knew,
the Navy's resources mainly came from a portion of player rewards earned during monster hunts,
with some from the military budgets of nations under naval protection.
Bang!
Fujitora slammed his purple cane on the ground, the sound ringing sharply.
His face was grim.
"Ask Fleet Admiral Sengoku yourself.
Ask those branch commanders—
where did they get the resources to train so many top-tier players?"
"They sold civilians like livestock in exchange with local nobles!"
"The Four Seas are overrun with slavery!"
"Some have even secretly collaborated with the World Government, kidnapped Vegapunk,
and used his science to extract zombie toxins from the corrupted world—injecting it into civilians to infect entire towns, turning them into undead for easy hunt farming and reward gain!"
Fujitora revealed the unspeakable horrors.
He hadn't believed it either—until he saw it for himself.
Only then did he realize how cheap the high-ranking elite and nobles saw human life.
"That's impossible…"
Aokiji's eyes widened, and cold sweat slid down his temple—freezing mid-drip.
The Marine Alliance… could not have done such things.
Would Fleet Admiral Sengoku really allow it?
Did Vice Admiral Tsuru know?
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