"What are you trying to say?" Dragon stared fixedly at Tatsuki, his voice suppressing an anger that was about to explode.
"Don't be nervous."
Tatsuki turned his head, leaning against the railing, and looked at Dragon with burning eyes.
"I'm just wondering, why would someone like you, who has seen the truth of the world, still wear this coat that represents 'Justice'?"
This question ripped open the wound in Dragon's heart that was already bloody.
He fell silent.
The sea breeze howled, making the coat behind him flap loudly.
After a long while, Dragon finally spoke raspily, his tone filled with heavy self-deprecation, "You think it's ridiculous too, don't you?"
He walked to Tatsuki's side, snatched the wine bottle, and without caring if it was clean, tilted his head back and took a big gulp. The pungent liquid burned all the way down his throat to his stomach, but it was far from the burning pain in his heart.
"I was born in the Goa Kingdom in the East Blue, which is called the 'Most Beautiful Country.' But all I saw was the luxury and debauchery of the nobles within the high walls, and the civilians struggling for survival in the trash heap outside the high walls."
Dragon's fingers holding the wine bottle turned white from the force.
"Later I joined the Marines, thinking I could change everything here. But God Valley..."
A flash of painful memory crossed Dragon's eyes.
"Those Celestial Dragons, for their so-called 'treasure hunt game,' wantonly slaughtered the slaves on the island."
"We fought desperately to repel the Rocks Pirates and protect those so-called Celestial Dragons. And the result?"
"A young Marine who was injured was executed on the spot just because his blood splattered on a Celestial Dragon's clothes."
"And our Fleet Admiral, our government, told us to endure, saying it was to maintain the 'order' of the world."
"How ridiculous!"
Dragon suddenly smashed the empty wine bottle hard into the sea, the sound of breaking glass swallowed by the waves.
"I was thinking then, why do we work so hard every day to catch pirates? Is it just to protect this kind of scum and let them rule those unarmed civilians?"
The resentment, pain, and confusion that had accumulated in Dragon's chest for ten years finally found an outlet for catharsis at this moment, facing this seemingly cynical young man.
"Tatsuki, tell me, what exactly is the justice we uphold? If the Marines' justice is to be the blade in the hands of the Celestial Dragons to maintain this rotten order, then this kind of justice is better off without."
Here it comes!
Tatsuki was ecstatic in his heart.
The fish has taken the bait and it's an unprecedentedly big fish.
On the system panel, prompts were refreshing frantically.
[Ding! You are having a deep exchange with the world's key node character 'Monkey D. Dragon'!]
[Ding! The other party's values are being influenced by you, subversion multiplier evaluation in progress...]
[Please note! Every answer you give may trigger a drastic change in the world line!]
Tatsuki suppressed the urge to laugh out loud, his face showing an extremely sorrowful and empathetic expression.
He keenly sensed an opportunity to farm points.
Looking at this man who was full of doubt about the world and about to embark on another path, he knew that every word he said next would be a mental imprint tailored for this future Revolutionary Army leader.
He was going to give this future dragon slayer a little bit of ideological shock from another world.
The night grew deeper, and the sea breeze brushed against their clothes, bringing a touch of coolness.
Dragon's eyes were filled with pain and confusion, like a traveler lost in a thick fog, desperately needing a guiding light.
Tatsuki knew his opportunity had come. He didn't answer Dragon's question immediately, but instead cautiously looked around.
After confirming no one was around, he looked back at Dragon, his expression becoming more serious than ever before.
"Dragon, you ask me what justice is. Before I answer you, I must tell you one thing."
He took a step forward, closing in on Dragon's personal space.
"If those complaints you just uttered were heard by CP0, even if you are Vice Admiral Garp's son, you'd spend the rest of your life counting cockroaches in the Eternal Hell of Impel Down."
Dragon's body jolted, but he didn't back down. Instead, he met Tatsuki's gaze, a flame of determination burning in his eyes.
"If speaking the truth is rebellion, then I'd rather be a rebel. If this is the 'order' the Marines maintain, then I might as well not wear this uniform."
"Good. Well said." Tatsuki suddenly laughed, his smile carrying appreciation and a hint of cunning.
"Now, let me answer your question." Tatsuki's gaze became as sharp as a blade.
"Do you think justice is wrong? No."
"Justice itself is never wrong. Desiring fairness, desiring peace, desiring not to be bullied at will by the strong—these are the simplest wishes of every living being. That is justice."
"What is wrong is not justice. What is wrong are those high and mighty people who define 'justice'."
Boom!
These words were like a thunderclap exploding in Dragon's mind.
He was stunned.
Justice isn't wrong, the people who define justice are wrong?
Seeing Dragon's shocked expression, Tatsuki nodded inwardly with satisfaction and slowly paced to Dragon's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Imagine, Dragon. This world is like a giant tree. If a giant tree's leaves turn yellow, you can prune the branches. But if its roots are rotten from the inside out, what use is pruning the leaves?"
Tatsuki pointed to the fluttering seagull flag above their heads, then pointed toward the distant Mary Geoise.
"We Marines are the gardeners of this tree. We diligently prune the branches every day, catching the pests called pirates. However, the roots of this tree called the world—the World Government and the Celestial Dragons—have completely rotted away."
"When the roots are rotten, no matter how hard we prune, we are only prolonging the life of a rotten tree. Do you think such work has any meaning?"
"Instead of futilely pruning branches, why not... pull it up by the roots?"
"Pull it up by the roots..."
Dragon murmured those words, his body trembling slightly with excitement. He felt his blood burning.
"Then... then what should I do?"
Dragon's voice was hoarse, as if he were calling for help. "Overthrow them? Relying on what? Relying on me alone?"
Tatsuki smiled. "Of course not."
He began to instill into Dragon the "Dragon-slaying arts" that had been verified by countless people in his previous life, using language the people of this world could understand.