Chapter 163: Justice (3)

"In the end... what is justice?"

The civilians gather their hands together and pray for a better future.

In this chaos of a world, as they read the final message that Morgans left, they nonetheless hope—for a miracle to happen,

for justice to be served.

"..."

Imu, finding himself in a dark space where nothing was present, stood blankly, confused.

"I..."

He gazed at his wood-made hands. Clenching and opening back his palms repeatedly, he muttered in resignation,

"So... I... lost...?"

It was his utter, inexcusable defeat.

However, he wasn't able to accept this truth.

"...How?"

At last, he said to himself.

"How is it possible that I lost? To that... that nobody?!"

He was no longer the 'Mu' that he claimed to be, and his subconsciousness was already aware. However, it was the denial that he succumbed to, as a means of protecting his mentality, one that was in the process of crumbling down.

"Nobody?"

Then, a voice was heard.

Imu's eyes widened.

In front of him, there stood Smoker, the only being who seemed to glow in this space.

"Who do you think you are to decide who I am?"

He raised his hand. Between his outstretched fingers, a cigarette appeared.

'...For you, Sakazuki and Borsalino.'

Biting it with his teeth, the cigarette lit aflame. Puffing out the smoke, Smoker maintained his impassive gaze on Imu.

"Kneel."

Imu found a crushing force atop him. Unable to resist the force, Imu's knees yielded, and he was now looking up at Smoker with trembling eyes.

Smoker's eyes gleamed of might,

"Can you hear it?"

Yes, Imu could.

The sounds of people screaming in pain.

These were the fragments of memories. The memories that contained suffering, one that was designated by Imu to maintain the 'balance' of the world.

The pirates raiding and pillaging villages. The civilians being enslaved. The minorities being discriminated.

Torture, poverty, starvation, enslavement, war, discrimination, and many more—Imu couldn't do anything but watch what he brought to the world.

"You stripped everything away from them, from us. No food, no place to call it home... nothing but despair, such that we will be occupied by our misery, that we won't have the time to look up.

But you see,"

You've severely underestimated the malice of humanity.

Because people were taken everything away from them, they unified under hatred, under the name of the Revolutionary Army.

Righteousness? No.

It was the hatred for the World Government that drove them forth—including himself.

It was for their own better future, for their own interest, that they decided to fight against the World Government.

No matter how much Smoker mentioned righteousness, he was aware of this fact. And hence, came,

"Nothing is absolute."

his favourite phrase.

"And now, justice shall be served."

Because it was impossible to be perfect and absolute, righteousness was the ideal that was impossible to reach. Through Sakazuki and Borsalino, Smoker realized this truth, that he himself, to some extent, was a hypocrite.

It was because justice was flawed, that it was truthful to the nature of humanity.

Unlike righteousness, it could contain the malice of humanity.

Smoker raised his hand, and on it, a blade, completely white in contrast to the black surroundings, appeared.

"And this justice of mine... I shall call it the 'White Justice.'"

White. It was a blank canvas, and because of such a character, anything could be drawn.

White Justice. It was the very representation of human nature. Because Smoker believed in how evil humans could get, he also believed in their morality.

"Simply be who you are... execute your enemies, protect your close ones, and act on behalf of your morality—to persecute the wrong and make this society a better place to live in, day by day."

What Imu was witnessing at the final moment of his life, was the birth of something bright.

Unlike his cowardly self, Smoker acknowledged and accepted the flaws.

And upon understanding this, Imu found his eyes closing. The denial in him diminished, and he finally accepted,

"...It's my loss."

Smoker's blade was swung. The wooden doll was decapitated.

The space began to crumble, and the dark space was gone. Only the bright white remained all around him, and Smoker, with the cigarette still smoking in his mouth, closed his eyes.

"And at last,"

Smoker breathed,

"We have arrived."

Then, the area surrounding Smoker flashed in a blinding light,

and the light faded, Smoker found his eyes staring at the blue sky above him.

The wind gently blew. The cool and slimy sensation was felt from his back.

The sound of water splashing entered his ears. Confused, Smoker slowly lifted his body,

and saw thousands of sea creatures—be it small planktons or gigantic whales—swimming all around him, as he was lying atop a Sea King that seemed joyful upon noticing his awake.

"This is..."

Smoker was about to question but stopped. Finding a pleasant smile making its way onto his face, Smoker simply sat and watched the view around him, enjoying this moment of peace.

A melody entered his ears, although no one was singing it aloud.

The ocean sees the beginning of the world,

and the ocean knows the end of the world.

Thus, it calls us towards the way we must take.

Thus, it leads us towards a proper world.

Enveloping pain and suffering,

greatly and kindly wrapping them up.

The ocean sees the beginning of the world,

and the ocean knows the end of the world.

Even if I were to disappear,

the omniscient ocean leads the way.

I must not fear, because you are here.

I must not be timid, because my comrades wait for me.

We must advance towards the blue horizon.

"...All of you,"

Said Smoker, as he reminisced about all his dead colleagues, civilians, and acquaintances who were the targets of injustice.

"Rest in peace."

And the island—Momoiro island—finally entered his sight at last, one where the war was still ongoing.

Standing up with his exhausted body, Smoker began his last steps on this day, in order to put a resolution to this war.

__________

Everyone, bewildered and shocked, stood still as they witnessed the unbelievable phenomena unfold in front of them.

First, the sea level went down by numerous folds as the land mass of Momoiro island suddenly became a whole lot larger.

Second, the red and ominous aura rippled throughout the sky before dissipating. After, it was nowhere to be seen, making many wonder what it was about.

And last, the countless sea creatures swam toward the island, much to the confusion of everyone on the site—especially the fish men.

Tensei's body shivered from the educated fear. The site of the white-haired man, Smoker, entered his sight, standing on top of the biggest sea creature among all.

Kong shook his head in disbelief. He, who personally witnessed the might of Nerona Imu, wasn't able to believe that Smoker, the youngster who wasn't even a Marine Officer by the time of his resignation in Marine, was able to defeat such a being.

"Bwahahaha—cough cough—hahahaha—"

The moment Garp sighted Smoker, he laughed hysterically.

Dragon, standing next to Garp, widened his eyes as he stared at Smoker in wonder.

The moment Smoker showed up, many felt that any furthermore war was pointless. They, dropping their weapons, fell to their butts, with their bodies having lost the tension.

However, some seemed to believe otherwise.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!"

Doberman cried as he wildly swung his blade around, chasing the marines away from his proximity,

"FIGHT!!!! SHOW THE MIGHT OF THE MARINE!!!! DIE GLORIOUSLY THAN TO LIVE HIDEOUSLY!!!!"

The Marine Officers and World Government officials acted up, roaring in an insanity.

"WHOEVER TRIES TO RUN AWAY WILL BE KILLED BY ME!!!! CHOOSE, WHETHER TO DIE BRAVELY OR COWARDLY!!!!"

Onigumo slayed one near-most marine in an attempt to set an example.

"FIGHT UNTIL YOUR END!!!! MUST I SPEAK MORE?!!!"

Kong growled as his mind returned to reality. Clenching his fists tightly, he caught that Smoker wasn't in a normal state. As a last resort, he began dashing straight at Smoker,

"DIE, WHITE HUNTER!!!"

Smoker, with calm eyes, stepped on the land of Momoiro island and watched the rapid approach of Kong.

At the next moment, the pillar of ice and numerous trees rose around Kong and blocked his blow from reaching Smoker.

"YOU...!!!!"

Kong growled as he glared at two individuals who appeared in front of Smoker: Kuzan and Aramaki.

"Ararara, you're getting way too pitiful here, Kong."

Kuzan commented.

"Rahahaha! As if we'd sit by and watch that happen!"

Aramaki laughed in a mockery of Kong.

"Ha..."

Sengoku, who was caught off guard by Kong's sudden action, sighed in relief.

"FIGHT!!!!!"

In this state, the Marine Officers endlessly chanted, forcing the continuation of war on the soldiers.

"Our allegiances... forever belong to the World government!!"

A Cipher Pol agent said as he dashed out at the Revolutionary Army.

Tensei, biting on his lips, attempted to bypass Hina and attack Smoker.

"As if Hina would watch that happen."

With Tensei's attention fully on Smoker, Hina was given the gap of time to act,

"Kimono Sleeve Cage!"

The fence-like cage of bars sprouted out of her arms, which she slammed together onto Tensei.

"...!!"

By the time Tensei realized, he was bound by the thick iron rings. With his legs too bound together, he tripped and fell, unable to move.

However, in this sliver of time, Tokikake managed to push Gion away and escape her pursuit.

With his eyes narrowed, Tokikake suddenly leaped toward Smoker, trying to achieve what Kong wasn't able to.

"Shit!!"

Gion cursed as she hurriedly ran after Tokikake,

"SMOKER!!! WATCH OUT!!!"

"Ha?!"

Aramaki raised an eyebrow before acting immediately to prevent Tokikake's approach. However, Kong was above him at this point.

"Ice,"

Kuzan appeared between Aramaki and Kong and caught Kong's hand with his palm,

"Time!"

Kong's entire body was frozen in an instant. However, Kuzan was blasted downward and crashed on Aramaki.

Tokikake was now right in front of Smoker, with his Haki-imbued sword ready to stab into Smoker's exposed chest—

"..."

—except that Tokikake was unable to move.

"...Huh?"

Tokikake shed a cold sweat as his entire body trembled. Along with him, the entire ground quaked, putting all the enemies in dread.

It was Smoker's Conqueror's Haki. In the might of such a Haki, Tokikake's body gave in, unable to resist the oppression.

Thud.

Tokikake fell to his knees with his sword having fallen out of his hands.

And that's when Tokikake realized, the justice coat that fluttered on Smoker's back.

"In case you haven't realized, Admiral Chaton,"

Smoker opened his mouth as he gazed at Tokikake impassively,

"I am your superior. Though it won't be for long."

As if the time was frozen, everyone stood still. And in this moment, Smoker resumed his walk, walking toward the center of the battlefield.

"...Huh."

Bastille then mumbled,

"You are a Fleet Admiral now?"

"I suppose so."

Coming to a stop at the center of the battlefield, Smoker shrugged.

Doberman gritted his teeth so tight as he glared at Smoker. His eyes, filled with denial, seemed to reflect his chaotic mind. At last, he screamed once more,

"KILL—"

"Close that stench-filled mouth for one second, Vice Admiral All-Bark-And-No-Bite."

Smoker eyed Doberman, and Doberman found his mouth closed, with the fear creeping down his spine.

Kuma, who watched Smoker from the back, gulped in anticipation.

Scratching the back of his head, Smoker began speaking,

"Simply put, the Five Elders and that guy named Imu are gone."

Kong, who managed to break out of the ice, fell on the ground out of resignation as if heard a death sentence.

"It was done through the combined effort of Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, Admiral Borsalino, and me."

"Sakazuki? Him?"

Robin frowned as she recalled the event in Ohara a long time ago.

"..."

Tsuru listened with her arms crossed.

"During their final moment, they passed on their will to me—to redefine justice. In other words... reshape the Marine or whatever this dog of the World Government is."

Staring at every one of the Marine Officers whom the Revolutionary Army fought, Smoker then stated,

"And all of you are fired. Fuck off—actually, never mind. Stay put so that we can have you arrested."

"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

Garp laughed at that, rolling on the ground.

Sengoku, standing with a blank expression, blinked as he saw Garp's reaction.

Then, he found himself chuckling lightly, somehow finding this situation just as amusing as Garp.

"...So, it's over?"

At the back, Arlong muttered in disappointment.