88 Chapter 87

"Can't sleep?"

Kujaku was a fellow whom Robin met not a long time ago. Intelligent and sensible, she was probably the only one in this training facility, other than Zephyr, whom Robin bothered to actively talk to.

"So this is why you seemed more tired than the usual recently, huh."

"...It's none of your concern."

"Now now, don't say that." Sliding the wrinkled-up newspaper out of Robin's hand and unfolding it, Kujaku smiled, "Let's see, what may be the cause of our broody girl's worry?"

Exhibiting annoyance, Robin turned her head away, gazing at the moon outside through one window.

"...Ah. About Vice Admiral Smoker's recent arrest." Kujaku spoke softly.

"Don't call him Vice Admiral here." Robin said in a cold manner, "He's no longer a marine, but an imprisoned criminal."

"...Yes, you're right about that one."

Frowning lightly, Kujaku then asked,

"But what wrong has he done to deserve this treatment?"

"He killed the Warlord without a valid reason."

Kujaku's gaze turned into a glare, "For getting rid of pirates, yes he did."

With a stoic expression, Robin shifted her eyes at Kujaku, "He disobeyed the World Government by doing so."

Kujaku refuted heatedly, with her previous calmness gone, "We aren't the Government's dogs!"

"...Eh, what's going on?"

"Ugh... so loud..."

Having momentarily forgotten the fact that Robin wasn't using the room alone, Kujaku's words managed to wake others up from their slumber. One among them was Ain, one of the trainees who's been staying in this facility for the longest time.

"Orobi? Kujaku?" Standing up, Ain questioned the two in a displeased tone, "What are you two doing there, talking at midnight?"

Placing her hands on her waist, she awaited the answer from Robin, who stared back at her impassively, and Kujaku, who was sweating in nervousness.

And at this time, Robin's brain, quickly processing the current circumstance, reached one conclusion.

Kujaku gulped as she spoke up, "Ha... haha, you see, I just got up to go to the washroom. And then I happened to—"

"Ain. Don't you think the current Marine is rotten?"

And then, Robin dropped the bomb all of a sudden—in front of all her peers.

__________

"...How's Rosinante?"

After waking up from his trance, Sengoku asked in concern.

"He was fine when I last saw him," Stated Smoker, "though I left him with a couple of kids to take care of. But no worries; there also are Aramaki, Hina, and that new dude named Senor Pink to help out."

"...Haa," Sengoku let out a deep sigh, emotionally driven by the approaching calamity. With a grimace, he then said,

"Will you tell me what happened since your last departure?"

Smoker looked at Sengoku in a blank expression, before cracking a small smile.

"...Sure."

And so, he did. The abrupt attack from the Martini pirates, the horrible condition in Flevance, assault of three Vice Admirals, fight against Crocodile after Cancer, Mozambia, and Strawberry's deaths, and the CP0 agent named 'Pierro'—he spoke all of them without leaving anything out. During the entire way, Sengoku listened in silence, with his face gradually darkening as the story continued on.

"And that pretty much sums it up."

Placing his hand over his forehead, Sengoku sighed once more.

"...Just how deep have we fallen." Mumbled Sengoku. With a dark expression, his sunken eyes dazed into the air, "What is the Marine's identity? Are we the protectors of justice or the hired workers of the World Government?"

Sengoku then closed his eyes and shook his head,

"I used to believe that the reason why the world was able to sustain up to this far, was thanks to the good will behind the World Government's actions. Though their orders may be questionable sometimes, I thought that in the end, they will prove the 'Reigning Justice'... I suppose that I was naïve."

"..."

Smoker, not bothering to reply, poured himself a cup of water, for he saw this as a great opportunity to quench his thirst. As Sengoku sighed, Smoker raised the cup up and chugged the water down—

"...Yesterday, Garp threatened me to free you. He said that if I don't do that, he will quit Marine." Sengoku stated, "His act was a wake-up call for me. If even that idiot understands how corrupt the current—"

"…W-what? Pffff—"

—before spraying it all over Sengoku's face, surprised by the Fleet Admiral's information.

"Bwahahaha! He said that?!"

Sengoku, whose entire face became drenched in water and Smoker's saliva, sat with his face twitching in anger.

"YOU BRAT—"

"W-wait, Sengoku-san!! I'm still cuffed with these seastones, you know?! M-Mercy—"

BOOM!

…

A few moments later, Smoker was lying on the ground with his face swollen in a comical manner. Clenching his fists tight, the fuming Sengoku clicked his tongue, "You even have the same laugh as that Garp!! For Nika's sake, do I seriously have to deal with two of you now?!!"

"...Well," Smoker spoke through his swollen lips, which, astonishingly, were returning back to normal size at a rapid pace, "You shouldn't have made it funny then. I mean, a Marine Hero quitting Marine... heh, just think about it."

"What part of that is funny?! It's a serious matter!!" Sengoku growled while massaging his temple, before taking in a deep breath to calm himself down. Meanwhile, Smoker fully recovered already and sat back up—somehow being able to muster enough strength to move by himself now, even when he's under the effect of seastones.

"Now, back to the topic. We don't have much time left."

Sengoku said in a serious tone,

"You must've seen Ice Witch in the same cell as you."

Smoker nodded in an equally serious demeanour, knowing that it wasn't the time to joke around.

"Caught and brought in by 'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach, she was utilized as the proof that he is fitting for the title of Warlord." Sengoku lifted up his right index and middle finger, "With this, Whitebeard now has two reasons to move; one, to rescue Ice Witch, and two, to deal with Blackbeard who's officially the 'hired worker' of the Government. At this rate... the battle against Whitebeard pirates is inevitable, and there's more."

BAM! Curling up his hands into a fist and slamming it down on the table, Sengoku gritted his teeth, "Kaidou of the 'Beast,' that warmongering filth... he's also begun to move—toward here!"

'…Huh.'

The canon event that he's read through in his previous life flashed through Smoker's vision. The Marineford War—the all-out war between Whitebeard pirates and Marine.

'Back then, Kaidou also moved—doing the same as what he's doing right now. Why wasn't he part of the war again—shit.'

Smoker found his head hurting.

'Red Hair Shanks. He hasn't even been seen for quite some time, and I doubt that he's able to match Kaidou in terms of strength right now. Kaidou on top of Whitebeard...'

"Sounds like an absolute clusterfuck."

Sengoku agreed grimly, "...Though your way of expressing such thought is vulgar… indeed."

For the past few days, Sengoku's been thinking of ways to minimize the loss. Lives, money, reputation, relationship with the World Government—he's been thinking of ways to preserve all of them and successfully lead Marine through this adversity.

However, he saw no way out. One or the other, some of the said values had to be sacrificed to preserve the others.

The burden on his shoulders was surreal, and Sengoku came to wonder what he's doing here, showing his concern in front of the 18-year-old.

"...The World Government promised support. Troops from various kingdoms and on top of that, Cipher Pol agents. This is a double-edged sword, for this so-called support also serves as an implication that they've been preparing for this war. But then,"

Sengoku felt as if he was trapped in the dark. With even his friend, Garp, acting like he never has before, he didn't know what to follow.

"For what reason are marines placing their lives at stake? What is the significance of this upcoming war?" Sengoku lamented, "Is defeating the 'Strongest Man In the World' our goal? Is luring Kaidou out our goal? Is Whitey Bay truly worth the countless lives?"

He didn't like it. No, he hated it. In this situation that the Marine was trapped in, he felt that,

"Are we nothing but the chess pieces for those Five Elders to use?!"

the World Government wasn't treating them as human beings.

"..."

Smoker, sitting still, didn't bother to say anything in return. He simply waited as Sengoku breathed rapidly after his rant. In a collected state, he observed as Sengoku calmed down, and said lazily, "Are you done whining?"

Sengoku, chuckling weakly, then sighed, "...Yes. Yes, I am."

"Alright. Now hear my thought."

Then, Smoker said something completely out of Sengoku's expectation,

"Release Whitey Bay."

Sengoku's eyebrow twitched, having heard something that should never be spoken by a marine—words of 'releasing' a renowned pirate. However, he then realized that there was more for Smoker to say,

"...Elaborate."

Smoker, recalling what decision Whitebeard made in regard to Oden's death in Wano, spoke astutely,

"As far as I can tell, Whitebeard is a sensible person by nature. He knows that going to a war such as this will cost him many lives of his 'sons and daughters.'

Rather than revenge, he will pursue peace within his family. if we were to free Whitey Bay, Whitebeard's anger will solely be directed at Blackbeard and the World Government who accepted his deal."

Sengoku opened his mouth, about to retort, but Smoker then raised his finger up, effectively shutting down the Fleet Admiral.

"'Ice Witch' will die, but Whitey Bay will live on. Search for a female prisoner of similar characteristics as Whitey Bay. The appearance doesn't have to be exactly the same, since most didn't even get to see her face-to-face. In Whitey Bay's stead, said female will be executed."

"...The World Government will notice right away. They will—"

"Are you afraid to face them, Fleet Admiral?"

Sengoku stiffened up, unable to say anything in response. Directing his eyes away from the man, Smoker thought of all that he's gone through up until now.

And boy, life was harsh, whether it be the past or the present. Standing in front of many crossroads, he was forced to make decisions—just like Sengoku at the current moment.

"You asked if we are the protectors of justice or the hired workers of the Government, if we are the human beings or the simple pawns at their disposal. And you know what?"

Raising his right hand up, Smoker looked at the seastone cuff around his wrist.

"You, the Fleet Admiral, are the one who decides which is the correct answer."

'...'

Sengoku couldn't help but watch in dumbfounded expression as Smoker relaxed his body and leaned back in his seat. He thought, 'Is this what you meant by the future of Marine, Garp?'

Hanazumi was old and conservative. Sakazuki was extreme and far too rigid. Borsalino was lazy and self-centric, concerned about his safety only. Coupled with the majority of Vice Admirals being satisfied with their current way of living, the 'water' named Marine has stopped moving, and the water that sits still eventually rots beyond return.

It was the time for the new generation to replace the old. Though the shifts in tide may bring forth an unclear future, if sitting still will result in an inevitable damnation, then it was worth the risk.

"...Then what."

Therefore, Sengoku asked hoarsely,

"After freeing Whitey Bay and executing 'Ice Witch,' what happens."

"Actually, before that,"

With a victorious grin, Smoker raised up his arms,

"You replace these with non-seastone ones."