Chapter 117 Ally of Justice

Can someone tell me what is happening right now?! Kuzan couldn't help but roar internally.

I just came here to soak in a hot spring! How did I end up running into you, of all people?! Did I owe you something in my past life?! Seeing Lin Yan smiling at him, even Kuzan wanted to flip the table in his mind. There should be a limit to how mysteriously you appear!

However, once he regained his composure, Kuzan's expression instantly turned wary, with half of his body instantly covered in solid ice, ready for battle! He couldn't afford to be careless. The man in front of him was no longer the unknown rookie of the Whitebeard Pirates. He had participated in the Paramount War by himself, nearly overwhelming the entire Navy, and ultimately escaped from a group of top-tier fighters using some bizarre means! Any one of these feats was enough to make Lin Yan famous across the seas! Even someone as proud as one of the three Admirals, Kuzan, didn't dare claim he could defeat Lin Yan! Escaping from him might even be difficult!

"Don't be so tense, we're here to soak in the hot springs, and you're here for the same reason. Besides, I've heard you're no longer a Navy Admiral, so we have no reason to be enemies anymore," Lin Yan laughed heartily in response to Kuzan's extreme vigilance.

Kuzan paused upon hearing this. He had to admit, it made sense. Now that he was no longer a Navy Admiral and no longer represented the Navy's justice, even though Lin Yan was still a pirate, at least in terms of stance, they were no longer enemies. Most importantly, it seemed that this man had no intention of making a move here. With this thought, Kuzan hesitated for a moment, eventually retracting the ice on his body.

"Why are you here?" Kuzan frowned as he looked at Lin Yan.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm here to soak in the hot springs. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised to see you here too," Lin Yan began to lie through his teeth.

Kuzan snorted coldly at this, clearly unconvinced. He couldn't believe that the renowned 17th Division Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates came here just to soak in the hot springs. And coincidentally ran into him. How could such a coincidence exist? Moreover, there was another issue. Should he enter or not? Seeing Lin Yan's smiling face, even Kuzan hesitated for a moment.

On the other hand, Zephyr was clearly not as composed as Lin Yan. "He actually... came?" Zephyr's eyes widened as he looked at Kuzan. He looked like he had seen a ghost. He never expected that Kuzan, who had disappeared for two weeks, would actually appear in front of him. Even though Lin Yan had explained beforehand, after two weeks, Zephyr's suspicion had grown stronger than his trust. After all, this situation was a bit mystical. But now, the facts were right in front of him! Kuzan was right before his eyes, and Lin Yan's prediction was completely accurate! Even with Zephyr's composure, he was stunned for a moment before letting out a deep breath. "Lin was right, Kuzan, since you're here, let's talk." Suppressing the shock in his heart, Zephyr spoke calmly to Kuzan. "After all, you're no longer a Navy Admiral, right?"

"Teacher Zephyr? You're here too?" Hearing Zephyr's voice, Kuzan, who had been focusing on Lin Yan, finally noticed there was another person present. It showed how wary he was of Lin Yan. He didn't even notice there was someone else there. However, a moment later, Kuzan's expression turned complex. Even though they had parted ways, the man before him was still his teacher. That bond was not so easily forgotten. At least for now, Kuzan couldn't be as ruthless as Akainu.

".... Then I guess I'll intrude." After hesitating for a long time, Kuzan finally let out a breath, walked into the hot spring, and sat across from Lin Yan and Zephyr. Clearly, he was tentatively accepting their explanation.

Seeing Kuzan sit down, Lin Yan's eyes flashed slightly. Although he was indeed here to recruit Kuzan, he didn't want to seem too hasty. With this thought, Lin Yan smiled and spoke. "How does it feel to resign from the Navy?"

".... A bit more relaxed." Although he didn't consider Lin Yan a friend, the other's non-hostile attitude won Kuzan some favor. Thinking it over, Kuzan exhaled and replied.

"Feeling a bit more relaxed, huh? That sounds like something you would say." Seemingly unsurprised by Kuzan's answer, Lin Yan laughed again. "So now, do you still uphold that so-called lazy justice?"

"...." Kuzan fell silent. His previously calm eyes sharpened once more. "What do you mean by that?" Kuzan's face carried a hint of anger as he stared directly at Lin Yan, as if demanding an explanation.

Lazy justice? Even though he was no longer an Admiral, Kuzan wouldn't deny that his heart had been worn down significantly while in the Navy, but he had never abandoned his sense of justice. Even after leaving the Navy! Kuzan wouldn't allow anyone to deny this!

"Forget it, it seems you haven't understood my meaning yet. Perhaps it's too early to discuss this topic. Let me ask you another question, Kuzan, what do you think your next steps should be?" Seeing the faint anger on Kuzan's face, Lin Yan waved his hand dismissively and asked another question.

"..." The anger on Kuzan's face softened. Although he wasn't entirely sure what Lin Yan meant. It seemed he wasn't denying his sense of justice. As for what he should do next... Kuzan touched his chin and pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, snapping his fingers. "Maybe I'll try becoming an ally of justice, who knows?"

"An ally of justice?" Hearing Kuzan's answer, Lin Yan's face momentarily showed a wry smile, then his eyes sparkled as he looked at Kuzan. "Are you serious?"

"Of course, since I've left the Navy, I want to do something I truly believe in." Kuzan answered without hesitation. So Lin Yan laughed again.

"Who would've thought that a former Navy Admiral could have such a naive idea? Kuzan, do you know what it takes to become an ally of justice..." As he spoke, Lin Yan's expression turned serious, his gaze becoming extremely intense. "What price you'll have to pay?"