In the distance, two figures, one clad in blue, the other in yellow, also turned their gaze toward Zephyr.
During this period, Zephyr made a lot of moves in the Marines, but in the end, he gave up on them himself, which attracted the attention of many people.
Naturally, they were aware of their teacher's thoughts.
What intrigued them even more was Zephyr's current perspective on the Marines and the world; what kind of belief could rekindle the fire in an old man nearing seventy?
Yet before Zephyr could continue, Gawain spoke the words he was about to say: "The Marines are just a tool for the World Government to maintain stability."
"In essence, it is no different from pirates, just a part of the big cycle."
"The exorbitant Heavenly Tribute stifles the development and military strength of affiliated countries, while the existence of pirates forces them to rely on the World Government's protection."
"The more they rely on the military force of the World Government to protect themselves, the more they will inevitably become poor because of Heavenly Tribute, and they will become more dependent on the World Government."
"And those civilians who can't survive under the oppression of the World Government, the only way to survive is to set sail and become pirates."
"The growing pirate population further destabilizes both affiliated and non-affiliated nations."
"The former, already impoverished by the Heavenly Tribute, can only cling tighter to the World Government's protection, enduring endless exploitation. The nobles shift the burden onto the civilians, pushing even more people to the brink."
"The latter, faced with an ever-expanding pirate menace and lacking the power to protect themselves, find their only option is to become an affiliated country, thus falling into the same vicious cycle as the former."
"Meanwhile, the Marines, spread across the world, serve as a pressure valve."
"Under the Marines's absolute military might."
"Most countries dare not challenge the order imposed by the World Government, knowing their fate would be no different from Ohara's."
"A single country alone stands no chance against the Marines."
"In this entire structure, justice is both the least needed and the most needed thing."
Gawain glanced at Aokiji and Kizaru on the side, and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth: "The World Government needs this flag to whitewash its behavior."
"The Marines holding the butcher sword need a strong enough reason to convince themselves to overcome the moral values rooted in their hearts."
"And to achieve this, there is nothing better than the flag of absolute justice."
"Killing innocent people is for justice, destroying an affiliated country is for justice, and submerging a period of history is also for justice..."
"Heh."
"Fuck justice!"
As the voice fell, the three people present were quiet for a while, and Aokiji was even more stunned.
Decades of marine education made him instinctively want to refute because Gawain's words could almost be said to be a shame to the Marines and the World Government.
The darkness in it has reached a point that he, as an admiral, cannot accept.
"This..."
Aokiji opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.
He just felt the surging emotions in his heart that almost set him on fire.
But after searching his mind for a long time, he couldn't find a suitable reason to refute Gawain's point of view.
This just proves that Gawain's statement is very likely to be right, and it really touches the real side of this world.
A side that he has never seen.
Is justice really that important?
Of course, it is important!
Even people like Akainu need an absolutely firm belief to support him in executing his almost paranoid justice.
But if one day, the justice that Akainu believes in completely collapses, and he realizes that he is just an executioner in the hands of the World Government, what expression will he have…
What expression will Sengoku, who has always believed that he created the current stable pattern of the ocean, have?
The more he thought about it, Aokiji felt his scalp tingling.
"Hey, Borsalino, you..."
He turned his head to look at Kizaru but saw that the latter's pupils were constantly shrinking, and he could only murmur in a low voice: "Is there really someone who can do this?!"
"In addition to Vegapunk, there are actually other people whose insight can reach this level?!"
"But Vegapunk relied on the countless knowledge stored in the Brain-Brain Fruit and spent decades summarizing it before he saw this layer."
"What about him? How long did it take him? Or is there really someone in this world who knows everything at birth?!"
After a few seconds, Kizaru came to his senses and realized that Aokiji was standing next to him. He turned his head and met Aokiji's shocked eyes.
"You already knew about this? So that's why your justice is the so-called Unclear Justice..."
Aokiji suddenly realized: "Ambiguity can be vague, but it can also be justice that does not agree with everyone but is powerless to change the status quo."
"I finally understand why Mr. Zephyr values White Knight Gawain so much."
"Damn it!"
"He is the one who should be in the Marines; he's one who could truly change the world!"
Aokiji couldn't help but burst out with swear words. It was really too much information that he had endured today, almost directly overturning his worldview of decades.
But he knew more clearly that with Gawain's narration, he was peeling off the appearance of the world and seeing the most real and cruel side.
Gawain's thinking height is already countless levels ahead of his own.
Today may be the moment when he finds justice, not the false appearance constructed by the World Government, but the real justice!
Aokiji's premonition is getting stronger and stronger.
His sight also fell on the two people who were still talking in the distance, and he subconsciously took out a Recording Den Den Mushi from his arms.
"Beep!"
The recording of Den Den Mushi started.
Zephyr, who had been silent all this time, also spoke at this time, with an unconcealed exclamation in his tone: "That's right."
"Your intuition and your insight have surpassed this era."
"If I couldn't find out your past, I really would suspect that you are an existence that has traveled from the future, no, from that huge kingdom in the past."
"This world built by the World Government and dominated by the Celestial Dragons is rotten, but it cannot be changed by the power of the Marines alone."
"So..."
Zephyr's tone was sincere: "If possible, I want to know what you think of the current Marines and what expectations you have for it."
"Only by reshaping the will of the Marines can this world be truly changed!"
"Reshaping the will of the Marines?"
Zephyr was interrupted by Gawain before he finished speaking.
The latter's eyes fell on Zephyr with pity.
Gawain has respect for the old man in front of him.
Looking back at the entire pirate world, from the Rocks era more than 30 years ago to the great pirate era that Roger has set off.
There are many strong men in the Marines, and there have been so many admirals that you can't count them with two hands.
When it came to peak combat strength, Zephyr wasn't exactly at the top, not even close. In fact, he was more likely to be ranked in the middle or lower tiers. However, when it came to firm belief in justice, few could compare to him.
It can be said that it is this firmness that has not wavered, even if he loses everything that has made his past glory and limited his pattern.
This is not because he is not smart enough.
On the contrary, to be able to become an admiral and even cultivate the current three admirals of the Marines, as well as countless Marines officers, Zephyr's mind must be one of the most outstanding people of his generation.
What really limits him is this era.