Trafalgar Law's Decision

Marineford, headquarters hospital.

"Your wounds are healing nicely. You can get out of bed and take a few slow steps today."

The military doctor had barely finished speaking when Rosinante hurriedly threw back the covers and shifted toward the edge of the bed. His legs gave way, and he nearly knocked the glass of water off the bedside table.

Ron reacted quickly, opening a small door and catching the glass.

"Brother, looks like there really is no curing your clumsiness."

"Shut up! My legs are just numb from lying down so long!"

The door to the ward opened, and Sengoku walked in carrying a document. He first glanced at Rosinante's bandages, and only after seeing no blood seeping through did he hand over the appointment letter.

"Rosinante, your undercover mission is over. Starting today, you don't have to go back to the Donquixote Family."

Rosinante took the document and held it by the edge, saying nothing for a long time.

He had spent too many years pretending to be mute in that family, and too many years pretending to be a carefree fool.

Now, he could finally return to the Marines openly and honorably.

"Stay at headquarters."

Sengoku lowered his voice. "From now on, you'll help sort through the intelligence on the underground trade network in the North Blue. We still need to follow up on the leads."

"Understood!"

Sengoku took out a neatly folded Justice Coat.

Rosinante took it and slowly unfolded it.

He looked at the two familiar characters on the back and reached out to touch them.

Only then did he drape the coat over his shoulders.

This time, he no longer had to hide it.

Ron laughed beside him.

"Congratulations, brother. You finally don't have to pretend to be mute anymore."

"I could always talk!"

"Then who was it that set his clothes on fire while smoking?"

"What does that have to do with whether I can talk?!"

"And who was it that managed to trip over himself going down the stairs?"

"Ron!!"

Watching the two brothers bicker, Sengoku finally let the corners of his mouth turn up.

But Law did not adjust to life at headquarters so quickly.

He was still staying at the hospital, undergoing examinations and treatment for Amber Lead Syndrome while exploring the powers of the Op-Op Fruit.

Even harder to bear was the sound of military boots in the hallway.

One day, several Marines on duty came around the corner of the hallway.

Their boots struck the floor with a series of heavy thuds.

Law's expression changed abruptly, and he flattened himself against the wall.

All he could see was the snow of Flevance.

His father and mother lay in pools of blood, and he would never again hear his sister Lami's voice waiting for him outside the hospital.

Soldiers with guns drove the fleeing crowds back, their screams piercing his ears.

"Stay away..."

"Law!"

Rosinante came running at the sound. Ignoring his injured leg, he braced himself against the wall and crouched in front of Law.

"Was it those footsteps just now?"

Law covered his ears, trembling all over.

"Aren't they... just the same as those people with guns?"

Rosinante did not rush to argue. He simply rested a hand gently on Law's shoulder.

"I know what you've been through. No one can forgive those people for what they did on your behalf."

He paused.

"But there are some things I want you to see for yourself."

Sengoku authorized Rosinante to review a batch of old North Blue cases.

Rosinante sorted through the materials he could find and brought them back to the hospital.

Some were mining investigation reports from that time, some were records of the border blockade, and several were testimonies the Marines had collected later.

Many sections had been blacked out, and even the names of the people responsible were impossible to find.

But what remained was enough to chill Law to the bone.

[Long-term exposure to Amber Lead ore poses a fatal risk.]

[The royal family and relevant officials received reports of the risk long ago.]

[The information was withheld from residents to maintain mining revenue.]

The farther Law read, the harder his fingers trembled.

After the disease broke out, the royal family of Flevance was the first to evacuate;

The neighboring countries insisted that Amber Lead Syndrome was contagious and sealed the borders outright. In the armed conflict, large numbers of residents trying to escape were gunned down.

One record even stated that those enforcing the blockade had known there were children and wounded people inside, yet had chosen to open fire anyway.

Rosinante gently set a report aside.

"The records are incomplete, and we still haven't identified a lot of the people involved."

"But this is enough to prove that Amber Lead Syndrome wasn't your fault. It wasn't divine punishment."

Law stared fixedly at the pages, his eyes frighteningly red.

"They knew all along?"

"...Yes."

"They knew people would die, and they still made us keep mining?!"

Law slammed the documents onto the table, sending several reports sliding off the edge onto the floor.

"Then what about my mom and dad?! What about Lami?!"

He cried so hard he could barely breathe, pounding his fists against the table.

Rosinante pulled him into his arms and patted his back.

A long time passed before Law spoke in a hoarse voice. "So the ones who killed them... weren't just those soldiers with guns."

"It was the people who hid the truth, the people who ordered the blockade, and the people who knew it was wrong but kept shooting anyway."

Click.

A door opened, and Ron leaned against the frame with his arms folded, picking up the conversation.

"At least now you know who to settle the score with."

Law lifted his red, swollen eyes to look at him.

"But I still hate the World Government."

"What a coincidence."

Ron pulled out a chair and sat down. "I don't much like that shitty place either."

"Aren't you a Marine?"

"Does being a Marine mean I have to listen to everything the World Government says?"

Law could not come up with an answer.

"There are good people in the Marines, and there are people who do inhuman things too."

"You don't have to forgive anyone who's ever hurt you."

Ron pointed at the reports scattered on the floor.

"But every grievance has its source, and every debt has its debtor."

"The ones who shot and killed people, the ones who ordered the blockade, the ones who knew Amber Lead was poisonous and kept it hidden—don't leave a single one of them out."

"As for everyone else, don't decide they're your enemies just because you see them in uniform."

Law lowered his head and slowly picked up the scattered papers, one by one.

A few days later, a group of injured Marines was suddenly brought to the headquarters hospital.

A patrol ship had run into a storm, and while rescuing a fishing boat in distress, it had struck a reef that tore through its side.

One stretcher after another was wheeled into the emergency room. A young military doctor, his hands covered in blood, shouted at the top of his lungs for hemostats.

Law hid around a corner of the hallway and saw an injured Marine force himself to move aside, giving up his stretcher to an elderly fisherman.

"Save him first... he has children at home..."

With that, he passed out.

"Save them both! Don't delay treatment for either of them!!" the attending doctor shouted sharply.

Law stood there in a daze for a while.

He remembered his father teaching him to identify medicinal herbs when he was little, his mother holding his hand as she taught him to bandage wounds, and Lami always making trouble beside them, pulling gauze all over the floor.

If someone had understood Amber Lead Syndrome back then, if someone had been willing to tell the truth...

He turned and ran into the supply room beside the emergency room.

"Doctor! Can I help? I learned a little about bandaging before!"

The military doctor glanced at him.

"You're still young, so don't touch the wounds. Can you identify these things?"

Law glanced at the cabinet.

"Gauze, bandages, disinfectant cotton, tourniquets!"

"All right! Bring me what I ask for, and don't get anything wrong!"

"Okay!"

That day, Law stayed in the supply room, helping organize and pass out medical supplies until late at night.

Rosinante silently watched the small figure through the window.

The next day, Law went to find Rosinante.

"Corazon."

"Hmm?"

"I want to keep studying medicine."

Rosinante paused, then immediately smiled. "Great! I'll find you a teacher!"

"And..."

Law clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "I want to become a Marine!"

"...Huh?"

The smile froze on Rosinante's face.

"Law, remember, we didn't save you because we wanted anything from you."

"You don't have to say this just to repay Ron and me..."

"I'm not doing it to repay you!"

Law's face flushed with urgency. "I still hate the people who killed Lami, and I don't think putting on a Marine uniform means the past never happened."

He looked down at the white spots on the backs of his hands that still had not faded.

"But I don't want there to be other kids like me who don't even know who to ask for help."

Rosinante looked at him, then suddenly crouched down and held him close with great care.

"All right. This time, you get to choose for yourself."

In Ron's office.

"That kid Vergo really does get things done. Looks like I can't let him go back."

Ron flipped through the neatly stacked reports, muttering, "I'll promote him at the end of the year. Or should I just make him my permanent adjutant?"

Just then, the door opened.

"Ron, someone's here to see you."

Rosinante walked in with Law.

"What is it?"

Law walked up to the desk and stood silently for quite a while before suddenly bowing deeply.

"Rear Admiral Ron! Please take me as your disciple!!"

"Pfft—!"

Ron sprayed out a mouthful of tea. Luckily, he reacted quickly enough to open a small door, keeping the reports from getting wet.

"Huh?!"

Law raised his head. His eyes were bright red, but his expression was exceptionally serious.

"I know you have spatial powers! Corazon told me about the Op-Op Fruit too."

"I want to study medicine, and I want to get stronger!"

"I want to become a Marine and save more people like those in Flevance!"

Rosinante smiled and nodded beside him, his expression saying, Go on, take him in.

Ron slowly turned to look at Rosinante. "You found me a disciple?"

Rosinante looked as though it were only natural. "Aren't you pretty good at teaching people?"

"..."

Looking at the stubborn little brat in front of him, Ron suddenly remembered the three characters in East Blue who shouted every day about becoming pirates.

What was going on?

The three he wanted to teach absolutely refused to become Marines, and this one had come to him of his own accord?

Trafalgar Law (13 years old)