The Steady Lie
"Stablize?"
Upon hearing those two words, Akainu slammed his military cap down on the table, the brim deformed from being pressed down.
Sengoku looked up at the Sky Screen, his aged appearance pressed into wrinkles.
"This is the most frequently used word for the Throne."
He closed the documents from the previous three reviews and took out a Blank file.
"Then take it apart."
On the Sky Screen, the questions Throne-Stamped Review were not fully unfolded for a long time, and the black patterns swept over each participant first.
[Threat Marker Pre-detection]
[Targets: Straw Hat Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, Revolutionary Army, Navy Independent Review Group, Bartholomew Kuma, Jewelry Bonney, Witness Ka Mi Er, Witness Dan, Witness Lumi]
Bonney was furious when she saw Lumi's name on the list again.
How many times are you going to arrest her?
Lumi whispered, "I'm not afraid."
Bonney turned to look at her.
"It's okay to be afraid, there's nothing shameful about it. Don't try to be brave and show it to him."
Lumi, holding the Little Bear's mechanical arm, nodded.
"I'm scared, but I won't go back."
The bear glanced at her, then tucked the paw pad into its hand in the dim light.
That's enough.
Garling stood on the Chief Adjudication Platform and spoke in a cold voice.
"World stability takes precedence over individual will; all those who create large-scale unrest can be eliminated."
Luffy took a step forward at the exit of Sabaody. Robin didn't stop him, but simply held his Straw Hat steady.
"Whose stability?"
Garling looked at him.
"The stability of World Governments."
Luffy frowned.
That's not the world.
Sanji chuckled softly.
"This sentence can be saved."
Nami quickly turned around.
"Usopp, write this down."
Usopp actually pulled out his notebook.
"It's already written: The stability of the World Government does not equal the world. Signed Luffy."
Zoro, holding his sword, looked up at the Sky Screen.
"The word is misspelled."
The black patterns in the Sky Screen seemed to freeze, as if caught by this simple rhetorical question, before the question finally appeared.
[The Throne-Stamped Review]
[Trial Question: Does a participant's public disclosure of evidence of crimes committed in Holy Land and assistance to witnesses in escaping control constitute a significant threat to world stability?]
[A. The structure necessitates the removal of key participants]
[B. Constitutes a crime, but the source of evidence can be removed first]
[C. This does not constitute an infringement; world stability should not be built on the destruction of evidence and enslavement.]
[D. Not guilty, and removing witnesses under the guise of stability constitutes a Throne- level crime.]
Without waiting for an answer, Garling raised his sword and pointed at option D.
"Those who choose D are a threat in the same column."
Many people around the world fell silent in front of their screens, and the vote count on the Sky Screen did not climb as rapidly as it had for the previous questions.
Bonney saw the vote count stop and gritted her teeth, about to speak, but Xiong pressed down on her shoulder first.
Let them choose for themselves.
Bonney said urgently, "But they're afraid."
"Even if you're afraid, you can still choose."
Shanks raised his sword at the bow of the outer circumference of the ship, while distant artillery fire continued to approach. Benn Beckman led his men to stabilize the ship, but he looked at the number D on the Sky Screen.
"Red Hair Pirates, choose D."
Benn Beckman followed.
Choose D.
Yasopp turned his gun on the pursuing Holy Land ship.
"Choose D, and while you're at it, fire the cannon a little off-target, so they don't think we're only good at answering questions."
At the Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Dragon didn't urge the squads in various locations. He waited until the communication bugs in several places lit up one after another.
"South Blue Third Squad, choose D."
"The designated meeting point for workers on the bridge is D."
"Ginny's former subordinate, choose D."
Only then did the dragon speak.
"Revolutionary Army, select D, record all areas threatened by the selection."
As the vote count rose, Emporio Ivankov finally let out a long-held sigh of relief.
"World stability shouldn't depend on children shutting up, so choose D."
In Marineford, the staff remained silent for even longer. Akainu didn't urge them on; he simply pushed the Den Den Mushi to the center of the table.
"Marine Headquarters, option D."
A Vice Admiral looked up.
"Fleet Admiral, if D is designated as a threat, all bases that choose D will be subject to investigation by the Holy Land."
Akainu looked at him.
You can abstain.
The lieutenant Vice Admiral picked up his seal and stamped it on the confirmation page.
I choose D.
Another base channel crackled to life.
"G-5 Branch, option D."
"The 16th Marine Branch of the East Blue, choose D."
"Sabaody Temporary Support Team, choose D."
Koby listened to the increasing volume of sounds on the naval channel, he shifted the position of his hand holding the flagpole, planting the flag more firmly.
We also choose D.
Tashigi raised her sword to block the guards who charged at her once again.
"It was chosen a long time ago."
Dan, leaning against the wall, suddenly looked up.
Can I choose too?
Koby turned around.
"Certainly."
Dan looked up at the Sky Screen.
"I choose D. Stability is the only option; if I have to stay as the number, I'd rather it be flipped over."
A woman holding a child joined in the shouting.
I choose D.
I choose D.
I choose D.
The voices of the evacuees at the Sabaody exit were initially chaotic but then became unified. Nami didn't stop them; she simply divided the list into several smaller parts and handed them to different people.
"Stop just shouting. Those who can leave, keep going. Stability is their word; your life is your own."
The number of votes for the Sky Screen Curtain rose again, but the black lines did not recede; instead, they fell towards the feet of the person who answered "D".
[The selected individual has been added to the threat watchlist]
[Clear marker countdown starts]
Vegapunk's expression changed.
"It doesn't wait for judgment; it marks it first."
Hina asked, "Can it be cut?"
"The markings come from the Throne cover; technically, they cannot be cut directly."
Kizaru raised his hand and looked at the light, which had dimmed to the point of almost going out.
"Then let's change the question; let's disqualify it from being a label."
Robin raised his eyes upon hearing this.
"Yes, the trial-based question assumes that the participants threaten stability, so we need to define stability first."
She spoke to the Sky Screen.
"The application for preliminary review should include whether the subjects of world stability include enslaved persons, witnesses, underage victims, and ordinary citizens on the purge list."
The Sky Screen rippled, and the black pattern stopped beneath their feet, not pressing down any further.
[The application for preliminary review has been approved]
[Review Question: Can world stability exclude the right to life of the ruled, victims, and witnesses?]
[A. Can be ruled out]
[B. Can be temporarily ruled out]
[C. Cannot be ruled out]
[D. Cannot be excluded; exclusionary behavior constitutes a falsification of the concept of stability]
Luffy shouted before he could finish listening.
"D!"
Nami pointed at him.
"You can shout this time."
Bonney helped the bear stand up straight.
"D, anyone who dares to expel Lumi, I'll never forgive them."
Lumi also raised her hand.
"D, I'm in the world too."
Dan, standing at the Sabaody exit, chimed in, "D, me too!"
Ka Mi Er was in the maintenance corridor, Parker supporting him, as he held up the Gatekeeper badge in his hand to the Sky Screen.
"D, the Gatekeeper is here too."
Mia was holding the file box.
"D, the archivist is also here."
The Little Bear raises its paw.
"S-Bear is here too."
The world's choices did not stop this time. The black stripes were pried up from the edge by Golden Light, and the Throne-Stamped Review was rewritten.
[Answer: D]
[The concept of stability has been distorted and accepted]
[The foundation of the Throne-Stamped Review]
Garling's knife left a long mark on the Chief Adjudication Platform as he looked up at the Sky Screen.
"Damage to the foundation does not mean the trial is overturned."
Robin whispered, "He has one last breath."
Vegapunk stared at the data, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
He'll change it to "safe removal" instead of "stable."
Sure enough, the black and red text on the Sky Screen was rearranged.
[Throne-Stamped Review and Modification]
[New Judgment Question: To prevent the Gate of Old Days from being opened incorrectly, is it permissible to remove all those carrying indexes, testimonies, and witness qualifications?]
Shanks's face darkened.
"He has bound us to the Gate of Old Days."
Luffy held down the Straw Hat.
"Is he going to steal my hat again?"
Garling looked at Luffy, his lips not curved in a smile, but blood dripped from his chin even faster.
"This time, clear the index."
A line of text lit up under the Sky Screen.
[Primary Target for Removal: Straw Hat Lining Old Days Index]