Coward

Two hours later, Figo received Doug's warship on the platform of Level 0 in Impel Down as scheduled.

Seven years had left few marks on Figo's face, but they had not been so kind to Doug, who was already seventy-eight.

His hair had turned completely white, and his once-straight body had bent slightly. Ordinarily, for a master of physical combat, that should not have happened before the end of his life unless he had fallen ill. Figo could tell it was the weariness of a man weighed down by worries.

"Teacher Doug!" The one who rushed forward to support him was not Figo, but the excited Kinch.

Four years older than Figo, Kinch had been part of an earlier batch of Elite recruits than Figo and Miya. He was also Doug's student.

The old man was grabbed by Kinch's arm, obvious confusion in his eyes. Only when he looked past Kinch and saw Figo lowering his head in greeting did he relax.

"I thought that after seven years apart, I might not even remember what you looked like, Figo." As Doug spoke, he patted the arm Kinch was holding. "What? Do I look so old that I need someone to help me walk?"

"Ah, no, Teacher." Kinch hurriedly let go. "I just... I haven't seen you in nearly twenty years. I got too excited."

"Twenty years?" Doug examined Kinch more closely this time, then suddenly realized. "Oh, I remember you. You seem to be... Jingong!"

"...Teacher, it's Kinch."

"Ah, sorry, sorry." The old man apologized briskly, then laughed. "I remember you. Your Iron Body was very good. You were one of the best among that batch of Marine soldiers, Xiaojin."

Kinch became even more excited. Fourteen years ago, Figo had cut through my Iron Body and nearly killed me.

Xiaojin? Figo suddenly asked, "Teacher Doug, do you remember Sister Miya's full name?"

"Xiaoya's full name?!" Doug immediately took half a step back, visibly startled. Afraid that he would fail to remember and Figo would tell Miya, he pondered for several seconds before glaring at Figo. "My memory is bad, not my brain!"

Figo burst out laughing.

Doug laughed as well, but soon his smile faded. He shook his head. "No need to deliberately cheer up an old man. I'm not that fragile yet. Let's get to business, Figo, Xiaojin."

"Alright." Figo and Kinch led Doug into Impel Down from either side, guiding him toward the interrogation room on the first floor.

On the way, Figo asked, "Teacher, has it been confirmed that the Revolutionary Army Saintess with a bounty of 1.2 billion is Jellal's younger sister, the Sapphire from the story we heard back then? It's only been a few years. She already broke the bounty limit of the seas?"

"I've corrected you before. Although she was a little girl in that story, she's actually the same age as you—thirty-five this year." Doug shook his head. "Like you, she's one of the world's foremost geniuses. No, judging by talent alone, she may be even stronger than you."

"If she had joined the Marines as a child, she definitely could have become a Marine Admiral." Doug said regretfully, "No, perhaps without suffering all that pain, she would not have grown to this level.

After several ambushes failed to catch her, the World Government confirmed that her Observation Haki had reached an exceedingly rare level—Future Sight.

She also obtained a Logia Devil Fruit, the Snow-Snow Fruit, and awakened its abilities. She can influence the weather over a vast area. Most critically, she can grow wings from her back and fly at incredible speed, making her difficult to capture.

Of course, in terms of individual strength, she should still be below the original Sea Dual Poles—the Hell of a Man, with a bounty of 965 million, and the King of Gluttony, with a bounty of 999 million. But considering her threat level and potential, along with the World Government's suspicion that Saint Cassilia's murder seven years ago was also her doing, they exceptionally set her bounty at 1.2 billion."

Figo's expression froze for a moment as he led Doug into the interrogation room. "Teacher, may I sit in?"

Doug nodded. "Of course. As Director of Impel Down, your position is actually a notch above mine, and Impel Down is your territory. But... Xiaojin should stay out. There are some things it's better not to know."

Kinch remained outside, looking aggrieved.

Inside the interrogation room, Jellal had been extremely tense ever since being brought in for questioning. When he saw Figo enter alongside an old Vice Admiral, he clenched his fists tightly, and his sense of foreboding deepened.

Doug studied him for a few moments, then sat down. "You look a whole size fatter than in your wanted poster. Living pretty well?"

"Rice and meat every meal," Figo said.

"Is that so?" Doug said. "Nothing to worry about, nothing to handle. Eating well, sleeping soundly. This fellow is quite lucky. He's lived many times more comfortably than that girl Sapphire."

Clang! In an instant, Jellal yanked the chains binding him to their full length. Bloodshot veins filled his widened eyes as a soul-shaking Conqueror's Haki burst forth, and he roared!

"What happened to Sapphire?!"

Doug did not even furrow his brow. "So he truly has the qualities of a king? Don't bite. Sapphire is fine. At least for now, she's very fine."

As Doug spoke, the ferocity in Jellal's eyes gradually faded. He slowly sat back down on the floor in a daze, feeling as though the world had become unreal.

That little girl who had once needed his care had unknowingly far surpassed everything he had achieved, becoming someone even the World Government had to take seriously and guard against? The highest bounty?

And also...

"That bastard Celestial Dragon is dead? When?" Jellal asked hoarsely.

"The night you were captured. While returning late at night, he was ambushed and killed at sea. The entire ship went down with him. The culprit is unknown," Doug answered.

Jellal froze, then shook his head. "It couldn't have been Sapphire. At that time, she hadn't eaten any Snow-Snow Fruit."

"That no longer matters. Jellal, the World Government has proposed publicly executing you to lure the Witch into a trap. Do you think Sapphire will come save you?" Doug asked.

Leaning against the wall, Figo shifted his stance.

Jellal's eyes widened again. He pulled the chains taut once more, gritted his teeth as he moved closer to Doug, and forced out a crazed, mocking smile. "Heh, this is the Marines who claim to stand for justice?! Are you Marines, or the World Government's dogs?! You actually want to use such despicable means against her?!"

Bang!!

Doug suddenly threw a punch! His sandbag-sized fist smashed directly into Jellal's face, sending blood spraying as Jellal crashed into the wall!

"Idiot! Is this childish nonsense the only way you can seek help from us Marines now? Why should we help you? Pirate!

You think you love Sapphire so much? Other than taking her in and saving her life, what else have you ever done for her?! Letting human traffickers trick her away? Getting captured and becoming a burden to her? Wake up, Laughing Jellal. You are an utter idiot!

If you weren't such an idiot, then when you attacked the Celestial Dragons back then, you would have planned more thoroughly! You would have been more careful! You wouldn't have arrogantly and blindly hidden Sapphire's existence! Maybe you would have succeeded, and none of what followed would have happened!"

As though his anger had reached its peak, Doug's chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. It was not pure rage, but the frustration of seeing someone fail to live up to expectations.

The things he said were somewhat inappropriate for a man of his status. It was also Figo's first time seeing Vice Admiral Doug reveal such ferocity and fury. His anger seemed inexplicable and sudden, yet it cursed Jellal—his face covered in blood—into collapsing limply onto the floor.

The interrogation room remained silent for a long time.

Jellal said slowly, "Please, kill me... I can tell you're different. You're good people... Kill me, or help me... give me the ability to kill myself."

Doug dropped back into his seat. "I wouldn't dare! I'm not a good man—I'm a coward."

Jellal looked up at him.

"I'm a coward." Doug repeated himself. "That afternoon seven years ago, after hearing your story, I mobilized warships and wanted to go kill those Celestial Dragons who had defiled justice. But in the end, I lacked the courage and chose to endure.

I've endured my whole life!

Whenever I felt the impulse to act, I told myself: Doug, you're a Marine soldier. You bear justice on your shoulders. You've taught thousands of younger Marine soldiers. Your actions will set an example for them!

You can't act recklessly. You developed and organized the Six Powers. You're already over seventy. You can't leave a stain behind, can't ruin your reputation in your later years. Your name is meant to be engraved in Marine history!

The Marines exist to uphold the World Government's rule. Where there is light, there is darkness. It's the same everywhere. You have to believe that without question!"

He smiled, and his back bent a little further. "The Inspire-Inspire Fruit really is quite a good fruit. After receiving the order to capture Sapphire, every morning when I woke up, I would encourage myself once: Although she isn't a pirate, although she has saved many people, many slaves, she may very well pose an even greater threat than a Great Pirate.

If she is allowed to continue, the Revolutionary Army will only grow more and more intense. Conspirators and ambitious men will emerge within it—or perhaps they're already there. They'll stir up chaos that sweeps across the world, causing innocent people to die and be injured!

So this time, I will still choose to be a coward... I'll follow the World Government's arrangements, take you away... and carry out a Public Execution!"

Jellal did not roar again. He did not say another word.

The old man before him was smiling, but his eyes were bloodshot and his entire body was trembling.

For some reason, Jellal felt that at this moment, this old man—this Vice Admiral—might be suffering even more than he was.

A conflict between justice and duty?

A contradiction between one's true heart and responsibility?

Jellal lowered his head. "I'm sorry. It was me... I ruined everything."

"Good that you know." Doug wiped his eyes with his arm, then turned to Figo. "I really am getting old. I'm indeed more fragile than before. If I'd known I would lose control like this, I wouldn't have let you come in. I let you see your teacher's cowardly side."

"That won't do. You said it yourself—this is my territory, and I have the final say." Figo said.

Doug smiled, though he could not hide his exhaustion.

Then he heard Figo say, "Since I have the final say, whether you take him away should be up to me too. And right now, I say... no."

Doug froze, staring at him blankly.