Return to Impel Down

"If I encountered a situation like that again, I might choose to run away. I couldn't uphold the Marines' justice the way Sakazuki did." Kuzan only answered after remaining silent for a long while.

"Then, Mr. Kuzan, have you ever considered that what the Marines uphold might not be justice?"

Kuzan frowned at his words, and Mosen keenly noticed the temperature around them drop sharply.

"You'd better give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, I'll let you know what happens to those who blaspheme the Marines' justice." Kuzan's face turned cold.

Mosen, however, remained completely calm. He wasn't the sort of person who would be frightened by a single remark or expression from Kuzan.

Besides, Dragon was beside him. Dragon wouldn't just stand by and let Kuzan attack him.

Thus, Mosen calmly retorted, "Mr. Kuzan, could you tell me what you believe Marine justice is?"

"Of course it's protecting the order of the sea. The Marines' guiding principle has always been to protect that order. Anyone who tries to destroy it is an enemy of the Marines. Everyone knows that." Kuzan answered without hesitation.

"I understand. Then, according to what you said, Ohara was destroyed because it disrupted the order of the sea, right?"

Kuzan froze for a moment and didn't answer.

"Looks like you also believe Ohara's destruction had nothing to do with the justice the Marines have always upheld, Mr. Kuzan."

Actually, Mr. Kuzan, you know very well that Ohara was destroyed because it crossed the World Government's bottom line, and in a sense, the World Government's bottom line is the justice you Marines uphold.

Because ultimately, the order of this sea is established by the World Government. Crossing the World Government's bottom line means crossing the Marines' line of justice.

Mr. Kuzan, am I wrong?"

"The Marines are indeed in that situation right now." Kuzan nodded in admission.

"That's why I said earlier that what the Marines uphold isn't justice."

"Then what is true justice?"

"Fairness and equality. That is justice."

"That's impossible. Absolute fairness doesn't exist in this world. Can a Devil Fruit User be the same as an ordinary person?" Kuzan countered.

"I know there's no absolute fairness in this world, but relative fairness does exist.

"At the very least, there shouldn't be any Celestial Dragons, and people shouldn't be divided into different classes. Slavery is even more laughable.

"As for those powerful people who are different from ordinary people, isn't protecting people from them the very reason the Marines exist?

"Protecting civilians from those powerful people and giving them a safe, happy environment to live in—that is justice."

Mosen's words were like a ray of light in the darkness of despair. They showed Kuzan, who had grown disillusioned with Marine justice, another possibility.

"Kid, what's your name?"

"My name is Jarvis." Mosen casually made up a name.

"Jarvis? Are you interested in joining the Marines? Following Dragon here won't get you anywhere. He doesn't even have a stable job. For all you know, he might go hungry one day."

"Hey, hey! Isn't it a bit much to poach someone right in front of me, Kuzan?" Dragon couldn't help complaining.

"Jarvis, the Marines' door is always open to you. If you ever want to switch sides, come find me.

"Dragon, I'll pretend I didn't see you today. Hurry up and leave! The next round of cannon fire is coming soon."

Dragon nodded and took Mosen into the sky.

After watching the two disappear into the horizon, Kuzan stretched lazily, his expression becoming resolute.

At the same time, a ship flying the World Government's flag was sailing across West Blue.

Inside the cabin, an old man was making a phone call.

"Has the matter concerning Ohara been resolved?" the person on the other end asked.

"It has." The old man answered.

"Then focus on investigating that matter. Something like Ohara wasn't worth making you go there personally in the first place. The journey there and back took too much time."

"It concerns the Poneglyphs. There's no harm in being careful. Besides, it was on the way."

If a Marine higher-up had been present, they would certainly have recognized the old man making the call in the cabin as one of the Five Elders. The person on the other end was also one of the Five Elders.

Returning to Dragon and Mosen, now that matters here were settled, Dragon was preparing to head to the New World and continue expanding the Revolutionary Army's influence, while Mosen naturally had to return to Impel Down.

"Mosen, once you return to Impel Down, don't act recklessly. The Golden Lion isn't someone you can afford to provoke. Just wait patiently for an opportunity.

"If things prove impossible, give up. I can also find you a suitable Lineage Factor. Whatever you do, don't act rashly." Dragon warned him.

"Mr. Dragon, don't worry. I value my life very much. I won't joke around with it."

"By the way, there's one more thing. Mosen, have you ever heard of a giant prisoner named Mori?" Dragon suddenly changed the subject.

Mosen couldn't recall the name for a moment and instinctively shook his head.

"You told me before that we should unite every force we could. I think that was excellent advice. Some pirates can also be recruited into our ranks, so I specifically gathered information on the prisoners in Impel Down. That's when I found information about this man.

"This giant named Mori was imprisoned in Impel Down more than seventy years ago.

"But according to my investigation, he isn't in Impel Down anymore. He escaped, which is why I'm asking whether you know him and whether Impel Down has any records concerning him. I want to know how he escaped."

Hearing this, Mosen remembered who Mori was. He was a future Revolutionary Army officer, one of the four Army Commanders, and the commander of the West Army.

Mori's Devil Fruit Ability allowed him to control any ground he touched, letting him move through the earth with ease.

The soil he controlled also seemed to retain its original weight and hardness.

As Dragon had said, Mori had been imprisoned in Impel Down more than seventy years ago by the Marines as a dangerous pirate.

Later, no one knew how Mori had escaped the effects of Seastone, but he used his Devil Fruit Ability to dig a tunnel and successfully break out of prison.

The tunnel left behind after his escape was later used by the Revolutionary Army officer Ivankov, the Okama King, to create LEVEL 5.5—Newkama Land.

But Mosen had no way to tell Dragon any of this. When Mori escaped, Mosen's father might not even have been born yet. How could he possibly know about it?

"Since you haven't heard of him, forget it. I'll investigate it myself. The pirate ship we borrowed earlier is still here. Take it back to the New World.

"Mosen, if you need my help with anything, contact me anytime using the Den Den Mushi."

"I understand. You take care too, Mr. Dragon."

Dragon nodded and manipulated the airflow to send Mosen onto the ship. He then flew toward Kuma's Sorbet Kingdom with the books they had rescued.

Before they knew it, a week had passed. Mosen crossed Reverse Mountain aboard the pirate ship and returned to Impel Down.

During that week on the ship, Mosen had been bored, so he spent all his time studying the two books he had taken.

After reading the book on developing the brain, Mosen felt somewhat disappointed. Strictly speaking, it was a medical book. The methods recorded in it were mainly aimed at patients whose responses had slowed and whose minds had become dull after suffering brain injuries.

They could also be used to teach young children, but they had little effect on an adult like Mosen.

The other book on Lineage Factors was rather interesting. It focused on the relationship between Lineage Factors and Devil Fruits, along with numerous analyses of the Lineage Factors of Devil Fruit Users.

It also provided a detailed classification of Devil Fruits, especially Paramecia Devil Fruits.

Today was the next recommendation round. I wonder if I'll make it through. I'm so nervous.