No matter what kind of army it was, veterans were valuable resources. Having survived the slaughter of the battlefield, these veterans knew better what to do when unexpected situations arose.
No matter how long one stayed on the training grounds, it could not compare to the experience gained through actual combat.
The Navy had never represented justice—or rather, not justice in the broader sense. They represented the World Government's order, and in the eyes of most people, maintaining that order was part of justice.
With such a vast population, the Navy had all kinds of people. There was no denying that some truly fought for the justice in their hearts. They believed that purging pirates would bring peace, but that goal was impossible to achieve.
The existence of pirates had always been encouraged by the World Government. The World Government needed pirates to remain within a relatively stable range, using them to demonstrate the meaning of its own rule.
Breaking someone's legs first, then mercifully giving them a crutch afterward, was a common tactic of the World Government. To avoid becoming lawless lands open to plunder, member nations could only do everything they could to scrape together the exorbitant Celestial Gold and satisfy the desires of the Celestial Dragons.
The World Government's control over the Navy was not particularly strong either. In the eyes of the Celestial Dragons, the Navy was merely a pack of hunting dogs they had raised. Aside from feeding them on schedule—in other words, providing military funding—the Navy made many of its own decisions.
After Rocks stepped out of the spotlight, the seas grew more turbulent by the day, and Navy casualties increased as well. Many veterans who had retreated to the second line possessed extensive combat experience and were deeply unwilling to accept retirement due