Why had Aokiji left the Navy? His defeat had certainly left him frustrated, but what weighed on him more was his uncertainty.
His convictions and beliefs weren't as extreme or steadfast as Akainu's. He had seen too much darkness and corruption within the Navy, and the World Government's policies didn't align with his sense of justice.
He had once stayed in the Navy because he thought he had a chance to compete for the position of Fleet Admiral and change what was wrong with it.
But after losing to Akainu, he had lost that final hope, so he chose to leave.
Aokiji was interested in Kizaru's invitation and in the Land of Light that Garp had told him about.
But he didn't want someone else making plans for him. He wanted to decide for himself, which was why he hadn't accepted Kizaru's offer.
Aokiji climbed out of the hot spring and sat on its edge, exposing his severed lower leg and the burns across his upper body.
"I'll go to the East Blue and the Land of Light, but not now."
Kizaru didn't take Aokiji's refusal to heart. Ever since he had been reincarnated into the Naruto World, he had always been confident, always certain he could control everything. Part of that came from his strength, and part from his understanding of how the world would unfold. There was another reason, too, one Kizaru himself hadn't noticed: from childhood, he had been cherished and celebrated by his clan as a once-in-a-generation prodigy and the clan's hope, even by Danzo.
"Your leg can be healed in the Land of Light," Kizaru said.
Aokiji was slightly taken aback, but not enough to lose his composure. He was merely surprised by how advanced the Land of Light's medical technology was.
"That kind of