Justice?

"Set sail."

Charlotte Linlin's eyes flickered as she raised a hand and decisively gave the order to the helmsman.

Then, she turned to explain things to the officers.

"Harald has his heart set on making Elbaf a member nation of the World Government. He now obeys the Five Elders without question."

"There's no point wasting time with the Giant Tribe here. Go around them and head straight for God Valley!"

Among the entire Rocks Pirates, Linlin alone possessed an intelligence network of her own, so no one questioned her words.

"The 'Giant King' has fallen too." Shiki lit another cigar, his expression filled with deep contempt.

If he had possessed Elbaf's Giant Army and historical legacy, he would have kicked Rocks aside long ago and ruled the seas himself.

Yet Harald possessed everything he had ever dreamed of, only to make such a weak and foolish decision.

"To be a responsible king is exceptionally difficult."

John shook his head and left the deck for the cabin.

In his view, Harald was far better than Kozuki Oden!

The most obvious point was that Elbaf's enemy was the World Government—Imu.

Harald could not defeat them, and neither could all of Elbaf.

Other than swallowing his pride and compromising, there was simply no second path to take.

But Wano Country's enemies were only Kaido and the Beasts Pirates. Oden had been fully capable of defeating them.

When victory was possible, never mind losing one son, Momonosuke—even if all his children had died, he still should have fought for his people.

That was what a qualified "king" ought to do.

Besides, when Oden ruled Wano Country, he had not been a qualified ruler either. He had oppressed the people no less than Kurozumi Orochi did later.

Yet after one voyage at sea, he had changed completely and had been willing to bow to Kaido for the sake of his people...

In the end, he lost his entire country, his wife died, and his children were scattered.

That was true weakness and stupidity!

"You're not Captain John."

In the cabin corridor, a small, skinny figure stood in John's way, arms folded across his chest in a smug pose.

Charlotte Katakuri.

"You little brat, barely ten years old—what do you know?"

John moved like lightning. Before Katakuri could react, he grabbed his cheeks and pinched them hard.

"Let go of me!"

"Little brat, weren't you acting all tough? Why aren't you acting tough now?"

John squeezed Katakuri's cheeks even harder, making the boy's eyes well up with tears.

He did not care whether someone was old or young. If they deserved to be bullied, then he would bully them.

Bullying them hard!

"Let me go!"

"Say you were wrong!"

"I won't..."

"Hm?"

"But I can tell that you're not the Captain John from before!"

No matter how tough he was, he was still just a child. Katakuri revealed the reason in a tearful voice.

He had not been born with awakened Observation Haki, but he possessed extraordinary talent in that area. And because he was young, his senses were even sharper.

To him, the current "Captain John" was like a dormant bolt of lightning, gathering force while concealing its edge.

"Kid, people change."

John released Katakuri's cheeks and gently ruffled his short dark-pink hair.

"Here's a word of advice from someone who's been there... Not even dogs would eat a Paramecia Devil Fruit!"

"Aren't you a Paramecia too?"

Katakuri smugly slapped away the hand on his head, his glaring eyes filled with defiance.

His mother Linlin, along with many of the Rocks Pirates' officers, were all Paramecia Devil Fruit users.

So in his mind, Paramecia was the strongest!

"Believe it or not."

John could not be bothered explaining. He waved Katakuri aside and strode away.

As for this kid knowing his secret... it did not matter!

If John's judgment was correct, Rocks had already awakened Observation Haki—the Voice of All Things. Every change in him had been seen by Rocks.

As long as Rocks did not mind, no one else's thoughts mattered.

Watching John's retreating back, Katakuri decided not to tell his mother about this discovery, because it could not threaten that man at all.

Inside the cabin.

It was roughly six square meters, with one bed and one table. The furnishings were extremely simple.

John sat cross-legged on the bed with his back against the wall, staring blankly down at his palms.

"Before considering victory, consider defeat first. If fate truly cannot be rewritten, what should I do?"

"..."

Several days later.

West Blue, God Valley.

Perhaps hell did not truly exist in this world, but at this moment, hell was unfolding on this island.

The air was not filled with holy fragrance, but with an overpowering stench of rust-like blood, charred flesh, and the sour rot born from despair itself.

Sunlight pierced the thin clouds, yet it could not disperse the gloom hanging over the enormous "hunting ground" at the heart of the valley. Instead, it illuminated every splash of blood and every twisted face in vivid detail, like a projection of hell.

The Celestial Dragons wore extravagantly ornate protective suits and transparent hoods that isolated them from the "filthy" air, their faces bearing smiles as innocent and cruel as children's.

The hunted slaves screamed and fled, only to be brutally slaughtered amid endless despair.

"Why?"

"Is this still the Navy of justice?!"

Seventeen-year-old Dragon knelt amid the smoke filling the sky, his shattered faith draining all strength from him.

After being summoned aboard a warship and brought to this island called God Valley, they had been ordered by a major to fire tranquilizer guns at civilians who could not resist.

The major's explanation for this—military exercises!

What kind of military exercise required the Navy to attack unarmed civilians?

"Major, what exactly is the purpose of this operation?!"

"You rookie, you're ten years too early to question me!"

"But, sir..."

"Hey! Squad leader, who's this recruit who doesn't know his place..."

Had the squad leader not stepped in and spoken for him, Dragon would likely have already been locked in a cell at the bottom of the warship, awaiting trial before a military court.

Yet that was still comparatively light.

Other recruits had questioned it as well, and then... they were executed on the spot!

Once "deserters" and "traitors" had been dealt with, the rest could only grit their teeth and carry out their orders, no matter how unwilling or resentful they were.

"A soldier's duty is to obey orders. Personal thoughts only hinder the 'will of the military.'"

The squad leader's advice echoed in his ears, causing Dragon indescribable pain.

Because he had believed those words, obeyed orders, and fired tranquilizer rounds at civilians.

And now, those civilians he had tranquilized and imprisoned were being hunted and massacred by the Celestial Dragons!

"No!"

Dragon suddenly raised his head and looked toward the direction from which the inhuman wails were coming.

"I have to pull myself together. I have to do something!"

Dragon rose to his feet and staggered into a frantic run.

The Navy had withdrawn from the island before the hunting game began and guarded the coast. At this moment, he was the only real Navy soldier on the island!