The next instant, Garp's booming voice rang out.
"Hey, Kong, what the hell are you saying? Have you forgotten the ideals you told us about back then? Are you trying to be a coward now?"
"Garp, you don't understand." Kong's voice sounded somewhat weary.
"How the hell am I supposed to understand if you don't tell me?" Garp's voice grew even louder. If Kong hadn't looked so miserable, he would have wanted to knock some sense into him with his fists.
"The Navy cannot carry out the justice in your heart, Garp." Kong finally raised his head, met Garp's gaze, and spoke.
"And pirates can?! Kong!"
Kong did not answer immediately. He stared at Garp for a while before slowly saying, "All that so-called justice is just a show for the world. It's only there to appease people and stabilize the World Government's rule."
Garp's brow furrowed. "Hey, this is just an isolated case, isn't it? It doesn't mean the whole World Government is like that, Kong."
At this point, Garp knew little about the World Government and thought its corruption was limited to a few "individuals abusing their power."
What truly opened his eyes to everything was what happened at God Valley in the original story.
During that battle, he personally witnessed Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders, slaughtering people indiscriminately. Only then did he understand that it was not a matter of a few corrupt individuals-the entire system was rotten to the core.
But at this moment, Kong did not continue arguing. He fell silent.
Amazon Lily, in a certain pavilion.
Shakky stood by the pavilion's window, looking at the distant area that had been reduced to rubble again when its reconstruction was only halfway complete.
Her gaze lingered on the broken beams and toppled walls