Marine Headquarters notified Vice Admiral Sakazuki, who had been carrying out a patrol mission nearby at the time.
With overwhelming strength, Sakazuki stopped Aramaki's rampage. After careful consideration, he sent Aramaki to a local prison rather than Impel Down. He saw Aramaki's potential, and more importantly, in his view, killing a few insurgents without citizenship did not even count as a crime.
Before leaving, Sakazuki gave Aramaki one final look:
"Think carefully about who you're truly angry at. Disorder, chaos, and those who recklessly destroy the rules. If you hate them, then uphold order."
Those words planted themselves in Aramaki's heart like a seed.
Prison life was calmer than Aramaki had imagined.
He had a solitary cell and a fixed time for exercise each day. The food was terrible, but at least it filled his stomach.
The guards treated him politely, showing none of the attitude they should have had toward a prisoner.
During his first month in prison, Aramaki barely spoke.
He spent his days sitting in his cell, staring at the small patch of sky outside the window. Over and over, he replayed the scene of Ashin's death in his mind, along with Sakazuki's words.
"Who are you truly angry at? Disorder, chaos."
That's right, Aramaki thought. He hated those insurgents. He hated them for shattering the town's peace and taking Ashin's life.
But deeper than that was his hatred for disorder itself.
If the world had strict order, if everyone stayed in their proper place and behaved themselves, Ashin would not have died.
If the royal family had governed properly and strengthened the country, the insurgents would never have reached the royal capital.
If... if everyone followed the rules, the world would not be this cruel.
Once that thought took root, it began to grow wildly.
In