Get on Board, Kid
Around noon, in Kuzan, Borsalino bid him farewell.
"It was an honor to work with Superior Officer Xia Le; it was an unforgettable experience."
Borsalino smiled and said goodbye.
This morning, the Three Admirals were informed that they would be leaving Xia Le's team and would be reassigned.
"What you said yesterday was really cool!"
"I can only use two words to describe everything about you, Xia Le."
"Grace!"
Kuzan gave a thumbs-up and grinned in praise.
Xia Le returned his smile, "Take care, Kuzan!"
"Your words helped me vaguely find the path I should stick to."
I will work hard and try to catch up with you as soon as possible.
Kuzan turned around and waved goodbye.
As for Sakazuki, he left the moment he heard the order.
"Those words."
"Be careful, someone up above is targeting your actions."
Crocodile stood behind him and said in a low voice.
"Once his words get out, no amount of caution will help."
Bullet sneered, a murderous glint in his eyes.
"Why not defect from the navy!"
"With our strength, whether we become Pirate or the Pirate King..."
"Whether it's something else or something else, that's enough!"
Xia Le's eyes narrowed slightly upon Wen Yan.
But after a moment, he merely chuckled softly and did not respond.
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Chapter 87 Let's get on board, kid.
The midday sun shone down on the streets of Loguetown.
The weather is nice today, sunny and bright, and the streets are no longer as crowded as they were a few days ago.
Xia Le's team headed towards the Harbor, preparing to withdraw and return to headquarters.
He was also thinking along the way.
There is no doubt that Crocodile's concerns are quite valid.
None of the words he uttered to the world provoked any doubt or dissatisfaction from those in power. Although it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, it was also something he deliberately said after careful consideration.
Sometimes, words are the sharpest weapon, capable of having an unimaginable effect.
Roger's words ushered in the Great Pirate Era, but how much impact will his words have on the world?
Equality.
These two words represent the highest ideal pursued by people in every era.
Countless great men have sacrificed their blood and lives for these two words.
Undoubtedly, absolute equality is unrealistic, full of idealism, and a beautiful utopia.
People are born unequal in many ways, including background, talent, and environment. Yet countless people still strive to achieve relative equality in terms of human dignity.
After following Roger, he used words as weapons, wielding them against the world for the first time.
What consequences will this have?
Xia Le actually had a guess in his heart and was making plans in his mind.
In the blink of an eye, the group had arrived at the Harbor of Loguetown.
"Vice Admiral Xia Le!"
"It's Vice Admiral Xia Le!"
"Equal Justice belong to Superior Officer Xia Le!"
In an instant, all the sailors and officers gathered at the Harbor, waiting to evacuate, turned around and stared at him excitedly.
Looking at the expressions on everyone's faces, Xia Le smiled slightly, a thought stirring within her.
Undoubtedly, compared to the rest of the world, those at the top constitute only a minority.
Equality and fairness—these seemingly abstract concepts are the ones that touch people's hearts the most.
The Pirate world, where freedom is the guiding principle, lacks these most basic concepts of Democracy and Human Rights. Or rather, the world's mind has not yet been enlightened.
However, this era, guided by freedom, will also be a period of the most intense clashes of ideas.
Xia Le narrowed his eyes, smiled, and nodded to everyone.
"Board the ship and return to headquarters!"
Then he addressed the crowd behind him.
They naturally wouldn't actually heed Bullet's words.
No matter what he wants to do, being Pirate is not the best choice. On the contrary, a stable environment suitable for development is more conducive to the building of his forces.
Everyone lifted their feet, preparing to board the Warship.
Just then, a white-haired boy suddenly rushed out from the crowd.
"Hey kid!"
"Return!"
The sailors' expressions changed immediately when they saw a teenager rushing towards them, and they shouted in unison.
Even in an instant, some officers of colonel rank were ready to move.
Xia Le was naturally startled by this scene. He turned his head and was slightly taken aback when he saw the white-haired boy. He raised his hand to stop the others from acting.
Only when the boy ran up to him, panting, did he smile and look at him.
"Young man, is there anything you want to say to me?"
Smoker stopped panting, stared intently at the smiling officer before him, and after a long while, suddenly gasped and shouted.
"I... I want to join the Navy!!"
The boy's voice was loud and carried throughout the Harbor.
This left the entire navy group stunned, before they burst into laughter.
No one can refuse a young man's eagerness to join the army.
"Oh?"
Xia Le raised her eyebrows slightly.
"May I have your name?"
"Smoker!"
"I saw you in the live stream and heard what you said!"
Looking nervously at the man before him, Smoker's earlier courage quickly dissipated.
This is, after all, a heavily guarded area by the Navy, surrounded by numerous officers, especially the man before them, who is a super strong fighter who captured Roger and Golden Lion Shiki.
What did I just do? I actually broke through the barrier and reached the other side.
"I... I want to become the Justice navy you speak of."
Smoker's mind raced, and his voice grew increasingly tense.
"Yeah?"
"If you want to join the Navy, the Loguetown branch recruits Recruit every year. After passing the recruitment process, you will naturally become a qualified Navy soldier."
Xia Le smiled slightly.
Upon hearing the other person's name, he immediately recognized their face as that of the middle-aged man from the future.
Smoker, the Devil Fruit User!
He's also the most tragic one; he's almost never won any major battles since his debut, and every time he appears on screen, the result is miserable.
His heart was stolen by Law, he was defeated by Vergo, he was instantly killed by Doflamingo, and he was crushed by Bullet.
When this guy first appeared, everyone compared him to Garp, but two years into the story, he became increasingly inferior.
However, Smoker's character is beyond question.
"Ah?"
Smoker was stunned when he heard Xia Le's words.
"I... that's not what I meant!"
Then, he began to explain anxiously.
"I want to follow you!"
"I would like to ask you to guide me in becoming a Justice navy officer!"
As Smoker spoke, he nervously knelt down, his forehead pressed against the ground.
This scene caught everyone's attention, surprising many.
The white-haired boy's actions were not much different from seeking a famous teacher and becoming his disciple.
So, Vice Admiral Xia Le accept this seemingly ordinary boy?
Silence!
For a moment, everything fell silent.
Behind Xia Le, Crocodile, Bullet, T Bone, Rosinante, Evens, and even Buggy, who had just been forced to change into his naval apprentice uniform, were all staring at the boy in front of them.
"Will you follow me?"
After a long while, a soft laugh finally broke the silence.
"Because of those words?"
Smoker, his forehead pressed to the ground, Wen Yan shouted, "Yes! Equal Justice is the true good I seek!"
His voice was loud, causing many sailors to subtly change their expressions.
Xia Le laughed.
What exactly is Justice?
"You should have your own understanding, instead of just listening to what others say."
"Smoker, boy."
After saying this, Xia Le turned and boarded the Warship at the front.
Crocodile and the others followed one by one, leaving Smoker kneeling there, stunned.
"One's own perception?"
"Isn't Equal Justice right?"
A question arose in his mind, and the white-haired boy instantly felt confused.
After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked at the young Vice Admiral standing on the Warship, looking down at him.