Mary Geoise.
Magnificent, lavish castles stood amid spotless streets and orderly greenery, all meticulously trimmed.
It was an exquisite palace worthy of being called a work of art, and the most luxurious, noble place in the world.
"Whew."
A soft sigh came from beneath a towering maple tree beside a castle-lined street.
A lonely, dejected figure stood there, silently gazing at everything within the palace grounds.
White bandages covered much of his body. His right leg was missing, and he leaned on a crutch.
This was Aokiji, who had lost the battle for the position of Fleet Admiral. With Marineford sunk and destroyed, most Marines had been forced to find other places to work for the time being.
Some of the Marine leadership had temporarily settled in Mary Geoise, including those of the highest rank, such as Sengoku, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino.
But these days had been anything but pleasant for Aokiji.
Mary Geoise stood atop the Red Line, at the highest point in the world. Yet the air here was not thin, and a pleasant fragrance filled every corner. It could well be called the finest place to live.
Yet in this short time, Aokiji had witnessed evil and tragedy unlike anything he had seen in his entire life.
Now, he stood beneath the maple tree, quietly gazing into the distance.
A Celestial Dragon wearing a bubble over his head was slowly moving forward. Beneath him was a pretty girl of about fifteen or sixteen.
Treating human beings as slaves and mounts was practically a habit for the Celestial Dragons. No one condemned them, nor would anyone stop such behavior.
"What exactly is justice?"
"And what kind of justice are the Marines upholding?"
Kuzan murmured.
Over the past few days, he had witnessed countless injustices and acts of bloodshed.