Faith and Justice

Night fell over the training grounds at Marineford headquarters.

Clang!

Clang!

Two figures darted past each other on the grounds, sparks flying amid the clash of metal.

Sakazuki's fists were coated in Armament Haki.

In a flash, he appeared before Morris and threw his right fist.

Morris neither dodged nor flinched.

Black Armament Haki surged over the long sword in his hand, solidifying in an instant as he slashed.

Fist met blade, and the two locked together.

Morris grinned, coating his open left hand in Armament Haki and thrusting it toward Sakazuki's abdomen.

Sakazuki curled the fingers of his left hand slightly and reached diagonally downward without even looking.

Clang!

He caught the thrusting hand and hurled it diagonally upward with tremendous force.

"This strength...!"

Morris's pupils contracted sharply. He could not resist at all.

Sakazuki's left hand drove Morris's palm into his own sword, knocking the blade aside.

Nothing stood in the way of Sakazuki's right fist now.

Boom!

The punch sent Morris flying into a distant stone wall.

"Cough, cough... You brat, that's some strength you've got."

With a sweep of his hand, Morris pushed aside the rubble and leaped out. The stone wall behind him collapsed with a crash as he spoke between coughs.

"Come on, let's test your swordsmanship."

Youth had the advantage in a fistfight, so Morris decided to change tactics.

Sakazuki had no objection.

He raised his right hand and held it flat, pressed his clenched left fist against it, then pulled outward.

As though drawing a sword, he produced a magma blade more than three meters long.

Its blade was two meters long and its hilt one meter, with a thick blade and a slender grip that gave it an odd appearance.

Sakazuki closed his right hand around it and raised the blade upright, catching the bottom of the hilt with his left.

Armament Haki surged over the sword, instantly solidifying it into a Black Blade.

He vanished, reappearing before Morris in an instant and bringing the blade down with the momentum of his charge.

Morris gripped his sword with both hands, Armament Haki surging as he held it horizontally to block.

Boom!

The swords collided and parted. The tremendous impact numbed both of Morris's hands, nearly knocking his sword from his grip.

But Sakazuki kept pressing him.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!...

A relentless series of ringing clashes sounded like a furious storm.

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged countless blows. Sakazuki's gaze sharpened, and an overwhelming burst of strength erupted.

Morris was sent flying once again.

He crashed into the rubble of the stone wall that had just collapsed.

Clatter! Clatter!

Amid the clattering rubble, Morris pushed the stones aside and stood up, saying helplessly:

"That's enough. I'm done."

"Your strength rivals the Giants, you brat. That's just unfair."

"Still, it feels good to blow off some steam."

Hearing the complaint in Morris's voice, Sakazuki smiled slightly. They walked to the edge of the grounds and sat on the steps.

The sea breeze carried a faint hint of salt.

After a long silence, Morris spoke with a touch of wistfulness:

"Sakazuki, it'll be up to you lot from now on."

"Why do you say that, Vice Admiral Morris?"

Sakazuki knew this was a sore point for Morris, but he could not bring it up himself. All he could do was ask with a hint of confusion.

Hearing Sakazuki's puzzled tone, Morris rolled his eyes and said with a faint chuckle:

"All right, stop pretending. You don't need to comfort me."

"I've weathered every kind of storm. It's just an Admiral's position."

"I'll never get that chance in this lifetime."

"But I can teach the next generation."

"I've already applied for a transfer to the rear as an instructor."

"One day, one of my students will become an Admiral."

"Not killing... Ha. What a joke."

The Marines were divided into the Hawk Faction and the Dove Faction. The Hawk Faction had always scorned the Dove Faction's preference for capture over killing.

Likewise, the Dove Faction disapproved of the Hawk Faction's preference for killing over capture.

With the final Admiral position settled, the Dove Faction now held every senior post that mattered.

No wonder Morris had given up. It truly was hopeless.

"An instructor..."

Listening to Morris, Sakazuki understood how he felt.

There had been a sliver of hope, but after struggling for so many years, he had discovered that hope had been reserved for someone else.

Anyone would have been disheartened.

But Morris had come to terms with it. If I can't do it, then I'll train the next generation.

One day, I'll prove I was right.

"Vice Admiral Morris, this is for you."

After a moment's thought, Sakazuki took a small booklet from his clothes and handed it to Vice Admiral Morris.

Morris looked at the booklet in his hands.

He quietly read the large words on its cover.

"Faith and Justice."