Lofan's justice

Learning the truth left Ain dumbstruck, her face a picture of bewilderment.

No matter what anyone said, she could not believe that the man who had defeated Kaido of the Beasts and risen to Marine Admiral at such a young age,

the face of the Marines who led them toward glory, Cloud Gull Admiral Lofan, who had broken through their conservative system, could forget things.

Ain simply could not accept it.

It was as unbelievable as your mother saying she had forgotten to pick you up after school when you were little.

Ahem, not that it was impossible, but how could she put it?

When it happened, it still felt incomprehensible and unbelievable. The same principle applied.

Perhaps she was too shocked, because Ain did not know what to do for a moment.

She waved her arms frantically, as though shooing away some scene that should never see the light of day.

Beside them, an embarrassed Binz quietly slid toward the door, gingerly opened it, and made his escape!

Once outside, Binz was certain that if he had stayed in that awkward room any longer,

one of them would definitely have killed him.

No, no, they might both kill me together. But for some reason,

although the scene was brimming with murderous intent, Binz always imagined it through a filter of pink bubbles.

Looks like Ain's admiration has crossed the line a little. Now this is getting interesting.

The two people in the room had no room for such thoughts. The awkward atmosphere made Lofan rub the tip of his nose in discomfort.

Ultimately, he was not like Aizen. Something like this still left him, a boy at heart, feeling somewhat guilty.

But not very.

It had been his mistake, after all. Busy laying his plans, he had inadvertently overlooked this little matter.

That had caused Ain such tremendous embarrassment. This was probably what people in his previous life called social death.

With no other choice, Lofan set aside some time to help Ain write lesson plans.

Of all his requirements for developing the Search Bureau, Lofan placed the greatest emphasis on ideological training for its personnel.

Through the memories of his previous life, Lofan had gained a profound understanding of the necessity of political work development.

A well-led team reflected an excellent leader, but how far that team could go still depended on ideological development.

As long as he built a team with sound convictions and a firm stance, he would no longer need to worry about corruption breeding within the Search Bureau.

The Investigation Bureau would then become a team of steel that could not be lured away, brought down by deception, or smashed apart.

Lofan quickly searched through the plans and knowledge in his mind, compiling teaching materials for the students' classes.

"For the first point, let's start by cultivating the team's loyalty.

Only a club that fits your hand is the best club to use.

Then the first principle they need to learn is-loyalty not absolute is absolute disloyalty."

Beside him, Ain looked somewhat uneasy as she listened to Lofan mutter to himself.

His words puzzled her, but she was also concerned about saving face.

She did not want Lofan to think she was clueless.

Nor did she want him to see that she could not understand these words.

That would only make her seem far too useless.

Lofan seemed to notice Ain's difficulty. These words were indeed somewhat hard to understand.

Even in his own era, they were not particularly easy to understand.

How much more so for Ain and the others, who came from a different world?

But Lofan knew that these words from another world would be like a demonic voice pouring into their ears.

They would lodge deep in the heart of every Search Bureau member.

Then they would slowly take root, sprout, and finally grow into a towering tree.

To achieve that goal, the first step was to make people understand. Lofan could hardly fail to grasp that principle.

He saw Ain's confusion.

It would also be the confusion of Search Bureau personnel encountering these new ideas for the first time.

Solving that problem was Lofan's truest reason for being there.

"Ain, listen carefully. What I'm about to say may be too shocking. I hope you'll prepare yourself."

Hearing Lofan say this, Ain immediately grew nervous.

Lofan was rarely this serious, which meant that what he was about to say was extremely important.

Ain's hands clenched tighter with nerves, and a fine sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"We Marines are a proud force founded on justice.

On the Grand Line, the Marines are the only justice. That has been the case for many years."

Lofan paused and looked up to check Ain's expression.

After making sure there was no major change, he continued.

"The Marines call themselves justice, and pirates call themselves justice too.

Other things also call themselves justice. Then what is justice, and who represents it?"

Lofan watched Ain quietly. To him, there was no doubt about this question.

The most important thing he had learned from his previous life's memories was that justice was the lowest ideal in the world of pirates.

It was a tool to be exploited. Justice that no one upheld could only be the epitaph of the noble.

What Lofan intended to practice was the justice of justice.

"What we call justice is the resolve to walk the path of benevolence and righteousness with the might of a king and conqueror.

It is the vision of those who strive for all living beings. It is justice for people.

If you do not hold the people in your heart and only single-mindedly pursue your own so-called justice,

then you are a selfish hero, a phantom that could vanish at any moment."

For the first time since coming to this world, Lofan spoke what was in his heart.

Yes, justice. Justice that had once vanished like a bubble bursting into disillusionment.

In that world, Lofan had been lost before. He had given up before.

Why did everyone resist a merciful heart? Why did no one believe in the power of compassion?

Little by little, hunger had numbed Lofan, and that burning heart had gradually gone out.

Only when Lofan obtained that power did Aizen's cold thoughts resolve his doubts.

It was resolve, a resolve few could understand.

A resolve like that of the Admiral who did not kill, a resolve built from a heartfelt, unwavering belief in humanity.

It was also the resolve to stand again at the pinnacle of strength, even after facing countless betrayals and misunderstandings.

"To carry a sword but not use it is benevolence.

Killing is very easy. In the world as it is now, I suppose I have the right to say that."

Having defeated Kaido in single combat, he certainly had enough grounds to say so.

"And this resolve not to kill is a justice that can only be understood between life and death.

It is also the justice Zephyr practiced when he stood at the pinnacle.

Justice relies on strength to be upheld, and justice also relies on benevolence and righteousness to be fulfilled."

Ain said nothing. Lofan's justice revealed a grand vision and an ambition that embraced the whole world.

He left Ain profoundly shaken. This was a realm that even her teacher Zephyr was far from reaching.

Just as Lofan had said, these words were too shocking. Ain could not shake them for a long time.

Yes, wasn't I also a moth drawn to Teacher Zephyr's justice?

Perhaps this Cloud Gull Admiral before me really can bring long-absent peace and tranquility to this broken world.

"Ain, do you know? Back in my homeland, there's a saying I hold as a guiding principle: serve the people."