One Piece: Impel Down's Guard - Chapter 42

“Regretting it now? I knew you would do this, so how could the World Government and the Five Elders not foresee it? Why did you have to take matters into your own hands? I could have stopped you earlier,” Figo said.

“Regret? Never.” Doug’s emotions settled as he shook his head. “I’ve used the Inspire Fruit to convince myself to be a coward for decades. Now, with only a few years left to live, I think it’s more important to uphold justice again than to be remembered in the navy’s history!”

He raised his voice and shouted, “All marines! From the first day we joined the navy, we wrote the word ‘justice’ on ourselves!

What is justice? Is it just following orders and capturing pirates?

No, justice means fairness!

When faced with injustice, we marines must have a sense of justice! Look at the children on the opposite ship, those innocent kids. Should we, to minimize our losses, equate them with the revolutionaries and kill them all with cannon fire?”

“Vice Admiral Doug!” The silver-haired CP0, knocked into the water, climbed back up, his mask shattered. Angrily, he said, “Do you know what you’re doing? Those children aren’t innocent! The Witch has corrupted them and they are seeds of evil!”

“They deserve a choice. Today, I’m here to show them that justice still exists in this world! Even if only a few turn back because of me, it will all be worth it!” Doug responded.

“You…” CP0 started to speak, but a shadow suddenly loomed over him.

Figo looked down at him from above. “If we judge people by their future actions, then I think what you’re about to say will be very unpleasant. So, I should kill you now.

You… wouldn’t have any objections, right?”

“Gaston Figo…” CP0’s body trembled, sweat beading on his forehead.

He dared not move or speak further.

Doug grinned and looked around the surrounding warships. The marines walked to the edges one by one, focusing their attention on him. Feeling relieved, he realized many of these faces were familiar, all students he had once taught.

Although he couldn’t remember many names anymore.

“Mr. Doug, what should we do next?” a Rear Admiral asked.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve heard your teachings,” a Navy Captain added.

“Yeah, we’ll follow your lead!”

Voices gradually rose in volume. Having taught in the navy for thirty years and inspired countless people with the Inspire Fruit, Doug’s prestige was no less than that of the Navy Admiral or the Fleet Admiral.

Doug laughed heartily, shouting with all his might, “Then, let me teach you one more lesson! Believe it with all your heart. Even though the navy has its flaws today, there will always be someone who upholds the baseline of justice. One day, someone will awaken the justice in everyone’s hearts!

This world is not beyond saving!

All sins will be punished!

Marines, the Blind Witch, the children, the scoundrels, the innocents—no matter what you’ve experienced, what you’ve done, or what pain and misfortune you’ve endured, believe that the navy’s justice is real! Justice truly exists!”

The power of the Inspire Fruit surged.

Doug’s powerful voice echoed over the sea.

The marines stood solemnly, receiving his words.

Most of the children on the revolutionary ship were confused, but the word ‘justice’ resonated in their hearts. Perhaps as they grew older, they would one day understand the significance of the old man’s actions today.

The once-enslaved revolutionary members fell silent. Could there really be justice in this world?

The irredeemable villains were even more panicked. Someone whispered urgently, “This is our chance! The navy is in chaos! Let’s leave their cannon range now.

Don’t trust those damn navy words!”

Sapphire ‘saw’ everything.

The ship began to move slowly again, and Sapphire’s Observation Haki foresaw more scenes.

Scene 1: Figo kicks the bow of their ship, breaking the giant ship and sliding it back to the shore.

Scene 2: As Figo kicks, she tries to block him with her sword but is repelled by his arm. Their ship is kicked back to shore again.

Scene 3… Scene 4…

No matter how she tried to stop it or what method she used, she couldn’t change the outcome of Figo’s actions!

So she said, “Stop the ship.”

“Saintess?”

“Stop it,” she repeated more loudly.

Some were unwilling but didn’t dare defy Sapphire’s authority. The ship, just starting to move, stopped again. In the next second, Figo used Moonwalk to land on their bow.

Given the previous spectacle of running on the sea and his inherent pressure, the revolutionaries at the bow took a few wary steps back. The children’s gazes were drawn to him, with eyes filled with curiosity and tension.

Sapphire stepped forward, and her words startled the villains: “Navy Admiral?”

“No, I’m not,” Figo replied. “I’m the Warden of Impel Down, Figo. Hello.”

“Impel Down…”

“Gerard is fine. He’s well-fed, well-rested, just always worried about you.”

Sapphire was taken aback, then smiled.

“So many children, there must be over a hundred, right? Adopting so many kids, is it to raise a reserve force for the revolutionary army?” Figo asked.

Sapphire shook her head. “I want to say no, that I just wanted to give them a home, but I knew that today would come. By taking them in, their situation might not be better than if they continued wandering.

So maybe it is.

I apologize to them. I selfishly decided their future. I wanted them to help me ask, what did my brother and I do wrong?

I wanted them to help me ask if there’s still justice and hope in this world? To help me ask why slaves exist? To help me ask why the Celestial Dragons exist? To help me ask why living… is so hard?”

There was still resentment.

“Do you believe in justice now?”

“Yes, I do.”

Sapphire affirmed.

She smiled, as purely as she did in the childhood scene Figo saw in Gerard’s character event.

She raised her hands together in front of her, ready for Figo to cuff her. “I miss my brother Gerard.”

“Saintess!”

Figo glanced at the crowd. “You’ll be reunited. Since you don’t plan to resist, I’m not in a hurry to arrest you. As for these children, we won’t decide their fate directly.

Choose three people from the revolutionary army who are most suitable to accompany the children. The kids who want to join the navy can come aboard. Those who don’t want to can go with the three chosen, to wherever they want, and no one will hunt them down. But you have to convince them not to be revolutionaries anymore. There is no hope for revolutionaries.”

In a world of concentrated power, revolution is no easy feat. Even Figo couldn’t think of a good solution at the moment. The people on the ship were just a motley crew, risking their lives for nothing.

As Figo’s words settled, the murmurs on the ship grew louder.

“Saintess, why…”

“Don’t listen to the navy’s lies. He’s trying to divide us. Let’s fight them!”

“This guy dared to board our ship alone. If we capture him…”

“Sorry, everyone, I’m tired.” Sapphire apologized, interrupting their protests, and turned to Figo, “Can it be five people?”

Figo thought for a moment, “Four.”

It was like haggling in a market.

In almost a moment, the fate of this ragtag revolutionary army was sealed!

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