Sakazuki looked at Enel and said,
"As for the rightness or wrongness of killing them."
"There's no definitive answer."
"From a moral standpoint."
"We were wrong."
"But from the perspective of justice."
"They are pirates."
"They must die."
"The existence of such people is wrong."
"They exist between justice and evil."
"Their occasional acts of righteousness are hailed as heroic."
"They deny the evil represented by pirates, yet they also deny the justice represented by the Marines."
"But the reality is."
Enel's gaze had already firmed. He spoke,
"The reality is, such pirates are few."
"While they may save people, pirates are also the ones who slaughter and plunder..."
Sakazuki nodded and said,
"Indeed."
"Progress."
"There are rotten elements in the Marines, and there are good people among pirates."
"But does that negate the justice of the Marines?"
"Does that negate the evil of pirates?"
"The civilians killed by pirates each year are several times the number of residents in this town."
"The soldiers who die protecting civilians each year are also several times the number of residents in this town."
"People like Black, who, as a pirate, did some good deeds."
"Easily distort right and wrong."
"This is unforgivable to the fallen Marine soldiers and the civilians massacred by pirates."
Enel nodded.
Sakazuki continued,
"I've shown you so much these past two days."
"To tell you that there is no absolute light or darkness."
"Those who achieve great things cannot act on impulse."
"There is darkness within the Marines, and there is light among pirates."
"But sometimes, choices must be made."
"Even if a future island, without the likes of the Note Pirates, is massacred and plundered."
"They must die."
"They are pirates, yet hailed as heroes, and their will is passed down on this island."
"Influencing the next generation of children."
"If we let them go simply because they haven't done bad deeds,"
"Then the pirates on this sea will never be wiped out."
Sakazuki gazed at the distant sky,
"The path towards light is destined to be fraught with thorns."
"We cannot stop because of fear of sacrifice or softheartedness."
"Countless people have fallen on the eve of dawn."
"In the battle of God Valley, the soldiers from the Four Seas branches were decimated."
"In the Sgori Sea Battle, G4 branch was annihilated, and over twenty thousand soldiers from the main fleet were killed."
"On the monument of heroes erected in the main plaza, those are not just names."
"They are living lives."
"But this is only a small fraction of the sacrifices."
"The number of fallen soldiers and civilians is too vast to count."
"What we must do is carry this burden forward."
"Will you choose slow death through softheartedness, or will you sever an arm to fight back in desperation?"
"What will you choose?"
Enel seemed to have matured greatly in an instant,
"Desperate counterattack."
Sakazuki nodded,
"This path will involve much bloodshed and sacrifice."
"There will be civilians, soldiers, family, and friends."
"But you cannot turn back."
"When you look back at those who have fallen in pools of blood, you will be softhearted, you will be unable to bear it."
"But that will expose your weakness and lead to failure."
"This bloodshed and sacrifice are unavoidable."
"What can end this chaotic era is a sword, not words."
"What needs to be done now is to accumulate strength."
"When the day comes that we can deliver a fatal blow, we will reshape the world with lightning speed."
"Sweep all that trash into the garbage can."
"The world we reshape will not be perfect, of course."
"Because where there is light, there will be darkness."
"But... it will at least be better than it is now."
Enel nodded heavily.
The two watched the setting sun in silence for a long time...
Sakazuki suddenly chuckled lightly,
"Let's go."
"The teaching is over."
Under the setting sun, two shadows receded, stretching infinitely long...
---------------
Several days later, on Parilini Island.
A warship slowly sailed into the port.
A burst of Observation Haki erupted from the ship, instantly sweeping across the entire island.
Garp on the warship impatiently jumped out,
"Hahahaha, I found him."
"Sengoku!!!!!"
His voice echoed across the island, and Garp moved rapidly through the air.
Sengoku, at this moment, seemed to sense something, a familiar feeling rapidly approaching.
Frowning, for the sake of safety, he said to the child he had just picked up,
"Rosinante, you go hide in the house first."
The dirty Rosinante was taken aback.
He said softly,
"Mm."
He turned and ran into the house. Shortly after entering,
*Bang!*
A figure crashed to the ground. Garp, with a wide grin, looked at Sengoku before him,
"Hahahaha-hahaha, finally found you, Sengoku."
Sengoku frowned,
"Who are you? Have we met before?"
Garp froze, his eyes widened,
"I'm Garp, have you lost your memory!!!"
Sengoku couldn't figure out the intentions of the person before him, but he instinctively felt no malice.
It even felt like a long-lost friend, and he slowly nodded.
Garp grinned widely, his fists clenched and imbued with Armament Haki,
"You must have hit your head during the Sgori Sea Battle."
"Just one more bump should do it."
Sengoku, looking at the grinning Garp, felt a sense of dread.
He wanted to resist, but Sengoku, having lost his memory, could not dodge Garp's fist based on instinct alone.
"Meteorite Bone!!!"
With Garp's shout, he instantly disappeared.
In Sengoku's terrified gaze, Garp punched his glasses to pieces and then hit him squarely on the forehead.
He was sent flying backward, crashing through the house and numerous trees.
He lay on the ground for a long time, unmoving.
Rosinante, seeing Sengoku crash through the house, tearfully ran towards him with concern.
At this moment, Sengoku had indeed been cured by the punch.
However, the dizziness from the concussion, combined with the jumbled memories of amnesia and regaining his memories,
His head was in a daze, and he couldn't get up.
But he could perceive everything in the outside world.
Rosinante's thin little hand tried to shake Sengoku's body, but it didn't budge.
Garp walked over from a distance.
Picking his nose with one hand, he looked at Rosinante,
"Stop shaking, kid, he'll be fine."
"Where did you come from? Did Sengoku pick you up?"
"Move aside quickly, Sengoku isn't recovered yet, I'll land a few more punches."
Rosinante's thin body spread his arms, blocking Sengoku.
Garp widened his eyes and deliberately threatened,
"Do you want to taste my beloved iron fist!!!"
Rosinante swallowed, his eyes showing a hint of fear, but his body did not retreat.
Garp raised his fist and chuckled,
"Since that's the case..."
Just then, a golden light flashed behind Rosinante.
"Garp!!!!!"
Sengoku's roar sounded.
A hundred-meter-tall golden giant appeared, its hand glowing with white light, and it unhesitatingly pressed down on Garp.
*Vroom——*
Garp, looking at the descending shockwave, burst into laughter,
"Hahahaha-hahaha, looks like you're all better, Sengoku!"
Armament Haki surged, and he raised his fist to strike.
Sengoku's rage surged as he roared,
"Die! You despicable scoundrel!!!"