Chapter 98 - 98: Gray Justice, A Clear Conscience

Words : 1396 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Roughly ten minutes later, a green warship docked at the shores of Dongwu Island. Once anchored, only a few procurement personnel disembarked. The rest of the Marines had no intention of setting foot on land. Standing on the deck, Yoriichi Tsugikuni silently gazed at the bustling harbor. For a moment, he was lost in thought. After a while, he retrieved a Den Den Mushi from inside his coat and picked up the receiver. Purururu... purururu... click! Following a few rings, someone picked up from the other end. A powerful, energetic voice came through the line. "Oh! Yoriichi!" "Didn't expect you to call me so soon!" "So, have you made up your mind? Are you finally going to join us?" "I knew it. A guy like you—" Before the voice could finish, Yoriichi calmly interrupted, "New World. Kingdom of Sharon." With those words, he hung up and returned the Den Den Mushi to his coat. After taking one last look at the lively harbor, he turned and walked toward the control room. Meanwhile, in a small town on an island in the East Blue, Monkey D. Dragon sat on a bench outside a wooden cabin, legs crossed as he stared at the now-disconnected Den Den Mushi in his hand, deep in thought. At that moment, the cabin door creaked open, and a young woman stepped outside. She took a seat beside Dragon and, noticing his contemplative look, asked softly, "Dragon, what's wrong?" Her voice pulled him back to reality. Seeing her, Dragon smiled gently and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, whispering in her ear, "An old... little friend called." "That boy I told you about—the one the old man brought into the Navy." "It was him." A flash of surprise appeared on the woman's face. "You mean the one your father called the 'future of the Marines'?" Dragon nodded, then tucked the Den Den Mushi away. After giving her a soft embrace, he whispered, "Sorry, I need to head out." "I promise I'll be back soon." With that, he stood and walked into the cabin. The woman didn't try to stop him, silently following him inside. Some time later, Dragon emerged again, now wearing a cloak. After a kiss at the door, his body dissolved into the breeze and disappeared. The woman stood at the doorway for a long time before turning back into the house. Back in the New World, Dongwu Island, the Marines who had gone ashore returned with the supplies they needed, storing them in the warship's hold. Alongside them, a few shipwrights boarded as well. Kuzan's "ride," to begin with, was already an aging vessel. After the recent battle, the ship was in critical condition. Surprisingly, the most severe damage hadn't come from the holes Kuzan had made with his own body, but from the slash Yoriichi, as a Marine Captain, had unleashed. The strike that killed Sharon Lawrence left not only a scar across the deck, but also extended deep into the hull beneath. Even the short voyage from sea to port had let in a fair amount of seawater. Had the journey been longer, the ship would have sunk long ago. Most Marines from headquarters possessed some rudimentary repair skills, but only just enough to patch minor damage. Fixing holes in the deck or cracks in the cabin walls, they could manage. But repairing the ship's hull required professional expertise. The shipwrights, upon seeing the condition of the warship, were shocked by the extent of the damage. Still, once they confirmed it was a Navy vessel, they understood. After all, this was the New World. With the help of the Marines, the shipwrights began repairs. While they worked, Yoriichi took the opportunity to chat with them casually. His real goal was to gather insight into the Kingdom of Sharon—from the mouths of its common folk. From their responses, he found the truth he'd suspected. "The King? Don't be fooled by that fierce face, he's actually a kind man." "We owe our peaceful lives to him." "World Nobles? Heavenly Tribute? Sorry, Captain, I don't know anything about that." "As for the Navy base here, word is they started intensive training recently. It's been going on for a while now." "Taxes? I'm not really sure about that either, Captain. Please... I'd rather not talk more." Through these casual conversations, Yoriichi pieced together scattered details. Afterward, he quietly slipped off the ship and made a secret trip to the Navy base within the Kingdom of Sharon. By evening, when the shipwrights were preparing to leave, Yoriichi returned to the deck. He arranged with them to continue repairs the next day. The ship was badly damaged. A full restoration would take three days. Once the shipwrights were gone, Yoriichi stood at the railing, staring at the sea, lost in thought. "Yoriichi, don't you think... the Sharon King you killed was actually a good man?" "I heard everything you said to those shipwrights. Are you regretting it now? Killing a king who cared for his people?" Kuzan had appeared silently at Yoriichi's side, asking the question with a steady voice. Hands resting on the cold railing, Yoriichi replied without looking back, "I don't regret it." "Kuzan, do you know how many Marines were stationed at the Sharon Kingdom's base?" Kuzan's brows furrowed. He was just about to speak when Yoriichi continued. "Almost seven hundred. Many of them were young recruits—some not much older than me." "I won't say whether what Lawrence did was right or wrong. I only know this—if I let him go, the Marines who died would never forgive me." Kuzan fell silent. "And what about the citizens of the Sharon Kingdom?" he asked after a long pause. "To them, you killed their beloved king. What does that make you?" "A righteous Marine?" "If you're justice, then what is King Sharon? Evil?" "If those people knew the truth, wouldn't they blame you?" Kuzan's voice trembled slightly. He was visibly troubled. It wasn't just about Sharon Lily—Yoriichi's actions had shaken the very foundations of his own beliefs. He had long seen Yoriichi as a friend, a comrade. But now that Yoriichi's justice clashed with his own, he felt lost. "Kuzan... you're so naive." "Human beings can't be divided cleanly into black or white." "I'm gray." "And that King Sharon of yours—he wasn't some saint. He was gray too." "If I were just me, and he was just him, I wouldn't have done anything." "But when I wear this uniform, I become white. And he—must die." Kuzan stood there in silence. After a long while, he asked, "So, because you're a Marine... that makes you justice?" "Foolish." "No. It's not that I'm justice because I'm a Marine." "It's because my comrades were Marines. So when I face the one who killed them—then I am justice." "Kuzan, your kindness makes you want to protect more people. That's something I admire in you." "But before that, you must protect those beside you. Your comrades. Your subordinates. Your friends." "Think back. Think back to the anger you felt a week ago when you got that distress call from the base." "If you've forgotten, then go visit the Navy base in the Sharon Kingdom." "Kuzan, I did what I did with a clear conscience." "This... is my justice." With that, Yoriichi turned and left the deck, leaving Kuzan alone, staring blankly at the sea. The sun sank slowly beyond the western horizon. It was that fleeting moment between day and night—the sky a hazy gray. To the east, stars were beginning to emerge in the darkening sky. To the west, the remnants of the sun bathed the clouds in brilliant crimson. ************************ Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 150 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch! For advance chapters, please do visit and consider joining me on P(a)treon, it really helps me out and I'd love to have you along for the journey! p(a)treon.com/Lnee *remove () to open it

Chapter 98 - 98: Gray Justice, A Clear Conscience

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