Clenching the fruit in his hand, Borsalino's usual lazy expression vanished completely, replaced by a rare look of gravity.
"Bazel, what exactly have you found out? No matter how powerful the Roger Pirates are, they could never pose a threat comparable to that of Golden Lion Shiki!"
"His Fuwa Fuwa no Mi is the true nightmare of the seas!"
Bazel shook his head and asked, "Monkey, do you know about the Poneglyphs?"
"Of course I do. It's said they record ancient history, but because of the unique script, no one in the world can translate them."
Borsalino paused for a moment in thought.
"I've heard a little about this from Admiral Sengoku. The World Government and the Five Elders have always been suppressing the ancient script."
"Anyone or any country that attempts to translate it ends up destroyed."
Bazel hesitated for a moment but decided to share the information about Oden.
"Whitebeard has a new crewmate from the stonemason clan. His ancestors were the stonemasons who carved the Poneglyphs."
Borsalino's expression shifted slightly. "You mean…"
"That's right. That man, named Kozuki Oden, can translate the ancient script."
"Once someone with ambition gets their hands on him, the untranslatable ancient script will no longer be a problem."
Bazel let out a long sigh.
"No one knows what happened eight hundred years ago, but one thing we all know is that the World Government was established exactly eight hundred years ago."
"If the Poneglyphs merely recorded past history, the World Government wouldn't need to be so nervous."
"Those Road Poneglyphs, the ones different from the black ones… what they record is a Pandora's box capable of ushering in a new era!"
"If the coming era is to be called the Great Pirate Era, how will the Marine stop an age where everyone becomes a pirate?"
Borsalino opened his mouth, about to say that unity and determination could end the pirate era, but upon second thought, it seemed unrealistic.
The future Marine Admiral, Dragon had already shown signs of rebellion. During their many drinking sessions, he had repeatedly heard him express his disdain for the Celestial Dragons and the World Government.
Suddenly, Borsalino fixed his gaze on the man before him, "Bazel, will you walk the same path as Dragon?"
"That guy has already made up his mind. He wants to forge a path of justice different from the Marine's. What he intends to do…"
"Is no longer just about killing all the pirates in this era, but also… actions that we in the Marine would consider treasonous."
"…"
Bazel fell silent for a long time.
"What is treasonous? Perhaps I can rephrase that… what does treasonous mean to you, Monkey?"
"Monkey, you once asked me what my justice would be if I became an Admiral or Fleet Admiral one day."
"…A Hero's Justice. That is my justice."
"Even if I am branded with all the evils of the world, even if I am cursed by everyone, I will ensure that true justice emerges."
"I don't know what Dragon's justice is, but my justice… is a Hero's Justice."
Hearing this, Borsalino could only force a bitter smile.
"You're all being so reckless, one after another. Whether it's you or Dragon, what exactly have you seen? Why have your ideologies changed so drastically?"
"You ask what we've seen…"
Bazel stood up and pointed toward the sky.
"We've seen the Celestial Dragons with our own eyes, my dear friend!"
"If one day in the future, the Celestial Dragons order you to kill your best friend, and tell you that refusing would make you no longer a righteous marine…"
"If that day ever comes, what would you choose?"
"I…"
Borsalino was left speechless, stunned.
"Forget it, I can't argue with either of you. I'll pretend I never heard those words just now."
He adjusted the frog-eye sunglasses that had been perched on his head, the glint in his lenses hiding the complexity in his eyes.
"I'm leaving, Bazel. Next time we meet, if we have time, we should sit down and share a drink properly."
"I'll deliver this fruit, along with the message you asked me to relay to Garp."
"Stay alive, Bazel."
"I want to see with my own eyes the day the true justice you speak of arrives. If you stray from the path, my dear friend…"
Whoosh…
Borsalino transformed into streaks of light and flew away.
"I will stop you, even if it means killing you."
"Kill me, huh…"
Bazel brushed the dust from his pants and stood up, walking outward.
"I'm afraid by then, no one will be able to kill me, Monkey."
"My justice will surely reign over the seas!"
…
That night, at Marine Headquarters.
In the exclusive villa of an Admiral, light seeped through the curtains, attracting only a few mosquitoes.
A streak of golden light, like a meteor cutting through the night sky, trailed sparks as it landed in the courtyard.
The wooden sliding door opened.
"I've been waiting for you, Borsalino."
"Oh~ Sorry, sorry, the journey took a bit longer than expected."
Borsalino removed his hood and took off his shoes in the corridor before entering the room.
There weren't many people inside: Kong, Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru.
"I won, Sengoku! This time, I won the senbei stacking contest! Wahahaha!!"
Garp pushed a cup of sake toward Sengoku.
"Drink up, drink up! You finally lost for once!"
Sengoku picked up the cup and downed it with a hearty laugh.
"Borsalino, what did Bazel ask you to retrieve? Could it be Kaido's Vivre Card?"
"If only it were Kaido's Vivre Card…"
Borsalino closed the doors and windows, then cautiously used his Observation Haki to sweep the area once more.
After confirming no one else was around, he sat down with a bitter smile.
"Vice Admiral Garp, the thing Bazel asked me to retrieve this time is for you."
Garp, who was in the middle of pouring sake, froze and pointed at himself, "Me? What good stuff could that kid possibly have? Premium senbei?"
"No, something infinitely more precious than that."
Borsalino took a few deep breaths, then pulled out the Goro Goro no Mi from his coat.
"It's the strongest Logia, the Goro Goro no Mi!"
"Pfft!!!"
Kong spat out the tea in his mouth, coughing repeatedly, but his eyes remained fixed on the fruit on the table.
"Where did that kid find this thing!?"
Sengoku swallowed hard, "Sending that kid undercover was indeed the right decision…"
Tsuru was the first to pick up the fruit and examine it.
Under the anxious gazes of Kong and the others, she nodded, "It's genuine."
Sengoku swatted away Garp's hand, which was already reaching for the fruit, and turned to Borsalino.
"Did Bazel have anything else for you to pass on?"
Borsalino nodded and immediately relayed the words Bazel had initially shared with him.
"…He hopes Vice Admiral Garp will eat this Devil Fruit and stop the Roger Pirates from becoming the Pirate King."
"Stop Roger?"
Sengoku once again pushed away Garp, who was trying to grab the fruit, and placed the strongest Logia-type Devil Fruit squarely in the center of the table.
"If we're solely assessing threat level, both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates should be our primary targets."
"Failing that, we should focus on Red Count, Patrick Redfield or the remnants of the Rocks Pirates."
"Why is Bazel more concerned about the Roger Pirates?"
Borsalino pointed at Garp, "You should ask Vice Admiral Garp about that. He's the most qualified to speak on it."
Crossing his arms, Garp wore a rare expression of deep thought.
"My current strength allows me to take on any great pirate on the seas. This Goro Goro no Mi would indeed enhance my power, but its side effects would also be a significant drawback."
"Sengoku, Kong-san, I can't figure out why Bazel is so insistent that I eat this fruit."
Kong stopped Tsuru from speaking, "Let Sengoku handle this. He knows Bazel better than any of us here."
Sengoku lowered his head in thought, gently stroking the beard on his chin.
"There's only one possibility."
"Based on my understanding of Bazel, he must have uncovered some intelligence unknown to us, which is why he said those things."
"The reason he wants Garp to eat this fruit at all costs might be to prevent some terrible future from unfolding."
"Borsalino, did Bazel have any other messages?"
Borsalino hesitated for a moment before adding two more sentences.
"Bazel said the Poneglyphs contain more than just history. He suspects the Road Poneglyphs are a Pandora's box capable of ushering in a new era."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of all four in the room changed dramatically.
"He also said the protagonists of the next era must not be pirates. Otherwise, our Marine will be stuck in an awkward, untenable position."
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