"How do you view 'Justice'?" Kuzan asked, his voice low and contemplative, cutting through the steam of the hot spring.
"How do I view Justice?" Mike blinked, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
He knew, from the original story, that Kuzan was deeply conflicted about the meaning of Justice, but he never expected the Admiral to ask him about it.
'After all...' he thought with a flicker of amusement.
'My own personal Justice is 'Lazy Justice.'
'Though I suppose his is more like 'Lethargic Justice.'
'Are we here to discuss the best way to nap in the sun? Because if so, I'm wide awake now!'
As if reading his mind, Kuzan spoke again, his voice slow and deliberate.
"Yes. My Observation Haki sensed what you said to Crocodile earlier. I could feel it. You have a... unique perspective on this world."
'Ah, so he was eavesdropping,'
Mike realized, then suddenly, a trace of hesitation appear on his face.
'That was just me getting carried away.'
'My main goal was to get Crocodile to develop Alabasta into a better vacation spot for me.'
'But if an Admiral is asking for my serious opinion...'
A scene flashed through his mind: the future clash between Akainu and Aokiji, an event that would leave the Navy fractured and weakened.
'Akainu's rise to power must have been a deep disappointment for you, Admiral, especially after what happened at Ohara,' he thought.
'This is an opportunity.'
'If I can persuade Kuzan to stay in the Marines, to fight for his own ideals from within... at the very least, his strength is undeniable.'
'With him around, the workload on Old Man Kizaru would lessen.'
'Less work for Kizaru means less work for me.'
'Which means I can happily slack off.'
The plan solidified in his mind in an instant.
"Admiral Kuzan," Mike said, his tone turning serious, "though I don't know exactly what's on your mind, if you have questions, I'll do my best to answer them."
Kuzan gave him a deep, searching look.
"Alright." He glanced at the others.
Smoker was his friend.
Crocodile was now under his thumb.
He wasn't worried about them exposing anything.
"Nico Robin," he began, his voice dropping. "Do you know her?"
"The Devil Child? Of course."
"What?!" Smoker and Crocodile's eyes widened almost simultaneously, their expressions filled with shock.
"During the Ohara incident," Kuzan continued, ignoring them, "I was the one who personally let her escape."
He took a slow breath, a flicker of pain in his eyes as he recalled the memory.
"My old friend, Jaguar D. Saul, gave everything to save her. So I chose to let her go. But she's been wandering ever since, never finding a place to belong." He sighed softly.
"I don't know... whether my decision back then was right or wrong."
"I can't advise you on that, Admiral Kuzan," Mike finally spoke, his tone calm and firm.
"Matters of right and wrong are different for everyone. But," his eyes locked onto Kuzan's, "why not let the bullet fly a little longer? Keep observing for a while. I believe you'll find your answer."
"..."
Kuzan fell silent, his gaze lingering on Mike for a few long seconds before he finally nodded, as if setting aside a great weight.
"Alright. I'll observe a while longer." He then turned a cold gaze on Crocodile.
"Crocodile, you'll keep an eye out for me as well."
"..."
Crocodile nodded, his eyes deep.
'That woman's background... is tied to an Admiral'.
'She's a ticking time bomb.'
'I need to get her away from me, and fast.'
"I also wanted to ask... about Justice," Kuzan said, his voice heavy with a barely perceptible waver.
"Because of certain events, my understanding of it has been shaken. My own approach often conflicts with the 'Justice' we're supposed to uphold."
"Admiral Kuzan," Mike's gaze grew firm. "The advice I can give you is this: Don't focus on what others say Justice is. Focus on Justice itself. If you believe something is just, then do it."
His eyes turned cold, his words laced with a sudden, sharp disdain.
"As Marines, following orders is our duty. But those commands from the Celestial Dragons? If it were me, I'd treat them like hot air. The orders from those mush-brained fools are downright nauseating." He gestured with his cigar toward Smoker.
"In that regard, Smokey here does a great job. He tells them all to go eat shit."
Hearing this, Smoker unconsciously straightened his back, a flicker of pride in his eyes.
"But you must understand, the issue of military funding..." Kuzan's tone grew serious again.
"It remains the biggest shackle restraining any internal reform within the Marines. As long as we rely on the World Government for funding, we cannot truly defy their will."
"Military funding, huh?" Mike pondered for a moment, his expression thoughtful.
"That's true."
Kuzan had struck right at the heart of the problem.
He leaned forward, a mysterious and enticing glint in his eye.
"Admiral Kuzan, in that case, would you be interested in learning about... the true treasures of this vast sea?"
"What do you mean?" Kuzan's interest was piqued.
"For 800 years, countless pirates have set sail," Mike explained, a grand vision seeming to unfold before him.
"Countless pirate ships have sunk to the depths of this ocean." He raised a finger, pointing toward the unseen horizon.
"And the treasures those pirates carried—all their wealth, all their gold and jewels—all of it is just sitting there, buried beneath these waves, waiting to be claimed."
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