"What are you talking about? Does a strong person like you really need to resort to such petty verbal tricks?!"
Naturally, Zephyr did not believe Nereus' words.
Although the Marine recruitment process here was relatively simple and didn't require political background checks, anyone who rose to the rank of Admiral was trusted by the World Government not only for their strength, but also for their loyalty.
They themselves believed in the Marines and were willing to fight for them.
Zephyr wasn't someone selected through a world draft to temporarily fill a gap in combat power. He had started as a recruit and steadily grown within the Marines.
Compared to those monstrously talented individuals, the first half of Zephyr's career could even be described as ordinary.
He joined the Marine Academy at 14, became a Marine Commissioned Officer at 28, mastered Armament Haki at 34, and this year became the youngest Marine Admiral.
Compared to officers who were awarded rank early because of their power, Zephyr enjoyed greater prestige among ordinary Marines. He was also a commander who deeply cared for his subordinates.
As a high-ranking Marine officer who achieved success through years of steady accumulation, he was a role model for many young Marines.
Though only thirty-eight, Zephyr had devoted most of his life to the Marines. In his heart, they represented justice itself. Naturally, he would not waver because of a single sentence from Nereus.
"So you won't believe me, huh?"
"A coward who takes hostages, how could I possibly believe anything you say? What exactly are you after?!"
"Didn't I say? I just want to chat with you. As for the hostages… if I don't control them, it'll be hard to get you to listen obediently.
Otherwise… I'd have no choice but to kill you. That would be a bit of a pity."
Garp, though hesitant at times, still clung to "his own justice," striving within the Marines according to his personal beliefs.
Sengoku, on the other hand, was being groomed by Kong as his successor. Unlike Garp and Zephyr, who were unaware of certain inner secrets, Sengoku had long been exposed to the darkness within the Marines, yet his views had not changed.
"Reigning Justice" was Sengoku's motto. Compared to them, Zephyr was actually the one most likely to waver.
In the "ultimate hostage" scenario, Zephyr wouldn't be able to escape at all.
Of course, interest is one thing, but if things develop to an uncontrollable point, Nereus would still strike to kill.
He had no principle against killing. If someone was an enemy, even if they possessed admirable qualities, he would show no mercy.
"I disdain lying. But what I'm about to say today, you'd better not let anyone else know. It might not matter much if it's just you, but your subordinates would most likely be silenced.
You should know about the Marine operation in West Blue more than two years ago. Garp, who was on leave at the time, was urgently dispatched to God Valley…"
"I'm well aware of that. That was the beginning of the Rocks Pirates' downfall. You pirates gathered in West Blue…"
"Yes, we were all in West Blue. But what exactly could have drawn both the Rocks Pirates and the Roger Pirates there at the same time?
It's rather amusing, actually. One of the reasons… was a woman."
Rocks' objective had been family. The others each had their own schemes to varying degrees. But in truth, many of them had indeed been after Shakuyaku. This much could not be changed.
Yet to Zephyr, this sounded…
"You're toying with me… Does saying such things satisfy your twisted desires?"
"Sigh. These days, people who tell the truth are always doubted. It's really hard for honest folks to survive."
A group of pirates with bounties starting at a billion gathering on an ordinary island in West Blue, all for the sake of a single woman—it certainly sounded absurd. While Roger, Whitebeard, and the others were pirates, Zephyr acknowledged that they all had their own beliefs. To say they were all bewitched by a woman was something he simply could not believe.
"But the real answer is this: a Celestial Dragon was hosting a hunting game there. All the slaves, as well as the natives of God Valley, were their hunting targets."
Garp was dispatched there to protect the Celestial Dragons. As for the more detailed matters, there's no benefit for you in hearing them.
Throughout the entire God Valley Incident, you Marines were nothing more than accomplices.
Speaking of which, I've been the one answering your questions all this time. So tell me, Mr. Youngest Marine Admiral, what's your view on the Celestial Dragons and slavery? And how do you see the human auctioning houses on Sabaody Archipelago, operating right under the Marines' noses?"
"…"
Faced with this question, Zephyr had no way to answer. He did not know the truth about God Valley, but the human auctioning houses on Sabaody Archipelago were an unavoidable issue.
Even though they were labeled as dealing only in people from non-affiliated nations and pirates, that did not change the established reality. Moreover, where those slaves truly came from was ultimately just a matter of someone's word.
Most crucially, if it really involved the Celestial Dragons…
It was not impossible for them to do such things.
Though the Celestial Dragons were hardly good people, they spent most of their time living in Mariejois and rarely descended to the seas. Even when they caused harm, it was far less destructive than what pirates brought about.
This was a viewpoint many Marines agreed with: a rotten order was still better than lawless chaos. And from the perspective of the affiliated nations, the World Government was, at the very least, acceptable.
"You can't prove that what you're saying is true…"
Zephyr was still denying Nereus' claims. He could not accept that the Marines were accomplices to such acts. That would not merely be turning a blind eye, it would make them complete participants.
"I don't know how your Marines have sealed off the news of this internally, but Garp is from the same generation as you, isn't he? Maybe you could ask him.
Or perhaps ask his son about it? Monkey D. Dragon, that young Marine at God Valley did something unprecedented: he fired at a Celestial Dragon. Granted, it was only a tranquilizer round.
But nowadays, he's no longer in the Marines, is he?"
Zephyr hadn't paid attention before. After all, he had his own missions to carry out and hadn't focused much on the affairs of his comrades' children. But thinking carefully, that "Marine Lone Wolf" who had been widely commended after the West Blue incident truly had not appeared at all in the past two years.
"That's as much as I'll say. The rest, I'm sure that with your authority as a Marine Admiral, you can uncover some clues yourself. Your compromise has bought these young soldiers their lives. I should be leaving now.
Or do you insist on settling life and death with me here?"
Zephyr said nothing, simply allowing Nereus to leave. Though Nereus had spoken of not striking to kill, the Marine soldiers still lay sprawled on the ground, unable to stand.
Some time later, when reinforcements from Marine Headquarters arrived, what they saw was a field of unconscious Marine soldiers, a few traces of battle, and Zephyr sitting off to the side in stunned silence.
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