"I'm just a researcher, what danger could there be? Could these transponder snails fight back?"
Ain pretended not to understand.
A pile of transponder snails was completing the great harmony of life; the newly hatched black transponder snail watched this scene in terror.
This scene was too stimulating; they were doing such things in broad daylight, which gave it a long-lost impulse... They're having a massive party and didn't invite me, huh?
Hmph, ignorant young bug! That woman is the Evil God Slaanesh! You'll know the score later!
The oldest transponder snail watched as another new companion was about to fall into the abyss, but an ice-crystal hand grabbed it back.
"There's something you don't know. These black transponder snails can only be requisitioned from the Scientific Marine Force with the approval of an Admiral."
Aokiji said, looking at the transponder snail struggling in his hand.
"Before I left the Marines, only Sakazuki filed a report and once 'accidentally' burned one black transponder snail to death."
These black transponder snails, which possess super communication abilities, were very precious, causing the Scientific Marine Force to complain frequently, and Sakazuki was even nicknamed the "Transponder Snail Killer."
"Listen, Ain!" Aokiji said seriously, "Perhaps Sakazuki tasted success during the Marineford War and wants to find someone else to backstab the Four Emperors. But Buggy is different from Whitebeard..."
Whitebeard put kinship first, being extremely tolerant of his 'sons' and able to forgive the betrayal of Squard the Giant Squid.
"You've seen Buggy's methods of governing Wano Country. Do you think he would let a traitor go?"
Moreover, Aokiji couldn't figure out how Ain could assassinate a User of a Paramecia-type ability that splits things apart.
Swordsmanship was ineffective against Buggy, unless she used a Devil Fruit ability.
But Ain's Rewind-Rewind Fruit ability could only rewind twelve years at a time; a strong opponent wouldn't give her a second chance to use it.
"I didn't come to assassinate Buggy; I have another mission..."
Since Aokiji had discovered her, Ain lifted the time rewind effect from the black transponder snail.
The black transponder snail stopped struggling; having returned to its elderly body, it no longer submitted to worldly desires; it had transcended.
Aokiji dialed the transponder snail, and it connected immediately.
"Ain, what just happened?"
Akainu's voice came from the transponder snail.
"Sakazuki, it's me," Aokiji said.
It was indeed Sakazuki controlling it, but when did he get in touch with the NEO Marines?
"Kuzan? Where are you?"
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, Admiral Kuzan has also arrived in Wano Country and found us," Ain explained from the side.
"I have already left the Marines, Ain." Aokiji was surprised that Ain still addressed him as Admiral.
"We discussed your situation; everyone thought you left the Marines to assassinate Blackbeard," Ain said.
Aokiji suddenly felt that losing his leg was somewhat unjust... "I told you long ago that your plan might not work, Kuzan." The transponder snail said, "What are you doing in Wano Country? Blackbeard is dead now; why don't you come back and help me? The Marines are severely short-staffed right now..."
"I don't want to go back. I feel an unprecedented sense of ease during the time I've been away from the Marines," Aokiji said.
"You coward!" the transponder snail cursed without restraint, "Have you abandoned your justice?"
"No, but I can still realize my justice elsewhere," Aokiji stated.
"You don't actually believe Buggy's nonsense, do you!" the transponder snail glared at Aokiji, "Has your head been flooded? He's a pirate!"
"Sakazuki, the day before yesterday, I ran into an intelligence operative under Black Horse in Wano Country; he defected too. Do you want to hear his story..."
The day before yesterday, Aokiji, starving, arrived at Wano Country's most famous Lamppost Plaza.
Countless mummified corpses hung from the dense wooden poles, which made even Aokiji feel a chill.
Someone must have dehydrated these bodies; otherwise, an epidemic would have broken out on this scale.
Judging by this place alone, anyone would think Buggy was a brutal ruler.
However, other parts of Wano Country were peaceful, filled with scenes of laughter and joy.
"Are you... Mr. Kuzan?" A voice interrupted Aokiji's thoughts.
Aokiji was surprised that someone in Wano Country still recognized him.
"You are..."
"I used to be an intelligence operative for the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau," said the young man wearing a blue hat, "but not anymore."
"Hold on a moment, Mr. Kuzan, let me finish what I'm doing with this lamppost." The youth added a new decoration to the lamppost.
"What crime did he commit?" Aokiji asked.
"He was an official in Wano Country; he took bribes and engaged in corruption," the youth explained.
"Is this punishable by death?" Aokiji was somewhat surprised; this hardly seemed worthy of death!
"In the old Wano Country, a simple bow and apology would suffice. But times have changed, and the rules here are very strict now, Mr. Kuzan," the youth said.
"You were also a Marine; don't you think such rules are unreasonable?" Aokiji frowned, "Although they committed crimes, isn't it unfair to sentence them directly to death!"
"Fairness? Mr. Kuzan, this is the greatest fairness!"
"Outside, some people die from heat while working in high temperatures, and others work themselves to death while struggling. Yet, others flaunt how much they spend on a single meal—an amount the people in front of us could never earn in a lifetime."
"Is that fair?"
"What they embezzled wasn't money; it was other people's lives!"
"10,000 Berries. If you embezzle more than that, it's a death sentence," the youth said calmly.
"10,000 Berries can allow one person to grow from infancy to adulthood with the minimum standard of living; that is the value of a life."
"Is this why you betrayed the Marines? To pursue fairness?" Aokiji asked.
"No, Mr. Kuzan. I once had a younger sister, lively and cute, like an angel. But later, she contracted 'Noble Disease'...."
Aokiji knew that commoners called any disease they couldn't afford to treat 'Noble Disease.'
"I met a kind doctor who treated my sister for free, but I couldn't afford the medicine, and my sister still passed away."
"Those Pharmaceutical Companies set the prices extremely high, yet they spewed nonsense, claiming it was for the healthy development of the medical industry."
"Ironically, as a Marine, I later had to protect their safety. You can't imagine how wealthy they are."
"They sold drugs with low production costs at sky-high prices for their own enjoyment. And I could only watch my sister die..."
"Captain Buggy called that Capitalism. I don't understand what Capitalism is, but I just want to hang them all on lampposts."
"Justice is no longer important to me. Even if Captain Buggy is evil, I will follow him because treatment here doesn't cost money!"
After listening to Aokiji finish his story, the transponder snail was silent for a long time before speaking, "So you were moved and decided to become a pirate?"
"Sakazuki, fairness is also a form of justice," Aokiji said, "Have you ever heard of a Whale Fall?"
"The death of one whale can sustain other creatures for a hundred years."
"There are too many 'whales' in this world, so many that the world can no longer bear the burden."
"Sakazuki, I want to become a 'Whale Hunter," Aokiji said calmly.
"Whale Hunter Kuzan? What an ugly name!"
The transponder snail complained before falling silent
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A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.
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