Chapter 45: A Candid Shot of History! The Fall of a God!
The wind over the frozen sea had stopped. The waves were locked in ice. The only sound remaining in the world was the voice of a single man, cutting through the silence like a razor blade.
"Aokiji... do you see these civilians on my ship?"
Suzaku hovered high above the battlefield, a figure of defiance against the heavens. One hand gripped the throat of Saint Jalmack, the so-called God of this world, while the other pointed accusingly at the Vermillion Wing floating amidst the clouds.
"Every single one of these people was saved by me from that 'innocent' Tenryuubito you spoke of!"
His words hit the ice field like heavy artillery.
"And protecting such 'innocent people'—is that what you call Marine 'Justice'? Is that the code you swore to uphold, Kuzan?!"
Down on the ice, Admiral Aokiji tilted his head back. The movement was stiff, his neck muscles tense. His gaze passed over Suzaku, traveling upward to land on the massive galleon suspended in the sky.
Sunlight streamed down through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the deck of the Vermillion Wing like a stage.
Lining the railing were the faces of the rescued.
They were men with calloused hands, women with tear-streaked faces, and children clinging to their parents' legs. Their clothes were torn, their bodies bruised from the rough handling of the Saint's guards.
And in their eyes... there was no relief upon seeing the white coat of a Marine Admiral.
There was no cheer for the "Heroes of the Navy."
Instead, like a flock of startled birds seeing a hawk circling above, they instinctively recoiled. They huddled together, retreating from the railing, their eyes filled with unconcealed fear, distrust, and a deep, instinctual hatred.
They were terrified of the word "Justice."
Aokiji's gaze swept over those pale, trembling faces. He saw a young girl hiding behind her mother, staring at him as if he were the monster, not the pirate holding a hostage.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something—anything—to defend the honor of the organization he had dedicated his life to. He wanted to say that the Marines protected the weak. He wanted to say they were the good guys.
But his throat felt blocked by a lump of ice colder than any he could create. The words died on his tongue.
"They," Suzaku's voice rang out again, softer now, but carrying a penetrating accusation that drilled into Aokiji's conscience. "They were living peaceful lives. Fishermen, farmers, daughters, sons. They paid their taxes. They obeyed the laws."
Suzaku shook the limp body of Saint Jalmack violently, making the Noble groan in pain.
"Just because of this fat pig's momentary whim, they were seized from their homes! Collared like dogs! Reduced to livestock to be used and discarded!"
Suzaku leaned forward, his golden eyes burning with a fire that eclipsed the sun.
"Some of their parents were shot dead on the docks by your Marines! Just for begging for mercy! Just for asking to keep their children!"
"Is this the Justice of the Navy, Aokiji?! Or is it the 'Justice' of their owners?"
As Suzaku revealed the bloody reality word by word, stripping away the veneer of order, Aokiji's expression grew increasingly grim. The frost around his feet deepened, cracking the ice, a physical manifestation of his internal turmoil.
He couldn't refute him. He couldn't argue back. Because every single word Suzaku spoke was the absolute, undeniable truth.
Over the years, Kuzan had witnessed too many similar incidents. The Burning Justice of his youth had cooled into the Lazy Justice of today precisely because of moments like this—moments where he was forced to be the shield for the world's greatest monsters.
"Oh dear~ That is truly a sharp question..."
Just as the atmosphere solidified to its breaking point, a slow, drawling voice cut in.
Kizaru materialized next to Aokiji, light shimmering around him like stardust. He broke the heavy silence with his unique, detached tone.
"However, young man~"
Kizaru spread his hands, making a helpless expression, though his posture remained perfectly balanced for combat.
"Discussing philosophy is perhaps too heavy a burden for mere soldiers like us. We don't make the laws; we just enforce them. If we start questioning every order, the world falls into chaos."
His gaze swept over the Tenryuubito in Suzaku's hand. His tone remained light, but his eyes behind the amber sunglasses sharpened into dangerous points of light.
"Our mission is simple: ensure the safety of the World Noble. As for the rest... morality is not a topic for discussion right now."
ZZZT.
Before he even finished speaking, his index finger twitched.
It was a movement so small it was almost invisible. A microscopic particle of light gathered at his nail, condensing energy equivalent to a lightning bolt. He was preparing to fire a laser beam directly through Suzaku's wrist to sever the hand holding the Noble, surgically removing the hostage.
CLANG!
Almost simultaneously, a black shadow shifted in the sky.
Albedo, like the most loyal barrier in existence, instantly placed herself between Suzaku and Kizaru. Her pitch-black armor gleamed with a cold, hard luster.
She didn't even raise a weapon. She just hovered there, her mere presence blocking the line of fire.
The message was clear: Shoot if you want. It won't scratch me.
The fact that she had just endured a full-scale bombardment without a single scratch was the strongest deterrence imaginable.
Seeing this, Kizaru pursed his lips. The light particle on his fingertip silently dissipated.
"Scary~" Kizaru muttered under his breath. "That woman is a walking fortress. Attacking blindly is just a waste of stamina."
Suzaku saw the attempt. He laughed, a cold, chilling sound.
"See, Aokiji? This is your reality. Your so-called 'Justice' is nothing more than a selective fig leaf to cover up the rot of the world."
He lifted Saint Jalmack higher. The Noble was waking up now, his eyes bulging as he realized his predicament.
"Help! Admiral! Kill him!" Jalmack squealed, kicking his legs feebly. "I command you to kill him!"
"Since the Navy won't judge him..." Suzaku announced to the world. "...I will."
"Stop!" Aokiji shouted, stepping forward, ice spreading rapidly from his foot toward the sky. "Don't do it, Suzaku! If you kill him, there is no turning back! You will declare war on the entire World Government!"
"I already have."
Suzaku looked at the sobbing Noble in his hand. He didn't see a man. He saw a symbol of everything wrong with this era.
CRACK.
A crisp, sickening sound echoed across the silent ice field. It was the sound of a dry branch snapping.
With a simple, casual twist of his wrist, Suzaku snapped the Celestial Dragon's neck.
Jalmack's head lolled to the side at an unnatural angle. His squealing cut off instantly.
Suzaku didn't gloat. He didn't hesitate. He just opened his hand.
The limp, obese form of the "God" fell from the sky like a sack of wet garbage. It tumbled through the air, silence following its descent.
THUD.
It hit the ice below with a wet, heavy sound that made Vice Admiral Ferguson flinch.
Saint Jalmack lay twisted and broken at the feet of the Admirals. Dead.
Silence.
Absolute, terrified silence descended on the world. The wind stopped. The waves seemed to hold their breath. Even the seagulls dared not cry.
Aokiji's pupils contracted to pinpoints. He stared at the corpse. He had never expected this young man to actually do it. To kill a Celestial Dragon? In front of two Admirals? It was insanity. It was suicide. It was legendary.
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses. For once, his mouth formed a thin, straight line. The playful veneer cracked, revealing the dangerous man beneath.
"You..."
Vice Admiral Ferguson screamed from the sidelines, his voice cracking in hysteria. He fell to his knees, pulling at his hair.
"You lunatic! You killed him! You actually killed a Saint! An Admiral call won't be enough... a Buster Call won't be enough! The world will end! We are all dead!"
Aboard the Vermillion Wing, Kiyo watched the body fall. She watched it hit the ice.
Her nails dug into her palms until they bled. Seeing the monster who murdered her parents finally dead... seeing the untouchable "God" reduced to a piece of meat on the ice...
Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.
"Thank you..." she whispered, collapsing to her knees on the deck. "Thank you... thank you..."
Around her, the other civilians began to weep—not from fear, but from a relief so profound it hurt.
Suzaku looked down at the shocked expressions of the Marines. He felt the weight of the world shifting.
"Hah..."
A chuckle escaped his lips. Then another.
"HAHAHAHA!"
He burst into loud, unbridled laughter. It wasn't the laugh of a villain. It was the laugh of a free man who had just shattered the chains of the world order. It echoed across the sea, mocking the silence of the Navy.
"Rem!" Suzaku shouted through his laughter, pointing at the scene below. "Did you get that?!"
"Yes, Lord Suzaku!"
Rem, standing at the bow of the ship, lowered a camera equipped with a high-quality Den Den Mushi lens.
Click.
The shutter captured history.
In the photo, Suzaku stood proudly in the air, laughing over the corpse of a God. Aokiji's face was twisted in shock and grim realization. Kizaru hovered frozen in surprise. The background was a masterpiece of burning wreckage and shattered ice.
It was the picture of a new era.
"I'm done playing with you guys!" Suzaku waved his hand dismissively at the Admirals, as if dismissing servants. "Let's go! Remember to raise my bounty!"
He flew back to the ship, Albedo flanking him closely, her armor clanking as she landed on the deck.
"Kizaru!" Suzaku called out one last time as he leaned over the railing of his rising ship.
"Use that photo for my wanted poster! Make me look good!"
He grinned, a devilish glint in his eyes.
"I'll make you a deal. I won't leak the fact that I killed a Celestial Dragon right under the noses of two Admirals... if you don't mention the Celestial Dragon on my poster. Just say I fought you two to a standstill."
He winked.
"It'll save the Navy some embarrassment, don't you think? You keep your dignity, I keep my fun."
"Do you really think you can just leave?" Aokiji's voice was cold enough to freeze hell. His body began to turn into pure ice. "You lawless brat! Ice Age!"
The sea began to rumble. Massive waves of ice rose up, turning into giant hands reaching for the sky, trying to grab the ship and drag it back down to hell.
But Suzaku just shrugged.
"And what can you do about it, Kuzan? Our ship flies."
He pointed up.
"The only one who can chase us is Kizaru. But..." Suzaku glanced at Albedo, who was polishing her pristine armor, looking eager for round two. "Does he really want to try facing Albedo and me alone in the air? Without backup? While protecting a corpse?"
Kizaru remained silent. His gaze shifted between Suzaku, the impregnable Albedo, and the dead Noble on the ice.
He ran the calculations in an instant.
Chase them? I can catch the ship. But the Black Knight will intercept. While I fight her, the Fire User will attack. I am alone in the air. Kuzan cannot fly. If I leave, the Celestial Dragon's body might be destroyed or stolen. The risk of defeat is... non-zero.
He was a company man, not a martyr.
"Let them go, Kuzan," Kizaru said quietly. "We lost this round."
Seeing the Admirals hesitate, Suzaku laughed again.
"Set sail!"
"Yes, Captain!" Rem shouted, her voice filled with pride.
Under the effect of Rem's Float-Float Fruit, the Vermillion Wing ascended rapidly. It pierced through the cloud layer, leaving the frozen sea and the stunned Marines behind.
Only the two Admirals remained standing on the ice field.
The wind howled, whipping up snow around the twisted body of the dead Noble.
Aokiji stared at the empty sky, his fists clenched so hard his gloves creaked. He felt a strange mix of anger and... respect.
Kizaru sighed, a long, tired sound. He looked down at a photo that had fluttered down from the ship—a copy Rem had thrown down as a parting gift.
It showed Suzaku's laughing face, framed by fire and ice.
"Arara..." Aokiji murmured. "The seas are going to be stormy. We let a monster loose."
"Scary indeed," Kizaru whispered.
He crushed the photo in his hand, light burning it to ash.
"He checkmated us. Completely."
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