One Piece Thundergod Marine

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After a few seconds of hesitation, Rowen spoke slowly.

"Because you've fallen into a misconception, believing that the answers you arrive at after understanding the world must be correct and holding onto them firmly."

"You don't force others to agree with you or make everyone think alike… I admit, this seems like a reasonable concept, but you are very contradictory right now."

"Do you know why?"

Aokiji was silent. "Why?"

"Because you're only talking nicely!"

Rowen smiled slightly.

"Understanding others and making others understand you may seem similar, but they are actually entirely different things."

"One is called tolerance, tolerance towards others; the other is called yearning, hoping others will recognize you."

"Let me give you the simplest example, Admiral Aokiji… The contrast between your views and Akainu Admiral's is one of the most distinct in the Marine. If Admiral Akainu were to implement his Justice, would you stop him or just watch?"

Akainu's "Absolute Justice" is something Aokiji cannot tolerate, and even many officers, especially those below the General level, cannot accept it.

If the Marine were to become Akainu's Marine, shifting from Sengoku's style of sacrificing some to Akainu's style of not tolerating any sand in his eyes, what would you do?

"I would definitely stop him!"

Aokiji said firmly.

In fact, you did act this way.

Rowen recalled the battle at Punk Hazard in the original story and then smiled. "Admiral Akainu thinks the same way!"

"When a butcher wants meat, do you suggest killing the pig first or the donkey?"

Aokiji: "…"

"When others obstruct your Justice, you absolutely won't spare them."

"This has nothing to do with your views; it's just a confidence in self-perception… Because you feel the need for mutual understanding, you don't allow others to obstruct your Justice, treating it as a shell protecting your theories, your own Justice."

"In reality, it boils down to you believing that you are right."

"Admiral Akainu is the same… His experiences have taught him that only Absolute Justice is correct, so he will also stop your views from prevailing."

"Such Justice, where you believe you are right, what else can it be but selfishness? Self-deception?"

Creak!

Rowen's voice was like a demonic sound from Hell, exploding like thunder in Aokiji's mind.

So all this time… Was the Justice I upheld wrong?

From "Passionate Justice" to "Lazy Justice" (no mistake), I've grown tired of the scheming of the upper class and accustomed to the lower class being consumed as mere numbers.

Others call him lazy, but Aokiji himself knows that he is rather numb.

Numb to the point of insensibility!

He doesn't get angry at the persecution of innocents, doesn't feel pleasure in punishing wicked people… Everyone has their own set of theories to convince themselves. I just need to be myself, Aokiji told himself.

But… is that enough?

Rowen decided to stoke the fire further and continued.

"I said before, your kindness will ruin you… It's because of the Jason incident that I see the contradictions in your heart."

"Admit it, Admiral Aokiji!"

"You cannot truly be a rational observer. You cannot bear to see the butcher's knife aimed at innocent children and pregnant women. You cannot tolerate corrupt officials living in luxury while the people who farm and fish are ragged, freezing, and starving on the streets."

"You cannot stand to see children die without ever seeing the light, you cannot accept that lower-class people are ruined by a joke, but this world is inherently unfair… You can change your own thinking, but you cannot change the world."

"And then, tormented by your conscience, you start to blame yourself."

"Selfish, narrow-minded!"

"And what about you?!"

Creak!

The beer can was crushed, but not a drop of liquid spilled out because the liquid inside had all frozen into an Ice Mass, changing along with the can.

"Can you do it? What is your Justice?!"

Aokiji's eyes reddened as the biting cold wind blew through, covering the lush garden with a layer of white frost.

In response, Rowen shook the "chilled" beer in his hand and grinned.

"Never Late Justice… I remember saying this a few years ago, didn't I?"

Back then, to reassure Sengoku, Rowen had developed Supercharged Travel, giving himself a "righteous" label.

Late Justice is not worthy of being called Justice, Rowen declared to the outside world.

To this day, a significant number of Marine soldiers adhere to this saying.

In conjunction with the Assassination Force's unique power to act first and report later, the two complemented each other, forming Rowen's factional influence within Headquarters.

"But in reality, Justice is always the one that is late…"

Aokiji's expression grew colder as he held the Ice Mass. "Because Justice is only proclaimed when it is needed. Before that… whether it exists or not, makes no difference."

"Speak your true thoughts, Soryu!"

Addressing him by the codename "Soryu" rather than his name, indicated Aokiji's hostility towards Rowen.

This is a clash of ideologies, the most ruthless and merciless kind.

"Seems I can't hide it from you."

Rowen shook his head, chewing on the now-cold shrimp, and said slowly, "I don't think I ever said that selfishness and narrow-mindedness are derogatory terms, did I?"

"You…!!"

Aokiji's eyes widened in disbelief, speechless.

He had accused Aokiji of having a selfish view of Justice, but never said that selfishness was a derogatory term… a term widely recognized as derogatory, yet not seen as such. The shock it brought Aokiji was many times stronger than before!

"I am not like you. Justice? Right or wrong? Marine? Pirate?"

"It's none of my business!"

Rowen's hand crackled with electricity, causing the plate he touched to quickly heat up, melting the frost and warming the shrimp again.

"I live only for myself. The issues you consider are not nonexistent in my eyes, but rather… I simply don't care."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten why I joined the Marine?"

"If not for the recruitment camp, I might be a Pirate now. Naturally, that would be a Pirate in your eyes… Your ideas have been imposed on me."

If Mihawk were present at this moment, he might understand why Shanks said that Rowen's gaze towards them was like looking at a piece of bread or a steak.

Because he is sufficiently selfish!

Selfish to the point where contradictions, pursuits, dislike of wickedness, and hatred of everything meaningless to him are dismissed. Instead of pondering these issues, he prefers to focus on how to grow stronger, who to challenge next, and how to make life more interesting.

Living with the determination to make the most of every day brings Rowen not only a firm will but also an elevation in his thought process, making him a truly rational observer who enjoys life.

No matter how elegantly it is described, this is a form of selfishness!

A form of selfishness that cannot be judged as good or bad.

Because regardless of praise or criticism, the opinions and evaluations of others have no meaning for Rowen.

"Being a person, the most important thing is to be happy! If you think so much, you might as well become a scholar instead of a Marine!"

Rowen chuckled. "So now, Admiral Aokiji, do you still have any doubts about the Jason incident?"

Because of his extreme selfishness, Rowen has no opinion on the Marine's willingness to sacrifice some for peace.

Without an opinion, there is no soil for conflict to grow.

This is something Aokiji could never achieve.

Aokiji: "…"

"I understand…"

Placing the Ice Mass on the table, Aokiji stood up and said slowly, "Ah, I must say, Rowen… I truly think you're more suited to become Fleet Admiral than either me or Akainu."

A sufficiently selfish person can, without hesitation, act against their conscience to do things that harm the world.

In exchange for peace in the eyes of the world.

"Thank you for the compliment!"

Rowen also stood up, smiling. "Admiral Aokiji, take care!"

Watching Aokiji leave, Rowen leaned against the doorframe, grinning as he chewed on the shrimp.

"Then, let me see… what kind of heaven-alarming, earth-shattering things a non-lazy Aokiji can achieve?"

(End of Chapter)

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