One Piece: Magma of Absolute Justice

Night had fallen over the training grounds of Marineford.

Clang!

Clang!

Two figures blurred across the field, sparks flying as metal clashed with metal.

Sakazuki's fists were wrapped in a sheen of Armament Haki. In a flash, he appeared before Morris and launched a powerful right hook.

Morris didn't dodge. Instead, his long blade surged with black Haki, hardening in an instant as he slashed down to meet the blow.

Fist and blade collided, locked in a dead heat.

Grinning, Morris shifted his left hand into a palm, coating it with Armament Haki, and stabbed toward Sakazuki's abdomen.

Without even glancing, Sakazuki curled his left fingers and reached diagonally downward.

Clang!

He caught Morris's palm in an iron grip, then, with a surge of brute force, flung his opponent's hand upward.

"What strength…!"

Morris's eyes went wide—he couldn't resist at all. His palm, still caught in Sakazuki's grasp, slammed into his own blade, knocking it aside.

Now nothing blocked Sakazuki's right fist.

BOOM!

With a thunderous punch, Morris was sent flying, crashing into a distant stone wall.

"Cough, cough—damn, kid, you hit like a giant!"

Brushing off rubble, Morris leapt out as the wall behind him crumbled in a heap.

"Alright, let's see how you handle a sword fight."

There's an old saying—youthful fists are hard to match. So Morris switched tactics.

Sakazuki didn't object.

He raised his right arm level, pressed his left fist against it, and drew outward—like unsheathing a blade.

A three-meter-long sword of molten magma took shape in his hands.

Two meters of blade, one of hilt—thick-edged, slender-handled, and distinctly unusual.

Gripping it with his right hand, Sakazuki held the blade upright, his left hand steadying the pommel. Armament Haki surged over the magma blade, instantly hardening it into a jet-black sword.

He vanished—then reappeared in front of Morris, slashing down with all the force of his charge.

Morris raised his own sword in both hands, Haki swirling as he blocked horizontally.

BOOM!

The blades crashed and rebounded, the shockwave numbing Morris's hands—he nearly lost his grip.

But Sakazuki pressed the assault.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The crisp ring of steel echoed in a relentless storm. In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged dozens of furious blows. Sakazuki's eyes sharpened, and a surge of overwhelming power erupted from him.

Once again, Morris was sent flying, tumbling into the rubble of the collapsed wall.

Crash! Crash!

With a grunt, Morris shoved aside the debris and stood up, his tone resigned.

"I'm done, I'm done. Kid, your strength's on par with a giant. That's just cheating."

"But man, it feels good to let off some steam."

Hearing the mock complaint in Morris's voice, Sakazuki allowed himself a faint smile. The two strolled to the edge of the field and sat on the steps.

The sea breeze drifted by, tinged with a hint of salt.

After a long silence, Morris spoke, his voice laced with quiet emotion.

"Sakazuki, it's up to your generation from here on out."

"Why do you say that, Vice Admiral Morris?"

Sakazuki knew this was a sore spot for Morris, but he could only ask, feigning confusion.

Morris rolled his eyes at the act and chuckled.

"Alright, drop the act. I don't need comforting."

"I've weathered every storm there is. So what if I never made Admiral? That's life."

"But I can still teach the next generation."

"I've already applied for a transfer to the rear lines—as an instructor."

"One day, my students will make Admiral. You'll see."

"No killing… heh, what a joke."

The Marines had always been split between hawks and doves. The hawks scoffed at the doves' penchant for "capturing rather than killing," while the doves disapproved of the hawks' "kill rather than capture" mentality.

Now that the final Admiral seat had been filled—and the top brass was all doves—Morris's resignation made perfect sense. He'd simply lost hope.

"An instructor, huh…"

Sakazuki listened, understanding the sting. For years, there'd been a sliver of hope. But after all that struggle, he realized that hope was never meant for him.

Anyone would feel defeated.

But Morris had come to terms with it. If he couldn't reach the peak, he'd train those who could.

Someday, he'd prove he was right.

"Vice Admiral Morris, here—this is for you."

After a moment's thought, Sakazuki pulled a small booklet from his uniform and handed it to Morris.

Morris glanced down at the cover, reading the bold characters softly:

"Faith and Justice."

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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