NOVEL WEB Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Justice in Your Hearts?
In the First Class classroom at Marineford Military Academy.
Zephyr, the legendary "Black Arm," stood on the podium, his back to the Military School Students. With a steady motion, he picked up a piece of chalk, and with a sharp "Swish! Swish!" sound, wrote the phrase that had always been the Marines' guiding principle: "Justice in Your Hearts!"
He turned around, his gaze sharp as he looked at the students below the podium, his eyes radiating undeniable resolve. "This is the final cultural class exam. Regarding previous exams, I didn't care if you submitted blank papers... But this time, no matter how good your writing is, I don't want you to submit a blank paper..." Zephyr's voice boomed, filling the room. "Write down what you think and feel, write down the justice you believe in! The results of this exam will not be included in your total score, but I hope you can answer this question well... Because it will hold significant meaning for your military career and your future life!"
Hearing this, the Military School Students bowed their heads, staring at the blank papers on their desks. The pristine white paper was empty, like the lives of some of them, still confused and hesitant, needing a pen to write down a direction and belief for their future.
Sephiroth leaned back in his chair, his right hand resting on the desk, gently twirling a pen in his hand. He stared at the blank paper on the desk and couldn't help but fall into deep thought. What was the justice in his heart?
If he wanted to use various clichés from his previous life to write about this question, he could easily write several thousand words, full of passion and literary flair. Things like 'for the whole world,' 'for love and peace'... However, to be honest, it was too fake, though effective enough to deceive people.
Sephiroth slowly closed his eyes and observed himself. He found that he was no longer simple or pure; both his feet stepped on the boundary between black and white. Now, he still had kindness in his heart, but this kindness could not hinder his progress towards his goals, such as when he tricked Major General Doro—a cunning yet effective move. However, if that kindness didn't impede his path, and even benefited him, he would gladly show it... I truly am a virtuous egoist! Sephiroth inexplicably mocked himself inwardly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
After thinking for a long time, he finally shifted the pen from his right hand to his left and wrote "Flexible Justice" diagonally across the white paper. Then, he switched back to his right hand and signed his name.
...
Ding-a-ling-a-ling...!
The class bell rang loudly, and the Military School Students cheered joyfully. From Monday to Friday, a full week of cultural theory exams, the difficult days were finally over. Many people began discussing where they would go for entertainment tomorrow.
However...
"Tomorrow, Saturday, at 6 AM, everyone gathers at the military port. I will be taking you to participate in the final practical assessment." Zephyr's voice cut through their euphoria.
Hearing this, the joyful expressions on the Military School Students' faces instantly froze. They all began to sigh and wail, heartbroken over their lost holiday.
Zephyr ignored the students' distressed faces. After collecting the exam papers, he turned and left the classroom.
The next day, at the crescent-shaped Marineford Port.
The First Class Military School Students, carrying their luggage, boarded a small warship under Zephyr's leadership. This time, their journey did not require passing through the Gates of Justice—an interesting exception, instead, they sailed towards the Red Line in the distance, a gigantic wall that divided the world.
On the warship's deck, Tokikake, with a toothpick in his mouth, gazed at the towering Red Line and couldn't help but ask in confusion: "Zefa-sensei, where are we going this time?"
Zephyr stood at the bow of the ship with his arms crossed and said without turning around: "To Red Port, up the Sky Elevator, and towards the New World."
"Huh!? This... the New World!?"
Hearing that, the Military School Students showed various expressions on their faces; some were joyful, excited for a new adventure, while others looked worried, aware of the danger ahead.
Kong Ming, while fanning himself with the white feather fan in his hand and stroking his thin beard, muttered: "Could our final practical assessment be to fight pirates in the New World?" Because this person had mastered Busoshoku Haki in the second half of this semester, while training his control over this power, he actually discovered a technique to change the shape of objects using Busoshoku Haki. From then on, that person started carrying a fan with him all the time, even giving it a fancy name like "allowing himself to train Busoshoku Haki at any time." However... Sephiroth and the others knew that the reason this guy did this was purely because he thought it was more pretentious and cooler! What normal person would still fan themselves with a fan on a chilly day...? The temperature was barely above ten degrees Celsius, not even reaching twenty!
"That's right, Marineford received a request for assistance from the Dressrosa Kingdom. I was thinking about what kind of final practical assessment I would arrange for you, and since I happened to come across it, I chose it. So, I asked Fleet Admiral Kong to assign this support mission to our First Class." Zephyr nodded and explained, a faint smile on his face.
After sailing for almost an hour at sea, the small warship finally sighted the port city formed by the Red Line in the distance... Red Port! This was the official route to Mariejois, the center of the World Government. Many merchants and nobles used the Sky Elevator here to go to the other side of the Red Line, which was the New World.
Due to the importance and special nature of Red Port city, Marineford Headquarters directly dispatched tens of thousands of Marine soldiers and two Vice Admirals to guard the place, ensuring its safety. Such a city also existed on the other side of the Red Line, at the entrance to the New World, and was guarded by the Marine G1 Branch. Therefore, ordinary pirates, as long as they weren't crazy, would not appear near these two cities.
When the small warship was still three kilometers away from Red Port city, two Marine warships patrolling the nearby sea approached. The Commanders on both warships, seeing that the person leading the ship was Admiral Zephyr, decided to let them pass, allowing the small warship to sail into the port unimpeded, a clear sign of respect.
Under Zephyr's leadership, the Military School Students walked along the straight, wide central road towards the depths of Red Port city, heading for Sky Elevator Platform No. 1. The Sky Elevator was a bubble cage with a large bubble at its bottom, tied by four metal ropes. With the pull of the ropes and the buoyancy of the bubble itself, the elevator could move up and down between the starting port and the peak of Mariejois.
After Zephyr produced his officer's identification, the guards stationed on both sides of the platform opened the elevator entrance, allowing everyone to board the spacious elevator.
Rumble...!
Accompanied by the rumbling sound of machinery, the elevator, tied by four metal ropes and carrying over thirty people, slowly lifted from the ground and ascended into the sky, gradually disappearing behind the clouds. Many soap bubbles floated around the elevator, reflecting colorful light under the sunlight—a magical sight.
"It's so beautiful! Hina loves it so much..." The pink-haired girl held onto the elevator railing with both hands, gazing at the clouds in the distance and the bright sun, her eyes sparkling with awe.
Gion, with both arms crossed, making her chest appear more prominent, gently echoed: "This truly is a rare beautiful sight! Most people rarely have the chance to see it..."
Sephiroth glanced at Smoker beside him. At this moment, the other party had his eyes closed, two cigars in his mouth, his arms crossed, and was continuously tapping the ground with the heel of his right foot, a rigid expression on his face.
"Smoker... are you feeling unwell?" Sephiroth asked, slightly amused.
Smoker didn't even open his eyes and replied in a stiff tone: "I'm fine!"
Seeing this, Gion couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, her tone somewhat teasing: "Hehehe! Perhaps you're afraid of heights! Did you get a psychological shadow from riding the elevator on the Sabaody Archipelago last time?"
Smoker: "..." He merely snorted, not answering, but his tapping movements on the ground grew faster.
It took about ten minutes for the Sky Elevator to ascend from Red Port to Mariejois. Then, everyone walked a long way along the edge of this city before reaching Sky Elevator Platform No. 2, riding the Sky Elevator again to reach Red Port in the second half of the Grand Line, located in the New World, and boarding a warship that had long been waiting there, heading for Dressrosa... a long journey filled with anticipation.