Chapter 410: Waves...

"Bang—"

At this moment—

Inside G-1 Fortress,

An enraged Black-Arm Zephyr pushed his way straight into Buddha Sengoku's office, slamming a newspaper down hard on the latter's desk.

"Zephyr, what in the world—?"

Staring at Zephyr, whose anger made him utterly unlike his usual self, Sengoku was startled. Then, seeing the furious look on Zephyr's face, he subconsciously picked up the newspaper that had been thrown down. With just a glance, he hissed inwardly:

"…This is—"

A chill ran from his feet straight up to his scalp. Fallen Angel El's scheme was truly vicious. He must have long since gathered the incriminating evidence of the Celestial Dragons' massacres, but deliberately withheld it—only to reveal everything at this critical moment. It was basically undermining them at the roots, seizing both hearts and minds.

"Sengoku! Tell me the truth—are all these claims real?"

Black-Arm Zephyr gritted his teeth, barely containing his rage. He couldn't hold back any longer. Taking a step forward, he seized Sengoku by the collar, eyes bloodshot and ready to devour a man:

"Don't tell me you didn't know!"

This man was the close protege of Fleet Admiral Kong, and greatly valued by the Five Elders, almost certain to be the next "Admiral of Admirals." For operations this large—like a Celestial Dragon hunting event on such a scale—Sengoku, inevitably, could not have been left in the dark.

"Zephyr, please calm down—listen to me—"

Sengoku's face clouded with conflicting emotions. He struggled to placate Zephyr:

"Calm down? You think I can just calm down?!"

Zephyr's entire body trembled with fury. He hurled aside his onetime comrade in arms, who had once fought by his side, flinging Sengoku down. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared:

"The so‑called 'justice' of the Navy has become nothing but a merciless executioner and the accomplice of demons!"

"Back at the Sabaody Archipelago slaughter, I was already near my limit…But for the sake of more innocent people, to ensure they wouldn't be harmed by evildoers, I chose to grit my teeth and put up with it!"

"Even though I always knew those Government bastards were no saints, and that the Navy can't defy the Five Elders' orders, what about our bottom line as humans? Our principles?!"

"I never imagined they could be that evil and cruel—these Celestial Dragons wear human skin but are worse than beasts—monsters in human form!"

"Turns out, it's we in the Navy who've been the biggest villains on this sea, and we do it under the righteous banner as their executioners!"

"Now I feel nothing but utter shame that I unwittingly ended up a henchman safeguarding this scum's reign!"

With every word, Black-Arm Zephyr's furious roars reverberated through the higher floors of G-1 Fortress. Outside, countless Marines fell silent, not daring to breathe too loudly. Never had they seen Zephyr, usually so even-tempered, kindly, never scolding subordinates—beloved and respected by so many—lose his temper like this.

Within the office, facing Sengoku—who lay sprawled on the floor from Zephyr's shove, too speechless to argue or resist—Zephyr's gaze brimmed with disappointment. He slammed the door on his way out:

"Tell that bastard Kong for me: I'm resigning—I quit! To hell with the Celestial Dragons!!!"

Over these many years, he had compromised again and again, continuously retreating from his moral stand. Only now did he realize how foolish he'd been, so close to losing every vestige of conscience. The Navy's so-called justice had proven a laughable slogan indeed. In that moment, Black-Arm Zephyr's faith collapsed; he felt only disillusionment with the Navy, no longer clinging to any illusions.

He tossed aside that formerly beloved, proudly worn "Justice" cloak as though it were refuse, completely ignoring the Marines who tried saluting him as he passed by. He strode toward the coastline like a walking corpse, outwardly calm but inwardly raging.

"Wait, Zephyr—!"

Coming to his senses, Sengoku paled. He smashed through a wall, dashing in pursuit:

"We can't lose you right now…you absolutely cannot leave the Navy!"

But it was already too late. All he could do was watch as that purple-haired figure started up a Marine motorboat, blasting across the ocean's surface until he disappeared. Sengoku stomped his foot in frustration.

"Don't bother chasing him, Sengoku…"

Someone approached from behind—It was Garp, looking grim. He patted Sengoku's shoulder, speaking in a low voice:

"Once Zephyr's mind is made up, he never goes back on it."

"Garp, you—"

Sengoku turned, noticing that Garp likewise carried the very same Totto Land Daily, the one the World Government had decreed must be confiscated and destroyed anywhere it appeared. Sengoku's pupils contracted, his voice going hoarse.

"Relax. With the state of the world's order right now, it can't just collapse. I'm not leaving the Navy."

Tossing the newspaper aside, Garp gazed out over the turbulent sea:

"You can see how it all ends, can't you?"

"No one can stem this era's waves. We merely wait quietly for that day to come."

Between the World Government and the Fallen Angel Pirates, or rather the Government and Totto Land's kingdom, fate already seemed sealed. Over the years, Totto Land had advanced at a remarkable pace—Garp saw it firsthand. Like it or not, Totto Land had become paradise compared to most nations. Fallen Angel El might be ambitious, not so upright, yet Garp could not deny El's lofty vision, gift for leadership, and genuine care for people's livelihood and education—clearly, no shortsighted, indulgent tyrant.

For Totto Land's citizens, El might be the true savior.

What would the future bring? Hard to say. History was a perpetual cycle.

"…"

Sengoku's entire body shook, his face showing turmoil. After a moment, he lowered his head in defeat. Then, abruptly, obsession flickered in his eyes. He clenched his fists and glared at Garp:

"No. I absolutely refuse to accept this!"

In his mind, the final outcome was not yet decided. Sengoku believed that one day he could lead the Navy in thoroughly reforming this corrupt world, not letting it fall into the hands of "those damned pirates." After all, pirates were pirates.

No matter how highly they might tout themselves, at heart they remained vile, selfish, and cold-blooded. Sengoku would not acknowledge them. The mere idea that Fallen Angel El, enthroned high above the rest of the world, would one day reign—he found it unacceptable.

Especially since the woman he had once admired, had ended up being "led astray" by El, even bearing him children…