After the brief introductions, Sakazuki led the two men toward the Fleet Admiral's office at headquarters.
Along the way, Aramaki chattered nonstop. Sakazuki occasionally nodded in response, while Issho quietly sensed the soldiers they passed one by one.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office.
The group took their seats, and a soldier came in to pour tea.
Sakazuki sat back in the Fleet Admiral's chair and looked down at them.
"The war is ongoing, so this will have to be a simple welcome. You've both been in the Marines for some time now. If you have any thoughts about the current state of the Marines, feel free to share them."
Aramaki waved his hands exaggeratedly. "No, no. Under Mr. Sakazuki's leadership, the Marines is practically perfect! Rahahahaha!"
Issho nodded as well. "That's right. Under Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's command, even the lowest-ranking soldiers possess an unshakable resolve. A force like this is admirable. But…"
He hesitated, unsure how to continue.
Sakazuki noticed his hesitation. "There are no outsiders here. Say whatever is on your mind."
Issho nodded, thought for a moment, then spoke. "Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's governing style is… rather severe. To some extent, many innocent people may be directly crushed by the Marines during combat.
"Take the Germa Kingdom, for example. Betraying the government and colluding with the Four Emperors is indeed unforgivable, but that decision was made by the kingdom's upper echelon. To annihilate the entire country without leaving a single survivor, that…"
Aramaki frowned beside him. He had carried out that mission himself, and it suited his tastes perfectly.
"Hey, Issho—!"
Before he could finish, Sakazuki raised a hand, signaling him to stop.
Sakazuki then looked at the newly appointed admiral. "Issho is not wrong. This method of governance does indeed harm many innocent people. In fact, I can tell you plainly that the number of those harmed is far greater than you imagine.
"But as Fleet Admiral, my first responsibility is to minimize the casualties among our soldiers, not to pity the innocent civilians mixed in with pirates. You may not understand this, but as Fleet Admiral, I must consider the overall picture.
"We cannot determine whether what they say is true or false. Sparing them simply because they seem pitiful is irresponsible to the lives of our soldiers and irresponsible to this world.
"There may have been innocents in the Germa Kingdom, but have you considered how many casualties the supplies they secretly sent to the New World over the past year would have caused our forces?
"The purpose of this war is the future of the world, to ensure that there are no longer so many tragedies at sea. To ensure that there are no longer so many widows, orphans, ruins, and shattered homes.
"Every year, at least hundreds of thousands of civilians die at the hands of pirates, sometimes far more than can be counted. At present, the Marines has deployed several hundred thousand soldiers across the world.
"The simplest way to eliminate pirates is to detonate the three Endpoint islands of the New World and burn them all to ashes. But there are millions of ordinary civilians living in the New World.
"If you were the Fleet Admiral, and you had to choose between the lives of those millions of civilians and the lives of these several hundred thousand Marine soldiers, which would you choose to let live?"
Issho's mouth fell slightly open. He wanted to speak, but the words lodged in his throat and refused to come out.
Sakazuki smiled faintly, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing out at the distant sea.
"Just as you cannot choose, many others cannot choose either. Can the value of life truly be judged simply by numbers?
"The lives of millions of civilians are lives, but are the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who fight and bleed not lives?
"I could act like previous Fleet Admirals, maintain a balance, minimize sacrifices, and let the seas remain unchanged for decades to come. Because no one dares to bear the sin of choosing who lives and who dies between millions of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
"And the result would be the same as always. Tens of thousands would still die every year, tens of thousands of families would be destroyed, and millions of lives would be affected.
"But that has nothing to do with us, does it? We could still sleep soundly, live comfortably, because those deaths were caused by pirates.
"As Fleet Admiral, choose balance. As admirals, remain detached. Perhaps occasionally act on a moment of kindness, save a few suffering civilians, and be easily hailed as saviors.
"That's how it has been for eight hundred years."
Sakazuki turned back to face Issho and Aramaki and asked a question, "After the World Military Draft began, you both should have felt the enthusiasm of the civilians. Why do you think so many people joined the Marines after the draft was announced?"
Aramaki scratched his chin, a trace of fanaticism in his voice. "Because of Mr. Sakazuki's methods. Showing no mercy to anyone. That's what people admire the most!"
Sakazuki chuckled softly and looked toward Issho.
Issho thought for a moment. "Because of the pirates…"
Sakazuki nodded slightly. "Correct, and also incorrect. Hatred of pirates alone is not enough. Because they saw hope."
Issho's expression grew solemn, and even Aramaki straightened.
"Hope?"
Sakazuki walked over to the map of the New World's battle situation hanging on the wall.
"The name Sakazuki may have some influence, but it cannot move the entire world. Hatred of pirates will drive many civilians to join the Marines, but there are also many cowards.
"What truly made people across the world enlist in droves is that we gave them hope. The hope of eradicating all pirates from this world.
"No Fleet Admiral before me has been labeled as merciless, brutal, and ruthless as I have. But it is precisely because of that reputation that the people of this world, who have suffered eight hundred years of pirate scourge, feel a sense of security and believe that we will win.
"Can you imagine an island that endured pirate massacres, took decades to recover, and then, after the World Military Draft was announced, saw most of its able-bodied youth rush to enlist?
"That is hatred carved into the bone. Hatred that cannot be erased even after decades.
"We brought them hope, and they placed everything they had on us.
"At this moment, the 'justice' we bear is no longer just one simple word. It is hope, it is righteousness, it is the expectation of the entire world.
"This war, backed by righteousness, will inevitably be won. But will the sacrifices be few? No.
"Yet someone must do it. Someone must choose. Someone must bear it.
"The choice between innocent lives caught in the storm and the greater good of the world, I will make.
"The choice between the lives of millions of civilians and the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, I will make.
"The deaths of innocents in this war, and the mountain of sin they create, I will bear.
"Even if I must act alone, I will trample the source of this suffering into the ground."
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