One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

The flames that swept through Ohara raged on throughout the night, leaving the island far from the tranquility a night should bring. The dark canopy of the night sky, which should have been ink-black, was instead dyed red by the towering infernos.

Even from miles away, this man-made spectacle could be seen—a scene of tragic beauty. Countless people spent a sleepless night, crying until their tears dried, their throats hoarse from wailing, but none of it could bring back the homeland etched in their memories.

It wasn't until the first streaks of dawn appeared at the edge of the horizon that the great fire consuming Ohara reluctantly began to fade.

Onboard the warship, Robin, wrapped in a military blanket, quietly stared through the slightly convex glass of the porthole at the scorched, barren remains of Ohara. Her tears had long dried, her throat so hoarse that she could no longer speak, leaving her with only an overwhelming sorrow that had nowhere to go.

A marine knocked on the door, pushing it open with one hand while holding a tray in the other. On the tray was a sandwich filled with scrambled eggs and minced fish salad.

He gently placed the tray in front of the tear-streaked young girl and smiled warmly:

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki said you've been crying for so long that it was annoying him, so he had the kitchen prepare a breakfast for you."

Robin looked up at the burly navy officer with a square brown beard. She opened her mouth, appearing a bit anxious, but her voice was so hoarse that she couldn't make a sound.

This officer, a lieutenant commander responsible for logistics on the ship, was known for his warm demeanor and good relations with everyone. He recalled how last night, Vice Admiral Sakazuki had returned to the warship, not only with Nico Olvia, who had been recaptured but also with a civilian child who had been abandoned in the chaos.

In front of the entire ship's crew, Sakazuki announced that he would adopt this young girl, who had been treated as a monster by her island for accidentally eating a Devil Fruit.

The declaration left the crew members somewhat surprised. While they knew the navy sometimes trained orphans of naval personnel and unadopted children to serve as fresh blood for the military, they found it hard to reconcile this decision with the Vice Admiral's usual resolute and uncompromising demeanor.

The lieutenant commander, who had been with the ship throughout the Grand Line, had heard stories of Devil Fruit users being ostracized and driven out by locals, but witnessing it firsthand was a different matter.

Here was a prime example: the child was barely eight years old, yet scrawny and short, even smaller than some six-year-olds. Her dark, thin frame made it clear that she hadn't had enough to eat for a long time. And now, in the aftermath of the Buster Call, her family had outright abandoned her to flee.

The officer couldn't help but feel pity for the child and began to understand Sakazuki's mindset. If it were him, he thought, he might have made the same decision.

He looked kindly at the girl and spoke gently:

"Don't worry, little one. You're safe now. And don't be afraid of being bullied for eating a Devil Fruit. Even I know quite a few powerful Devil Fruit users."

However, his train of thought didn't align with Robin's. Straining to speak, Robin managed only a hoarse murmur, which the lieutenant commander mistook for her trying to yell. He leaned closer, turning his ear toward her as she repeated her words.

"..."

The warm smile on his face gradually faded as he finally understood what she was asking. With a hoarse, tear-filled voice, she asked him, "Are there any survivors left on Ohara Island?"

The lieutenant commander lifted his head to look out at the smoke-filled remains of Ohara through the porthole.

"None, probably... I mean, not after an attack of this scale," he muttered, his tone turning somber toward the end. After all, it was the navy that had executed this nightmare. For a moment, he found it difficult to face the child in front of him. Forcing a strained smile, he added:

"I'll take my leave now. Just leave the tray there when you're done eating. Get some rest..."

Unable to bear the look of utter despair in the child's eyes any longer, he all but fled the cabin.

On the deck, the marines had long ceased their assault. Gathered in small groups, they busied themselves wiping the gunpowder stains off the blackened deck and cleaning the cannon barrels, which were coated in powder residue.

As the lieutenant commander stepped out of the room, their inquisitive eyes turned toward him. He shook his head and quickly strode to the center of the deck, bowing deeply from the heart:

"Vice Admiral, I've delivered the meal."

Sakazuki, who had been gazing at the distant remains of Ohara, lowered his head and acknowledged the officer:

"Good work. Get back to your duties."

"Yes, sir."

Standing beside him, Onigumo spoke slowly:

"Vice Admiral, are you really planning to adopt that child?"

He had never cared much about the deaths of civilians. As long as the mission was completed and the navy's justice upheld, Onigumo couldn't care less about the lives of soldiers, let alone civilians. He had always regarded Sakazuki as his role model, yet now his superior's actions had left him perplexed.

Sakazuki looked at his subordinate. The Sakazuki of the past had admired Onigumo's philosophy of achieving his goals at any cost, but from his current perspective, he could only say he respected the mindset, even if he didn't agree with it.

From a historical standpoint, which ruler wasn't ruthless and cold-blooded? Even wise kings remembered by history as benevolent couldn't escape the label of cunning strategists. And in the military, which had always been a blood-soaked grinder of human lives, the ultimate goal was to achieve maximum damage to the enemy with the greatest efficiency.

Sakazuki's gaze remained unchanged as he deflected Onigumo's question, shifting the topic instead:

"This landing operation clarified a question that has troubled me for a long time."

Onigumo respectfully replied:

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, I would be honored to hear it."

Sakazuki turned slightly, posing a question to his rear admiral:

"What kind of people are we?"

"?!" The question came out of nowhere. Onigumo thought for a moment before answering matter-of-factly:

"We are, of course, marines."

Sakazuki nodded:

"Correct. We are marines." He continued probing: "And what is the navy?"

This question was no challenge for Onigumo. He composed his thoughts and confidently replied:

"A military organization directly under the World Government, tasked with maintaining law and order across the world and conducting naval military operations, both offensive and defensive, in the name of Absolute Justice."

"So we're a military force, aren't we?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral, without a doubt."

Sakazuki threw out his final question:

"Then, Onigumo, what does it mean to be a soldier?"