One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"When I first set out to sea, I witnessed the countless tragedies caused by pirates. Thankfully, I had the strength to stop them at the time.

"That's why I purged the East Blue, hunting down and eradicating evil pirates—doesn't that sound a lot like your approach?"

Sakazuki (Akainu) nodded solemnly, his expression severe. "At the time, your determination was admirable. I even praised you to my subordinates."

"But, senior…" Wright's voice slowed as he locked eyes with Sakazuki, whose gaze was sharp under the brim of his Marine cap. "Back then, I had already developed the ability to see into people's hearts. My Observation Haki allowed me to sense their emotions—I could tell whether someone was truly evil or simply caught up in circumstances.

"If you possessed that same ability, would you still act against those who hadn't committed evil but bore the label of 'pirate'?"

"Of course!"

Sakazuki's reply was swift and resolute. "Junior, a pirate is a pirate—not merely because they commit evil, but because they threaten the world. And threats must be eliminated!

"If left unchecked, threats will inevitably grow into dangers that are too great to bear, wreaking untold harm—just like the Pirate King.

"Thus, absolute justice means annihilating all threats—existing, potential, and conceivable! Even if sacrifices must be made, they are justified!"

Wright shook his head with a wry smile. "Truly an iron-blooded philosophy. But senior, do the innocent lives sacrificed—civilians and Marines alike—mean nothing more to you than numbers in a cost-benefit calculation?"

"As a Marine, as a soldier, one must be prepared to sacrifice for justice—even myself!"

Sakazuki sat like a simmering volcano, radiating a palpable and devastating aura.

"If sacrificing myself can eliminate a great threat, I will fight to the bitter end! In the military, obeying orders is a soldier's duty—even if that order sends you to your death.

"And if my orders are wrong, the higher-ups will hold me accountable. But on the battlefield, orders must be followed!

"As for civilians, if their presence allows evil to escape or regroup, leading to greater consequences, then those civilians have become tools of evil—willingly or not. And tools of evil… must be destroyed!"

Sakazuki paused, as if rarely explaining his justice to others. "As I've told you before, justice always welcomes the strong.

"Now that you've become a vice admiral, you undoubtedly have your own path of justice.

"I will follow my own path, but I respect yours as well. Hone yourself as a vice admiral, and when we stand on equal ground, we'll revisit the meaning of 'absolute.'"

After concluding his conversation with the three admirals, Wright visited several vice admirals currently stationed at Marine Headquarters—Strawberry, Yamakaji, Dalmatian, and Jonathan.

Some vice admirals were occupied with missions, while others were busy training recruits they had selected during last year's camp.

Strawberry, Yamakaji, and Dalmatian had once been assistant instructors during Wright's time in training camp, so he was familiar with them. After some friendly exchanges, they offered to let Wright have first pick of this year's recruits as a gesture to celebrate his promotion.

Jonathan, a longtime acquaintance of Sakazuki, was shocked to hear that Wright had directly sought Sakazuki's guidance on justice. However, his shock turned to admiration upon learning that Sakazuki, known for his stern temperament, had such high regard for Wright, even expressing confidence in his potential to stand on equal footing with the admirals.

"Take your pick of the recruits, Vice Admiral Wright!" Jonathan said with a grin. "And if you're ever unhappy with the food in the mess hall, my wife Jessica is an exceptional chef—even Sakazuki can't resist her cooking!"

Returning to his office, Wright found that Smoker had already organized all necessary supplies, while Rosinante had brought back dossiers on the recruits.

Wright plopped into his chair with a satisfied sigh, fully embracing his moment of leisure.

"Ah… I'm exhausted!" he groaned dramatically, only to pause as Smoker entered carrying a massive wooden plaque.

"So, are you writing this yourself, or should I find someone else to do it?" Smoker gestured to the plaque, its purpose clear—it was tradition for vice admirals to inscribe their philosophy of justice and display it prominently as a reminder.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I'll write it myself! You lot probably don't realize how good my penmanship is."

Back in his noble days, Wright's handwriting had been regarded as an art form.

"Path of Justice…"

Wright took a deep breath, reflecting on his conversations with the admirals. He now understood that they were far more complex individuals than the caricatures depicted in his previous life. Their sense of justice was layered and multifaceted.

"Perhaps Sakazuki is right," Wright mused. "Only after gaining enough experience as a vice admiral can one truly understand the broader picture. Maybe even admirals are still learning and striving to see things clearly."

Steadying himself, Wright took up his brush and, with bold strokes, inscribed three words onto the plaque:

"Justice of Hope."

"Justice of Hope?" Rosinante raised an eyebrow. "That's your path? Care to elaborate?"

Smoker also studied the plaque intently. "'Hope'… What does it mean?"

"Justice of Hope," Wright began. "Without hope, the future is shrouded in darkness, and justice cannot prevail.

"Hope means never giving up.

"True darkness isn't the absence of light—it's the belief that light will never return.

"No matter how deep the shadows or how rampant the evil, justice's spark will always endure. However faint, it will one day ignite and consume the darkness.

"When engulfed in despair, don't give up. Trust in one another, and you'll stand firm. Fear and doubt only lead to ruin.

"Hope isn't some unreachable dream of the future. Every day that we fight with hope, we are creating that future.

"In short, hope is the indispensable foundation for achieving world peace!"

Rosinante and Smoker exchanged glances before sighing.

"Wright… Are you planning to overturn the entire world?"

"Why? Interested in joining me?" Wright grinned as he hung the plaque on the wall.

"Honestly? I've been itching to take down those idiots in the World Government for a long time!" Smoker said, biting his cigar with a sharp grin.

"Don't forget my position," Rosinante added, smirking. "That rotten system is the greatest darkness in the world!"

"We're not ready yet," Wright said, his tone serious. "But when the time comes, we must be prepared.

"For now, let's set a small goal.

"How about… becoming the fourth admiral?"

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