Pirate: I'm an admiral now, what's wrong with taking a little extra money?

"You're welcome. We're all doing this for justice." Kane patted Sakazuki on the shoulder, looking like he was saying, "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

Then he turned around and looked at Borsalino, who had been watching the show from the doorway.

"Hey, Borsalino, the rest of the work is up to you."

"Also, remember to ask the auction house owner for the appearance fee, split it 50/50."

Borsalino: "..."

Sakazuki watched Kane's departing figure, his fists clenched, his eyes burning with a magma-like intensity.

"Absolute justice..." he murmured to himself, his eyes hardening as he looked at the pirate corpses on the ground.

"Next time, I'll do it even more thoroughly than you!"

Chapter 20 Justice Breaks Apart! The Age of Monsters Begins!

Outside the auction hall, the chaotic smoke of battle had not yet dissipated.

Kane was squatting on the ground, holding a piece of fine silk in his hand, slowly wiping a stain of blood off his leather shoes.

Beside him, Borsalino was holding a small notebook, engaging in a friendly post-battle settlement with the terrified auction house owner.

"Borsalino, did you include this in the compensation? This is my first uniform. I've worn it for so long that I've grown attached to it. Now it's stained with blood and I can't wash it clean. So this should be included in the compensation for emotional distress."

Kane said without looking up, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Yay~ It's been added, Kane."

Borsalino pushed up his sunglasses, pouted, and looked at the numbers on the calculator: "Add in the cost of warship wear and tear, ammunition consumption, and appearance fees for a few of our headquarters' elites... The boss said he'd sponsor the Navy Headquarters with 30 million Berries!"

Thirty million?

Kane paused in his shoe-shining motion, slowly stood up, and casually tossed the blood-stained silk onto the trembling shopkeeper's face.

He flashed a bright smile: "Boss, I just saw a few spies run into your underground vault. For the safety of your assets, I think it's necessary for me to conduct a thorough search of the vault."

The boss's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down: "No! No need! Fifty...fifty million! I'll go get the cash right now! Please don't search us!"

"Oh dear, this is so embarrassing, making us look like robbers." Kane patted the boss on the shoulder with satisfaction. "Hurry up, I'm in a hurry."

Just then.

"boom--!!!"

A terrifying aura, like an erupting volcano, instantly enveloped the entire street.

The heavy footsteps, each one like a thud on everyone's heartbeats, thud, thud, thud.

Zephyr, draped in a cloak of justice, had his resolute face now contorted with thunderous fury.

He strode in, and the naval soldiers behind him fell silent, not daring to even raise their heads.

Zephyr walked to the edge of the ten-meter-diameter pit, glanced at the pile of "Gardo" at the bottom of the pit that was no longer recognizable as human, looked at the severed limbs and broken arms scattered on the ground, and finally fixed his gaze on Kane.

In that instant, Kane felt as if he were being targeted by an ancient Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Kane!!!"

A roar erupted, the sound waves rolling, even the masts of the warships docked in the harbor trembled.

"This is the justice I taught you?!"

Zephyr pointed to the bottom of the pit, his finger almost poking Kane's nose, veins bulging on his forehead: "A Devil Fruit user! If sent to Impel Down, that's permanent imprisonment! Killing him now means the fruit will just regenerate somewhere else and be eaten by new villains, causing chaos! I've said this countless times in class!!"

Despite the overwhelming pressure, Kane remained remarkably calm.

He straightened his slightly crooked tie, stood at attention, and gave a standard military salute.

"Teacher, please let me explain."

Kane sighed and pointed to the bottom of the pit: "It really was an accident. The situation was extremely critical at the time. This guy threatened to break the supporting pillar and take everyone down with him. In order to protect the hostages, I was in a hurry and used a little bit too much force."

"A little bit?" Zephyr laughed angrily, pointing to the torn corpses around him. "And these people? Were they also just accidentally hurt?"

"They were... resisting arrest."

Kane remained unfazed and spoke nonsense with a straight face: "Besides, the floor of this auction house is so slippery from being waxed that they can't stand properly and keep bumping their necks into my finger gun. I had no choice but to do it."

"You insolent brat! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!"

Zefa finally reached his breaking point.

boom!

Zephyr's right arm was instantly covered in jet-black Armament Haki, and he slammed it down towards Kane's head!

This time, Zephyr was truly enraged.

If this brat isn't taught a lesson, he'll eventually fall into darkness!

A strong wind blew in, making Kane's cheeks sting.

But he didn't dodge.

Just as Zeffa's fist was ten centimeters away from Kane's nose.

A fist of rolling lava suddenly appeared, blocking Zephyr's path.

"boom!!!"

The shockwave rippled and shattered the surrounding windows instantly.

Zefa's pupils contracted as he looked at the person blocking his way, a look of astonishment appearing on his face for the first time.

"Sakazuki? You're going to stop me?"

Normally, Sakazuki would definitely be the first to stand up and criticize Kane for violating discipline.

But now, he's actually standing in front of us?

Sakazuki remained in a blocking stance, his hat brim pulled low, obscuring his expression, but the heat emanating from him was more intense than ever before.

"Teacher Zephyr."

Sakazuki slowly raised his head, his eyes no longer filled with the usual rage, but instead with a chilling calm and fervor.

"Kane's approach was radical, but he did nothing wrong."

"That pirate has countless lives on his hands. If he goes to prison alive, what about the civilians who died? Where is the deterrent effect of justice?"

Zefa was stunned.

He looked at his prized disciple as if he were meeting him for the first time.

"Do you know what you're saying, Sakazuki?! We're upholding justice, not acting as bloodthirsty executioners!"

"If justice can't handle the evil, then we will!"

Sakazuki's voice was deep, and every word struck Zefa's heart.

"Rather than let evil linger in Impel Down, let it vanish here."

"This is... true justice."

Zefa opened his mouth, but looking at that resolute face, he was speechless for a moment.

"Oh dear... I also think the scene was a bit ugly."

A lazy voice rang out.

Kuzan scratched his curly hair and slowly walked over, standing to Kane's left.

He looked at Zephyr and shrugged: "But the result was zero hostage casualties. Teacher, the process was rough, but it was indeed very efficient."

"Wow, what a terrifying killing intent, teacher."

Golden light condensed.

Borsalino, hands in his pockets, appeared to Kane's right, smirking, and said, "If we don't act, those explosives are going to detonate. Kane's just thinking about the bigger picture, isn't he?"

Under the sunlight.

Kane stood in the center, still sporting that smug smile.

Sakazuki is on the left front, with lava rolling around.

Kuzan was to the left rear, exuding a chilling aura.

Borsalino is on the right, gleaming with gold.

For the first time, the three future generals stood side by side with Kane, forming an impenetrable wall.

Zefa's heart skipped a beat as he watched this scene.

He took a deep breath and looked at the four "prodigies".

A liar who talks a lot of nonsense.

A fanatical radical.

A lazy bum who only wants to slack off.

A lazy person who hates trouble.

Is this the future of the navy?

Is this the elite class I trained?!

Zephyr suddenly felt incredibly tired. That feeling of powerlessness was even more exhausting than when he fought Roger back then.

His sense of justice ultimately failed to reach these monsters.

They have grown up, grown their own fangs, and are ready to use them to tear this chaotic world apart.

"Good, good...you've all made something of yourselves."

After a long while, Zephyr slowly withdrew his fist, and his domineering aura dissipated.

In that instant, this "general who does not kill" seemed to have aged ten years.

His gaze swept over the four young and unruly faces with a complex expression, finally settling on Kane's face.

"You've all grown up and are no longer my students."

Zefa turned around, his Justice Coat fluttering in the sea breeze. His back view looked somewhat desolate, yet also carried a sense of relief.