"Chapter 3: As expected of me"

Would Sengoku regret it? Leiyi was not sure.

Anyway, Leiyi wouldn't.

People are absolutely unable to control everything; they can only give the optimal solution at that time with their own ability within the information they master.

Even though Leiyi knew the original plot, he couldn't be one hundred percent sure of the direction of the Summit War.

For example, whether it was actually Shanks or Stinky Shanks who blocked Kaido.

Whether he would make a move this time, whether Kaido would come again, and whether other Pirate Crews would make any moves.

Although the main storyline hadn't changed, many small details had changed long ago.

But Leiyi could be certain that since Blackbeard had disappeared, something would definitely happen over at Impel Down.

Leiyi didn't rest, and instead strolled around the Marine Headquarters aimlessly.

Lilith was far more looking forward to the arrival of the war than Yamato. As an absolute authority weapon expert, she had contacted Sentomaru early on and went to help with the layout arrangements.

And it was very obvious that Sentomaru's bragging hadn't succeeded, otherwise he would have sent a wife to him long ago and wouldn't have gone so long without contacting him.

As for Yamato, she was both bellicose and bursting with curiosity. Being of like mind with Lilith, she went along too.

Leiyi had nothing to worry about regarding these two stirring up trouble. Given Yamato's strength and Lilith's brain, there weren't many people who could threaten them.

And the Empress should be arriving at the conference room about now.

After being lively for a few days, it was suddenly so quiet now—no Lilith causing trouble, no lively and active Yamato, no Empress acting infatuated.

Eh~ He was missing the Empress's long, fair legs a bit again.

He didn't feel much seeing them every day, but with them suddenly disappearing, it really felt like something was empty and boring.

But this feeling was quickly cast aside.

The soldiers began to enter the field, and it was time for the final pre-war mobilization.

War was always a heavy topic.

For himself, he only needed to consider how to reap greater merits.

But these ordinary soldiers were different.

Perhaps they were powerhouses in their respective seas, naturally gifted and respected by others.

But here, they were just the most basic combat units.

They needed to risk their lives and fight with all their might, while remaining vigilant at the same time; otherwise, they could become cannon fodder at any moment, victims in the aftermath of the powerhouses' battles.

At this moment, Leiyi had a flash of inspiration and suddenly thought that such a battlefield would obviously be unfavorable for the performance of Marine Admirals.

After all, Logia abilities were always large-scale attacks at every turn, and going all out would definitely affect their own people.

"OI, little brother Leiyi, what are you thinking about?"

Hearing the voice before seeing the person—with such a lazy voice, there was no one else besides Aokiji.

"Admiral Aokiji, came to find me for something?"

"Hmm? Can't it just be passing by by chance?"

"Passing by here? This is not a major road, and there's only me around. If you can pass by here like this, then you really know how to stroll around."

Leiyi was very puzzled.

Although the two had met a few times, they shouldn't have had too much intersection.

So for a moment he couldn't figure out what the other party wanted with him.

"That's true, um..."

Aokiji paused for a long time and was slow to speak, but Leiyi wasn't in a rush either, just looking at him like that.

"Aren't you going to ask me why it's so hard to speak? As soon as you urge me, I'll say it."

"Then you'd better not say it. Anyway, I'm not interested either."

Generally, things stammered out like this wouldn't be any good news. Asking would just give the other party an opportunity to put him on the spot, and Leiyi wouldn't fall for that trick.

Hearing Leiyi say this, Aokiji was clearly stunned, obviously not expecting Leiyi to play cards outside the conventional routine.

He rubbed his curly hair.

"Forget it, I'll just say it directly. Can you tell me your thoughts, why did you defy the regulations and charge into the stronghold of a Four Emperors?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to find trouble with you. Whether the higher-ups gave orders or not, I couldn't care less. I want to know why you can do such a thing?"

???

Aokiji's lazy justice—Leiyi knew about this.

Because of the Ohara incident, the experience of executing his close friend made him doubt the justice he believed in.

But wasn't this question a bit too out there?

And Leiyi couldn't possibly tell the real reason, at least not for now.

"Does that even need to be asked? Of course I do it because I want to. Could it be because I ate too much and ran over to digest food?"

...

Are you playing games with me here?

"My meaning is, why can you directly go and do this thing?"

"I've looked at your resume; it's very brilliant and also very unfettered."

"I won't say much more about those brilliant deeds. I want to know why you can always do those unpermitted things without hesitation."

"Even if you've been warned or even punished multiple times by Sengoku-san or the World Government because of it, you still don't change?"

Hearing Aokiji finish, Leiyi's first reaction was: *Damn!! Are you really this unconfident?*

Just how lost has he become.

He originally thought Aokiji only started to feel lost after leaving the Marines following his failure to compete with Akainu for the position of Fleet Admiral, but he hadn't expected it to start already, and so severely.

With this kind of mindset, no wonder you couldn't beat Akainu.

According to the research report 'The Source of Haki's Energy Properties', Haki would be enhanced due to the blessing of belief, and would also gradually wither away due to the loss of belief.

Belief was something as unfathomable as a youth's pride.

It relied entirely on idealism; to what extent, you ask?

For example, Conqueror's Haki—Conqueror's Haki could be inherited through genetic factors.

But analyzed from a scientific perspective, theoretically, even if one was born without carrying such genetic factors, as long as they persistently kept growing stronger while achieving unity of body and mind...

...with a strong body as the soil, belief could automatically spawn such genetic factors within the body.

And if one could maintain this state for a long time and accumulate enough, they would naturally awaken Conqueror's Haki.

Therefore, in the One Piece World, you didn't have to fear being unreasonable, nor did you have to fear acting like a ruffian; what was to be feared most was contradicting one's own beliefs, becoming lost, or doubting oneself.

Once you fell into this big pit and couldn't crawl out, you were basically done for.

Therefore, being monsters alike, how could Aokiji in this lost state be a match for Akainu, who was obsessed with Absolute Justice?

However, if you talked to me about scientific research, perhaps I wouldn't be able to say anything to you.

But if it came to discussing concepts and talking about faith, then that would be right in my comfort zone.

I understand what belief is all too well.

Leiyi didn't explain and instead asked back directly.

"Then let me ask you, since you already want to do it, why can't you do it?"

"Can't it be done just because it's not permitted? If that's the case, there are plenty of pirates telling you not to mind other people's business—why don't you listen?"

"This... how could the Marines listen to pirates?"

"Then why must you listen to the World Government or Sengoku's words?"

"This, I mean..."

Aokiji wanted to refute, but suddenly couldn't find a point to refute.

Yeah, why must he listen?

Right and wrong? Pirates did bad things, but where did Ohara's research on history go wrong?

Status? Because the other party was the Fleet Admiral and the World Government, he had to listen.

Hearing these words, they were full of loopholes.

So what was it all for? Why?

Because of pondering this question, Aokiji's deadened inner heart suddenly ushered in a blizzard.

He didn't know why, but he just felt that this question was extremely important to him.

His confusion lay precisely in this question.

Why must he listen, why on earth?

Leiyi was stunned.

He had originally prepared a lengthy discourse, but he hadn't expected that with just a single opening sentence, Aokiji would have a Realization? But he hadn't even started talking yet.

No, what do you mean he hadn't started talking? Actually, that was what he thought right from the beginning. What does it mean for a single sentence to be worth ten thousand sentences? This was it.

As expected of me.

That being said, the great battle was about to start. Would there be any problem turning Aokiji into this state right now?