One piece : Armor of Justice

"When I heard your mother was attacked, I was on an island in the New World, and I had to muster all my strength not to rush straight to the South Blues."

Aramaki grimaced slightly at the memory and continued, "I was told that my replacement would arrive in three days, but instead, it took a whole week. At first, I received updates about the situation here. I managed to request the scientific department to come here even before I left the port, but then, as soon as I went to sea, a cyclone began, and when I came to, I found myself on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere."

With a heavy sigh, this large man removed his hand from Bill's shoulder and continued, "For the first time in my life, I felt fear. Not the fear of dying, but the fear of never seeing my family again. At that moment, nothing else mattered to me. I didn't even think about the people who might be lost in that cyclone. A journey that should have taken three months took me six, but I swam across the Calm Belt, commandeered the first ship I encountered, and executed all the pirates who stood in my way. But all of it was worth it because I will do anything for you and your mother."

He paused for a moment, and then finally said, "If you don't want to eat the fruit, give it to me. Because despite the curse, no price is too high if it's what it takes to heal your mother."

After hearing all this, Bill didn't hesitate for a second. He felt there was something wrong with the fruit, but he also knew that a man would give everything for his family.

Handing over the box, Aramaki opened its lid. He took a large bite, swallowing the peel and flesh of the fruit. A grimace appeared on his face, but he didn't complain about the taste.

After a few seconds, Bill watched as his father dropped the fruit and green vines began to flow from his fingers.

"Hahahaha!"

Laughing, either manically or joyfully, Aramaki scooped Bill up with the vines and said, "Son, you've done a good thing for your mother! But unfortunately, I think you've made life more complicated for yourself and your friends!"

As he said this, Bill began to ponder how the next two years would unfold and nervously laughed, thinking...

"Maybe I should have let the Gorilla eat it instead."

Three youngsters dashed through the forest, dodging predatory plants and an army of Super Baboons.

"Sasha, right!"

"Ricky, left!"

Shouting to his two childhood friends, Bill and his companions ran across massive tree roots swaying beneath their feet.

This was their final training session in the forests of Vallipo. Ricky, the youngest of the group, had turned sixteen a week ago, and they decided to register together.

Rance and Fia had left Vallipo almost a month ago. As errand boys, they couldn't choose the timing of their departure. However, Aramaki decided to delay Rance until Fia's birthday so they could leave together.

Although Vallipo had the best cadet academy in the Southern Blues, it was customary to send promising recruits for training outside the island.

This was done for two reasons.

First, due to the dangers encountered on the open ocean, young people from most middle and upper-class backgrounds rarely left their home islands.

Second, most Fleet officers were relatives of previous officers. Because of these family ties, it was considered improper for a family to accept their relatives into the Marine organization.

It was possible and legal for a father to train his son, but the price for that was his reputation.

And in a global military organization that provided its executive officers with a high degree of freedom, reputation was more valuable than gold.

So, with two squad members absent, Sasha and Ricky got down to business.

"Sharp corner, FLASH!"

"Current STRIKE!"

Slashing through dozens of vines on either side, Bill kept running straight through the center.

Today's test was special: it was a version of capture the flag mixed with a football game. The goal was to seize the target without getting hit. Any hit meant failure.

Since it was the final test, Aramaki told the trio that success would bring a reward, but failure would mean no reward.

As Sasha and Ricky nearly caught up with him, a huge root burst from the ground.

The root was large enough to knock all three of them over at once, but Bill quickly sprang into action.

"Seismic STRIKE!"

Facing the root head-on, both froze in midair before Bill yelled and flung it aside, folding the root back on itself.

Ignoring the loud crack ahead, the three continued moving forward, with the two swordsmen occasionally taking the lead to slash through vines and stones thrown by the Baboons.

After what felt like a long run, the trio slowly came to a halt.

Looking up, they saw the largest tree they had ever seen. Bill estimated it was over two hundred meters tall and thought it might have been made possible by his father's Devil Fruit.

Because of its nature, the top of the tree wasn't a sprawling canopy but a giant carousel, with massive vines hanging down, emitting spores visible to the naked eye.

In the distance, Bill saw that the flag was a marine flag perched atop the rotating plant.

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