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"I wonder," Alex said, "is this 'peace' you speak of meant for the nobles—or for the common people?"
Sitting cross-legged in front of Gion, Alex seemed almost conversational, despite Gion's restrained state.
Although she was his captive, the scene unfolded more like a clash of ideologies than a confrontation between victor and prisoner. If anyone else had witnessed it, they would likely have been shocked at how swiftly the topic shifted. Yet, in this moment, both of them forgot their surroundings, compelled by the tension of their beliefs.
"Of course… it's for everyone!" Gion began defensively, but her voice faltered as if some thought restrained her words. She quickly answered again, more measured this time.
As a high-ranking Marine officer, she was aware of certain incidents—details Chief of Staff Tsuru had shared that went beyond what ordinary Marines knew. She understood that not everything the World Government did was in the open. But still, she doubted Alex could know anything substantial.
"Oh, really?" Alex's tone turned cold. "Then, by that logic, you're aware of events like the Ohara Incident and the manhunt on Baterilla Island, right?"
"For the sake of a so-called 'criminal bloodline,' Marines hunted down every woman on Baterilla who gave birth, and it went on for a full year. Do you realize how many innocent mothers and children suffered because of this?"
He paused, watching her reaction, then continued, "And Ohara? On nothing more than the World Government's word, they unleashed a Buster Call to erase an ancient center of knowledge that had existed for thousands of years. Nearly every resident was wiped out. Do you call that peace?"
Gion's face remained tense, but she didn't answer immediately. Alex, having clear knowledge of the World Government's dark history, knew the effect his words would have. Originally, he'd intended to capture her simply for the sake of practice, but now he felt the pull to challenge her faith in the Marine system.
She clearly held a sense of justice—not the harsh "Absolute Justice" of Akainu, but something more nuanced. With that in mind, Alex thought he might even be able to sway her. A future Marine admiral candidate, as powerful as she was, and with her well-known reputation as one of the "Flowers of the Marines," would be a significant ally.
Gion clenched her jaw and finally replied, "The scholars on Ohara endangered the world with their obsession with Ancient Weapons and rewriting history. They brought the Buster Call upon themselves."
Alex sneered. "So the World Government says, and they expect everyone to blindly believe it. Just like they could have said anything about me killing the Golden Lion or World—they could label it a 'fallacy' or call me a 'dangerous criminal.' Does that make it true?"
Gion's gaze hardened, but for a moment, doubt flickered in her eyes.
"If those scholars really had such dangerous intentions, why would they gather so openly on that tiny island, waiting for the Buster Call?" Alex's voice was calm but piercing. "Even as they faced certain destruction, they chose to remain with the Tree of Knowledge to the end."
He paused, watching Gion's reaction. "Even if we set aside their intentions, it was the World Government that forced the entire civilian population of Ohara to pay the price, alongside the scholars. It was Marine that delivered that sentence."
For a moment, Gion had no response. She couldn't ask how Alex had learned these details, nor could she deny the unease the memories stirred within her. The facts he spoke of were real, and she felt a knot of discomfort, unable to find words to refute him. After all, it was this very incident that had changed Admiral Kuzan, turning him from a proactive Marine into one who followed a "Lazy Justice."
"Still, it's undeniable that the World Government has, in some ways, maintained global order, created laws, and brought peace. The Marines have protected countless islands from outside threats."
Alex's sudden, almost approving words startled Gion. But she sensed there was more, a calculated approach he was using to dismantle her faith, piece by piece. He leaned forward, his gaze hardening.
"But today's World Government has become corrupt to the core," he said. "The evil caused by its hidden deeds has long outweighed any good it claims to uphold."
Gion stayed silent as Alex continued, "Let's consider just a few points and see if they align with your sense of justice."
He took a measured breath and began, "First, the World Government demands that allied nations pay the 'Heavenly Tribute.' I don't know the exact amounts, but plenty of countries have gone bankrupt just to meet that demand. Their citizens not only pay this 'Heavenly Tribute' but are still taxed by their own nations."
His gaze sharpened. "You've traveled widely, Gion, but there are places you haven't seen—countries where only the nobles live in luxury while the common people starve. So many of them are driven to piracy out of sheer desperation because they have no other way to survive."
"And what does the World Government do with this 'Heavenly Tribute'?" Alex pressed on. "Do they use it to support the people or to address these hardships? No. It goes to the Celestial Dragons—to ensure they live in excess while the rest of the world suffers. The Marines themselves operate on the backs of these common people's sacrifices. Yet in times of crisis, it's only the lives of the Celestial Dragons that truly matter."
He watched Gion, who sat quietly, her jaw clenched, a glint of reluctance in her eyes. Alex could feel his words striking a nerve, each one chipping away at her loyalty to the system she'd served so faithfully.
His advantage came from his knowledge of the plot. Having once pored over every detail of this world's grim history, Alex now found it a potent weapon. And in this world, with the World Government serving as the villainous foundation, its corruption was well-known, deeply embedded in the lives of countless people. This gave him ample ammunition to challenge her ideals again and again.
But Alex knew there were no absolutes in this world. He had chosen to stand against the World Government, driven by his own interests. Yet, what he was telling her was undeniably true.