Marine Recruit Elian POV
Elian had only been a Marine recruit for two months.
He had yet to arrest a real pirate or sail beyond the waters surrounding the Marine base. Most of his days were spent running around the training grounds, cleaning weapons, and listening to his instructor shout at him.
Despite the harsh training, Elian had never regretted joining the Marines.
When he was a child, pirates had attacked his hometown. A Marine captain had arrived before anyone was killed and driven them away. From that day onwards, Elian had dreamed of wearing the same white uniform.
To him, the Marines had always represented justice.
That belief was why Dragon words disturbed him so much.
"The Marines claim to protect innocent people, but when the World Government commands them to ignore slavery, destroy an island, or protect the Celestial Dragons, they obey without question."
Dragon voice continued to echo inside Elian mind.
"They are not the protectors of justice. They are the World Government's lapdogs."
The livestream had ended hours ago, but none of the recruits had returned to their normal routine. Small groups gathered around the training grounds, whispering among themselves whenever their instructors weren't looking.
"Dragon is a criminal," one recruit said. "Of course he wants people to hate the Marines."
"But did he lie?" another recruit asked.
The first recruit immediately fell silent.
Elian lowered his head and stared at the word Justice printed on the back of the instructor standing ahead of them.
Their instructor had ordered them to forget everything they had heard during the livestream. According to him, Dragon claims were nothing more than criminal propaganda intended to weaken the Marines.
Elian wanted to believe that.
However, if Dragon accusations were completely false, why hadn't anyone explained the truth?
Why had their superiors only ordered them to remain silent?
"Return to your barracks!" their instructor shouted. "Anyone caught discussing that Criminal lies will be punished!"
"Yes, sir!" the recruits answered together.
Elian followed the others, but for the first time since joining the Marines, his response lacked conviction.
He still wanted to protect innocent people but he no longer knew whether wearing a Marine uniform would allow him to do that.
...
Seaman First Class Doran POV
"What complete nonsense." Doran spoke loudly enough for the Marines around him to hear.
"That Dragon is the worst criminal and they lied about marines, why should we believe a single word that comes out of his mouth?"
A few Marines nodded in agreement. Doran crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He appeared calm, but his clenched fists revealed what he truly felt.
He wasn't angry because Dragon accusations were ridiculous. He was angry because they reminded him of something he had spent years trying to forget.
Two years earlier, Doran unit had been assigned to protect a World Noble travelling through the South Blue. He had been proud when he first received the mission. Escorting a member of the Celestial Dragons seemed like an important duty.
That pride disappeared the moment they reached the first island.
Every civilian had been ordered to kneel before the World Noble. One elderly man had been too weak to lower himself quickly enough, so one of the World Noble's guards struck him.
Doran had stepped forward without thinking, but his commanding officer grabbed his shoulder.
"Stay in formation," the officer ordered.
"But that man didn't do anything," Doran protested.
"It doesn't matter. We are here to protect the World Noble, not interfere with his actions."
Doran obeyed although he felt reluctant about it.
For the rest of the journey, he watched innocent people tremble whenever they saw the Marine ships approaching.
He told himself that he was following orders. He told himself that a single seaman couldn't challenge a Celestial Dragon. He even convinced himself that protecting the World Noble was necessary to preserve peace.
Then Dragon called the Marines lapdogs in front of the entire world.
"Doran, are you all right?" one of his friends asked.
"I'm fine," answered Doran
"You look like you want to punch someone," teased his friend.
"I said I'm fine," replied Doran.
His friend wisely stepped away.
Doran looked down at his uniform. He had worn it proudly for years, but now it felt heavier than usual.
Dragon was still a criminak and why should his words sting him so much?
However, being a criminal didn't automatically make every word he spoke a lie.
Doran closed his eyes and once again saw the elderly man lying on the ground while dozens of Marines stood nearby and did nothing.
'Was I protecting justice that day?' he wondered.
He already knew the answer.
That was why he hated Dragon livestream so much.
....
Lieutenant Freya POV
Lieutenant Freya stood inside her office, reading the latest instructions from Marine Headquarters.
All copies of Dragon livestream were to be seized. Marines were forbidden from discussing his accusations, and anyone caught spreading the recording could be investigated for assisting a pirate.
The instructions were clear.
What they failed to explain was how the Marines were supposed to erase something the entire world had already seen.
Freya placed the document on her desk and rubbed her forehead.
Outside her office, her subordinates were arguing.
"Pirates killed my brother!" one Marine shouted. "Now you expect me to listen to one lecture us about justice?"
"No one said Dragon was a good person, his son is a pirate," another replied. "We're asking whether his accusation was true."
"You're taking the side of a criminal!"
"I'm asking a question!"
"That is enough!" Freya shouted as she opened the door.
The marines on corridor immediately became silent.
Every Marine turned towards her. Freya looked at the young men and women under her command. Some were angry, others appeared frightened, and several couldn't meet her eyes.
"Return to your duties," she ordered.
The Marines saluted and quickly dispersed.
Freya returned to her office, but she didn't close the door immediately.
Seven years ago, she had joined the Marines because she wanted to make the seas safer. She had arrested pirates, rescued kidnapped children, and defended villages that couldn't protect themselves.
She knew the Marines had saved countless lives but at the same time she also knew Dragon accusation wasn't entirely wrong.
Three months earlier, Freya's unit had received reports that pirates were attacking a small village. Before they could depart, their orders suddenly changed. A ship carrying Heavenly Tribute had entered nearby waters and needed an escort.
Freya protested that the village was in immediate danger.
Her superior told her the tribute took priority.
By the time another Marine unit reached the village, dozens of civilians had been killed.
Freya could still remember the survivors asking why the Marines had arrived so late, she hadn't been able to answer them.
The treasure belonging to the World Government reached its destination without losing a single coin. Marine Headquarters called the mission a success.
"Lapdogs…" Freya whispered bitterly.
The word was insulting, but an insult only hurt this much when it carried some truth.
Her eyes returned to the orders on her desk. Freya picked up the document, folded it, and placed it inside a drawer.
She wouldn't allow her subordinates to abandon their duties. Pirates wouldn't suddenly stop hurting civilians simply because the World Government was corrupt.
However, she also wouldn't punish them merely for asking questions.
If the Marines truly represented justice, then justice should be able to survive a few uncomfortable questions.
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