"Old John's boy, is he really this good-looking? Those blue eyes remind me of Elizabeth."
"His face looks like his mother's."
Not far away, the surviving women of Maple Leaf Village were amazed at Rorschach's appearance.
"Admiral Sakazuki!"
The marines, still immersed in shock, finally noticed Admiral Akainu standing behind them, and their faces turned ashen with fear.
The soldiers stood rigidly straight, like spears, their muscles tense as Akainu passed through the crowd, heading towards Rorschach.
Akainu's massive frame, standing over three meters tall, exerted immense pressure. His sharp eyes radiated an aura of authority that none of the marines on the warship dared to meet, except for Rorschach.
Rorschach did not feel fear; instead, he stood as straight as the other marines, looking directly at Akainu.
Rorschach was grateful to Akainu. If Akainu hadn't intervened that day and blocked Jericho's path with magma, Jericho would have escaped to who knows where. Considering the vastness of the North Sea, Rorschach didn't know when he would be able to avenge his father's death.
Moreover, his physical and mental state that day was extremely poor. Without the care of Akainu, Doss, and the others, he might have already died.
Not to mention, Akainu, known for his severity, had kept the warship anchored at Maple Leaf Island for seven full days!
Regardless of how the marines were portrayed in the One Piece manga in the previous world, Rorschach's experiences over these days gave him a new understanding of marine justice.
Of course, it was unlikely that Admiral Akainu stayed in this small place just out of pity for Maple Leaf Village or for Rorschach. Akainu might have been impressed by Rorschach's talent.
Regardless of the reason, Rorschach could not ignore these favors.
Looking at Akainu, Doss, the survivors, and the marines on the warship, Rorschach took a deep breath and made his decision.
Under the astonished gazes of the marines, Rorschach first turned to Doss and bowed deeply in gratitude:
"Dr. Doss, thank you very much for your treatment. Without you, I might have died. Thank you!"
Doss chuckled gently and pushed his glasses up his nose, saying, "Why so formal all of a sudden? Haha... I've said it before, I'm a navy doctor. As long as the injured person is not a heinous criminal, I will always treat them."
Rorschach smiled gratefully at him, then turned to the little girl Skye standing beside Doss.
"Thank you, Miss Skye, for bringing me dinner."
"Ah? I..." Skye opened her mouth in surprise, not expecting Rorschach to thank her specifically, her face flushed with embarrassment under everyone's gaze.
"Chef Duno, your culinary skills are the best I've ever seen! For the first time in my life, I ate until I was full today. Your supersonic cooking techniques are truly amazing!"
The fat chef, who was supported by two people to stand up, his plump body trembling from exhaustion, laughed heartily at Rorschach's words of gratitude, pride, and joy filling his face.
Chef Duno laughed and said, "Your name is Rorschach, right? Why not join the navy? As long as you're on my ship, I won't allow anyone to go hungry! That's my life motto."
"Your life motto seems overly repetitive..." Doss muttered.
"What? What did you say? Do you want to stop eating my food?"
"Sorry! I was wrong!"
The smile faded from Rorschach's face as he looked towards the seventeen women.
"Ladies, I know everyone is feeling sad. The past few days have been the hardest moments of our lives."
As soon as Rorschach started speaking, the women began to cry aloud.
"The damn pirates took our loved ones. I lost my father, a simple fisherman who couldn't even read, but he was a kind and great man."
"Our loved ones who died are watching us from heaven now, and they don't want to see us broken and sad. So, we have to be strong. Our lives will get better from now on. Let's live with their hope."
After Rorschach finished speaking, the women couldn't hold back their tears. Some marines also couldn't help but cry, starting to curse the pirates and vowing to eliminate them.
Even the little girl Skye was crying loudly.
Finally, Rorschach turned seriously towards Akainu and called out loudly, "Mr. Sakazuki, I will never forget your kindness! My name is Rorschach! I request to join the navy! I want to be a soldier under your command! Give me a chance to pursue justice!"
Silence fell over the ship, and all eyes were on Rorschach and Akainu.
Akainu's sharp eyes pierced through Rorschach, and after a long moment, he spoke in a low voice, "Justice is not just words. Are you ready to stand against the world, even if it costs you your life?"
Rorschach responded loudly, "Witness it!"
Akainu grunted and walked towards the cabin.
"Big words. I'll be watching. If you ever betray justice, I'll be the one to bury you. Return to your ranks, Third-Class Soldier Rorschach."
"Yes!"
Rorschach stood straight and raised his right hand to perform the standard marine salute.
As soon as Rorschach finished speaking, cheers of joy erupted on the deck of the ship.
The marines rushed towards him and lifted him high.
Chef Duno laughed and said, "I like this boy. He'll be a strong marine officer in the future. I haven't seen someone with such an appetite in a long time."
"Do you judge people only by their appetite?" Doss muttered.
But Duno was right. The ability to eat signifies strong digestion and physical fitness. Not all who eat a lot are strong, but all the strong eat a lot.
"Prepare to set sail! Full speed ahead to Branch 177!"
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(I have a question: Is Skye the daughter of Sakazuki, Hibari from the SWORD unit, or not? I often find her name to be Hibari, and I didn't think much of it. However, when the SWORD unit appeared in Chapter 40, I began to have doubts. So, until it becomes clear, her name will remain Skye)
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