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"Now, do any of you still have doubts?"
"..."
Everyone present was left speechless and bewildered.
At that moment, a blind man stepped forward and asked, "Uchiha Akira, let me ask you this—do you really think the actions of your Uchiha clan are righteous?"
The man appeared to be in his fifties, tall with short black hair and a beard framing his mouth. His eyes were tightly shut, and an X-shaped scar ran from his left temple across his eyes. Dressed in a simple purple robe, wooden sandals on his feet, and leaning on a cane sword, he exuded an aura of calm yet firm determination.
Kitaro instantly recognized him: Issho, the future Marine Admiral Fujitora .
Unlike other Marine Admirals, Fujitora was known for his gentle nature, perhaps due to his background as an ordinary citizen before joining the Marines. His strong sense of justice, focus on public welfare, and disdain for injustice made him unique among the Marines.
Kitaro responded with a faint smile, "First of all, justice is not really just a noun—it should be a verb. One man's hero is another man's villain."
"In the ninja world, we have strict rules: we are forbidden from harming ordinary civilians. But once we step onto the battlefield, it's a completely different story."
"In war, hesitation leads to defeat. You may think of a four- or five-year-old child as innocent and lovable, but in the ninja world, my brother had already killed countless enemies by that age—some of them were powerful warriors."
"For us, fulfilling our missions is our way of survival, our fate. No matter who the target is, if it's part of our commission, we execute it without hesitation."
Noticing the expressions of the crowd, Kitaro added, "Let me make this clear—we don't accept just any mission."
The blind man interrupted sharply, "But Uchiha Kitaro, he accepted a commission from Whitebeard! That much is undeniable!"
"Yes!"
"Uchiha Kitaro worked for Whitebeard!"
"He even helped vicious pirates escape! There's no excuse for that!"
"Absolutely!"
The voices of protest grew louder.
Kitaro still having disguised perfectly as Akira, a balanced boy spread his hands and replied nonchalantly, "You'd have to ask my brother about that. But honestly, I don't think he did anything wrong. When such massive profits are on the table, and you have the ability to deliver, who wouldn't take the job? Our clan still hasn't found a solid foothold in this world."
"So, you admit it!" Fujitora pressed. "Your Uchiha clan is nothing more than a profit-driven group that disregards justice!"
Kitaro just chuckled. "What do you think we ninjas are? At our core, we're an assassination guild. We take on jobs to eliminate targets, protect clients, pull weeds, and even find lost cats. We do it all."
"...Pull weeds? Find lost cats?"
The crowd was stunned. Assassination and protection made sense, but the rest?
Kitaro shrugged. "In our ninja villages, our primary role is similar to the Marine Headquarters—we're military special forces funded by our country. Beyond that, we take on missions from nobles and other nations to supplement our funds. It's a livelihood. Inevitably, conflicts arise with competitors. In my eyes, the fight between Marines and pirates is no different from rival businesses battling over territory. Of course, there are exceptions—those truly evil pirates who slaughter civilians. We deal with them too."
"As for the justice you mentioned," he continued, "I can't say what it means to you, but for me, justice is simple—living without regret."
Fujitora's expression hardened. "Then how do you justify your brother's actions? Destroying Marineford plunged the world into chaos. Pirates have attacked innocent civilians on an unprecedented scale. Lives and property are in ruins—all because of him. Is it because you're from another world that you don't care about the people here?"
Kitaro sighed, visibly annoyed. "I, Akira won't deny that my brother's actions, Kitaro, caused collateral damage. But stop blaming others for everything. If there were no pirates, wouldn't the world be more peaceful? Isn't it the Marines' duty to protect the people?"
He added, "Just because we're from another world doesn't mean we disregard the lives of those here. The Uchiha clan is a clan of love. Compared to most people in this world, we're far kinder.
"For instance, on Amazon Lily, our clan has coexisted peacefully with the Kuja warriors. Some of us have even married into their tribe."
"To me, any intelligent, communicative being is no different from a human. So don't assume the worst about us."
Kitaro's voice softened. "Even though my brother plans to take my eyes, I still respect him deeply. He led the Uchiha clan out of despair. And even if he takes them, he'll leave me with other eyes—I won't go blind."
"Oh? So, you admire him?"
"Of course!" Kitaro grinned. "In the Uchiha clan, there isn't a single person who doesn't admire my brother. Uchiha Kitaro is our hero."
"Hmph!" Fujitora scoffed. "As you said, one man's hero is another man's villain."
With that, he turned and walked away, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.
Kitaro didn't bother to argue further. Their values were too different; there was no point.
Meanwhile, Sengoku and the others had gained a clearer understanding of the enigmatic Uchiha clan.
The good news? This clan wasn't inherently evil. Uchiha Kitaro had helped the mayor of Water 7 before, and Uchiha Shisui had even fought a Celestial Dragon on Sabaody Archipelago to protect an innocent girl.
The bad news? For the Marines, this clan was a massive threat. Their activities directly undermined the Marine Headquarters.
Although nothing was confirmed yet, Sengoku was starting to believe that the man before him truly was Uchiha Kitaro's younger brother, Uchiha Akira.
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