Pirates: I will first max out the domineering color if I am not dead

"You have been removed from the list of Shichibukai, so you should stay in the navy from now on."

"When I take office as marshal, I will grant you the rank of lieutenant general."

From afar, Xia Le's voice came.

Bartholomew Bear's body trembled, then slowly relaxed.

Chapter 325: Fire the gun! Send off your comrades!!!

Overcast and rainy.

The sky in Malinfando on this day, without the usual sunshine, became a little gloomy.

In the quiet square, there was a depressing and sad atmosphere.

Figures gathered here consciously after breakfast at six or seven in the morning, staring silently at the huge stone tablet standing in the center of the square.

On the black stone tablet, rows of densely packed names are engraved.

No one makes loud noises here, and even if they need to communicate, they talk in a low voice.

It can be noticed that everyone is wearing an extremely neat navy uniform, with black leather boots and a white flower embedded on the chest.

Some people looked heavy-hearted, some looked sad, some were crying quietly, and some had red and swollen eyes. Despite the different expressions, their hearts were filled with the same emotions.

The misty drizzle drifted in Marinford, adding a touch of sadness to the already heavy atmosphere.

Time passes quietly.

More and more officers gathered in Marinford Square. All of them lined up neatly and consciously. Many people stood there quietly, while others lamented the cruelty and bloodiness of this war.

"War is never a friendly term. Everyone is afraid of its occurrence."

"Because it definitely does not represent beauty or happiness, but endless pain."

"This kind of pain, especially after the war, is unforgettable and will last a lifetime."

A light sigh was heard, and an elderly lieutenant general with scars on his face and pale hair and beard spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on the stone tablet in front of him with a complicated expression.

"But if war can bring peace to the world, and a happier, more stable life."

"That is a just war, a war that must be fought!"

The middle-aged-looking lieutenant general, who was in his prime, said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, the old lieutenant general shook his head, sighed, and said nothing more.

No matter which force it is, there are camps.

The Navy is such a large organization that it is inevitable that there are factions and camps. Especially in such a military organization, the contradiction between the moderates and the hawks and radicals is even more obvious.

The moderates advocate that justice should be followed in everything, and that actions should be taken gently to avoid war as much as possible.

The hawks, on the other hand, believe that problems that can be solved by war should not be held back at all. Problems left unsolved will only create more problems.

Among the older generation, Warring States handled this matter very well.He perfectly achieved the balance of the war, but just before retirement, he started such a war that shocked the world.

And the new generation.

General Xia Le, a powerful general who adhered to the principles of equality and justice, showed such violence and brutality in the war that it was impossible for him to associate him with superficial gentleness.

In his opinion, such people are the most terrifying.

"Soft faction? Or war faction?"

The old lieutenant general guessed in his heart.

Because this will ultimately determine the future development of the navy. An organization that is constantly at war is doomed to not last long, and an organization without war will become cowardly, corrupt, and without any combat effectiveness after a long time.

How to perfectly unify and balance them is a difficult problem.

Suddenly, the crowd parted.

In the drizzle, a square-faced figure with gray hair and beard strode over.

"Lieutenant General Garp!"

"It's General Xia Le's teacher, Vice Admiral Garp!"

"Navy hero, Garp!"

"..."

There was some commotion among the crowd. From the low cheers, the old lieutenant general heard the old man's identity. He stood silently in the front row without looking back.

After a moment, Karp came to his side.

"Cap."

"You do have a good apprentice!"

The old lieutenant general said lightly.

Cap naturally knew who he was talking about, but in this situation, he also showed a smile, and said lightly: "Cross, you are old too!"

"Haha, after today's memorial service, I plan to return to my hometown to retire."

"I have reached retirement age a long time ago, and I can finally take a good rest."

Cross said with a chuckle.

A hint of nostalgia and anticipation emerged in his eyes. That naughty little grandson should be running happily on the island now, right?

Hearing this, Karp was stunned, then he spoke softly as if in a trance.

"Yeah, in the blink of an eye, you have reached retirement age."

After a brief conversation, the two stopped talking.

Time is the least valuable, the least noticeable, yet the most frightening thing.

Before you know it, your life is coming to an end.

“Old people die and babies are born.”

“This is the heritage of mankind.”

Cross laughed.

Karp's expression changed slightly. He felt that the old man was hinting at something and snorted.

"Haha, I didn't say anything about your grandson being a pirate!"

Cross was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

Garp clenched his fists, too lazy to bother with this guy.

At this time, He came over, stood quietly beside the two of them, turned his head and glared at them.

"Be serious, this is not the place for you to be so frivolous."

Cross immediately stopped smiling, and Garp also kept a serious expression.

Immediately afterwards, several gray-haired old lieutenant generals stood in a row with them.

Everyone's eyes were looking towards the huge stone tablet standing in front of them.

From the first line to the last line, countless names are densely engraved.

"Monument to the Naval Heroes!"

Crane said softly.

"Compared to me, they are more suitable to be called heroes."

Cap said softly.

No one objected to his words. If those who sacrificed themselves for a just cause did not deserve the title of hero, then who did?

"Many old friends were liberated in this battle!"

Someone beside him said in a trembling voice.

Garp and Crane's faces darkened, and they also clearly saw the names recorded in the front row.

Among them are their familiar friends and comrades-in-arms from the same year.

But at their age, to put it bluntly, they are just waiting to die. It would not be surprising if they suddenly passed away one day, and it would indeed be a relief.

"To die on the battlefield and leave with honor is also a perfect destination."

"I only regret that my name is not engraved on this stone tablet."

"Otherwise, Garp, I will become a hero like you!"

An old lieutenant general said in a cold voice.

Upon hearing this, Garp was stunned at first, then he forced a smile in response.

There is a difference between dead heroes and living heroes.

But he vaguely heard a hint of other meaning in the other party's words.

He slowly raised his head and looked at the monument in front of him again.

Densely packed names are deeply engraved on it, and underneath is a huge pedestal filled with flowers, fruits and lit white candles.

At the bottom of the stone tablet, there is a short sentence engraved.

"Everyone who sacrifices his life for justice is a true hero!"

Originally, Garp was the only one in the navy who could be called a hero. But since the Battle of Marineford, when this monument was erected, there have been countless others who have been called heroes.

Although their lives have ended, their heroic spirits will live on forever.

The names on this monument will probably never be forgotten by future generations.

For all those who join the army, their lives have a purpose, and they will no longer be afraid even when facing death.

Because that would be the path to becoming a hero.

Suddenly, the crowd became agitated.

"They are the young lieutenant generals who performed outstandingly in the war!"

"Stop Vice Admiral Buggy, the Red-Haired One of the Four Emperors!!"

"Lieutenant General Rosinante blocked Whitebeard's punch!"

"Lieutenant General Smoker."

"The great swordsman, Lieutenant General Kuina."

"Lieutenant General Fisher Tiger, the legendary liberation fighter who landed on Marijoa?"

"The ones following behind them are the scientific research team, right? They are all powerful young people!"

As Bucky and the others arrived, hushed conversations could be heard among the crowd.

Soon, the young lieutenant generals found their positions and stood behind the older generation of lieutenant generals such as Garp.

Then, Lieutenant Generals such as Stirrel, Flying Squirrel, and Ghost Spider arrived.

As time goes by, the drizzle tends to get heavier.

But the officers standing in the field did not hold any umbrellas. Instead, they stood there quietly and straight, like ghosts in the drizzle.

"Marshal Zhan Guo is here!"

"And the generals!"

In front of the square, as the white figure approached, everyone's eyes were slightly fixed.

Behind Zhan Guo, there stood three tall figures.

The four people came here one after another and stood in the front. Zhan Guo was the first to place the flowers in his hand in front of the monument and bowed deeply.

Immediately afterwards, the three generals who followed behind them followed in sequence.

After the three generals finished speaking, the huge team of officers all bowed.

"This memorial service will be hosted by General Xia Le."

Zhan Guo faced everyone and said in a deep voice.