Marineford Hospital, Intensive Care Unit.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled light and shadow on the floor.

Medical instruments emitted rhythmic “beep-beep” sounds, as if reminding them of life’s fragility.

On the hospital bed, Gern lay quietly, his face pale, connected to various tubes and machines.

His chest rose and fell slightly, his breathing faint but steady, as if he were merely in a deep sleep.

Libo sat by the bed, her eyes red-rimmed, clearly having cried many times.

But her hands still tightly clasped a wet towel, carefully wiping the cold sweat from Gern’s forehead.

Gion, now promoted to Commodore, also stood by, her gaze complex as she looked at the man on the bed.

“It’s already been three days…” Libo’s voice trembled slightly, “Why isn’t Gern waking up?”

Gion sighed softly, placing the basin of hot water she had just picked up on the bedside table.

“His injuries are too severe; it’s a miracle he’s alive,” she paused, then whispered, “After all, that was ‘Pirate King’ Roger… To be able to fight him to that extent, anyone else would have probably already…”

To this day, no one knows what exactly happened in that battle!

But a battle that could create such an area was by no means ordinary.

Libo bit her lip, not answering.

Her gaze fell on Gern’s bandaged chest, where a gruesome wound, the mark left by Roger’s “God Avoidance,” was visible.

Even with her Healing Fruit ability, that scar was still shocking to behold.

“He didn’t have to push himself so hard…” Libo murmured, “He could have waited for reinforcements…”

“Libo.” Gion was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

“Don’t you know him? This guy never waits.”

Silence once again filled the room, with only the sound of the instruments echoing.

A moment later, Gion suddenly spoke: “It’s already a huge commotion outside.”

Libo looked up, somewhat confused, at her.

“Newspapers, broadcasts, even World Government announcements, are all proclaiming his ‘legend’.”

“‘Marine Legend,’ ‘Pillar of the New Era’… They’ve elevated him to a god-like status.”

Libo lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously tightening their grip on the towel, “Gern doesn’t care about any of this…”

“He does care.” Gion’s gaze turned to Gern, her tone decisive, “He knows what he’s doing better than anyone.”

Libo was stunned.

“He had already anticipated the cost of this battle,” Gion continued.

“Fame, status, future… He needs them all.

And now, he has them.”

Although Gion’s words were direct, this was the true Gern!

And hearing this, Libo’s eyes welled up again, a flicker of struggle in them.

“Then, if that’s the case…” She slowly raised her hand, a faint green light emanating from her palm.

“Libo!” Gion, who had just turned around and noticed something was amiss, suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, her tone stern, “Have you forgotten what Gern told you?”

Libo’s hand trembled, and the light dimmed slightly.

【Libo, if consuming your life makes me recover, then I wouldn’t be a hero of justice!

Don’t do anything foolish, I’m just a little tired.】

Gern’s last words before he fell unconscious echoed in her mind.

Even though Gern was very weak when they passed through Marineford Plaza, he still used his usual flippant tone to reassure her.

Thinking of this, Libo slowly lowered her hand, and the light completely dissipated.

She lowered her head, tears silently streaming down, her body convulsing.

As a user of the Healing Fruit, no one knew better than her how serious Gern’s condition was at this very moment!!!

......

At the same time, outside the hospital room, the hallway lights flickered faintly.

Zephyr, who had withdrawn his gaze, leaned back on the bench, his eyes closed, his brows furrowed with an unyielding heaviness.

Just then, footsteps approached from a distance; Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino walked side by side, their military boots making dull thuds on the floor.

Because of Roger’s imprisonment, Kong dared not be negligent and had summoned all available combat power back.

“Zephyr-sensei.” Kuzan was the first to stop, his usually languid voice now taut.

He looked through the isolation window of the hospital room, and when he saw the figure on the bed surrounded by various instruments, his pupils suddenly contracted.

“This? When the Marineford emergency telegram recalled us, wasn’t Gern clearly still able to…”

“Because this reckless brat was relying entirely on Libo’s ability to hold on.”

Zephyr suddenly interrupted, his voice sounding as if it was squeezed from deep within his chest.

“He said something like, ‘Everything was for this moment’…”

With that, Zephyr’s palm slammed heavily onto the metal armrest, the dull thud echoing in the hallway.

He looked up, his bloodshot eyes flashing with indescribable complex emotions.

“I still can’t bear to think about it…” Zephyr’s voice suddenly dropped, with an almost imperceptible tremble.

“How much pain did he endure at that time? And what kind of will did he rely on to remain conscious in that state?

Not only did he have to escort Roger across the entire South Sea to Loguetown, but he even had to struggle all the way back to Marineford…”

Looking at the distressed Zephyr, Kuzan remained silent for a long time, his hand suspended in mid-air, finally resting gently on Zephyr’s trembling shoulder.

The shadows of the three stretched long on the pale wall, like some kind of silent judgment.

“Zephyr-sensei…” Kuzan’s voice caught in his throat, “He’ll be fine.”

Meanwhile, Sakazuki, standing by the isolation window, after hearing Zephyr’s words, stared intently at Gern on the hospital bed.

“Why was he so persistent?”

“It’s to show all pirates that pirates are ultimately pirates, and justice will not perish with them!

Sakazuki’s fist clenched and unclenched at his side, his knuckles making brittle cracking sounds under the strain.

“Don’t you understand?” His voice sounded as if it was squeezed from the depths of lava, every word carrying scorching weight.

“This isn’t Gern being reckless; this is a declaration!!

He’s telling those scumbags in the New World that justice will never be pushed to a dead end!

Even when facing the so-called ‘Pirate King,’ the Marine will always stand on the side of victory!”

Borsalino uncharacteristically dropped his flippant expression, his gaze behind his sunglasses shifting over the hospital bed.

“How terrifying!” he murmured, his tone devoid of his usual mockery.

“Terrifying what? Borsalino, looking at Gern lying on that hospital bed, you should feel ashamed!!”

“Huh? Aren’t you here to see the patient? Why are you scolding me?” Kizaru was startled.

“See what? I told you to chase Rayleigh, and it’s either windy or rainy! And you’re even his senior.”

“Sakazuki, you, I…” Kizaru was momentarily unable to retort, finally sighing, “Forget it, in front of him, I indeed failed to act as a senior should.

But don’t worry, I’ve already brought Vegapunk back with me.”