After the ceremony, Kuro led his men back, heading straight for Base 153.

This place naturally cannot accommodate three thousand people.

Lipa simply opened up the outside world, making the fortress and town the main venue for the welcoming banquet. The three thousand Douglas naval battalion, part of which entered the fortress, and part of which began the banquet in the open square and streets of the town.

Kuro and his group, of course, entered the fortress's home ground.

At the long table, people were seated according to their military ranks. Kuro sat in the main seat, his subordinates lined up in order, and Ripa sat at the back. He clapped his hands and said, "Let's begin."

Soon, naval personnel brought up food and placed it on the table.

Well, first, put a bowl of salad on everyone...

Kuro looked at the salad in front of him, picked up his chopsticks, and said, "Eating vegetarian food first is not bad, it's good for the stomach."

No one objected to this statement.

They do eat vegetables.

After the salad, the sailors served several plates of cucumbers.

"Hmm... cucumber, it's light, you can have some appetizers first." Kuro picked up his chopsticks.

The navy brought over more food, which was again several plates of green vegetables.

Then, green vegetables...

Green vegetables...

green...

green...

"You think I'm a minotaur? Plow!"

Kuro's temples bulged with veins as he shoved the food off the table and roared at him, "Are you still making me a kappa?! Where's the meat! The meat! You won't eat it, but you can't make me not eat it!"

"Lieutenant General Kuro."

There was no anger on Li Pa's face. He continued to smile and said, "Be patient and savor it carefully. Soon you will feel the gentleness of nature and the gifts of the earth. There is no need to kill or plunder. You can be full just by receiving the gifts of nature. This way of life is the kindest."

"Are you kidding me! I'm a human, I'm an omnivore!"

Kuro pointed at Ripa and said, "You can exist here because our ancestors conquered this world step by step. There was no shortage of killing and plundering along the way. Look at the ugliness of humanity, Ripa. Also, you weren't like this before. What happened?"

"I just think that's how people should be, that's what makes them human."

Lipa stood up and looked at Kuro without fear. "Kindness, gentleness, accepting the bounty of nature, having reverence for life, no longer killing, no longer plundering—I finally understand, Kuro. Only in this way can a person be truly human."

"And you..."

Lipa pointed at Kuro and said, "Even if you are a lieutenant general and known as 'Golden Lion,' you cannot deny that you are a bloodthirsty executioner!"

These words silenced everyone around.

Everyone looked on incredulously.

Is this a plowshare?

Is this the navy?

The Navy accuses its own personnel of having blood on their hands?!

"You're absolutely right!"

Kuro gritted his teeth and said, "I'll let it go because you used to be my boss."

He took a deep breath, glared at Li Pa, turned around and prepared to leave.

This person who used to take care of him is now in this terrible state; therefore, he is no longer suitable to stay in the Navy...

"That's not true at all!"

Just as Kuro was about to go back and write a note to tattle on him, Cass's voice suddenly rang out.

He stood up, pointed at Ripa, and declared righteously, "That's not true! Everything Mr. Kuro did was for justice!!"

"What justice! It's just murder! True justice doesn't want to take people's lives so wantonly!" Lipa shouted.

"No, that's not true!"

Kas stood in front of Lipa, staring at him with his solemn eyes. “Justice always requires sacrifice! There are too many pirates on the sea. Those pirates, that evil, make it impossible for ordinary people to live a peaceful life. They live in fear every day, afraid of being killed by pirates, afraid of being robbed by pirates. The fruits of their hard work are not as good as a single landing by pirates.”

"If the Navy doesn't kill them, this situation will never be stopped. Some pirates are impossible to catch because catching them is harder than killing them. Our energy is limited. The ocean is too vast, and the Navy is too small. Given the choice between civilians and ourselves, we will of course choose civilians!"

Cass shouted, "Who likes killing? Nobody likes killing! But to protect civilians, to uphold justice! We hang our souls under the banner of justice, and let justice judge our actions! Look, the peace that Shells Town enjoys today is the result of our Navy's long-standing upholding of justice! You can't even deal with pirates, so how can you achieve justice? How can you be worthy of the cloak behind you, and the civilians behind that cloak who trust and support you!"

As he spoke, a wisp of white vapor rose from his body and spread around Li Pa.

Like a gust of wind, Lipa's cloak and hat were blown open, the hat falling to the ground and revealing his hair.

His eyes widened, then he suddenly hunched over, clutching his head with his hands, stammering, "I, I..."

Amidst the billowing white mist, a strange glint appeared in Li Pa's eyes.

Those eyes were filled with gentleness, yet strangely numb.

It's as if nothing but gentleness is missing.

But in that instant, a complexity emerged in those numb eyes—a complexity about human nature.

"Colonel Lipa! You are a righteous navy man! Not a vegetarian Buddha!!" Cass added, white steam rising from his body again, impacting Lipa once more.

Lipa's eyes gradually cleared.

He collapsed to his knees, panting heavily, cold sweat streaming down his face. "What... what happened to me..."

"Um?"

Kuro turned around, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on? Lipa?"

Even a fool could tell something was different.

This thing... seems a bit off.

"Kuro!"

Lipa stood up, as if she had seen Kuro again, and exclaimed in surprise, "So it's Kuro!"

"Don't think that this is the end of it by pretending you just saw me. You called me an executioner earlier, and I'm holding a grudge."

That's what he said, but Kuro still sat back down in his chair. "What's going on?"

"have no idea..."

Li Pa shook her head, stood there stunned for a moment, and then said:

"A year ago, I heard rumors that there were pirates around, so I took some people to check it out. That's when we encountered a person wearing a black robe. After meeting him, I felt that people should be kind and not kill..."

As he spoke, he slammed his fist on the ground. "Damn it! How could I think like that? I'm a Marine! Of course I'm kind, but I shouldn't treat pirates like that!"

"ability?"

Kuro narrowed his eyes. "You've encountered a Devil Fruit user?"

The only thing that can drastically change a person's personality is an ability user.

As for curses or legends, he doesn't believe a single word of them.

However, the ability to make people 'eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures' is a bit strange, like the 'washing fruit' of the old lady crane.