One Piece: Transmigrated with Yoriichi Tsugikuni's Template

"I'm a pirate, damn it!"

That muttered line from Shanks was overheard by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who was up on the roof fixing it. He glanced down at Shanks, then turned and called out to Buggy not far away:

"Hey, Buggy, toss me some nails."

As he spoke, two clenched fists carrying nails floated slowly up beside him.

No doubt about it—Buggy's Devil Fruit powers were actually pretty useful in moments like these.

While accepting the nails from Buggy's disembodied hands, Yoriichi casually asked the red-haired boy below:

"Shanks, what do you think pirates are supposed to do?"

"From your tone, it sounds like you really admire pirates. Is that because you are one yourself? Are you proud of your... profession?"

"As a Marine, I find that attitude pretty distasteful."

As he spoke, Yoriichi rhythmically hammered the nails into the wooden planks.

Some of the other Marines working nearby overheard and glanced toward Shanks. Their expressions were complex.

After all, the Marines and pirates were natural enemies. Most of the Marines under Kuzan's command were still young, new recruits under thirty.

They hadn't yet been hardened by the harsh realities of the world. They still held pure ideals of what it meant to be a Marine.

And along with that purity came a deeply rooted hatred for pirates.

Shanks had always presented himself as a proud pirate, and the Marines didn't like it. But to see someone as young as Shanks speaking proudly about being a pirate stirred up a mix of emotions in them.

"Pirates are the freest beings on the sea."

"I want to be like Captain Roger, to become the freest man on the ocean!"

When Shanks uttered the word "freedom," his eyes lit up.

But before Yoriichi could respond, Buggy interrupted with a loud snort of disdain.

"Freedom, my ass…"

"Shanks, you're so naïve!"

"Pirates live to find treasure!"

"Treasure, that's the one true goal every pirate should pursue!"

"That's what real men dream of!"

It seemed that neither of them had fully realized the situation they were in, chatting openly about freedom and treasure while surrounded by Marines.

And they hadn't noticed that the expressions of the nearby Marines had already changed.

"Freedom, huh…"

"That word sure is convenient."

"So as long as it's for 'freedom,' anything goes?"

"Even if your freedom tramples on someone else's?"

Yoriichi didn't even look at Shanks as he spoke. He just kept working, hammering nails into the boards, and shook his head.

The Marines below nodded silently. Several of them glared at Shanks, their eyes burning with anger. One of the more hot-blooded young Marines even shouted:

"Damn pirate! You people just want money and women, right? It's all just about feeding your twisted urges, and then you go hiding behind this crap about 'freedom!'"

"All pirates should die!"

Surprisingly, Shanks wasn't angry at the insult. He nodded seriously and replied, not denying any of it:

"There are pirates like that, yes. But me, Captain Roger, and our crewmates, we've never done those things."

"At least we pirates have the guts to own our actions. What about you?"

"You Marines, don't you also hide behind the flag of 'justice' while doing whatever you please?"

"Your desires, your brutality, don't you just take them out on pirates? Aren't there even Marines out there who do worse things than pirates?"

"Whether it's the desire to kill or destroy, how much better are Marines who hide it behind the banner of justice?"

Shanks, despite his youth, had already traveled the world with Roger and seen the dark side of humanity. When it came to experience, these young Marines couldn't hold a candle to him.

Faced with Shanks's blunt questions, the Marines could only respond with angry shouts. "You're full of it!" and similar outbursts filled the air. But Shanks clearly looked down on them and didn't bother arguing. He just raised his head to look at Yoriichi on the rooftop.

"What about you, Captain Yoriichi Tsugikuni?"

"Surely someone like you understands what I'm trying to say?"

"Or are even Marine Captains just like these clueless grunts, blindly believing that the Marines are the embodiment of absolute justice?"

Still hammering nails, Yoriichi didn't stop his work. He replied calmly:

"Individuals are simple. Organizations are complicated."

"People join the Marines for all kinds of reasons—power, ambition, protecting loved ones, preserving peace."

"Those motives aren't inherently good or bad. But the banner of justice can restrain people's desires."

"Justice is heavy. It means responsibility, it defines your stance, it imposes limits."

"But pirates… pirates are different."

"Your version of freedom encourages indulgence, encourages desire."

"Humans need restraints—morality, responsibility, and strict laws. Without those, without any limits, a human is no different from a demon."

"And demons must be purged."

"We Marines are simply cleansing the demons."

Yoriichi drove another nail into the plank, then turned his head with a gentle smile and said to Shanks:

"This world can live without pirates, but it can't live without Marines."

"The only reason you're still standing here and talking with me is because you're not a demon. That's all."

"Now send up some more planks."

One second, Yoriichi was philosophizing. The next, he had completely changed topics with a command. Shanks muttered "fine," picked up another plank, and tossed it up. Then he pursed his lips, frowning as he tried to think of how to argue back.

Just then, a commotion erupted on the nearby street.

Loud, arrogant voices rang out:

"Move it! Out of the way!"

A group of Marines swaggered down the road with aggressive energy, heading their way. These Marines were nothing like Kuzan's disciplined unit. Their uniforms were messy, their caps worn crooked. Some reeked of alcohol and stumbled like they were still drunk from the night before.

As they made their way forward, a few townsfolk carrying supplies accidentally blocked their path. Without hesitation, the rowdy Marines shoved them aside. One of them, clearly drunk, even kicked a passerby to the ground and cursed at him with foul language.

Shanks took one look and chuckled.

"So much for that 'restraint of justice,' huh?"

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