One Piece: Starting from Awakening the Cosmo at Marineford

Countless marines worked until late into the night on the plaza and on the ice to clean up all the corpses and severed limbs. As for the bloodstains, they could only be cleaned up the next day.

When dawn broke, after a count, the number of marines' bodies, whether intact or mutilated, exceeded ten thousand.

Some of the mutilated bodies could not even be pieced together, and many could not be identified.

As for those that fell into underground fissures and the sea during the great war, it is unknown how many more remain.

News also came from the hospital that several hundred seriously wounded marines did not survive until dawn and died in the middle of the night.

Sengoku, along with all the high-ranking officers of the navy, held a collective funeral for these marines, and then cremated them one by one.

The ashes of those whose identities were confirmed were handed over to other marines at their base to be taken back and given to their families.

Several marines from the Four Seas Branch Base were completely wiped out and had to be handed over to people from other nearby branches to take back.

As for the pirates' corpses, they were piled up into several small mountains and doused with oil.

At Sengoku's command, more than a dozen marines set the pirates' corpses ablaze.

Those piles of corpses burned for over an hour and only a little bit was burned; black smoke filled the sky above Marineford.

Even with the constant sea breeze, the stench of burning still permeated the entire Marineford.

Many marines couldn't stand the smell and vomited until they were dizzy.

After thinking it over, Sengoku realized he had no choice but to let Akainu take action.

After Akainu unleashed over a dozen magma punches, there was no corpse left, not even ashes; several large craters were even left on the ground.

Then came a simple commendation ceremony, followed by the distribution of compensation for the deceased and subsidies for the injured, keeping them busy for most of the day.

Sengoku finally gave instructions on the route for the surviving marines.

Everyone went back to their own homes and to their own mothers.

Aaron and the twenty-odd marines gathered together in a bar for drinks, as a farewell.

A group of people who were brought together by chance during the war are about to have their connection come to an end.

Aaron was also half-drunk and half-awake, lamenting the fickleness of fate.

"Everyone, after this drink, we'll go our separate ways tomorrow morning. I don't know if we'll ever have the chance to meet again, but I'll remember you all. You are my comrades-in-arms, my brothers!"

The twenty-odd marines also raised their glasses and drank heartily.

Aaron, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, heard the nearby commotion suddenly quiet down.

The originally noisy voices turned into quiet discussions.

The twenty-odd marines all looked at Aaron's side with great interest, some with disdain, some with smiles, and some with an attitude of watching a good show.

Aaron turned his head and saw two people, Koby and Bellmare.

Aaron's previously relaxed and cheerful mood was instantly ruined, and he bluntly said, "Get out!"

Helmeppo immediately retorted, "Hey! Show some respect! Coby's here to thank you!"

Aaron snorted, said nothing, and picked up his glass: "Come on, let's keep drinking. Don't let these clueless people spoil our fun!"

"Oh!" The marines immediately cheered, raising their glasses and laughing as they continued drinking.

Bellemerg suddenly felt like the two of them had become clowns, and complained, "Coby, I already told you, this guy was just trying to kick you, not save you. Besides, I already thanked him on your behalf, but you insisted on coming over yourself, and now you've got to get yelled at, haven't you? Let's get going!"

"It's alright. If it weren't for him, I would have died from Admiral Sakazuki's magma fist."

After Koby finished speaking, he bowed deeply to Aaron and said loudly, "I am extremely grateful!"

Aaron turned his head away: "Pah, what bad luck!"

Koby's back was bent for more than ten seconds before he straightened up. Bellemere pulled and dragged Koby away.

"Aaron, I'm just like you, I get angry just looking at that kid."

"Who isn't? But what can you do when he's Garp's disciple?"

"Hey, you guys heard the news these past couple of days, right? Quite a few marines are praising that pink-haired guy's sense of justice!"

"Pah! What kind of justice is that! The Navy clearly has the upper hand; it's the perfect opportunity to wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates. This kid's a traitor, speaking up for the pirates!"

More than twenty people were complaining when suddenly another figure stood beside them.

Several marines started a fire, unaware that the surroundings had become completely silent.

When he looked up, he was so startled that he quickly lowered his head and swallowed hard.

Aaron had already felt the intense pressure beneath the calm surface.

There was no hostility, yet it was still suffocating.

Aaron stood up, looked up, and said, "General Sakazuki, you wanted to see me?"

The newcomer was none other than Akainu. He wasn't wearing the admiral's cloak or a suit; he was simply dressed in casual clothes.

"Come with me."

Akainu walked to the bar counter and sat down on a stool.

Aaron, undaunted, plopped down on the other side, instantly reducing the height difference between them.

Akainu tapped the table: "The usual! Give this kid a drink too."

The bartenders cast surprised glances at Aaron, already speculating about his identity.

The bartender placed two glasses on the table, took a bottle, and poured a full glass.

Aaron didn't see the words on the label on the bottle clearly, but he was attracted by the red "96%" markings.

Aaron cleared his throat: "What does this 96% mean?"

The bartender said disdainfully, "This bottle of liquor is 96 proof."

Akainu turned his head, looking down at Aaron with his eyes: "You're not scared, are you?"

"hehe!"

A man shouldn't say he's afraid, especially right there at the dinner table.

Aaron picked up his glass, looked at the two ounces of liquor inside, gritted his teeth, tilted his head back, and poured it down his throat.

In an instant, I felt as if a line of fire was burning from the tip of my tongue all the way to my stomach.

But soon, the line of fire softened considerably.

Aaron did not feel uncomfortable at all; on the contrary, he felt a sense of exhilaration from the depths of his soul.

Akainu nodded in agreement: "Not bad."

Aaron put down his glass and, with a defiant smile, said to the bartender, "Another one, please!"

The wine glass looked a little dazed: "Are you sure?"

Aaron retorted, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

The bartender shook his head: "Doesn't seem like it. But in all the time I've had this bar, you're still the second person to finish one glass and then ask for a second one."

Aaron turned his head: "It goes without saying that General Sakazuki is the first."

Akainu said calmly, "Only a real man can drink this sake; it's strong enough."

Aaron picked up his glass and downed the second glass of wine in one gulp.

Aaron closed his eyes, feeling the effects of the alcohol, a sensation so pleasurable it felt like his very soul was groaning.

"Ah! Good wine!"

"Heh!" Akainu looked at Aaron with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

This appreciation has nothing to do with status or position; it's simply one drunkard's admiration for another.

But Akainu snorted heavily, "Kid, I asked for your name a couple of days ago. You think I can't find you just because you didn't tell me?"

"Really? Oh, you still think I was saving that marine? I was worried he would delay your pursuit of the Straw Hat Pirates."

Akainu said in a deep voice, "Do you think I'd believe that?"