"Blackbeard, is it?"
Upon hearing the name Marshall D. Teach, Rosen's Observation Haki flared, sweeping through the scattered pirates. Guided by Douglas Bullet's earlier information, he located the specific aura among the corpses almost instantly.
Just as Bullet had said, the future Blackbeard was already dead. The scent of death clung to him.
Rosen's Haki lingered on Teach's corpse for a brief moment before he dismissed it. Even if the man were still alive and possessed two Devil Fruits, he would only need a single strike to end him. He wouldn't waste focus on a dead pirate—not when there were far more pressing matters at hand.
"It's fine," Rosen said, withdrawing his Haki. "Even if Teach hadn't died, it wouldn't change anything. With current artificial Devil Fruit technology, neither Vegapunk nor Judge can replicate Logia-type fruits."
Douglas Bullet nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "True. We can lock the body in Impel Down for now. Technology might break through eventually."
Rosen agreed. The Marines' science team had already mastered replicating Zoan-type Devil Fruits and was making progress on Paramecias. It was only a matter of time before Logias fell as well.
Silently, the Admirals and Vice Admirals resolved to capture more Devil Fruit users alive in the future. Every living prisoner meant another potential specimen for the science division.
"Report."
A flash of movement—Momonga appeared before Rosen, executing a sharp salute.
"Admiral Rosen. The remains of all fallen Marines have been collected. 358 bodies. None are missing."
"Let's go."
Rosen followed Momonga to a patch of ice where the 358 corpses lay side by side. Despite the Marines exhausting all resources—using the tracking devices embedded in their combat suits—not every body had survived intact. Some were missing limbs; others had been bisected.
Rosen, Sakazuki, Kizaru, and Kuzan stood silently, saluting the fallen. Regardless of their individual philosophies—Absolute Justice, Lazy Justice, or otherwise—these were heroes who had died defending their comrades.
"Step back," Rosen ordered the recovery teams.
The Marines obeyed instantly, retreating to the perimeter and standing at attention.
Rosen approached the first body—a corpse missing both legs. He crouched, extending his palm toward the dead Marine's face.
"Double Heaven Return Shield."
A low mutter escaped his lips.
Whoosh.
Two beams of orange-yellow light erupted from his palm, forming a barrier that enveloped the body. Within the glow, the corpse's missing legs began to regenerate.
"What?"
"Limbs... regenerating?"
"Admiral Rosen possesses this ability?"
The surrounding Marines gasped, their voices hushed. They understood now. Rosen had ordered the collection of the bodies not just for burial, but to restore them—to give the fallen dignity in death.
The awe in their eyes deepened into fervent devotion. Few Admirals had ever shown such care for their soldiers, living or dead.
But then—
"I refuse!" Rosen roared.
The orange-yellow barrier pulsed. The body within—now whole—trembled.
Sakazuki's eyes widened, his stoic composure cracking. "Is this real?"
Kizaru's usually lazy demeanor vanished. "How terrifying..." he muttered, though his tone held genuine shock.
Kuzan's jaw dropped. "No way... he's actually bringing them back to life?"
Douglas Bullet let out a sharp inhale.
Before the crowd could process the spectacle, Rosen dismissed the barrier. The Marine who had lost his legs not only stood whole but slowly opened his eyes.
He looked around, disoriented, as if waking from a dream.
"Subaru?"
A voice from the science unit rang out. "Subaru! You're alive!"
"Alive?"
Subaru blinked, touching his legs. He remembered clearly—the searing pain, Vista's blade severing his limbs, the darkness closing in.
Yet here he stood, perfectly intact.
"Admiral Rosen," Subaru whispered, his voice trembling. "You... you saved me?"
Rosen reached out, pulling the man to his feet. "I didn't save you. I merely returned the life that was rightfully yours."
As Rosen moved toward the second corpse, the crowd watched with bated breath. A second barrier formed, this time enveloping a body missing both hands.
"I refuse!"
The hands regenerated. Blood began to flow again. The heart restarted.
Like the first, the Marine opened his eyes moments later.
Rosen let out a quiet exhale, his stamina noticeably drained.
The Shield of the Six Flowers works, he thought, analyzing the cost. But it isn't limitless.
He had battled the combined forces of Whitebeard, Shiki, and Big Mom without breaking a sweat. Yet reviving a single Marine—recently deceased—had depleted a measurable amount of his energy.
If the target had been dead longer, or if they were a higher-ranking officer, the toll would be heavier. And if the killer had been someone with powerful Haki—like Whitebeard rather than Vista—removing that lingering influence would be even more exhausting.
In theory, Rosen could revive all 358 Marines. But would it be wise to exhaust himself completely in a war zone?
He weighed the risks. His stamina was vast, but finite. However, looking at the faces of his subordinates—living and dead—he made his decision.
He would bring them all back.
One by one, he moved down the line. Orange barriers flared and faded. Missing limbs regrew. Stilled hearts restarted.
The Marines watched in reverent silence, witnessing the impossible.
"Double Heaven Return Shield!" Rosen commanded again, healing another.
"I refuse!" He defied death once more.
By the tenth Marine, fatigue was setting in, but Rosen didn't slow. By the fiftieth, his uniform was damp with sweat. By the hundredth, his breathing grew heavy, yet his resolve remained unshaken.
This was the price of leadership. The price of Justice.
And as the final Marine opened his eyes, Rosen stood tall amidst the resurrection, proving to the world that even death had to bow to his will
—-
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