Chapter Twenty-Three: The Gates of Justice

After receiving Moria's message, Buffon set out to sea once more, this time not even bringing Ryuuma along. The matter at hand was an open secret, and he had no need to conceal his identity. After all, he was merely acting as a corpse tailor—there was no need for secrecy, and bringing Ryuuma along might risk exposure should they encounter Spider.

Before leaving, he made a special trip into the forest of the Thriller Bark to find Lola, instructing her to lead her people in harassing the castle from time to time. It was all for show, a mock civil war to mislead outsiders, which could double as combat training.

During Moria’s absence, Buffon finished stitching all the giant corpses he’d brought back from Punk Hazard. Unsurprisingly, each one granted him a boost in giant strength, causing his height to leap from two meters sixty-eight to two meters ninety-three.

This did worry Buffon a little. If it continued, he’d soon be towering like Moria, let alone reaching the colossal forms of the true giants—something he found difficult to accept. After all, he was still a man, and who doesn’t favor petite and lovely girls, even in this world of pirates?

When Buffon set sail, the farewell crowd was visibly downcast. Though he’d already knitted new stockings for Perona, he had yet to deliver her a complete outfit. As for Absalom’s transformation plan, he’d only managed to complete a third of it. Hogback was even more dejected; with Buffon around, he could pretend to be invisible and focus on his “research.” But once Buffon left, he became the butt of everyone’s ridicule, especially from Miss Sindri, who called him a worthless freak. The reason was simple: after Buffon perfectly restored Miss Sindri’s peerless beauty, Hogback’s reputation as a genius was consigned to history, never to be revived.

Buffon sailed alone for half a month before finally reaching a nameless island on the outskirts of Navy Headquarters. During these two weeks, the strange abilities he’d harvested from various corpses proved extremely useful. Skills like fishing and cooking—essential for survival at sea—made his solitary days both comfortable and satisfying. Navigation, steering, and other such talents ensured he could reach Navy Headquarters safely. As for the petty pirates who tried to rob him, he dispatched them effortlessly under the name “White Ghost.” Thus, the moniker “White Ghost” began to circulate quietly among pirates.

He also happened upon merchant ships with badly wounded crew, and revealed his true face to save them. The name Casty Buffon was soon honored with the title of Miracle Doctor.

After meeting up with Moria, they waited less than half a day before an escort ship arrived at the nameless island. When Garp and Tsuru stepped ashore, Buffon was slightly surprised.

“So, this is Hero Garp? The old man really does look vigorous, but that dog-head hat is a bit out of place,” Buffon muttered inwardly. As if in response, Tsuru’s voice rang out, “You must be Casty Buffon. Such spirit! Your skill with remains is unmatched—I salute you on behalf of the fallen marines.”

Buffon nodded in silent acknowledgment. When he said nothing further, Garp clapped him on the shoulder and said, “Kid, join the Navy. Only by standing on the side of justice can your extraordinary craft find its true worth.”

“Hee hee hee hee! Garp, isn’t it out of line to poach my people right in front of me?” Moria said indifferently.

“Moria, not everyone is born destined to be either pirate or navy,” Tsuru replied, her words carrying a double meaning.

“Are you thinking of using the Wash-Wash Fruit to purify my heart? My stance is absolute neutrality!” Buffon thought, though his face betrayed nothing. He simply accepted the black cloak Moria handed him and boarded the escort ship.

Impel Down, Navy Headquarters, and Enies Lobby formed a triangle, each occupying a corner of the vast vortex currents. Only by opening or closing the colossal Gate of Justice could one navigate the unique counterclockwise currents and reach any of these destinations.

Passing through the Gate of Justice into Navy Headquarters, Buffon found himself awed by the sheer scale of the structure. Words could not capture its immensity; with his level-three eyesight, he could only see a third of it—the rest vanished into the clouds.

After a day’s journey, the escort ship reached Enies Lobby. The Bridge of Hesitation left Buffon equally astonished, for even craning his neck, he could only make out the bridge’s piers.

They stayed about three hours, during which processed convicts were loaded onto the ship. Then the vessel passed through another Gate of Justice.

One day later, the ship entered the Gate of Justice at Impel Down, beyond which lay the Calm Belt.

Impel Down was encircled by the Calm Belt, itself a trump card of the prison alongside its current chief, Magellan. In a world where most pirates relied on sail, the Calm Belt was an insurmountable natural barrier for the majority. Add in the countless giant Sea Kings beneath the waves and a navy fleet around the perimeter, greater in number than a Buster Call, and escape seemed impossible.

However, the escort ship had been retrofitted with Seastone, allowing it to traverse the Calm Belt freely. Still, with Buffon’s knowledge, he could think of at least six ways to cross safely, including one he could use himself—swimming with the power of a Fishman.

While Buffon mused on the deck, a commotion arose from below.

“There’s a prisoner in distress—we need a doctor!”

“Hee hee hee hee, trying to escape at the doorstep?” Moria remarked with interest.

Buffon merely nodded. If that fellow knew Garp was aboard, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to try anything.

A few minutes later, Garp arrived in haste. “Buffon, with your corpse-stitching skills, patching up the living should be no trouble, right?”

Buffon nodded and did not refuse, though he wondered why there was no ship’s doctor, or if the doctor couldn’t handle it.

He followed Garp into the makeshift cell and saw the prisoner. Glancing at the fresh wounds—no older than half an hour—Buffon understood immediately: the man had been beaten, and from his sorry state, it was likely Garp’s handiwork.

Buffon crouched down, produced some spider silk, and began to clean and suture the wounds. Multiple broken bones, over a dozen external injuries—it was hard to imagine what had enraged Garp enough to inflict such a beating.

Twenty minutes later, Buffon finished his work. Unlike with corpses, he didn’t use his Devil Fruit ability on the superficial wounds.

Yet this display was