Earnest Failure

Sorrow of Weakness
"Hah..."

A pant could be heard on the lonely Sky Island. From on high, there were only a couple of individuals that could be seen patrolling and performing duties. Otherwise, the island was almost completely abandoned. This was the fortress of the Marines, Takamagahara, also known as Marineford. Right now, those who were in charge of this place had been dispatched into key Marine bases as a bid to reinforce them and ensure they were not swept up in the conflict between the Yonko, now dubbed as "World War X."

The man who performed this sigh was looking over at the edge of Takamagahara, and down to the islands below. He was a man with red hair, which had just been cut from a former "M" symbol into a more simpler, spiked haircut that reached down to his neck. He had been sitting in classic Marine attire, with a Marine Admiral overcoat on the top. However, despite his status, the man did not fit the position he was meant to fill.

This was Ernest, the newly promoted Admiral of the Marines. He had understood the reasoning for the promotion. This was the most logical conclusion that the Commander in Chief could reach. If Ernest was in his shoes, he would have done the same thing as well. No matter what, though, the burden that Ernest felt by holding this position was beyond anything he had experienced in his life.

"Kaldor-san...Taste-san...Ryozo-san...Infinity-san...why was the only one allowed to live?" Beneath Ernest, on the ground, the grass had been soaked with water, with tears that he had cried. Despite over half of his body becoming cybernetic, Ernest still had human emotions, and nothing would stop his immense regret at the recent turn of events.

"I would do anything to turn back time and save them..."