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The flame was crimson red, born from a tiny spark. But within the span of just three breaths, it had grown into a searing inferno nearly a kilometer wide. Looking beautiful, passionate, and wild, it radiated intense heat and overwhelming energy.
Like a meteor streaking through the sky, the flame slashed forward in full view of the stunned Marines, colliding head-on with the dense barrage of pitch-black cannon shells.
In that instant, the air itself boiled.
BOOM!
The first explosion lit up the sky like a firework. Then came the second. And the third.
Like an autumn wind sweeping through fallen leaves, the colossal slash of fire surged forth, obliterating the dark barrage into a spectacle of blazing red light.
Chī Chī Chī!
The sea responded violently to the flame's heat. In mere moments, it was engulfed in roiling white steam. The water bubbled ferociously, as if boiling alive. Countless bubbles burst on the surface, steam rising in massive plumes.
Three breaths later, a thunderous roar echoed to the sky as cannonball after cannonball was shattered mid-air, triggering a chain of earth-shaking detonations.
And down below, the Marines, who had been watching with anticipation, now stood frozen in sheer horror and despair.
"My god..."
"It's over... we're done for!"
"Those fireworks... they're beautiful, "
"Run! The flame's coming down!"
The shouts broke across the formation like a tidal wave. Marines stumbled, stunned by what they were witnessing.
No one had imagined that the supposedly infallible firepower of the Navy could be reduced to ash so easily. Their proud barrage had been obliterated, sliced apart by a single, monstrous blow.
High above, the enormous flame refused to dissipate. On the contrary, it burned brighter, hungrier. As if feeding on the energy from the explosions, it swelled even larger, growing to over 1,500 meters long. It absorbed the heat, the impact, and the chaos and became even more terrifying.
"Everyone abandon ship!"
The Lieutenant Commander's awestruck expression twisted into alarm. He ignored the furious yelling from Vice Admiral Noas coming through the Den Den Mushi at his waist and bellowed to the skies:
"Jump, dammit! Move it! Do you want to die just standing there?!"
His desperate roar cut through the shock, snapping many Marines back to reality.
Thump!
One man jumped. Then another. Then, all at once, a rush of Marines dove into the sea.
Though the flame hadn't even touched down, its power was undeniable. The seawater below, nearly a hundred meters beneath the flame, was already boiling. Fish floated belly-up on the surface, their scales cracked from the heat.
"Jump! Jump! Now!"
Rojen's slash had reduced the Marines' order to total chaos.
No one dared to stand and fight. No one could. This was no battle, it was a disaster descending from the heavens.
Chī Chī Chī!
The searing heat warped the air itself. Some Marines saw the space around them ripple, the flame had scorched even the atmosphere into visible distortions.
Fear crept deep into their bones and wrapped around their hearts.
They wanted to scream, to cry out to the sky, to let out the terror building in their chests, but their voices failed them. The fear was so deep, even their throats betrayed them.
They were utterly powerless.
"Jump!"
The Lieutenant Commander raced along the deck, kicking frozen Marines into the sea, his face slick with sweat.
Would jumping even help? Everyone had already seen what became of the sea where the flame had passed.
But what choice did they have? Even a sliver of hope was better than nothing.
Chī Chī Chī!
The sound of the approaching inferno grew louder. But not all had escaped. Many Marines still stood rooted in place, staring upward with blank, lifeless eyes.
"AHHHHH! Damn it!"
With one last yell, the Lieutenant Commander flung himself into the sea.
BOOM!
The slash finally made contact, cutting clean through a battleship.
In the next moment, the calm sea was awash with fire and lit by a thousand flames.
From the air, it looked as though hell itself had been summoned.
Weapons that had once represented the Marines' invincibility, designed to destroy their enemies, were now reduced to fragile scraps in the face of overwhelming firepower.
"AHHHHH!"
"It burns! Help! Somebody, please!"
"The sea! The sea's on fire!"
Marines screamed in panic, watching their surroundings become an inferno. Desperation colored every face.
These flames consumed everything. Even the seawater seemed to fuel the blaze.
Aboard 'The Logan', Jason and the others stood wide-eyed, speechless.
"Full speed ahead."
At the ship's prow, Rojen spoke without turning back. His tone was calm. Cold.
"Y-yes!" Jason stammered, snapping out of his daze. He gripped the wheel and steered 'The Logan' forward.
As the ship sliced through the sea, drawing closer to the scorched battlefield, something incredible happened.
The flames parted.
As 'The Logan' entered the blaze's heart, the fires receded, almost respectfully, and the water's temperature dropped.
Like a ghost ship untouched by the disaster, 'The Logan' cruised through the devastation, its hull gliding silently across the ashes of war.
Within five minutes, it had drifted far from the battlefield, becoming a mere silhouette in the eyes of the surviving Marines.
Floating atop the water, the Lieutenant Commander watched the blackened sea with a conflicted gaze. His fellow soldiers floated nearby, with their clothes burned off and blank expressions on their faces, still trembling.
He wanted to speak, but no words came.
Dozens of battleships were still ablaze, reduced to charred husks as they sank beneath the waves.
Countless Marines were burned, some lightly, others gravely...
But none of them were dead.
Yes, even after being struck by a flame that could vaporize seawater in seconds, not a single Marine had died.
It was almost unthinkable.
But every one of them had lost the ability to fight.
"Gol D. Rojen..."
The Lieutenant Commander muttered the name under his breath, certain he would never forget that young man for the rest of his life.
Not just him. Every Marine floating in the sea owed that man their life.
In war, there is no mercy. But Rojen, despite holding the power to kill them all, had chosen restraint.
"Lieutenant Commander! Lieutenant Commander, respond!"
The Den Den Mushi in his arms squawked angrily. Vice Admiral Noas's voice was furious.
"Speak, damn it!"
"Where is Rojen?! Did the attack succeed or not?!"
Before the Vice Admiral could continue, the Lieutenant Commander cut him off.
His voice was calm. Heavy. Firm.
"This is Glans. Lieutenant Commander, Marine Corps."
There was no fear in his tone anymore. No hesitation.
"Explain! What happened out there?!"
"Sorry," Glans said coldly. "No comment."
"I resign."
(End of Chapter)