Sharon Lawrence's severed head fell into the sea, dyeing the water red.
The noon sun poured over the ocean, and the crimson patch on the waves was soon hidden beneath the glittering surface.
On the deck, all eyes were fixed on Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Kuzan, too, was frozen in astonishment—his sunglasses did nothing to conceal his shock. He hadn't expected Yoriichi's strike to be so decisive. Without hesitation, he had executed Sharon Lawrence.
At the bow, Sharon Lily stood trembling, her hands covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face. She stared at the headless body slowly collapsing beside Kuzan.
"Father!!"
A moment later, Sharon Lily let out a piercing wail and rushed toward her father's corpse. But just as she neared, her legs buckled and she fell to the deck.
She seemed not to feel the pain at all. Dropping to her knees, she dragged herself the final few steps before collapsing onto Sharon Lawrence's body.
"Father!!"
She cried again, her voice breaking with anguish. Though she knew he was already dead, her scream carried a desperate hope, as if her voice alone could bring him back from the abyss.
But no one answered.
In the chill of winter, Sharon Lawrence's body was already turning cold. Sharon Lily, trembling, reached out to touch his face, but her hand stopped midair.
As she stared at the gaping void where his neck once was, her sorrow and fury overwhelmed her. She snapped her head toward Yoriichi, hatred twisting her once-beautiful features.
"You... you actually dared!!"
"I'll kill you!!!"
Screaming, she turned and spotted a sword hanging at a nearby Sharon Kingdom guard's waist. She sprang up, grabbed the weapon, and charged at Yoriichi.
Yoriichi barely spared her a glance. Calmly, he reversed his grip and began to sheath his blade, not even bothering to defend himself.
Sharon Lily reached him, both hands gripping the sword tightly as she swung down with all her strength.
But just before the blade could strike, it froze in midair.
Kuzan had appeared beside her, without anyone noticing. Standing between her and Yoriichi, he extended a hand and caught both her wrists in his grasp.
Feeling the resistance on her arms, Sharon Lily whipped her head around and screamed at him in rage.
"You damn Marine! Are you going to kill me too?!"
Her face contorted with fury. Kuzan's chest clenched at the sight, but his grip only tightened. He neither spoke nor released her.
"Miss Lily."
"Kuzan is trying to save you."
Yoriichi's eyes flicked over her coldly, then turned to Sharon Lawrence's corpse nearby.
"What Sharon Lawrence did... maybe there were reasons, maybe he was driven to desperation. But either way, I could never let him go."
"Because he killed the Marines stationed at that base. And I... am also a Marine."
"I know, maybe in your heart, all Marines deserve to die."
"But not to me."
"There may be those among us who are beyond forgiveness. But not all of us are like that."
"This sea still can't do without the Marines."
"The crimes of your people... you will bear those yourselves."
"And the sins of the Celestial Dragons..."
"I'll punish them for you."
His voice faded near the end, nearly swallowed by the cold sea wind.
Only now did the Sharon Kingdom's Royal Guards come to their senses. Upon seeing their king's corpse, they stared at Yoriichi with blazing eyes.
"Damn Marines! You killed His Majesty!"
"We won't forgive you!"
"Kill him!!!"
A roar of fury erupted from the deck. The guards unsheathed their blades and charged toward Yoriichi.
Yoriichi raised his sword slowly, ready to meet them—but before he could act, Kuzan stepped in front of him.
A raspy voice reached Yoriichi's ears.
"Ice World."
In an instant, a layer of frost spread across the deck, swiftly crawling toward the Royal Guards. It reached their feet and, in the blink of an eye, climbed upward, encasing them completely.
The chaos fell silent.
Kuzan stood with his back to the frozen guards, head slightly bowed. He had used the Ice-Ice Fruit to seal them all into shimmering statues of ice.
"This ends here."
"These people... send them to Impel Down."
Kuzan's hoarse voice rasped out.
Sharon Lily looked at Kuzan, then turned to the frozen guards behind him. When she turned again to Yoriichi, so calm, so distant, her frustration and helplessness boiled over.
"Ahhh!!!"
Her scream shattered the winter silence, so loud it made even the sun above seem colder.
The agony in her voice, the desperation, sapped her strength in moments. Her consciousness faded, and she collapsed. Kuzan caught her in time.
"I'll leave this to you," he said to Yoriichi, then turned and carried her into the ship's cabin.
Not long after Kuzan left, the effects of the Ice-Ice Fruit began to fade. The guards collapsed one after another, unconscious on the deck.
Yoriichi stared for a long time at Kuzan's departing figure before issuing his orders.
"Lock all of them up. Set course for the port on Dongwu Island for repairs."
"Notify headquarters about what happened here. Tell them to send someone to investigate the events on Dongwu and arrange for these people to be transferred to Impel Down."
Then he paused, looking toward the distant island before adding, "No, I'll contact headquarters myself."
"Just sail to Dongwu Port for now. I'll handle the rest."
Hearing the command, the Marines on deck straightened with excitement. They saluted him sharply, then rushed to carry out his orders.
To these ordinary Marines, hesitation wasn't part of their duty.
All they knew was that Sharon Lawrence had come to kill them, and that Captain Yoriichi had slain their enemy's leader and protected them.
They had overheard bits and pieces about what happened in the Kingdom of Sharon—but that was all. To them, these people were simply rebels who had murdered fellow Marines.
Whether the rebels were to be executed or imprisoned didn't matter to them. Their only job was to follow orders.
Soon, the unconscious Royal Guards were dragged off to the ship's brig.
Only the gaping holes in the walls and deck, along with the deep blade gouge left by Yoriichi's final slash, remained behind as signs of the chaos.
And the Marine warship set sail, heading steadily toward Dongwu Island.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 150 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!
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