Chapter 82 – Leo's Resolve
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The Silverhair Pirates had taken shelter in an abandoned clocktower on the edge of Cleaica's capital. Its gears no longer turned, rust corroding the teeth, but from its high windows one could see the entire kingdom sprawled below—streets patrolled by Marines, banners of the king fluttering above stone walls, and the faint glimmer of the palace rising like a gilded cage in the distance.
Leo sat apart from the crew, knees pulled to his chest, axe laid across his lap. His fingers strummed the strings on its handle absentmindedly, producing soft, bitter notes that seemed more like a dirge than a song.
Arthur stood nearby, leaning against a cracked pillar. He hadn't spoken in minutes, letting Leo stew in silence. That was Arthur's way—he knew when words meant nothing, when silence itself was a test. But eventually, he broke it with a calm voice.
"You're carrying too much weight on your shoulders," Arthur said, eyes fixed out the window. "If you let it crush you, you'll never stand tall enough to swing that axe."
Leo's head jerked up, voice sharp. "What else am I supposed to do? My family's rotting in the palace dungeons. My father died screaming in the square. And I—" his grip tightened on the axe until his knuckles went white, "—all I've done for fifteen years is play songs that no one had the courage to listen to."
The bitterness cracked his voice. "I'm useless."
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The rest of the crew had been pretending not to listen, but Leo's words rippled through them.
Surv slammed her fist against the wall, sparks crackling. "Don't you dare say that. If you were useless, you wouldn't be here. Your music… it reached us. It reached me. And I don't give a damn what you think of yourself—that's not nothing."
Lisa's expression softened, her arms folded but her voice steady. "You're not the only one who's lost people to the World Government. If pain alone made someone useless, none of us would be standing here. What matters is what you do with it."
Rio snorted, though his eyes glimmered with something more than mockery. "Useless, huh? Says the guy who nearly made me cry with a stupid love ballad. You've got power, Leo. You just haven't figured out how to aim it yet."
Clover adjusted his glasses, adding quietly, "History remembers voices, not just blades. The right words, the right song, can move nations. Never underestimate that."
Leo's throat tightened. He wasn't used to people standing beside him. For years, he had been alone in Cleaica, playing for scraps of bread and whispered hope. Now these strangers—pirates, no less—were calling him something else: a comrade.
Arthur pushed away from the pillar and stepped closer. His gaze was sharp, piercing straight through Leo. "You want to free your family? Then stop drowning in guilt. Stand. Fight. Sing. Whatever it takes—but do it as a man who chooses to live, not as a boy crushed under ghosts."
A soft chime echoed in Arthur's mind.
[System Notification]
Quest Completed: "Inspire Leo Von Seo to choose resolve."
Rewards Unlocked:
– Harmonic Soul Pill (x1): Enhances affinity with Haki through emotional resonance.
– Crew Bond EXP +500
– New Crew Passive Buff: "Song of Defiance" → Morale of allies increases by 10% during combat when Leo plays music.
Arthur's lips curled into the faintest smile. So the system approves. Good. This boy's fire might just change the tide.
He flicked his wrist casually, producing a small, glowing vial in his hand—the Harmonic Soul Pill. It shimmered faintly with hues of gold and blue, resonating like a quiet hum.
"Leo," Arthur said, tossing it lightly toward him. "Catch."
Leo blinked, fumbling before catching the vial. "What is this?"
"An opportunity," Arthur said simply. "Swallow it, and your spirit will sharpen. Your father's fire… it won't just live in your heart. It'll ignite in your body."
Leo stared at the pill, his hand trembling. "Why give this to me? I'm just—"
Arthur cut him off. "Because you're not 'just' anything. You're part of this crew now. And I don't let my crew walk into hell half-armed."
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The crew watched as Leo uncorked the vial. The liquid glowed faintly, vibrating as if alive. He hesitated only a moment before tipping it back.
The moment it touched his tongue, warmth flooded his chest. It wasn't like alcohol or food—it was like light piercing into marrow, forcing every memory, every scar, every song he'd ever sung to burn brighter.
He gasped, clutching his chest as his heartbeat thundered. Images flashed before his eyes:
His father's axe, gleaming under the sun.
His mother's hands, shielding him.
His siblings crying in the dungeons.
His own voice, singing in the streets, refusing to break.
The warmth surged outward. The axe in his lap trembled, faint black lightning crackling along its blade for an instant—just a whisper of Armament Haki.
The strings hummed on their own, vibrating with a resonance that wasn't wind or touch.
Surv's eyes widened. "Is that… Haki?"
Arthur nodded, satisfied. "The first spark. It's raw, untrained, but it's there. His will's finally waking up."
Leo panted, sweat dripping down his face. He looked at his trembling hands, then at the axe now humming with faint energy. "This… this is my father's voice. I can feel him in every note."
Arthur's smile was faint but approving. "Then let the world hear him roar."
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That night, the tower was alive with energy. Leo tested his newfound strength, strumming chords that seemed to resonate in the air itself. Each note lifted the crew's spirits, their bodies literally reacting to the vibration. Rio laughed drunkenly, swearing his punches felt harder. Surv sparred with Hiroshi, sparks flying as she shouted, "Play faster, Leo! The faster you play, the more I'll fry him!"
Hiroshi grinned through gritted teeth. "Damn it, he's actually making her stronger!"
Lisa shook her head, exasperated but smiling despite herself. "Of course we'd end up with a musician who weaponizes music. What kind of insane crew am I on?"
Arthur sat back, watching. He didn't need to join the games. Just seeing his crew laugh, bond, and grow was enough. In the quiet corners of his mind, he was already planning tomorrow's moves.
The king will fall. The Celestial Dragon will bleed. And the world will hear our name.
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Later, when the others finally drifted into uneasy sleep, Leo remained awake by the window. The moonlight spilled across his axe.
He strummed a soft tune—his father's song. It wasn't loud, wasn't meant for crowds. Just a lullaby, a whisper carried on the night breeze.
For the first time in fifteen years, his voice didn't shake.
"Papa," he whispered, tears glistening but not falling. "I'm not afraid anymore. I'll sing for them… and I'll fight for them too."
Behind him, Arthur's voice broke the silence. "Your father would be proud."
Leo turned, startled. Arthur leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, gaze steady.
"You think so?" Leo asked quietly.
Arthur smirked faintly. "I don't think. I know. Men like him don't die. They live on in the people who carry their fire. And now, that's you."
Leo's throat tightened, but this time he didn't look away. He nodded firmly. "Then I'll carry it until this kingdom is free."
Arthur's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "Good. Because tomorrow… the storm begins."
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Far from the clocktower, in the palace, a Marine officer bowed before the king.
"Your Majesty, reports confirm the Silverhair Pirates are in the capital. Citizens whisper their name. Some are already stirring."
The king sneered, his jeweled fingers drumming against the throne. "Let them whisper. When the Celestial Dragon arrives tomorrow, I'll parade their corpses in chains."
In the harbor, CP9 prepared silently. One agent spoke into a Den Den Mushi. "The children are secured. If the pirates resist, we'll use them as leverage. No civilian will dare rise."
And further out at sea… golden light shimmered.
Kizaru's warship sliced through waves, his form flickering in and out of photons. His lazy voice carried over the deck.
"Fufufu… the stage is set. Let's see how brightly this little silver flame can shine before the light snuffs it out."
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