Chapter 83 – Silverhair Pirates vs. Marines
The sun burned high over Cleaica's capital, but the city felt cold.
Market stalls stood half-empty, their owners hushed, watching nervously as squads of Marines marched past. Children stayed indoors, and windows shut tight whenever boots echoed down cobblestones.
The Silverhair Pirates moved cautiously, hoods drawn, breaking into groups just as Arthur had ordered. Their goal was simple—recon the palace, locate Leo's family, and avoid detection. But in Cleaica, "avoiding detection" was nearly impossible.
Arthur walked at the head of his group—Lisa, Rio, and Leo—eyes sharp, scanning every shadow. Too many Marines for just a tribute collection. No… they're waiting for us.
--
Leo's fists clenched as they passed the central plaza. Citizens were lined up in silence, heads bowed as Marines barked orders. On a raised platform, cages hung—children, no older than ten, locked inside like animals.
A Marine officer announced loudly: "By decree of His Majesty and CP9, these children will remain under guard. Any attempt to resist the king's law will result in their execution!"
The words hit Leo like a hammer. His father's screams echoed in his ears, and his mother's pleas haunted him. He froze, knuckles whitening.
Lisa grabbed his arm, hissing. "Don't. Not here. Not now."
But Leo's breath came ragged, the axe on his back humming faintly with the same resonance from the night before.
"I can't—" his voice broke, trembling between rage and grief, "—I can't watch this again!"
---
The officer's gaze snapped toward Leo, sensing his outburst. A sneer curled on his lips.
"You there! Hooded scum!" He gestured. "Take them in. Now!"
Marines surged forward, rifles raised. The square erupted into panic, civilians scattering.
Arthur's eyes narrowed. So much for quiet. He stepped forward, calmly drawing his sword Sriyo. "Crew," his voice carried steady authority, "cover Leo. We don't run anymore."
---
The first volley of gunfire cracked through the air.
Arthur moved first. With Observation Haki sharp as a razor, he predicted the bullets' path before they even left the rifles. His blade flickered, each slash precise, cutting through metal midair. Sparks rained around him, harmless.
"Seriously?!" Rio shouted, grinning as he dove behind a stall. His rifle unfolded with a click, and he fired back, each shot knocking Marines flat with bruising precision. "You guys picked the wrong street!"
Lisa drew her twin daggers, eyes cold. She darted forward, weaving through Marines with feline grace, striking joints and nerves with surgical efficiency. Soldiers collapsed one after another, groaning. "You think terrorizing children makes you strong? Pathetic."
Leo hesitated, axe trembling in his hands. Marines charged him, blades raised. For a heartbeat, fear paralyzed him.
Then he remembered his father's voice: Sing louder, Leo. Even if your voice shakes.
He swung.
The axe cleaved the air with surprising force, a faint trail of Armament energy sparking along its edge. The swing missed flesh, but the sheer pressure blasted Marines back into crates, splintering wood.
The crowd gasped. Even Leo froze, staring at the humming blade. "…Did I just—?"
Arthur's voice cut sharp. "Focus! Don't question it. Use it!"
---
Three Marines rushed him again. Leo gritted his teeth, setting his stance like his father once taught him—wide, grounded.
The first Marine lunged with a sword. Leo raised his axe, clashing steel against steel. His arms shook under the force, but the axe resonated, and the vibration disarmed his opponent.
The second came from behind. Leo twisted, slamming the flat of the axe against the soldier's gut, knocking the wind out of him.
The third aimed a rifle point-blank. Instinct screamed in Leo's chest. He strummed the strings on his axe's handle with his thumb, releasing a sharp twang.
The sound vibrated unnaturally, and the rifle cracked apart in the Marine's hands.
Leo blinked. "Did I… just break a gun with music?!"
Rio whistled from across the square. "Looks like the band's got a new trick!"
Even Lisa allowed herself a quick smirk. "Not bad, rookie. Keep that up, and you might actually survive."
---
While the crew held the square, Arthur advanced on the Marine officer, who drew his saber with a sneer.
"You're the silver-haired bastard they warned us about," the officer spat. "You'll die here!"
Arthur tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. "No. You will."
Their blades clashed, sparks flying. The officer fought with brutal strength, hacking downward with wild force. Arthur, calm as the tide, met every blow with minimal effort, Observation Haki letting him slip just out of reach before countering with surgical strikes.
The officer roared, lunging with a thrust aimed at Arthur's heart.
Arthur's eyes glowed faintly with foresight. He sidestepped, twisting his wrist. Sriyo's edge cut through the officer's blade like paper, the tip halting an inch from his throat.
The officer froze, eyes wide.
Arthur's voice was soft, almost pitying. "Strength without vision is nothing." He struck with the flat, sending the officer sprawling unconscious into the dirt.
---
The civilians, who had been frozen in terror, began whispering.
"They're… fighting back."
"Silver hair… that must be him."
"They're standing against the Marines… for us?"
A child in the cage pressed her face against the bars, whispering, "Mister… save us."
Leo's chest tightened, fury burning brighter. He planted his axe into the ground, black sparks flickering faintly again.
"I will."
---
High above, on the rooftops, two shadows crouched silently.
"Confirmed. The Silverhair Pirates are here," one agent whispered into a Den Den Mushi. His mask glinted in the sun.
"The boy with the axe… unusual resonance. Possible awakening."
The other smirked coldly. "Then let's make this interesting. Report to Spandam. And prepare the hostages."
---
Reinforcements poured into the square—dozens of Marines, rifles raised.
Arthur flicked blood off Sriyo's blade. "Lisa, cover the children. Rio, high ground. Leo—stay with me."
Lisa darted to the cages, daggers flashing as she cut locks. "Don't panic! Stay behind me!" she ordered the children, shielding them with precise movements.
Rio scrambled up a collapsed roof, firing from above. "Bang! Bang! Who's next? Come on, line up, boys!"
Leo fought at Arthur's side, every swing of his axe heavier, more confident. His strikes weren't perfect—his footwork sloppy, timing raw—but the sheer emotion behind each blow gave them weight. Marines staggered under his swings, some knocked out cold.
Arthur noted the sparks crawling along Leo's blade. His Haki is still unstable… but he's learning. Faster than expected.
---
The square was chaos—civilians fleeing, Marines shouting, smoke filling the air. But the tide was turning. For every Marine that fell, hope stirred louder in the crowd.
Then, a new voice rang out, cold and mocking.
"Well, well… so the rumors were true."
From the smoke stepped a man in a black suit, mask gleaming. A CP9 agent.
He cracked his knuckles, grin sharp. "Silverhair Pirates… let's see how loud you can sing when your throats are crushed."
Arthur's eyes hardened. So it begins.
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