October 14, 1497, Age of the Sea Circle
A door opened in the Pocket Dimension, and the people inside looked out with curiosity and anxiety.
For almost a day, they had been locked inside this small sphere, and although they were no longer as worried as they had been when they had first arrived, they still felt some concern.
They didn't know the true intentions of the mysterious man who had abducted them, and they didn't dare fully accept that he had rescued them only out of kindness. Hope was something they feared, since only those who dared to hope ended up in desperate situations.
The group of women who had been in contact with Orion the longest walked fearlessly toward the door, passing through it without hesitation and appearing on the deck of the large ship Orion had just taken from his inventory.
Now that he had moved far enough away from the large bridge, Orion planned to let the people in the Pocket Dimension out and simply sail away using one of his larger ships. After all, it wasn't advisable for so many people to remain crowded in such a small space for so long.
The people inside the small dimension saw that the group of women had left safely and were now enjoying the fresh air of the real world. They couldn't hold back their urge any longer and followed their example, quickly leaving the Pocket Dimension.
After a few moments, everyone was on the deck of the ship, happy to be out of that stifling sphere in which they had remained for a day.
Orion scanned the faces of those present and soon discovered the people he was looking for: his uncle Lolo and his grandfather Mario.
They were standing to the side, smiles on their faces, and although they weren't celebrating happily like some of the other former slaves, their relief at being away from the odious bridge called "Rum Wolf" was evident.
Seeing the aged appearance of his grandfather, who was still a relatively young man, Orion felt something catch in his throat. It had been more than three years since he had last seen him, and he didn't know how long he had spent as a slave on the great bridge.
He would surely have had to endure all kinds of humiliation and hardship.
Thinking about this, Orion felt great sadness, but he was also grateful that he had been able to find him in time, before something serious happened, and he might never have seen him again.
During the time Orion had spent on Rum Wolf, he hadn't attempted to contact his grandfather and uncle, as he feared that his actions might alert the soldiers present there, making things more difficult.
Furthermore, even if the soldiers didn't notice anything at the time, perhaps after the slaves mysteriously disappeared, they would remember that a high-ranking officer had been interacting with certain slaves in particular, which could leave clues for future investigations.
Orion's plan required caution, so he had never come into contact with the prisoners on the great bridge and had fulfilled the routine duties of the soldier he was impersonating.
To the other soldiers on the bridge, the soldier in charge of Rum Wolf had never been absent from his duty. That's why later, when they found him dead in his office, they would believe he had been eliminated by the intruders who kidnapped some of the slaves, and not that the soldier himself had been impersonated for a week.
In reality, Orion had eliminated the soldier after extracting the necessary information and had placed him in his inventory, thus preventing his body from decomposing.
By the time the bridge's soldiers found his body, it would appear that he had been recently murdered, which would make the fact that he had been impersonating him for a week even less noticeable.
Orion walked toward his relatives, and the people parted, allowing him to pass without any problem. In just an instant, he arrived in front of them and looked at them with great emotion. Although he hadn't spent as much time with them as he had with his parents, the affection he felt toward them wasn't any less genuine. Perhaps it was the blood ties taking effect.
Mario and Lolo saw the mysterious man who had taken them off the bridge suddenly approach and stand in front of them, and they watched him curiously.
They felt a strange familiarity at the sight of Orion, who was in his adult form, created by his 'Age Change' ability.
Seeing him up close, they noticed that this man was quite similar to Paul! Although he had a much sharper aura, it felt like they were looking at a sheathed sword, that could reveal its edge at any moment.
Mario took a step forward, bowing slightly, and said:
"Thank you very much for helping us escape from the great bridge. We will definitely repay this debt of gratitude in the future."
Mario's voice was clear and powerful, and despite being in an unforeseen situation, he never lost his composure. He was a man who had lived through many things in his life and experienced several tragedies. It wasn't easy to make him lose his composure.
Orion simply stepped forward and opened the Pocket Dimension again, transporting his uncle and grandfather into it. Then, he undid his transformation, appearing in his true form before the shocked gaze of the two men.
Mario's eyes widened, and his body trembled involuntarily.
How many times had he seen this face in his dreams over the past few years?
How many times had he longed to return to Pacific Town and see his son and grandson once more?
Now that Orion had finally appeared before him like magic, his mind couldn't process what was happening, and he thought he was hallucinating.
"O-Orion?" his uncle Lolo asked in disbelief, being the first to react.
"Uncle, it's me," Orion said with a big smile.
"How is it possible? Orion?" his grandfather Mario asked, his voice trembling. He couldn't understand how his grandson had appeared here.
"That's right, Grandpa. I came to rescue you! Dad found out you were missing, so I decided to investigate and was able to find your whereabouts," Orion replied calmly.
Then, he took out a wooden sword and gave it to his grandfather. This was the wooden sword he had given Orion years ago. After it was damaged during the first pirate attack on Pacific Town, Orion hadn't used it again and had switched to a cutlass instead.
However, he had taken the time to repair this wooden sword and keep it as a memento. After all, it was a gift from his beloved grandfather.
Mario saw the wooden sword in Orion's hands. The sword was clearly damaged, and even though it had been repaired, it probably couldn't be used in combat. His lips trembled involuntarily with emotion, and his eyes filled with a warm mist.
The old man stepped forward and hugged Orion, almost as if he feared he would vanish like a mirage if he didn't.
Orion hugged his grandfather back, and the three Lysanders had a touching reunion after several years without seeing each other.
His uncle Lolo, who was completely amazed by Orion's appearance, asked
"Orion, how did you get here? How did you change your appearance? Are Paul and Lira okay?"
Mario also stood at attention, ready to listen attentively to Orion's answer. Now that they had finally met him, they had many doubts about his situation and the rest of the family's.
"It's a long story," Orion said with a smile, and began to recount what had happened in recent years.
Obviously, he didn't tell them everything that had happened, since there was no need to worry them too much. He simply told them about how he had obtained certain powers, the founding of his kingdom, and the family's well-being in Pacific Town.
When he heard that he had two new 2-year-old grandchildren, Mario smiled happily, wanting to return as soon as possible to meet them. He also reproached his uncle Lolo for not having married or started a family yet, despite being the oldest brother.
Finally, Mario looked at Orion with a look filled with pride and satisfaction, and said with a smile:
"I knew you were destined for great things, but I didn't expect you to be even more magnificent than I could have imagined! You definitely inherited our family's good genes!"
Hearing his grandfather's words, Orion remembered what his father had told him about his family's past, before the founding of Pacific Town.
The Lysanders had been a noble family in a kingdom in South Blue, but had fallen into disgrace due to a conflict with the royal family.
Only his grandfather Mario, along with his two sons had been able to escape, taking refuge in the remote village, where he had kept a low profile.
In that distant kingdom, there was no longer a family with the surname Lysander, although there was another family named Lavender. This was the family of his mother Lira, who had been allies of the Lysanders, and who were able to save themselves from the tragedy of being annihilated, though not without paying a great price.
In any case, Orion didn't intend to bring up this matter now. His grandfather had already suffered so much, and he didn't want to do anything that might upset him. There would be time later to delve deeper into the matter, and even decide if anything needed to be done about it.
Orion was very protective of his family, and he wouldn't tolerate anyone who had mistreated them going unpunished. Umit Shipping would have to pay the price in the future; and depending on his family's circumstances in the kingdom from which they had been banished, he might have to add more people to the list of those to be punished.
"Grandson, what are the plans now? Are we going to return home immediately?" asked Mario, who, after seeing his beloved grandson's incredible abilities, no longer treated him like a normal child.
"Yes, the situation at home is somewhat complicated right now, because a large influx of people has arrived all at once, so I want to return as soon as possible to verify that everything is going well."
Although he had maintained constant contact with Giolla, who informed him of the situation daily, there was nothing better than being present there. After all, he was the king, and his presence had to be visible enough. At least in the first stage, when everyone was still getting familiar with the place and adjusting to their new lives.
"Good, good! I can't wait to get back and see your little siblings and your parents," said his grandfather, gently placing his hand on Orion's head, smiling warmly.
"What will happen to the rest of the people you rescued?" his uncle asked with some concern.
This time, Orion had freed many people, and he worried that his nephew wouldn't be able to handle such a large group.
"They'll have to make the decision, although it's probably best for them to accompany us back home," Orion replied solemnly.
"Why? Can't they just return to their hometowns?" his uncle asked, not fully understanding the situation.
Orion simply explained the matter patiently.
"These people's situation is somewhat complex, and not all of them are in the same situation. Some of them were captured by the World Government when their homes were destroyed, so they have nowhere to return.
Others were captured by slavers and sold to the World Government. In theory, these people could try to return home, but they will likely live with the risk of being discovered as runaway slaves, which is a crime in itself.
On the other hand, people like you who were tricked here by Umit Shipping are in an even more precarious position, since the company keeps records of all its employees, and it could be easy to locate them if the World Government so chooses."
Lolo expressed great concern upon hearing that the World Government might seek them out to recapture them, since he knew his life would be over if that happened.
Orion saw the two men's concern and said with a smile.
"You don't have to worry about your files at Umit Shipping, since I destroyed them as soon as I infiltrated the company. The World Government won't be able to find any information about you there."
The two men looked at Orion with surprise and admiration, and once again realized how methodical he was in his actions. They sighed with relief and felt a little bitterness, thinking that the little boy they had known since birth had transformed into a powerful and trustworthy person, who could handle problems they considered difficult with much greater ease.
Mario patted him on the shoulder and said happily.
"Well done, kid! You're very clever, just like your grandfather! You obviously inherited the family's good genes! Haha!"
Orion accepted his grandfather's compliments with a smile and continued talking about the situation of the people he had rescued.
"So, to get back to what we were talking about, the vast majority of the people on this ship have nowhere to return to, and even if they do, there's likely only greater tragedy awaiting them.
We can't be sure that the World Government will launch an exhaustive search for the escaped slaves, but considering the secretive nature of the construction of the great Rum Wolf Bridge, it's likely they won't sit idly by," Orion concluded.
"So, are you going to take these people back to Pacific Town?" said his grandfather Mario, who had understood the implications of his grandson's words.
"That's right. That's the simplest solution. They can settle in my kingdom, and they won't have to worry about being captured again. Although it remains to be seen whether they will agree to follow us back home," Orion replied.
Ultimately, these people had to decide which path they would follow in the future. Orion would extend his hand and offer them a safe place to live, just as he would for anyone else in need. Whether or not they agreed to follow him in the future was beyond his control.
If someone decided not to return with him to Pacific Town, he would respect that decision, and their paths would part. He wouldn't help them return home, since he bore no personal responsibility for them.
At most, he could provide them with some funds for their journey, or a boat, just so they wouldn't be left completely adrift.
The three Lysanders finished their small family reunion, and Orion opened the Pocket Dimension door once more. He used Age Change to return to his adult form, and together with his uncle and grandfather, they returned to the deck of the ship.
It was time to speak with the people he had rescued, and for them to make a decision about their future.
........
Meanwhile, at the marine base near Pacific Town, Captain Christina Kelly was reading a report with a frown.
A new pirate crew had emerged in the area, and they were increasing their notoriety at an impressive rate.
These pirates were only a small number, but they weren't ordinary people, and two of them were Devil Fruit users!
Christina had requested reinforcements from the Corimba Island base, which oversaw smaller bases like the one she commanded. However, she had received the same response time and again: No troops available.
Faced with her superiors' inaction, Christina was considering taking matters into her own hands. After all, she was quite powerful, recognized as one of the most promising young women in all of South Blue.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and before the beautiful captain could answer, a man swaggered in, while a recruit watched from the side, his face covered in panic.
Obviously, this man had entered without waiting for Captain Christina Kelly's response, ignoring the recruit who had brought him here and who had also knocked on the door.
The captain's eyebrows drew together, and her lips narrowed, demonstrating her displeasure with the attitude of the man who had entered her office. However, she didn't complain, and simply stood up from her seat, gave a solemn salute, and said
"Good afternoon, Rear Admiral Nakamura!"
The man named Nakamura waved his hand dismissively and sat down in one of the armchairs in Christina's office.
"There's no need for such formality when we're alone together. I can see you hate me deeply, so why put on such pretenses? There's no need for such hypocrisy," Nakamura said without even looking at Christina.
He was one of the most powerful men in the South Blue, and his authority within the Marines was second only to that of the Vice Admiral, who oversaw the entire South Blue.
"Have you thought about my proposal? I wish we wouldn't waste too much time delaying the inevitable," Nakamura continued.
Christina clenched her fists and glared at him with great contempt and anger.
"It's impossible for me to accept such a thing. Please don't mention the matter to me again," the captain said firmly.
"Oh. I understand. Many people have pride similar to yours, but in this world, the most useless thing is pride," said the man, who still hadn't looked at her.
"It's not about pride; I simply can't accept anything that goes against my principles!" Christina said, somewhat excited.
Nakamura finally looked at her for the first time since entering the room, and his gaze focused on the voluptuous area of her uniform, which was a fatal attraction for any normal man.
"Heh, I understand why my nephew is so obsessed with you," Nakamura said, standing up reluctantly. He then walked over to her and threw a document onto the desk.
"I've come this time to inform you of your participation in a special mission," Nakamura said. Then he turned around and headed for the door, having accomplished his objective. He was a straightforward person who didn't want to waste a single second unnecessarily.
"Think carefully about your situation. You can contact me if you change your mind about my proposal. After all, Yarisugi is a very promising young man with a great future ahead of him. There's nothing wrong with being his wife… Or his plaything."
The Rear Admiral's words echoed in the room, but he had already left. Just as he had come, he had left. In his opinion, it didn't take much effort to subdue someone as insignificant as this insignificant captain with big tits.
Christina looked at the official document on her desk and remembered Nakamura's words, which were a clear threat.
She couldn't help but clench her fists tightly, her knuckles cracking loudly.
She sat back down behind her desk, feeling drained. It was difficult being a woman without a background in an institution like the Marines.
Suddenly, the silhouette of a man appeared in her mind, and she considered her options. Perhaps she could use the help of a powerful outside agent.