"Squeak, squeak, squeak—"
Captain Nezumi let out a sharp laugh, his gaze fixed greedily on Nami. "Didn't you hear? All stolen goods taken from pirates must be handed over to the government!"
He had originally been colluding with Arlong and his crew to split the spoils, but for the past two weeks, he had received no news. Upon investigation, he learned that Arlong had been dealt with by a traveler, which sent shivers down his spine. Though he pretended to remain calm on the surface, he suddenly recalled Arlong mentioning that Nami had hidden a huge sum of money, and his wicked intentions flared up.
Nami looked at Captain Nezumi's disgusting expression and suddenly sneered, her orange eyes filled with mockery. "Instead of going after pirates, you come after a 'thief' like me? The Marines' capabilities are truly remarkable."
She knew these people all too well. Back when Arlong was tyrannizing the village, these Marines had hidden farther away than anyone. Now they were here to pick up the pieces.
"You still dare to talk back?" Captain Nezumi, stung by her words, shrieked angrily. "You were a member of Arlong's crew, hiding stolen goods and colluding with pirates. Those two crimes alone are enough to throw you in prison!"
He waved his hand abruptly. "Seize her!"
"That's not true! Nami, she..." Genzo hurried forward to explain but was roughly shoved aside by a Marine. He grunted in pain as the small of his back hit the stone steps.
Nojiko also tried to protect her sister, but her wrists were tightly gripped by two soldiers. Her blue-gray eyes welled up with anxious tears.
Just as the Marines' blades were about to touch Nami, a lazy voice came from the doorway of the wooden house. "The Marines' manners are even worse than the pirates'."
Everyone turned to look. Ryan stood there, unnoticed until now, idly twirling an orange leaf between his fingers. His eyes swept indifferently over the Marines in the yard, as if observing a bunch of noisy insects.
"Where did this brat come from, daring to interfere with Marine affairs?" Captain Nezumi blustered, his voice trembling with false bravado. "Seize him too!"
Two Marines raised their swords and charged. Before their blades could even get close, Ryan had already drawn his sword. The Wind Splitter blade traced a cold arc, so fast it left only an afterimage.
The two Marines froze mid-action, thin lines appearing simultaneously on their necks. The next second, they collapsed stiffly to the ground, blood gushing out and gleaming a glaring red under the sunlight.
The yard fell deathly silent.
Captain Nezumi's face turned pale with fear, his small eyes wide open. "Y-you dare kill Marines?!"
"Fire! Shoot him dead!" He shrieked, hiding behind his soldiers. His small eyes were full of terror, yet also held a desperate ferocity.
The remaining Marines hurriedly raised their guns, fingers pulling the triggers—"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Gunshots exploded through the Orange Grove, smoke instantly filling the air. Bullets whistled toward Ryan, but as they struck his body, they produced a series of crisp "ding-ding-dang-dang" sounds, sparking tiny flashes before being deflected and falling to the ground, rolling a couple of times in the dirt before going still.
"W-what?!" The Marines holding the guns gaped in shock, their weapons clattering to the ground.
What kind of person was this? He was clearly an impenetrable iron wall!
"Seems you don't understand human language." Ryan slowly stepped forward, each footfall making the ground tremble slightly. The Wind Splitter quivered lightly in his hand.
He looked at the nearest Marine. The soldier's legs gave way in terror, and he turned to flee, but with a flick of Ryan's wrist, the blade flashed like a striking snake, instantly slicing across the man's throat.
The soldier collapsed limply beneath the orange tree as if his bones had been removed, not even uttering a groan.
"Monster... it's a monster!" The remaining Marines completely broke down. Some threw away their rifles and scrambled desperately out of the courtyard, while others still futilely pulled their triggers. Bullets merely sparked off Ryan's body, not even worthy of making him frown.
Captain Nezumi had completely collapsed, crawling and rolling in an attempt to hide behind a tree. But Ryan stepped on his back with a crunch, the sound of his spine breaking echoing clearly through the quiet orchard alongside his heart-wrenching screams.
"You... you can't kill me... I'm a Marine captain..." He begged incoherently, tears and snot streaming down his face. "If you kill me, the Marines won't let you go..."
"The Marines?" Ryan chuckled softly, squatting down and pinching the back of his neck like picking up a real rat. "A bunch of trash who tolerate pirates dare talk about letting me go?"
While there were indeed righteous individuals among the Marines, this group before him were nothing but robbers cloaked in justice.
Before his words faded, Wind Splitter was drawn again. A flash of blade light passed, and Captain Nezumi's screams abruptly ceased. His head tilted at an unnatural angle as blood dripped from the blade, creating small crimson blossoms on the grass.
When the last Marine fell, the courtyard was already pooled with blood. The scent of orange blossoms mingled strangely with the smell of blood, tangling in the wind. Ryan sheathed Wind Splitter, the light clink of blade against scabbard serving as the final note of this cleanup.
Genzo stood frozen in place, his farming tool clattering to the ground, lips trembling speechlessly.
Nojiko covered her mouth, her blue-gray eyes filled with shock—she knew Ryan was powerful, but never expected him to be so ruthless, killing Marines without blinking.
Nami also stood rigid, her face pale beneath her orange short hair. Watching Ryan turn and walk toward them, the sunlight casting a long shadow behind him, she suddenly understood the violence hidden within that figure.
His "torment" of them over the past half month might have been him restraining himself a thousandfold.
Seeing the shock and fear in their eyes, Ryan understood completely. Fish-Men were the village's enemies, so killing them was justified. But the Marines represented official authority, which made it different in the end.
He raised a hand to brush off nonexistent dust, his tone as casual as discussing the weather. "I've stayed here long enough. It's time for me to leave. Thank you for your hospitality."
As his words fell, Ryan's bones emitted faint cracking sounds. His figure elongated and transformed within a halo of light, peach-colored scales spreading up his neck. In an instant, he transformed into a nimble peach-colored Giant Dragon, coiled above the courtyard and blocking most of the sunlight.
"D-dragon..." Genzo murmured in disbelief, his legs weakening so much he nearly collapsed.
Nojiko covered her mouth, her eyes overflowing with astonishment. Nami also looked up, her orange pupils reflecting the peach-colored shadow.
The Giant Dragon let out a low roar that shook orange leaves rustling down. Swinging its Dragon Tail, it flew toward the coast, stirring up a strong wind as it swept over the orchard.
By the shore, a Marine warship lay anchored, its seagull flag fluttering in the wind.
The Giant Dragon, transformed from Ryan, circled once in the air before suddenly opening its mouth. A blast of scorching Dragon Breath surged out like flowing magma, instantly engulfing the warship.
Explosions erupted one after another, flames shot into the sky, dyeing half the heavens crimson.
After accomplishing all this, the Giant Dragon showed no hesitation, soaring into the clouds and soon shrinking into a tiny black dot before vanishing beyond the horizon.
In the courtyard, the three of them remained motionless for a long time.
The mingled scents of blood and gunpowder drifted through the air, while distant explosions still faintly echoed. Nami gazed at the sky and suddenly let out a soft sigh, as if relieved of a heavy burden, yet feeling an inexplicable emptiness in her heart.