Oboro and Dom had barely settled inside the building when the rest of the Flame Dragon Pirates made their move.
They tried to follow the exact path Oboro had taken to slip safely through the blockade.
But they failed…
Gunshots and the sounds of fighting immediately erupted from the street outside.
Marines swarmed in from every direction.
Within moments, everything fell silent again.
Just as expected… the others had been captured.
Right afterward, squads of Marines began searching the very building where Oboro and Dom were hiding.
They combed through every room and corner, yet found not a single trace of them.
It was obvious… Dom's so‑called companions had betrayed him.
The moment they were caught, they had spilled everything they knew, revealing exactly where he and Oboro were hiding.
This is the famous "camaraderie of pirates"!
They had been talking about coming to the rescue only moments ago.
Oboro was certain that if he and Dom had been captured first, those men would have run away as fast as their legs could carry them.
"Thank you."
Some time later, as the morning sun finally rose above the horizon, Oboro lay hidden deep within a patch of tall grass.
Standing guard just a short distance away was Dom, now fully dressed in a Marine uniform.
Hiding right under the lamplight.
To slip through the tight encirclement, they had to take the biggest risk of all: blending in by using disguises.
The chaos created by the other pirates had given Oboro the perfect opening.
He had seized the moment during a shift change to swap their appearances and identities, effectively turning them into part of the enemy force.
Dom was stationed at a post that was relatively isolated and far from the main activity.
Unlike Oboro — whose scarred features were unforgettable — Dom looked ordinary enough that wearing a Marine uniform wouldn't raise immediate suspicion.
By now, the Marines had already searched every building and house along the street.
"Any movement or activity over here?"
A Marine corporal walked over, questioning Dom.
"Nothing to report, Sir!"
Dom shouted loudly, standing perfectly straight and staring rigidly ahead as he saluted.
Satisfied with the response, the soldier turned and marched away.
"You…"
After whispering his thanks to Oboro, Dom hesitated, unsure what to say next.
"Yes, that's right. It's me."
Oboro remained comfortably concealed by the grass, his hands tucked behind his head, looking completely relaxed and unconcerned. He smiled faintly.
"Going to turn me in? All you have to do is shout, and I probably won't be able to escape."
It was only natural that Dom was suspicious of him.
A man who claimed he had never been a pirate… a supposed rookie… Yeah, right.
At least Dom wasn't stupid enough to keep believing that lie.
"Of course I'm not going to turn you in!" Dom swallowed hard, then changed the subject.
"I'm a pirate too. If I get caught, my fate won't be any better than yours… We're in the same boat now."
"But… I'm afraid there's no way you can join our crew anymore."
"You're a runaway slave belonging to a Celestial Dragon. No one has the guts to take you in. If anyone finds out…"
He didn't finish his sentence. Oboro simply closed his eyes and spoke in a calm, leisurely tone.
"Get ready. Your disguise will definitely be discovered during the next shift change… Before that happens, we're going back to the building we talked about earlier. They've already searched it thoroughly, so they won't be going back there again. Also, their forces have been dispersed; most of them are out searching for us elsewhere, assuming we've already fled the area."
"Understood."
Dom nodded obediently.
Whether he survived today depended entirely on this man.
He realized that while he himself was terrified and stressed, Oboro was unbelievably calm… thinking with a clarity that was almost frightening.
"If we get out of this alive and successfully leave Sabaody Archipelago… I'll owe you my life," Dom said earnestly.
It's not that serious. Give it ten days or two weeks. Once they can't find me, the Marines will give up. Sabaody will go back to exactly how it was before…
At most, they'll issue a few wanted posters. Their heavy presence is only temporary. It's impossible for them to maintain this level of control here for long.
The seas are chaotic right now. To suppress the pirates, the Marines are already stretched thin. The Four Emperors in the New World are giving them endless headaches.
How could they possibly have time to worry about a small fry like me? Even as a Celestial Dragon's slave… the fact that they've gone this far is already enough for them to report back and say they did their duty.
Oboro spoke casually, as if explaining something obvious.
"And besides… I wasn't the only slave they owned. I wasn't even considered a particularly valuable or important 'toy'."
"However… you seem to have overlooked one thing."
"What?"
Dom froze.
"The Marines definitely know that you've been associating with me. Your friends — or former friends — will have told them everything in detail. So… in order to catch me, you're now a target too. It's likely the World Government is already drafting a wanted poster for you… As soon as you show your face, they might even send an Admiral to look for you! Do you really think your precious Captain… can protect you from that?"
At those words, Dom felt as if he had fallen into an ice‑cold pit.
He… he had made it all seem so simple.
"I… I…"
He was so shocked he could barely speak.
Right now, he was actually regretting ever trying to recruit Oboro… He should never have set his sights on him in the first place.
"As a pirate, you should be happy… You're famous now! You actually got to be involved with a Marine Admiral. If you manage to survive or even win, your name might echo across the entire ocean. Maybe even your Captain will end up coming to serve under you!" Oboro teased in a light, mocking tone.
He even started clapping his hands slowly.
"..."
Dom was speechless.
"Damn it!"
Dom suddenly roared in rage, his eyes wide and bloodshot.
He finally… finally understood.
He had been… played.
"What's the matter? Weren't you just saying… that I was your benefactor?"
Oboro remained completely unfazed.
"You… I… what am I supposed to do now?"
Dom was panicking, his mind spinning.
No matter what choice he made, it seemed to lead straight to death.
A Marine Admiral was the top tier of military power, the kind sent to deal with the Four Emperors. And him?
He was nothing but small fry. Forget an Admiral… even a random Marine officer from Headquarters could slaughter him as easily as killing a chick.
His bounty was only 5,000,000 berries.
And he had lied earlier: in the Flame Dragon Pirates, he was just a regular fighter, a minor officer — definitely not high‑ranked or important.
"Forget everyone you know. Don't ever try to see them again… You can't go back to the Flame Dragon Pirates anymore. You have two choices: change your appearance and identity, go to a place where no one knows you, and start over… or swear loyalty to a powerful force strong enough to protect you."
Oboro said calmly.
"What about you? Your situation is way worse than mine! What are you going to do?"
Dom realized this point.
Once Oboro's wanted poster was out — combined with his unique appearance and the high‑profile nature of his escape — there was hardly anyone on the entire sea, aside from the Four Emperors, who dared to openly oppose the World Government.
"What I just said… is the path that fits you. It doesn't mean it fits me."
Oboro opened his eyes.
"Pirates and Marines are natural enemies. Besides, among pirates, there are always those who march to their own beat or those who are incredibly bold… and of course, there are brainless idiots too. As long as you survive long enough, you'll find a place to belong eventually."
"As for me… I don't need to rely on anyone else's power. I am… enough on my own."
"..."
Dom fell silent again.
He remembered the Sun Pirates and Fisher Tiger, who had pulled off a world‑shaking event. It was said many slaves had escaped from the Holy Land back then too.
"Can you… help me?"
Dom's lips felt dry and parched.
He couldn't explain why, but he had a strong feeling… an intuition that this man could somehow keep him alive.
Even though, looking at it logically, Oboro himself seemed to be in a hopeless situation with almost zero chance of survival.
"Sure, I can…"
Oboro smiled.
____________________
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