"Teacher!"
"Your blade!"
As Kuina rushed forward across the frozen battlefield, her sharp eyes quickly spotted the sword lying several meters away.
It was Winter Solstice.
The blade that Saint Roselith Seraphina had dropped during the violent clash.
Despite the fierce battle that had taken place moments earlier, the sword's edge remained flawless.
The icy-blue steel reflected the gray storm clouds above.
Kuina picked it up carefully with both hands.
As Seraphina's student, she understood something very clearly.
Her teacher never separated from her swords.
Not during battle.
Not even during sleep.
Kuina quickly realized what Seraphina had been searching for.
Winter Solstice.
And its twin blade
Awakening of Insects.
When Kuina returned, Seraphina did not speak.
Instead, she simply smiled.
A quiet smile.
Yet within that smile was unmistakable relief.
In this world
She was an outsider.
Ever since she arrived here, she had always felt slightly out of place.
She had grown up under a completely different sky.
A world where justice and order were ideals worth protecting.
Yet the reality of this ocean was cruel.
She could not understand how people who had suffered from endless war could still trample others without hesitation.
Pirates slaughtered civilians without reason.
Corrupt Marines accepted bribes while pretending to uphold justice.
The World Government spoke endlessly about peace while sitting comfortably in Mary Geoise.
And above them all
The Celestial Dragons ruled like gods.
If strength was the only law of this world…
Then she would rely on her own strength.
And on her swords.
The twin blades had accompanied her for years.
Each time her hands wrapped around their hilts
A strange sense of stability returned.
Even when her consciousness had nearly faded earlier, her body instinctively searched for them.
Seraphina accepted Winter Solstice from Kuina.
Then she gently stepped away from the girl's support.
"Teacher?"
Kuina's voice trembled with concern.
She watched helplessly as her wounded mentor began walking toward Shanks.
Each step was slow.
Unsteady.
Yet she continued forward.
SCRREEECH
The sound of steel scraping against ice echoed softly.
Using the last of her strength, Seraphina raised her sword.
The blade pointed directly toward Shanks.
Why can't the weak challenge the strong?
That question burned fiercely in her mind.
She refused to accept this world as it was.
A world where the weak were crushed beneath the feet of the powerful.
A world where people believed the weak deserved to be discarded.
As if their lives had no value.
She would never accept it.
Why?
Why should strength alone decide everything?
So what if this man would one day become one of the rulers of the New World?
So what if the Red Hair Pirates stood behind him?
So what if she might lose?
So what if she might die?
She would still fight.
She would never retreat.
Not today.
Not ever.
As long as her heart still burned with the desire to grow stronger
She would never surrender.
"I won't allow it."
Her voice was weak.
But unwavering.
"You will not take another step forward."
"Shanks."
The frozen battlefield fell silent.
Shanks stared at the sword pointed toward him.
Then
He laughed.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
The booming laughter echoed across the ice.
"Interesting."
"Very interesting!"
Shanks looked directly at Seraphina.
For a moment his gaze became sharp.
Then he smiled again.
"Everyone in this world likes to give Red Hair some face."
"So today…"
"I'll give some face to you."
He rested Gryphon on his shoulder.
"Seraphina."
"I'll be waiting for you in the New World."
His laughter returned.
"Ahahahahaha!"
Shanks understood something clearly.
The Marine standing before him had already reached her limit.
Her body could barely remain standing.
Yet her will remained unbroken.
Her Marine coat was torn.
Blood mixed with rainwater across her face.
But her conviction stood firm like an unshakable mountain.
The world was becoming more interesting.
Perhaps this was exactly the era Gol D. Roger had spoken about.
A new generation was rising.
Shanks did not expose Seraphina's weakness to the others.
There was no need.
This Marine would continue climbing higher.
Perhaps one day
Even higher than him.
"Red Hair Pirates!"
Shanks turned toward his crew.
"Set course for the Calm Belt!"
A pirate shouted back immediately.
"Captain! Since when have we ever been scared of anything?!"
Another pirate laughed.
"Well… the mast is broken anyway!"
"Calm Belt it is!"
Laughter filled the air as the Red Hair Pirates returned to their ship.
Seraphina did not attempt to stop them.
She had truly reached her limit.
"Colonel!"
"Teacher!"
Only after the pirate ship disappeared into the storm did the tension finally leave her body.
The pressure vanished.
Her legs gave out.
Darkness swallowed her vision.
Marine Branch 18East Blue
"Doctor!"
"What should we do?"
"The Colonel's fever hasn't gone down for three days!"
"She's still unconscious!"
Kuina paced nervously inside the medical room.
Seraphina lay on the bed beneath thick blankets.
Ice packs rested on her forehead.
Her cheeks were flushed from fever.
Sweat rolled down her skin.
Her breathing was uneven.
Kuina grabbed the doctor's shoulders.
"Isn't there anything else you can do?!"
The elderly physician sighed patiently.
"Petty Officer…"
"I already told you."
"Brigadier General Seraphina simply caught a severe chill."
"With a few days of rest she'll recover."
"There's no need to panic."
The doctor spoke gently.
But inwardly he was amazed.
The young Marine girl standing before him already held the rank of Petty Officer.
And the unconscious officer on the bed
Rumor said she had fought off a legendary pirate captain.
Headquarters would likely promote her to Brigadier General soon.
The doctor chuckled bitterly.
He had served at this branch base for decades.
Yet he was still just a Sergeant.
"But it's already been three days…"
Kuina lowered her head.
Since joining Seraphina at Branch 18, she had helped capture several small pirate crews.
After officially enlisting, she had been granted the rank of Petty Officer.
"All right."
The doctor patted her shoulder.
"If you're so worried…"
"Help wipe her down."
"After lying in bed for so long she'll feel uncomfortable."
Kuina nodded immediately.
"Understood!"
After the doctor left, silence returned to the room.
Kuina slowly approached the bed again.
Seraphina's feverish face seemed strangely beautiful in the dim light.
Their faces drifted closer.
Seraphina's lips were pale from illness.
Kuina's eyes slowly moved upward
Toward her long eyelashes.
"Kuina?"
The sudden voice shocked her.
Kuina jumped backward.
Her arm knocked over the basin beside the bed.
Water splashed across the floor.
She stood there completely soaked.
"M-Master!"
"You're awake!"
Seraphina blinked weakly.
Her voice was hoarse.
"…Water?"
Her throat felt painfully dry.
Even though she had regained consciousness, the fever had not completely disappeared.
The final technique she used earlier had drained her body completely.
Fighting in the freezing storm afterward had only worsened the damage.
"Ah! Yes!"
"I'll bring it right away!"
Kuina hurried out of the room.
Her face bright red.
Relief and embarrassment mixed together.
Seraphina slowly sat up.
The movement made the pain in her body flare slightly.
But at least she could breathe more easily.
She looked toward the doorway where Kuina had disappeared.
Then her gaze drifted quietly to the window.
The rain outside had finally stopped.
Her thoughts returned to the battlefield.
Seraphina closed her eyes.
You're still too weak.
Her grip slowly tightened on the blanket.
When will you become strong enough…
To change this world?
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