Marines continued their work along the docks, hauling crates, adjusting sails, shouting routine orders to one another in the harbor of Grove 1.
Adam leaned casually against the railing of the G-1 warship, arms crossed, his red hair stirring slightly in the sea breeze.
Anna stood beside him, watching the harbor with mild boredom.
For a moment, everything felt ordinary.
Then
BOOM.
The explosion tore through the air like thunder.
The sound slammed across the harbor, echoing against the mangrove roots and buildings of Sabaody.
Anna jumped.
"What the?!"
Both of them turned toward the source.
A column of fire and black smoke burst upward from the World Government ship.
Marines on the dock froze.
For half a second, no one moved.
Then chaos erupted.
"Explosion on the transport!"
"Move! Move!"
Marines rushed toward the ship.
Another Marine shouted from the dock.
"Get the hoses!"
Anna stared wide-eyed at the burning vessel.
"What the hell just happened?!"
Adam smiled.
A calm, quiet smile.
Anna slowly turned her head toward him.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Adam."
Before she could say more
BOOM!
Another explosion ripped through the ship.
This one louder.
The deck splintered outward and flames erupted through the upper structure.
Pieces of wood and metal rained into the water.
Marines on the dock shouted in alarm.
"No! We must put out the fire!"
Several of them rushed forward carrying equipment.
Others were already jumping onto the burning ship.
Then
BOOM!
Another explosion.
And another.
A chain reaction.
The vessel shook violently.
Flames were spreading quickly now.
The ship was beginning to tilt.
Anna's jaw slowly dropped.
"I totally didn't expect this sort of… I thought your shadow was going to do things quietly?"
She slowly turned toward Adam again.
"…Don't you think the slaves inside will also be.."
Adam shook his head calmly.
"No."
Anna blinked.
Adam kept watching the chaos in the harbor.
"I ordered my shadow to eliminate the Cipher Pol agents inside."
His voice remained casual.
"And cause as much damage to the ship as possible."
Another blast thundered from the vessel, sending more debris flying.
Adam tilted his head slightly.
"I never mentioned explosions though.. He probably used their cannon balls."
He smirked faintly.
"Well, either way he clearly improvised."
Anna stared at him like she wasn't sure whether to laugh or panic.
"Well they'll drown with the ship!"
Adam shook his head again and gestured toward the burning vessel.
"Look closer."
Anna followed his gaze.
Marines were now swarming the transport ship.
Some climbed aboard despite the flames.
Others were lowering ropes and ladders.
A group of Marines dragged open the lower deck doors.
A moment later
Slaves began appearing.
Coughing.
Stumbling.
Alive.
Marines quickly began pulling them onto rescue boats and back to the docks.
Shouting filled the harbor.
"Get them off the ship!"
"Careful with the collars!"
"Move them to the medical station!"
Anna watched the scene unfold in stunned silence.
Adam spoke quietly beside her.
"They're valuable cargo."
He glanced toward the Marines pulling the slaves to safety.
"Precious cargo for the Celestial Dragons."
More Marines ran down the dock.
Soon word spread through the harbor.
"Cipher Pol agents are dead!"
"All of them!"
"They've been cut down!"
"Only the slaves survived!"
Anna slowly exhaled.
The burning ship groaned loudly as the flames devoured its structure.
The hull cracked.
Water rushed inside.
It was sinking.
Adam watched it for a moment longer.
Then he turned away.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"…This won't change much."
Anna looked at him.
"But at least…"
Adam glanced once more at the rescued slaves being escorted away.
"…it will delay their misfortune."
His expression hardened slightly.
"I wish I could do more right now."
Anna lowered her gaze toward the dock.
For once she didn't tease him.
She looked… sad.
Adam's voice grew quieter.
"I swear something, Anna."
She looked up again.
Adam's eyes were focused on the horizon.
On the vast ocean beyond Sabaody.
"I will do what I can to change this world."
"With the power I have now."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"And the best way to do that…"
He glanced toward the Marine headquarters flag flying on the warship.
"…is from inside the system itself."
His eyes suddenly glowed faintly violet, cold and determined.
"They won't see me coming."
Anna studied his face carefully.
For a moment the usual teasing Marine lieutenant was gone.
What stood beside her now felt… different.
Someone that sounded far more dangerous.
She crossed her arms slowly.
"That's a noble goal."
Her tone was soft.
"But you might find yourself in serious trouble."
Adam's smile returned and unbothered.
"So be it."
Behind them the burning World Government ship finally gave one last groan
And began sinking beneath the waves.
****
The harbor was still in chaos.
Smoke drifted across the water where the World Government transport ship had sunk moments earlier. Small rescue boats moved back and forth through the waves, Marines shouting orders as they pulled the last of the rescued slaves onto the docks.
But aboard the G-1 Marine warship, things were already shifting back toward discipline.
Heavy boots struck the gangplank.
A tall man in a Marine coat stepped onto the deck with the kind of presence that immediately straightened the spines of the new recruits.
The coat draped from his shoulders like a cape, the word Justice boldly written across the back.
"Listen up!"
His voice cut cleanly through the noise of the harbor.
Marines snapped to attention.
It was Rear Admiral Catacombo.
He looked like a man who hadn't slept properly in years.
"We set sail immediately!"
He waved a hand sharply toward the ship's officers.
"Raise anchor!"
"Sails ready!"
"Prepare to depart for Marineford!"
The Marines answered instantly.
"Yes sir!"
Several of them rushed to their positions.
One Marine hesitated though, glancing nervously toward the harbor.
He pointed toward the smoke still rising from the sunken World Government ship.
"Sir… shouldn't we.."
Another Marine added quickly,
"Don't you think we should do something about that, sir?"
Rear Admiral Catacombo followed their gaze toward the harbor.
The wreckage of the transport ship still smoldered.
He stared at it for about two seconds.
Then he scratched the side of his head lazily.
"…Not our problem, no time to investigate."
The Marines blinked.
Catacombo waved a dismissive hand.
"We have orders."
His voice was firm.
"To return to Marineford."
He turned toward the helm.
"Let someone else deal with that mess."
He yawned slightly.
"Because I'm not going to."
The Marines stiffened immediately.
"Yes sir!"
They rushed back to work.
Orders spread quickly across the deck.
"Raise the sails!"
"Prepare the rudder!"
"Check the cannons!"
The ship began to come alive with activity.
Catacombo walked across the deck slowly, scanning the crew.
His eyes eventually landed on a red-haired Marine standing near the railing.
Adam.
The Rear Admiral approached him with a casual stride.
"So."
He stopped in front of him.
"You must be Lieutenant Adam."
Adam straightened and saluted cleanly.
"Yes sir."
Beside him Anna also snapped into a salute.
"Sir."
Catacombo glanced at her.
He scratched the back of his head again.
"…And you are?"
Anna answered quickly.
"Lieutenant Anna, sir."
Catacombo frowned slightly.
"I was only informed that one lieutenant was ordered to board this ship."
Anna immediately laughed awkwardly.
"Ah.."
She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"I'm actually just here to see him off, sir."
Adam couldn't help but smile slightly beside her.
Catacombo looked between them for a moment.
Then he shrugged.
"Fair enough."
He pointed a thumb toward the deck behind him.
"We're setting sail."
Adam nodded.
"Right now?"
The Rear Admiral nodded once.
"Yes, Lieutenant."
Then his eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
"From what I heard…"
He folded his arms.
"You're going to be appointed somewhere new once we reach Marineford."
Adam didn't look surprised.
"I'm already aware of that, sir."
Catacombo nodded approvingly.
"Good."
Then he turned away, already losing interest in the conversation.
"Alright!"
His voice boomed across the deck again.
"Stop standing around!"
He pointed at a group of Marines struggling with a rope.
"Pull that line properly unless you want us drifting into the mangroves!"
"Yes sir!"
He moved off across the deck barking more orders.
Within moments the crew was fully focused on preparing the ship for departure.
The massive sails began unfurling slowly.
The anchor chains rattled loudly as they were raised.
The ship creaked as the ocean currents nudged against its hull.
Adam watched the activity quietly.
Then he turned toward Anna.
A small smile rested on his face.
"So…"
He exhaled slowly.
"This is it."
Anna looked at him for a second.
Then suddenly
Thump.
She punched him in the shoulder.
Not hard.
But enough to make him step slightly to the side.
"Don't get sentimental on me."
She crossed her arms.
"Just don't forget about us when you become some big-shot Marine."
Adam rubbed his shoulder with a quiet chuckle.
"You think that's going to happen?"
Anna smirked.
"With your luck?"
She tilted her head.
"Yeah."
"Probably."
Adam shook his head slightly.
"Of course I won't forget."
He looked back toward the harbor one last time.
The smoke from the sunken ship was slowly fading.
Marines were still moving around the docks like ants.
Then Adam looked back at Anna.
His expression softened just a little.
"You better not disappear while I'm gone either."
Anna scoffed.
"Please."
"I'm the one keeping this place running."
Adam chuckled.
Behind them the ship finally lurched slightly as the anchor lifted free of the water.
A Marine shouted from the helm.
"Anchor raised!"
Another voice followed.
"Sails ready!"
Rear Admiral Catacombo's voice thundered across the deck one last time.
"Set course!"
The G-1 warship slowly began to move.
Anna stepped back toward the gangplank, preparing to leave before the distance became too wide.
She gave Adam one last look.
"…Try not to get yourself killed."
Adam grinned.
"No promises."
Anna rolled her eyes with a smile.
Then she stepped off the ship back onto the dock.
The distance between them slowly widened as the warship pushed away from the harbor.
Adam stood at the railing watching her and the harbor grow smaller in the distance.
The sea wind brushed through his red hair, Adam muttered to himself 'So... to Marineford then.'
/-\
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