25 In the Navy!
Kasper scowled, his knuckles white as he marched back towards their docked ship. Robin trailed behind him, her brow furrowed in concern. "Kasper, what's eating you? Worried about the Marines after taking out that Dragon?"
He stopped at the ship's gangplank, his voice tight. "No, it's not that. It's just... this is the first time I've ever seen something like this. People treated like cattle. Not something I'm familiar with." He forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Let's set sail."
They boarded the ship, the rhythmic creak of the hull a constant reminder of their escape. Yet, Kasper's earlier cheer seemed to have vanished, replaced by a heavy silence. Robin, unable to ignore the shift in his mood, approached him. On a whim, she reached out and hugged him from behind.
Kasper jolted, surprised by the unexpected warmth pressing against his back. It took him a moment to register it was Robin's body. "Robin? What's wrong?" he stammered, voice thick with confusion.
"Silly," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper against his ear. "I should be asking you that. I've seen these things since I was a little girl. It's not something you forget easily. The world can be a beautiful place, Kasper, but there's a darkness to it too."
"Yeah, I knew this when I signed on," Kasper admitted, his voice rough. "But knowing it, and seeing it... it's different. Back home, there was at least a baseline of decency, you know?" He took a fortifying breath before turning in Robin's embrace, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks, Robin. Really. I appreciate it."
Robin squeezed him gently, understanding that this wouldn't be a quick fix. But for now, it was enough. "Mm," she murmured, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Just realizing how valuable I am on this crazy crew, are we?"
Kasper threw his head back and laughed, a booming sound that echoed across the ship. Her playful jab broke the tension, chasing away the shadows that had clung to him. "Ha! Don't know what I'd do without you!" His laughter subsided into a chuckle.
"Alright, alright, lookout duty it is. We need to find an island before the Marines catch wind of us. Wouldn't want you or the ship caught in the crossfire, now would we?" He winked before sauntering to the bow, his eyes scanning the horizon for a safe haven.
Kasper wasn't naïve. He knew the Marines wouldn't let the takedown of a Celestial Dragon slide. Killing one was a middle finger directly to the World Government, and they weren't known for their forgiveness. An Admiral, one of their elite powerhouses, would be chomping at the bit to put whoever did it in their place.
But right now, a different kind of storm brewed within him. He spotted a small island on the horizon, nothing fancy but perfect for a battle. Here, he could finally unleash his full power without innocent bystanders or treasured landmarks getting caught in the crossfire. Just him and whoever the Marines sent to answer for the government's wounded pride.
Punching in coordinates on the ship's navigation system, he charted a course for the island. With a determined stride, he returned to Robin. "Alright, listen up. I'm anchoring offshore. This fight might get messy beyond belief. No matter what you see or hear, you stay put. I'll be back when I've dealt with these bastards."
Robin's usual stoicism wavered for a moment, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Just be careful, Kasper. Coming back is all that matters. Whether you kill them or not... just come back."
With a powerful leap from the ship's bow, Kasper propelled himself towards the island. Landing with a thud on the sandy shore, he surveyed the terrain. "Perfect," he muttered, a feral grin stretching across his face. "Now, let's see if the dogs comes running."
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*Marineford - Sengoku's Office*
Sengoku, Fleet Admiral of the Marines, hunched over his desk, battling a seemingly endless mountain of paperwork. The pirate menace had ballooned exponentially since Gol D. Roger's demise and his cryptic final words. As he stamped a document with a weary sigh, the distinctive trill of his Den Den Mushi, a peculiar seashell communication device, pierced the office silence.
*PURURURU* *PURURURU*
"Sengoku here," he answered, bracing himself for another report of some pirate captain's mischief. He expected a flurry of activity, not the unnerving silence that followed. The Elders, the veiled masterminds of the World Government, never contacted him without a weighty reason.
Anticipation clawed at him as a voice, laced with urgency, finally crackled through the receiver. Shock seeped into Sengoku's face as he listened.
"What?! No. No, I understand," he stammered, scrambling to regain his composure. "I'll dispatch an Admiral to apprehend the pirate responsible for the Celestial Dragon's murder. Give me a day, and they will be rotting in Impel Down-"
The line went dead with a click, the silence in Sengoku's office even more profound. Dealing with the enigmatic Elders was a familiar dance – they offered scraps of information and tolerated no dissent. Their abrupt cut-off spoke volumes – this was a critical situation.
Sengoku slammed his fist on the desk, scattering the ever-present paperwork. A bellow erupted from his throat, his voice echoing through the halls of Marineford, shaking even the most seasoned Marines. "KIZARU! Get your lazy ASS in my office, NOW!" The booming command left no room for argument.
The office door creaked open, revealing the nonchalant form of Marine Admiral Kizaru.
Towering and slender, he sauntered in with his characteristic laid-back demeanour. Wrinkles etched a map across his middle-aged face, contrasting with his short, curly black hair and wispy beard. Despite the urgency that crackled in the air, Kizaru remained a picture of casual defiance.
His usual yellow striped suit hung loosely on him, the Marine coat draped over his shoulders like a forgotten accessory. His arms remained stubbornly outside the sleeves, highlighting his white shoes and the glint of his gold-amber sunglasses. A dark green shirt peeked out from under the suit, adorned with a tie the colour of a faded bruise.
"Hmm... what's the big commotion, boss?" he drawled, his voice slow and unhurried, as if oblivious to the storm brewing around him.
Kizaru finally peeled his attention away from some unseen point on the horizon and focused on Sengoku, a sliver of surprise flickering in his golden eyes. Even for him, this was big news. Disabling a Celestial Dragon was akin to flicking a lit cigarette into a tinderbox. The repercussions would be swift and severe.
He extended a middle finger with a nonchalant flick of his wrist, lazily digging deep into his ear before letting out a theatrical sigh. "Alright, alright, I get it. Top priority and all that jazz. Don't worry, I'll handle it." Kizaru rose with a languid grace that belied the urgency of the situation. His body shimmered for a brief moment, then vanished in a burst of blinding light, leaving behind only the lingering scent of ozone and a single, echoing word: "Saboady."
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*Kasper - Uninhabited Island*
Kasper slumped onto the coarse sand, the relentless sun baking his skin. He'd been waiting for the inevitable Marine response, the silence gnawing at his nerves. The time had bought him a chance to reflect, to dissect the situation with a cool head.
'System,' he spoke into the digital void, 'I think it's time.' He'd harboured suspicions for a while now, a hunch that the System held more secrets, dormant tools left behind by a forgotten god perhaps, waiting for him to unearth them. One such tool was the limiter he'd placed on his own body. It had served its purpose, maximized his training, and injected a thrill into battles against weaker foes. But those days were over. The World Government officially recognized him as a threat, his defiance a stark message etched onto their pristine world order.
A soft, tingling warmth spread through him as he activated the hidden function. It felt like shackles within his very being were being released, a surge of raw power coursing through his compact muscles. The sensation was unfamiliar, the upper limits of his abilities now a hazy unknown. One thing was certain: whoever the Marines sent, their existence would be short-lived. A grim smile played on his lips. He was ready to unleash the full fury he'd been holding back for so long.
Finally, his heightened Observation Haki crackled to life, detecting a presence hurtling towards the island at an alarming speed. A single name sprung to mind.
With a sharp turn, Kasper met the approaching figure head-on. There, hovering a few feet above the ground, was Kizaru, the Marine Admiral. His signature bored expression plastered across his face, he seemed the picture of nonchalance.
"Well, well," Kizaru drawled, "if it isn't the little pirate causing a stir in Sabaody. Fancy meeting you here." A hint of recognition flickered in his golden eyes. "Ah yes, you're the one who took down those Marines, weren't you? Now, just come along quietly, this is already annoying enough."
Kasper's lips curled into a smirk, the power coursing through him brimming with a dangerous potential. "Capture me? You must be mistaken, Admiral. This island is more of a 'last stand' kind of place." He taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Unless, of course, fetching a Celestial Dragon isn't as glamorous as you thought."
Kizaru's expression remained unchanged, but a flicker of annoyance sparked in his golden eyes. "Tsk, tsk, no need to get dramatic. Just consider me a delivery boy with a bad attitude."
A feral grin stretched across Kasper's face, his body coiled with anticipation. "Bring it on, you overblown Flash wannabe" he roared, his voice echoing across the deserted island. In a blur of motion, Kizaru lunged, the fight for the island about to erupt.
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(A/N: Cliff-kun has come to annoy you all. But this is needed, next chapter will be a great fight, in my opinion. Much love all, drop power stones to show support for the novel!)
