Words of Defiance #101

Cedric stood on Grove-1 of Sabaody, his usually vibrant eyes dulled with seething anger. His gaze fixated on a horrifying scene unfolding before him. A group of Celestial Dragons, adorned in their opulent attire, surrounded a frail older man whose trembling knees struggled to support his body.

The man's eyes pleaded for mercy, but it seemed lost on the arrogant celestial beings. With a dark expression, Cedric witnessed one of the world nobles holding a golden pistol, pointing it at the older man's chest. The atmosphere grew tense as time seemed to slow down.

"Please, I-I can't kneel for long," the old man stammered, his voice trembling with desperation. "My knees... they give out... please understand."

The celestial dragon sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Pathetic human! How dare you defy us, the noble Celestial Dragons? Your inability to kneel is an insult to our very presence."

Cedric clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. He was so pissed off he felt an overwhelming surge of anger rising within him, urging him to end the scene enacted by these self-proclaimed gods. But he knew better.

The celestial dragon's finger tightened on the trigger, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Any last words, worthless scum?"

Tears streamed down the older man's face as he mustered his remaining strength. "May the heavens forgive you for your cruelty... the people won't...."

Upon hearing the older's man's words, something seemed to snap within Cedric, his face twisting enough to scare the average man to death with a mere glance.

Unconsciously, Cedric stepped toward the group of celestial dragons, only for a hand on his shoulder to snap him out of his daze. He turned around and saw Kieran standing behind him with a blank expression.

"Don't do anything sutpid... it's not worth it..." Kieran calmly said, looking straight into Cedric's twisted face without flinching, but the young marine was having none of it.

Cedric gripped Kieran's wrist almost breaking it in the process as he prepared to throw him away, but a gunshot cut through the air, causing him to stop. He turned to the celestial dragons and saw them laughing as they looked down at the older man, slowly bleeding on the ground.

Cedric's blood boiled as he watched the celestial dragons revel in their cruel victory. Their laughter was like nails on a chalkboard, fueling his rage further. Without a second thought, he wrenched himself free from Kieran's grip and sprinted toward the group of arrogant world nobles.

As Cedric closed in on them, a sudden blur intercepted his path. Before he could react, Duval tackled him to the ground with surprising strength. Baby Five quickly joined Duval alongside several flying fish riders, pinning Cedric down to prevent him from further endangering himself.

"C-calm down!" Duval grunted, his voice filled with urgency. "Those are celestial Dragons! Don't do anything stupid!"

Finally catching up with the commotion, Kieran rushed to lend a hand. He helped Duval and Baby Five restrain Cedric, his eyes reflecting concern and frustration.

"I get you're strong, but you can't act recklessly," Kieran pleaded, his voice laced with sincerity. "You lay one hand on these guys, and a marine admiral will appear...! Do you honestly think you can fight an admiral?!"

Cedric struggled against their grip, his face twisting in rage as it ground against the dirt. "Get the fuck off me!"

As Cedric continued to fight against his restraints, his frustration and anger mingled with an unfamiliar feeling of helplessness. He worked hard to destroy the human auctioning house and dismantle the slavery ring on Sabaody, yet nothing changed.

But just as Cedric was about to break free from the grip of his friends, his transponder snail, a small marine communication device, buzzed with an incoming call as it rolled out of his pocket due to Cedric's thrashing.

Cedric tried to ignore the snail, but Kieran immediately noticed and recognized it as a marine communication tool. "It's probably Important. You need to pick up...." Kieran said, trying to diffuse the situation.

Cedric's breathing was heavy as he reluctantly reached for the Den Den Mushi, pressing it to his ear. "This better be important," he grumbled, his voice filled with frustration.

The voice of Vice Admiral Strawberry, stern and commanding, resounded through the device. "Your presence is needed in the marine base. Get in here at once. It's an order..."

Cedric gritted his teeth, his grip on the Den Den Mushi tightening as he looked at the celestial dragons. Cedric felt a mix of anger and resignation coursing through his veins. As much as he wanted to go in there and vent his frustration, he knew better.

Feeling the weight of Kieran and the others on his shoulder, Cedric reluctantly relented, turning away from the celestial dragons. "Understood, Vice Admiral. I'll be there..."

"I have to go," Cedric said, his voice softer but resolute. "Vice Admiral Strawberry wants me at the marine base. Stay out of sight until I call for you..."

Kieran released his grip, a glimmer of relief in his eyes. "You're the boss, boss..." the former assassin said, and Cedric nodded, burying his anger as he rose to his feet before walking away.

...

Admiral Kuzan stood on the roof of a tall building, his gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding on Grove-1 of Sabaody. His usually calm expression was troubled, his icy eyes reflecting a mix of concern and annoyance as he muttered under his breath, "What a pain in the ass."

As he watched Cedric leave, Kuzan couldn't help but question his own presence there. He was a bonafide admiral, So why is it that he can only observe from a distance as if everything happening below had nothing to do with him?

Kuzan turned his attention to a faraway rooftop, where another man stood, silently observing the scene below. His face, wise and weathered, carried the weight of years of adventure and wisdom.

"Silvers Rayleigh..." Kuzan muttered, his eyes narrowing as he locked eyes with the man, and the latter merely smiled. "What's your role in all of this...?" He muttered as he looked down at the unfolding chaos in the streets, but as he raised his head, the man was already gone.

Kuzan wondered if his presence there was unnecessary and if he should leave and allow the events to unfold without his interference. But deep down, he knew that he couldn't do that.

With a sigh, Kuzan muttered to no one in particular, "I suppose there's no running away from this. It's always a pain in the ass, but I owe Vice Admiral Garp..."

...

Rayleigh returned to Shakky's bar, the ever-familiar shelter where he sought refuge and respite from the ever-changing world. The door creaked open, and a warm light spilled out onto the street as he entered. Shakky greeted him with a knowing smile, her eyes twinkling with recognition.

"Back so soon, Rayleigh?" she said, her voice filled with warmth. "I take it things didn't go as planned?"

Rayleigh shrugged nonchalantly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Nothing significant happened this time, but it's only a matter of time before something does. It's bound to get noisy around here..."

Shakky poured him a drink, sliding the glass toward him with practiced ease. "Ah, the calm before the storm, huh? You always seem to have a knack for getting into trouble, even though you're retired."

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow, his gaze meeting Shakky's. "Well, I might not have to interfere... I might not get into any trouble this time around..."

Shakky chuckled, her laughter ringing through the air. "Oh, Rayleigh, we both know you are physically incapable of staying on the sidelines. I'm sure you'll find a reason to interfere sooner or later..."

A mysterious smile graced Rayleigh's lips, neither confirming nor denying her words. He sipped his drink, savoring the rich flavor that danced on his tongue. In that moment, a mixture of weariness and determination emanated from him, a silent understanding that his role in shaping the world hadn't faded yet.

The events on Grove-1 of Sabaody were just a tiny piece of a much larger puzzle. Rayleigh knew that Cedric's anger was not in vain. The world needed passionate youngsters willing to fight for what they believed in, even if they faced overwhelming odds.

As for Rayleigh himself, he could only help guide such stubborn, foolish youngsters and protect their growth if necessary, or so his role that had yet to fade dictated.