Chapter 22: The Cipher Pol’s Decision

Chapter 22: The Cipher Pol's Decision

The jungle-covered island loomed under an oppressive gray sky, the sun hidden behind dense clouds. The wind whispered through the thick foliage, rustling the broad leaves of the towering trees. A humid mist clung to the air, adding a heavy stillness to the atmosphere. Occasional gusts sent loose debris skittering across the ground, but no rain fell, leaving the island in an eerie, unrelenting anticipation.

Deep within a wide crater, remnants of Cipher Pol Six lay battered and defeated. The first of them stirred, a man with short brown hair matted with sweat and dirt. His eyelids fluttered open, and his face twisted in pain as he tried to push himself upright. The scene around him was one of devastation. His uniform was torn, the once-pristine fabric charred with blackened streaks from the attack that had overwhelmed them.

He sat up slowly, his brown eyes darting across the crater. His comrades lay scattered, unconscious and similarly battered. Memories of the battle flooded back, and his pupils contracted in fear. "It wasn't natural," he muttered hoarsely, his voice trembling. "That boy… that monster. He didn't even need his own strength—he just turned my attack against me. I… I lost like a fool."

Shaking off the haze of shock, he began shaking his teammates awake. "Get up! All of you, get up!" His voice was sharp, almost panicked. One by one, the others groaned and stirred. As their eyes opened, the grim reality of their defeat settled into their expressions.

The brown-haired man struggled to his feet, swaying as he surveyed the area. "Where's the commander? And… where's the Celestial Dragon?" His gaze moved frantically until it stopped, his eyes widening in horror. His knees buckled, and he collapsed back onto the ground.

The others, startled by his reaction, followed his gaze and froze. The sight before them was ghastly. The Celestial Dragon, the man they were sworn to protect, lay in a pool of blood, his ornate garments soaked through. Hours had passed since his death, the grisly scene unmistakable.

"What… what do we do now?" one of them whispered, his voice cracking.

Another member, a woman with short blond hair, clenched her fists. "He killed a Celestial Dragon. That's a crime against the world itself. What kind of person does that?!" Her voice was filled with both fear and disbelief.

The brown-haired man buried his face in his hands. "It doesn't matter what kind of person he is. What matters is what happens to us. We were supposed to protect him… and we failed."

One of them, a tall man with glasses, pulled out a small Den Den Mushi from his tattered pocket. "We have to report this to the Gorosei. If we spin it right, they might spare us… but the commander? She abandoned us and took the ship. We'll make sure they know it was her failure."

As the Den Den Mushi began to ring, the mood in the crater grew darker, fear gripping the hearts of the Cipher Pol agents.

Meanwhile, aboard the Cipher Pol Six ship, Nargis, their commander, lay on her back, her raven-black hair spilling over the edge of the makeshift bed. Her shoulder was tightly bandaged, fresh white cloth stark against the deep blue of her tattered uniform. Elizabeth knelt beside her, her long green-tinted hair swaying as she tightened the dressing.

Nargis let out a strained chuckle, her black eyes watching Elizabeth work. "How did it come to this? I was about to sell you into slavery, and now here you are, patching me up. Do you enjoy irony, girl?"

Elizabeth didn't flinch. Her serene blue eyes met Nargis's. "No. But I can't let you bleed out, either. No one deserves that." Her voice was calm, resolute. "I don't forgive you for what you tried to do. But if you die here, what's the point?"

Nargis's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You're a fool. That kind of mercy will haunt you."

Before Elizabeth could respond, footsteps approached. Meliodas stepped into view, his golden hair catching the dim light as he held a rolled-up newspaper. His green eyes scanned Nargis with measured calm. "How's her wound?" he asked Elizabeth, though his gaze stayed on Nargis.

"It's stable for now," Elizabeth replied softly.

Nargis turned her head slightly, her smirk fading. "You had the chance to kill me. Why didn't you take it?"

Meliodas sat on a nearby barrel, unfurling the newspaper as he spoke. "Killing you wouldn't have changed anything. The real threat wasn't you. It was the man you followed—the Celestial Dragon. Removing him was enough."

Nargis laughed weakly, but there was no humor in it. "You're deluded if you think that was enough. That man was a drop in the ocean. You've made an enemy of the World Government now. The kind of enemy that doesn't forget. Your days are numbered, boy."

Meliodas didn't react. He flipped a page of the paper and said casually, "If they're anything like the Celestial Dragon, I'll manage."

Elizabeth leaned closer to see the paper. "What are you reading?"

"Some nonsense about a pirate named Fire Fist Ace joining Whitebeard's crew." He frowned. "I've never seen him before. And I was with them just a few days ago."

Nargis raised an eyebrow. "It's true. He's new, but he's already making waves. A reckless one, by the sound of it."

Meliodas sighed. "If I'd stayed another week, I might've met him. Oh well."

Elizabeth tilted her head. "Did you want to meet him?"

"Not really," Meliodas replied, a faint smile on his lips. "Whitebeard treats all of us like family. But it's hard to feel connected to someone you've never met."

Nargis's dark eyes narrowed. "Family? Pirates like you talk about family? Spare me."

Meliodas turned his gaze to her, his smile vanishing. "At least I'd never abandon my crew and run."

The jab hit its mark. Nargis's expression darkened. "You know nothing about me or my choices. Don't pretend to understand."

Meliodas didn't respond. Instead, he turned to Elizabeth. "What's our heading?"

Before Elizabeth could answer, Nargis spoke. "We're going to Lilyflower Island. It's far, and the journey will take two months. If we want to survive, we'll need to ration everything."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Two months?!"

Meliodas looked at the cloudy horizon. "Guess I won't be seeing land for a while…"

The ship creaked as it began its journey, the vast ocean ahead promising danger, survival, and the unknown.

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