Chapter 33: A Cruel Vacation.
—OoOoO—
“Oh, you don't bring your swords, Maki-chan?” Nami asked.
"No. Why?"
“I mean, it’s unusual to see a swordsman leaving their swords behind,” the orange-haired girl said.
“Well, first of all, I ain’t technically a swordsman,” Maki refuted the notion, “I’m quite comfortable fighting with any weapon, even my hands.”
The girl then crossed her arms over her chest while her left foot tapped gently on the floor of the ship, and her head looked up into the sky.
"Besides, Sabaody's a transit point for pirates from all over the oceans to cross over to the New World, right? So, I don't wanna attract attention that could cause conflict."
With the help of Camie and her friends, the Straw Hat Pirates had now docked at the Sabaody Archipelago, specifically Grove 41, without any major problems. To continue their journey, they needed to do several things first, such as coating their ship with a special resin produced only from the mangrove roots of Sabaody. And to do that, they need to find a specialised technician.
Though that was their current mission, being in an area that was a crossroads of world cultures like Sabaody, it would be a shame not to use the time they had to walk around and take in the sights.
“You have a bounty of eighty million on your head, though. Just because you don’t have your swords with you, I’m not sure that’s going to help,” Franky joined in the conversation.
"Does it really matter? I saw the list of people with the highest bounties in the world, and 78 million seems insignificant compared to them," the bespectacled girl replied.
“No, no, no. The most important thing is actually not just your bounty.”
The people then turned to the octopus man, who suddenly replied.
“What really matters is the collective value of your group, and your captain’s bounty on top of that,” the man continued, “The Straw Hat’s head alone is worth over a hundred million, and you also have Roronoa. Furthermore, considering that you’re at this level before reaching Sabaody, it’s no surprise that the Marines put you on their red list.”
The man then turned to look at Sanji and Robin, who were also standing not far from Maki.
"Besides the Straw Hats and Roronoa, who have bounties above one hundred million, this group also has three other people with bounties between 77 and 80 million. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you're marked before you even set foot here."
“The way you say this, it sounds like this will be the end of our journey,” Robin said with her trademark horror imagination.
Hearing that, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper immediately felt goosebumps. In an instant, the three of them were hugging each other and curled up together, as if it would protect them from whatever was being said. Their faces were tense, while the corners of their eyes seemed wet with a clear liquid from the anxiety that suddenly gripped their minds.
“Please, don't scare us as if they’ll catch and arrest us,” said the fawn.
The octopus man panicked immediately upon seeing their response.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anything,” he said with a sigh, his gaze returning to Maki. “What I meant to say is, your bounty may seem insignificant compared to the other monsters. However, eighty million is still quite something. So, it wouldn’t hurt to be extra cautious.”
“Thank you. But still, I don't wanna stand out too much and just enjoy this as a vacation.”
In the month and a half she'd been in this world, Maki could tell that the intensity of the battles she had endured was far greater than her days as a jujutsu sorcerer in Tokyo. No, she wasn't talking about quantity. Simply speaking, she had dealt with cursed spirits and curse users almost every day. However, aside from Geto Suguru, no one had truly made her risk her life as Enel and Stussy had.
The experience of facing those two, though frustrating, led her to a deeper understanding of her body. Maki spent hours almost every day simply training her body and honing her technique. However, sometimes she also wanted to take her life a little more slowly.
“You guys worry too much about her. If it’s Maki, I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Luffy said.
The straw hat boy didn't seem to have any intention of engaging for too long, as he immediately jumped from the ship to land.
“Alright! New island! New adventure!” he shouted.
—OoOoO—
The Straw Hats did share a strong sense of solidarity, but they also had unique habits. Upon arriving in a new location, they tend to scatter, following their own agendas, curiosities, or desires. Luffy usually went straight to searching for adventure or food, but Zoro often got lost. At the same time, the other members pursue their own agenda. In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for some to voluntarily stay on the ship and stand guard, not because there was treasure to protect, but because they simply weren't interested in travelling or were too lazy to leave.
And just like on normal days, even in Sabaody, they also scattered from each other.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to come with us, Maki-chan. I thought you were going with Luffy and the others,” Nami said.
The short-haired, orange-haired girl appeared to be riding a resin bubble powered by a motor. Sitting behind her were Robin, facing backwards with her right leg resting on her left, her chin resting on her hand, and Maki, sitting with her legs crossed.
“Why did you think I’d go with him in the first place?” asked the bespectacled girl.
“I mean, being close to Luffy always gives you a thrill, right? Don’t strong people always like that?”
Maki's head immediately turned to the girl riding the bubble vehicle.
“Do I really come across as someone who’s obsessed with a fight?”
“Nami isn’t wrong, though,” Robin joined in the conversation, “Strong people always have ambitions that make them challenge their limits. And generally, they always want to be the best at something.”
The dark green-haired girl in a ponytail glanced at Robin, who was sitting next to her. Speaking of ambition, the woman already knew what she wanted during their in-depth conversation on Skypiea. However, that was it. Among the Straw Hats, even though they knew she came from another world, no one had ever heard about her personal life other than Robin. And witnessing this conversation that had been so well-organised, she could tell what they, or in this case, Nami, wanted to hear directly from her.
Maki had no problem at all sharing her past with Nami, telling her what the orange-haired girl wanted to know.
"Wait. So, even though your family has noble blood, you're treated like a servant?" Nami asked, surprised after hearing the youngest girl's story.
While Maki admitted she was from a noble family, realising that many regions in the world have feudal government structures, Nami always thought she had an easy life. Furthermore, her family's status as sorcery practitioners and combatants against creatures called cursed spirits meant she did not particularly question why someone from a prominent family possessed such extraordinary combat abilities.
Moreover, even though Maki's way of speaking was quite blunt and her personality tended to be tomboyish, her table manners, her knowledge in several fields, and her way of thinking show that she was a well-educated person.
“So, where you come from, all children have the guaranteed right to an education, no matter how poor they are?” Nami asked again, her surprise still lingering.
Their own child being treated like a servant infuriated her. However, Nami still considered it quite normal, as it was common in any part of the world. However, hearing that every child in her world had the right to receive a general education, even to the level where they could understand the basic principles of physics and even the logic of basic economics, was honestly much more surprising. Because, even in her wildest imagination, she hadn’t expected such things to exist.
“I also found it hard to believe when I first heard it, and it made me really want to visit Maki’s world if possible,” Robin joked.
“Even if I wanted to invite you to come over to my place, I don’t know what consequences will befall you if you force your way across the universe,” Maki replied.
Meanwhile, Nami didn't seem too interested in the intermezzo and immediately asked the girl from another world a question.
“Speaking of which, if your family values power so much, why do they treat you like a servant? Are they that much stronger than you?”
“What my family seeks isn’t just power in the classic sense. They seek extraordinary jujutsu technique, the power of which can rewrite history,” the girl replied, “And as for them being stronger than me….”
Maki seemed to be hanging on her words as if she wasn't really sure what she wanted to convey.
“Like I always say, I wasn’t this strong back then, you know? But if I were now, I’d probably be able to crush them easily?”
Even though her attention remained focused on the road and the vehicle she was riding in, Nami glanced at the girl she was carrying with a sigh and a faint smile.
“And that’s why you left your home to seek strength, experience, and achievements so that you would have the legitimacy to become the next leader, and create a much more comfortable environment for your sister?”
Those words made her heart feel lighter. It was as if hearing them from someone else made her even more certain that her new resolution resonated more with her than her old ambitions.
“Yeah. Although I used to think becoming clan head was to prove my worth to those who had looked down on me, ever since Robin-san helped me sort out my thoughts, doing the things I truly want to do feels more in line with who I am than just following my empty ambitions.”
Nami absorbed every word the girl uttered, never taking her eyes off the road ahead. Even so, she couldn't believe that even someone as strong as Maki had her own problems. Sure, she said she wasn't as strong as she was now. However, she was certain that even at her weakest, Maki was still a decent fighter.
“Besides, I hardly ever have any female friends. Well, I do have a female junior, but because of the demands of our profession, I spend more time training than hanging out with her,” Maki continued, “That’s why I prefer spending time with you guys, probably because this is the first time I’ve had female friends.”
Nami and Robin smiled at the sincere words. The orange-haired girl even wanted to let go of the steering wheel and jump into a tight hug with Maki. However, she was still sane enough to refrain from such an impulsive action. Meanwhile, Robin had her own way of expressing herself. Using her abilities, she grew a pair of hands on Maki's back, which then stroked the top of her head and chin.
“Robin-san, could you please not treat me like I’m a child?” Maki said with a blush on her cheeks.
“Oh, really? But with our age difference, you're like a child to me.”
Maki wanted to swat away the prosthetic hands. However, because the prank's perpetrator was Robin, the person she respected most in the group, or even in the world, she could do nothing but accept the treatment with resignation.
“Alright, we’re here!” Nami exclaimed as she stopped the vehicle.
In front of them stood a large boutique that, according to locals, sold clothes from other places in various styles.
“I thought we were going to restock our supply first or something?” Maki asked.
“Well, Sanji-kun will do it later,” replied the orange-haired girl.
At this point, Maki felt a little sad and sorry for Sanji, and a little horrified at how Nami had so willingly exploited him. However, she couldn't comment on the man in question so readily declaring himself a love slave.
“I mean, haven’t we done enough shopping for clothes?” the bespectacled girl said, pointing to the shopping bags in the bubble, “Isn’t it time we tried some local cuisine or maybe go to restaurants that sell specialties from other regions?”
“Everything has its own order, Maki,” this time it was Robin’s turn to reply as she got out of the vehicle, “According to Hatchan, coating the ship with resin can take up to several days. So, we have plenty of time for culinary exploration. However, clothing isn’t something that can be easily restocked. Once an item in the catalog runs out, we might have to wait a month for the next batch.”
Maki didn't understand the logic of this shopping. If an item is no longer available in the catalogue, just buy another one. It should be that simple. However, because she didn't understand that, she decided to give in and follow them to understand how such people think. And admittedly, it was because of this that she discovered a rather unique shop.
A clothing store that also offered dry cleaning services, allowing newly purchased clothes to be immediately cleansed of the store's scents and worn immediately. This service was especially helpful for Maki, who still borrows Nami's clothes for everyday wear.
That was why, even though she had worn her Jujutsu High uniform before leaving, she now changed into a black long-sleeved turtleneck blouse. She also wore white jeans to cover her legs.
—OoOoO—
“Let's hope the New World isn't as boring as Paradise. People said this is a dangerous ocean, but all I’ve got were nothing but disgusting slobber.”
A large, muscular man with crew-cut hair walked through the crowd at Sabaody. His muscular build made him stand out from the crowd rather than blend into the background. Furthermore, a pair of small, white wings on his back further emphasised his distinct identity.
Behind the man, several people followed in an orderly group. None of them was intentionally threatening, but their presence nonetheless attracted attention. Whether it was the man's aura or the long-standing rumours surrounding him, bystanders instinctively moved aside and made way for the group as they passed.
However, the man's attention wasn't focused on the crowd avoiding him. Instead, his gaze fell on a girl chatting casually with her friends, amidst the faint whispers of sneakers he could faintly hear. Unlike most of the people around her, the girl seemed completely unfazed by his presence.
“Oh, there are some famous faces here.”
The man walked toward the three girls with a wide, almost maniacal smile on his face. A moment later, the girl with dark green hair tied in a ponytail and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose turned toward him. Her reaction was immediately followed by her two friends.
Upon realising his presence, the short, orange-haired girl immediately cowered in fear and hid behind her friend's back. In contrast, the dark-haired hair remained calm. Her gaze was fixed on the man, showing no signs of trepidation.
“Is this a fate? I, who descended from the heavens, met someone nicknamed the Demon of the Sixth Heaven,” his gaze then turned to the woman with long black hair, “And the famous Devil Child, of course. Though, your existence doesn’t seem as impressive as what people say, that you have the power to throw the world into chaos.”
Demon of the Sixth Heaven, the epithet bestowed upon Maki by the World Government. However, the girl seemed unconcerned by the arrival of the uninvited guest.
“Do you have any business with me, Mad Monk, Urouge?” the girl asked coldly.
The grin plastered on the man's face seemed to widen and made him look even more intimidating.
"I heard there were a lot of super-rockies docking on this island, but I couldn't find one. Don't you understand how excited I was to see you?" the man replied excitedly.
To which, Maki immediately gave him a cold look with a disgusted expression.
“Gross,” the girl cursed reflexively.
Even though she knew that wasn't what the man meant, Maki couldn't help it when he said it with diction that really made her want to vomit.
"If you're looking for people on your level, go to the amusement park or wander around the islands. You'll eventually find our captain and vice-captain."
That was a bit surprising. Even though Maki enjoyed fighting, she was never one to stir up trouble or do anything provocative. If anything, Luffy and Zoro fit that bill perfectly. But when things like this happen, why was she the one who got the brunt of it?
“Sorry, I’m off today. Let’s go, guys,” the girl simply turned around, ignoring the man.
Nami and Robin glanced at each other for a moment before finally following Maki. However, Urouge certainly wouldn't be satisfied if their encounter ended without any fighting spirit. Fortunately, he understood what he could do to lure someone like Maki into accepting his challenge.
With a sinister grin on his face, Urouge launched a punch at the girl from behind. However, his target wasn't the one he intended to fight, but the weakest of the three. And as he expected, Maki seemed to notice as her eyes darted sharply behind her.
'You can't dodge because this blow wasn't meant for you to begin with. Your only choice is to block it or your friend's head will be crushed.'
It was the perfect provocation to force someone into a fight. Unfortunately, as someone who had never met Maki in person, Urouge apparently underestimated Maki's perceptive abilities and speed.
“Kyaa!!!”
Nami screamed, but not because of the man's punch. No, she didn't even realise she was being targeted. The scream came when Maki suddenly picked her up on her right shoulder and carried her up into the sky with her Skywalk ability.
“Maki-chan, what—.”
“It seems that man was about to attack you to provoke a fight,” Robin cut her off.
Nami turned her head, staring at the black-haired woman Maki was also carrying on the other side. She then shifted her gaze down to the figure who was looking up with a confused expression. Meanwhile, she was also somewhat surprised to see Robin, who was quite adept at carrying their purchases using her artificial arms, which dangled from each other like a rope.
“You really don’t want to face him, Maki-chan?” the orange-haired girl asked.
"Why should I? I don't wanna ruin my day off with some insignificant piece of shit," the girl said, kicking the air several times to maintain her aerial manoeuvre.
As a sailor, Maki had learned one invaluable lesson. Her daily life was almost always spent at sea. To her, even the land, filled with nothing but wilderness, was a paradise she might only visit a few times a month. And she didn't want to ruin her first day with a silly, agenda-less fight.
However, it seemed this wish wouldn’t be granted, as her eyes caught sight of several groups of flying fish riders in the distance, speeding along at full speed.
“What are they doing here? Shouldn’t they with Luffy and the others?” the bespectacled girl muttered.
Nami and Robin were a little confused by these words, but their questions were quickly answered when they passed the riders. Maki then flipped mid-air and sped through the group.
“Brook and Chopper?!” Nami shouted in surprise.
“I’m glad to see you guys here. It really saves us some time,” he replied with a stiff expression.
Unusually, the living skeletons didn't bother with small talk, only returning the greeting with a friendly greeting, and immediately discussed their reasons for being with the group of flying fish riders.
“We still don't know the details, but it appears Camie has been kidnapped.”
These words made the three girls' eyes widen. Just moments ago, they had been discussing the dark side of the Sabaody Archipelago. And now, such things were happening right in their inner circle, as if to suggest that the kidnapping and enslavement of those underwater peoples was the norm.
—OoOoO—
After receiving information from Sanji about a flyer for a slave auction, they gather here along with Hatchan and Pappag. It was a large, sturdy-looking building with a unique exterior design, located on the edge of the bay in Grove 1.
“The others have arrived too,” Nami muttered as she saw Sanji and Franky running from a distance.
Meanwhile, Maki stared at a man who had just given Brook a ride.
“You, can you go to our ship and get my swords?”
“Eh? But aren’t they….,” the man seemed to answer hesitantly.
However, Maki understood what her interlocutor was trying to convey. After all, those swords were no ordinary weapons. Ganesha, formerly known as Funkfreed while still in Spandam's possession, was literally a living sword forged from a zoan-type devil fruit. Meanwhile, Shusui was a katana that housed the soul of Sakamoto Ryouma, or in this world, Shimotsuki Ryuma.
By the standards of jujutsu sorcery, the two swords would be more accurately described as cursed objects, possessing a will of their own. Ordinary humans would be unable to resist their will.
"I've tied them with a rope, and told Ganesha that if anyone takes them through the rope, it means they came on my orders. So, you'll be fine," Maki said.
Those words didn't lift any doubts in the man's mind. However, considering their gang's debt of gratitude to the Straw Hats and their hierarchy, he was in no position to refuse such an order.
“Uh…, okay. I understand,” the man replied.
Thinking that was the only order he had to carry out, suddenly, a woman joined the conversation with her soft voice.
“If you want to go back to the ship, can you take our shopping with you?” Robin asked with several shopping bags lying on the ground.
To which the poor man could only sigh in resignation.
“Of course, madam.”
"Ufufu... Thank you," replied Robin with an intoxicating smile.
With the man gone, Sanji and Franky joined the team, leaving only two people from their group still to arrive.
"What are we going to do? Should we invade this place and take Camie-chan back by force?" asked the blonde man.
“That wouldn't do,” Brook quickly replied, “We saw someone wearing a slave collar, and it seems to have a self-detonating feature if opened by force.”
Sanji clenched his fists with his curly brows furrowing even more as he heard the explanation.
“So, there’s no other way than buying it legally?” the guy muttered.
A sigh escaped Nami's mouth.
“Then there’s nothing left to ask, right? We’re going all out in this auction.”
—OoOoO—
Maki had never been to an auction house. When she heard the word, she thought of scenes typically seen in medieval dramas. However, that didn't mean she had never bid on one. While she had never been in person, modern auctions were increasingly conducted online. Furthermore, for the jujutsu community, auctions were often held anonymously using secret servers.
In fact, many of Maki's weapon collections came from these auctions.
Therefore, when she first set foot inside the building, she was quite amazed by the sweaty atmosphere, which radiated from the auction participants, and could be felt quite clearly even without Kenbunshoku Haki active.
"I hate myself for being so mesmerised and almost getting carried away even though I knew this is a human trafficking den,” Maki muttered, biting her lower lip tightly.
"Please, don't worry about it. Moreover, since you admitted it and reflected on your feelings, I understand you meant no harm," Hatchan replied.
Despite getting such an understanding reply, it still left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Instead of worrying about those things, it would be better if we focused on the event,” Robin, who was standing next to him, said quietly.
Maki merely glanced at the woman for a moment without responding. As one of the group's heavy hitters, she knew her role in this situation. Although Nami was confident in redeeming Camie using the treasure they looted from Thriller Bark, no one knew what could happen during the auction.
"From the attire of the people here, it seems they're all high-profile individuals. Besides, they're not the only ones worth paying attention to," the bespectacled girl thought.
The human auction opened with the host introducing a pirate, whom he claimed to be quite famous. However, Maki paid little attention to the proceedings, her eyes busy scanning the room repeatedly to ensure she hadn't missed any details.
'Rather than those people, I'm more worried about the fact that the Kid Pirates and Trafalgar Law's group are also in this place.'
Her attention fell on the figures sitting on seats not far from where she was standing, whose faces and news about them often became the headlines on the first page of the newspaper she always read every morning.
'Though, maybe with them around and the commotion, it’ld actually be to our advantage if the plan to buy Camie failed.'
Maki's eyebrows then twitched slightly as her perception caught the presence of a rather familiar figure.
“It’s her. She’s next,” the girl chirped.
And Chopper, who was in his humanoid form, immediately turned to Maki.
“Eh? So soon? We’re just started, right?”
“Maybe because the pirate committed suicide by biting his own tongue, they immediately took out one of the best items they had to keep the hype of the event going,” Sanji replied while exhaling smoke from his cigarette.
And as expected, when the curtain hiding Camie was opened, a collar appeared to be restraining the short, green-haired mermaid's neck. At first glance, it looked like a regular steel restraint. There was no sign of it having any strange features or anything like that. However, who would have thought that the collar could explode the wearer's head if forcibly removed?
"Hidden deep at the bottom of the sacred sea. From Fish-man Island, comes Camie the mermaid!!"
The hall erupted in cheers from the auctioneers as the host announced the next item for auction. However, the cries of awe and lust when they discovered the mermaid was a young girl made the three women in the Straw Hats clench their fists.
“Fuck it. I'll take her back. We have two hundred million in cash,” Nami said in a low voice filled with anger.
Two hundred million was a massive number. Not many people would be willing to spend that much money on a single-use slave. However, that logic applied only to normal humans living on the surface, not to the rulers of the world who reside in heaven.
“Five hundred million!!” a loud shout echoed through the auction room, “I’ll give you five hundred million right now for that young mermaid!”
The entire Straw Hat Pirates and their allies were immediately stunned, their mouths agape as a man made such a fantastic offer. Nami, in particular, stared in horror at the strangely dressed man, his head protected by a clear helmet.
“Five hundred… million? Where are we going to get that much money?” the orange-haired girl muttered in a desperate tone.
Maki glanced at Nami, but her gaze immediately returned to the stage.
“If we don’t have that much money, then we’ll take Camie by force. We need some chaos.”
Just moments ago, Maki declared that today would be her day off and that she would spend her free time exploring Sabaody. However, not even an hour had passed, and she was already preparing herself for another mess.
"But, how are we going to do it? Do we scream like crazy or something, then take advantage of the situation to kidnap Camie?" Chopper whispered.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Ussop retorted, "If we create chaos without a specific target, they’ll just take Camie away, or worse, we won't know where they’ll take her.”
"And we do not know what could trigger the collar. One small mistake, and we might end up blowing her head off," Robin added dryly.
Meanwhile, after finishing his cigarette, Sanji appeared to have another one in his mouth. With a lighter ready to light it, he voiced his opinion first.
“The best way to do that is to target the highest profile person, and change their priorities to keep that person from getting hurt and prevent anyone from leaving this place for questioning.”
A specialist in causing trouble and chaos. Frankly, there was one person in their group who perfectly suited that role. However, they had no idea where or when that figure would join. Or at least, that's what Maki thought before her Kenbunshoku Haki caught a familiar presence approaching from the air.
It didn't take long for the roof of the auction house to be destroyed, broken through by a flying fish rider carrying two super rookies who were also recently called Supernovas.
“Luffy! Zoro!” Nami exclaimed.
“Oh, you guys are here,” the guy replied.
However, Luffy didn't seem to mind his friends' presence much. Or rather, he wasn't particularly surprised to see them arrive first. Besides, his current objective was limited to one thing.
“Anyway, Camie….”
The boy turned around and looked at the stage, seeing a familiar mermaid trapped in an aquarium. The sight immediately sparked a bulging vein in Luffy's temples and neck, while Zoro remained calm.
"Camie! What the hell are you doing?!"
The boy was about to run and charge onto the stage. However, Hatchan swiftly grabbed him. However, due to Luffy's monstrous strength, he unknowingly exposed his entire arm, revealing his true identity as an octopus man.
“Straw Hat! What are you doing? Don’t be reckless, it could end up in danger!” the man exclaimed.
“Kyaaa!!”
Instead of a reply from Luffy, he got a scream from the auction house visitors.
“Why is a fishman here?!”
Hearing a scream followed by a roar of fear mixed with disgust, Hatchan could only put on a nervous face and trembling legs after realising that his hands had accidentally slipped out of the cloak that covered them when he was about to stop Luffy. Because of his surprise, his grip on the boy also broke, allowing him to continue running even though this time the guards were trying to stop him.
“You lowly creature,” muttered a man amidst the commotion.
With a disgusted expression, the eccentrically dressed man, whose clear glass helmet covered his head, pulled out a rifle. Without hesitation, he aimed the muzzle at Hatchan and prepared to pull the trigger. However, before he could fire, a knee shot from a direction not far from the top of the stands. The force of the impact shattered his helmet into pieces before the knee landed squarely on the bridge of his nose.
The man was immediately thrown back and slammed into the chairs, making a loud thud. Everyone in the room gasped at what they had just witnessed.
“Maki!” Luffy shouted happily.
Meanwhile, some of the pirates there looked at the girl with excitement, but most stared in horror.
“Maki-chan…, you just kicked a Celestial Dragon, don’t you realise?” Nami asked in a trembling voice.
“I mean, that guy was going to shoot Hatchan, you know?” the girl replied casually, “Besides, isn’t that loser the perfect target to start a chaos?”
Maki then stared at the so-called Celestial Dragon fragment. he lay on his back in a miserable position. His body slumped against the shattered benches from the impact. His nasal bone appeared shattered, and his eyes were completely white, even though Maki had made sure not to hit him too hard.
Meanwhile, the entire unit of soldiers guarding the noble, along with the building's security, immediately surrounded Maki, all their weapons pointed at her.
“This way, we get all the attention, right?” the girl said nonchalantly.
Meanwhile, a woman dressed similarly to the man she had just knocked down glared at Maki with such anger that her face turned red. She immediately aimed a rifle at the girl. However, before she could pull the trigger, a blow from an elastic sleeve shattered her helmet and struck her in the face, knocking out her teeth one by one.
“I don't know the details….”
All eyes immediately turned to the owner of the voice, who was also the perpetrator of the beating.
“But in situations like this, violence is always the answer, right, Maki?”
—To Be Continued—
Author Note: Hello guys, glad to see you again. I hope God blesses you and you're doing well, whatever it is.
There's nothing I want to say because this chapter is it is what it is. So, I hope you enjoy this one. and see you in the next two weeks. Anyway, I already reposted my fics on AO3 under the same pen name. I'll make an announcement on a separate post later. But if you read this, please take a look there. Thank you so much, and please stay safe. see you!!