However—
In that split second of life and death—
Woof!
A cheerful bark suddenly came from behind.
Before Iceburg and Franky could take a step, it felt like a tank had rammed straight into their backs. Caught completely off guard, the two of them were sent sprawling face-first to the ground.
What the—?
Enduring the ache in their spines, they raised their heads in confusion.
What they saw was a massive, snow-white, fluffy dog, larger than an elephant, squatting proudly in front of Nao, tongue lolling out, tail wagging wildly as if seeking praise.
That's… Vice Admiral Nao's pet?
How can it be this huge…?
Suppressing their shock, the two immediately looked toward Nao—and froze.
Because in the short delay caused by Sadaharu's sudden appearance, Nao had already picked up the parchment and was casually flipping through it.
Boom!
It was like thunder exploding overhead.
Iceburg and Franky's pupils shrank tight, their faces draining of all color.
No more chances…
If he hadn't looked yet, they could have snatched it back, laughed it off, and made up some excuse about "important Sea Train blueprints not meant for outsiders." Maybe—just maybe—they could have muddled through.
But once he had actually read it…
And the title on that parchment was written in bold, unmistakable letters: Pluton Design Draft!
"Damn it!"
Iceburg clenched his teeth, slamming the ground with his fist. "Still one step too late… he saw it…"
Guilt and frustration churned inside him. Just imagining Tom-sensei's expression when he learned the Pluton blueprints had been lost made Iceburg want to crawl into a hole and never come out.
"Iceburg…" Franky's voice came shakily from the side. "Something's… off about this."
"Huh?"
Iceburg blinked and lifted his head—only to see Nao glance over the blueprint just a few times, then casually roll it back up, tuck it into the iron box, and toss it back to them.
At the same time, Nao turned his attention entirely to the big white dog still prancing proudly before him.
"Hm? The residents in the east district are already all evacuated?"
"Oh, so that area was mostly just factories for stockpiling steel and timber, huh? Not many people. No wonder you and Koro were faster than me."
"Well, guess things aren't quite as bad as I thought."
With mild surprise, Nao rubbed the dog's head vigorously, smiling. "Good job. In that case, head over to the west side. Bellemere and Shia can't keep up—go give them a hand."
Woof~!
Thrilled by his master's praise, Sadaharu wagged his tail, rubbed his head affectionately against Nao's chest, then spun around and bolted toward the west at full speed.
Only then did Nao finally turn back toward Iceburg and Franky, who were clutching the iron box, staring at him in stunned disbelief.
"Y-you… you…"
Iceburg—usually so steady and composed—was stammering. "You just… just gave it back to us?"
"Why so shocked?" Nao shrugged. "Didn't it fall out of your coat? Returning it to the owner is only natural, isn't it?"
"B-but this is…"
Iceburg's brain short-circuited, words failing him.
Finally Franky couldn't hold it in. Gritting his teeth, he all but roared the rest of the sentence: "This is the design blueprint of Pluton! You clearly saw it!"
"Yeah, I saw it." Nao gave him a puzzled look. "And? What does that have to do with me giving it back to you?"
Huh?
Now it was Franky's turn to be completely dumbfounded, at a loss for words.
"Don't underestimate me, kid…"
Nao lightly smacked him on the head with a scolding tone. "Those so-called ancient weapons—no matter how powerful they sound—they're just external things. Maybe they're tempting for the weak who crave power, but don't lump me in with people like that…"
"But… what about the World Government…"
Iceburg's eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Before handing over the Pluton blueprints, Tom-sensei had warned him very seriously: what the World Government valued most were the ancient weapons. They had been searching everywhere for traces of them, and the ones he had to be most cautious of—the ones he had to guard against the most—were agents of the World Government.
"Who said being in the Marine means acting according to the World Government's will?"
As if reading his thoughts, Nao gave a derisive snort, then spoke carelessly: "Alright, take care of yourselves. I've got my hands full—don't have time to linger around here."
Waving his hand, he leapt off the rooftop, heading straight for the districts closer to the shore.
That left Iceburg and Franky staring blankly at his retreating figure, dazed for a long time, unable to snap out of it.
———
From just after five in the morning until late at night—
The assault of the "Aqua Laguna" never ceased, each massive wave larger than the last.
And Nao and the others never once stopped their relief efforts. After a full day of battling disaster, he alone had saved over five thousand civilians along the coastal regions with his own hands.
If you counted those indirectly rescued, that number easily more than doubled.
Among the countless saved, many recognized Nao.
So, before noon had even arrived, word had already spread like wildfire through the central districts: Vice Admiral Nao of Marine Headquarters was personally leading rescue efforts on the front lines with his family by his side.
When the survivors learned who their benefactor was, their hearts overflowed with gratitude. Believers of the sea gods, they pressed their palms together, tears streaming down their faces as they offered prayers, wishing for Nao and his companions' safe return.
Meanwhile, some local adventurers and bounty hunters, ashamed of their inaction, had their fighting spirit stirred and joined the rescue efforts at the city's outskirts.
Even some pirates who had only been passing through weren't an exception…
The power of example, after all, is often limitless.
Finally—
At dawn the next day, the "Aqua Laguna" that had ravaged the city for a full day and night at last began to fade. Though the winds still howled, the sea surface was gradually calming back into tranquility.
Thanks to Nao's leadership, and the tireless efforts of the whole city, this sudden and devastating natural disaster that had caught everyone off guard spared the vast majority of coastal residents—casualties were kept to a minimum.
But even then, the people didn't immediately return to their homes.
Because someone had gotten word of which hotel Nao and his group were staying in—and word also spread that Vice Admiral Nao was already on his way back there.
Once that news was out, how could anyone sit still?
Grateful citizens poured out from every street and alley of the city, rushing toward the hotel with all kinds of gifts in hand.