Gales walked forward step by step, like a black hawk descending to claim a life.
He grabbed Grubo by the collar, yanked him up, and drove another punch straight into his face.
"This one is for everything stolen from Kacha Island!"
Another punch followed.
"This one is for the civilians you beat and terrorized!"
Another.
"This one is for Buffon's father!"
Each blow landed solidly, carrying the terrifying strength of an Admiral. Grubo's face quickly swelled and bruised, his body going limp as he hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, unable even to beg for mercy.
Gales could have killed him instantly. With his level of power, even a burst of Conqueror's Haki would have been enough.
But he did not.
Because he had made a promise to Buffon.
With a final motion, he tossed Grubo to the ground like garbage.
Then he turned.
Outside the door, Marines had already gathered after hearing the commotion, yet none dared enter. Behind them, drawn by the noise, Ritter, Joy Boy, Buffon, and the others had arrived as well, peeking in from the doorway.
Gales' voice rang out sharply.
"Bind this scum. Every Marine involved in this incident will be detained."
Then he looked at Buffon.
The boy's eyes were already red, his body trembling with suppressed emotion.
Gales stepped aside, revealing Grubo's broken body on the floor.
"Buffon."
His voice carried both resolve and release.
"Come here. One of the men responsible for your father's death, for the disaster of Kacha Island, is right here."
He paused, then spoke with finality.
"Now go. Take your revenge. In your own way. For your father. For your home."
Buffon stared at the man on the ground.
All the hatred he had buried for so long erupted in that instant.
The strange black markings on his face lit up, glowing with intense light. He threw his head back and let out a low, inhuman roar. A wild, overwhelming energy surged from his body.
Roars answered him.
The beasts that had followed him felt their king's fury. One after another, they let out deafening cries that shook the entire base.
The once docile creatures transformed instantly into a terrifying army of killing intent. Their eyes locked onto Grubo, waiting only for a command.
A-Yang and A-Xing watched, stunned. The little brown bear they had been evenly matched with earlier now felt like something entirely different.
Ritter glanced at A-Yang and smirked.
"Feeling the gap now? Don't overthink it. His power just evolved. It's a special kind of ability. Just be happy for your friend."
Buffon raised a trembling hand and pointed at Grubo.
"Everyone… please… kill him!"
The command fell.
The beasts moved.
The massive horned bull charged first, its sharp horns lifting Grubo's body into the air. In the next moment, claws, fangs, and crushing force descended all at once.
The screams ended abruptly.
When it was over, nothing remained but blood and torn scraps.
The vengeance was complete.
But the red in Buffon's eyes did not fade.
His gaze shifted, filled with lingering hatred, toward the trembling Marines who had taken part in the crime.
They were accomplices.
They could not be forgiven.
"Everyone… destroy this place. Make them pay!"
The beasts stirred again, their killing intent rising.
And then a figure stepped forward.
Gales.
He spread his coat like black wings, placing himself firmly between Buffon and the terrified soldiers.
"Buffon. This ends here."
His voice was steady.
"Grubo was the main culprit. He is dead. But these soldiers acted under orders. They will face military trial. Their crimes will be judged, and punishment will follow accordingly. Imprisonment. Labor. Execution, if warranted."
He held Buffon's gaze.
"That is order. That is how justice must be carried out. You do not have the right to judge them based on your anger."
"Order?"
Buffon's voice broke.
"Your 'order' killed my father! Your system left us with nothing!"
A lazy voice drifted in from the side.
Ritter was sitting on a broken wall, legs swinging, his red eyes narrowed with a knowing smile.
"Kid… why bother with all that procedure?"
A faint crimson mist began to spread from him, silently covering the base.
"All you have to do is nod."
His voice softened, almost coaxing.
"Say the word, and I can make everyone involved… disappear. Instantly. Clean. Simple. That's real revenge."
His words were like a devil's whisper.
Direct. Tempting. Absolute.
They stood in stark contrast to Gales' insistence on law and order.
There was no easy way to judge which was higher or lower.
Gales' path upheld a fragile but necessary framework of justice. The world needed people like him, those who held the line even when it made them seem rigid.
Ritter's path spoke to raw human instinct. Revenge without restraint. Immediate. Satisfying. Consequences be damned.
From their own perspectives, neither was entirely wrong.
But Buffon was just a boy.
A boy who had lost everything.
He looked at Gales, at the apology hidden beneath his unwavering resolve.
Then he looked at Ritter, whose smile seemed to understand his pain all too well.
The fury in his eyes slowly faded.
In its place came exhaustion.
Clarity.
He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Gales.
"Admiral Gales… thank you."
"Thank you for finding my enemy… and giving me the chance to take revenge with my own hands."
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