Chapter 12: The Piercing Power of Innocence
"I don't know how many of the small fry died, but the explosion guy was lucky. He's hanging onto the wreckage at the bow. Looks like he's still breathing. It's just the hand he used to throw bombs at me..." Ian hadn't even finished speaking.
Hina immediately ran toward the damaged bow section. Hanging from the broken steel keel was a man whose condition was unknown. He was undoubtedly the one who had just fought Ian! The man's body was soaked in blood, his left arm pinned within the jagged, broken steel. Though it was still called an arm, everything from the elbow down had been pulverized into a bloody mist.
For Ian, his previous attack hadn't used his full strength or peak Haki. After all, there were innocent children on board. Gladius's Fruit ability, "Full-Body Detonation," had helped him barely cling to life. The force of the explosion had partially offset the power of Ian's punch, preventing him from being killed instantly. Of course, Ian hadn't intended to kill him outright anyway. But the left arm, which had borne the brunt of the force, was completely useless!
Thump, thump, thump!
Thump, thump, thump!
Hina strode back to Ian, her steps heavy and forceful. She grabbed the front of his Marine uniform with both hands. "Why? Why would you attack a Warlord's subordinate?! Give Hina a reason! Was it just for fun?! You bastard! You reckless, unruly fool!" Hina's face was flushed red as she glared at Ian and shouted, "Hina admits your strength far exceeds her expectations! But even so, is that a reason for you to disobey orders and act on your own?! Do you have any idea how many innocent people will suffer for your reckless actions if you attack a Shichibukai?!"
As a Marine Headquarters Captain, from Hina's perspective, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were a force not to be provoked. So, her anger and outburst were understandable.
"You want a reason, huh? Come with me." Ian shook off Hina's grip and walked toward the sealed storage room at the ship's stern. Before launching his attack, he had confirmed the specific location where the children were held. During the fight, he had prevented the conflict from spreading to that area. The bow was shattered beyond recognition, but the stern storage room remained safe and intact.
Hina was utterly confused, not understanding what Ian was doing or where he was taking her. She had no choice but to follow him to the storage room.
CRASH!
Ian grabbed the iron lock on the door and, with a surge of strength, ripped the entire door off its hinges.
"This..." Upon seeing the scene inside, Hina was petrified, stunned into silence.
Pairs of eyes filled with fear and helplessness huddled together in the dark corners. The children, dressed in rags, clung to each other in small groups. In the cold, "caged" world, they sought a little warmth from one another. Sunlight streamed in, clearly illuminating the tear stains on their dirty, tender faces. The explosion outside had terrified them all. Even now, with the door open, none of the children dared to take that difficult step to see what was happening outside.
"Hey there, little ones. I'm Marine Jock Ian." Ian slowly crouched down, his voice becoming as gentle as a pleasant sea breeze. "From now on, you're safe. The bad guys have been driven away by your big brother here. Are you hungry? Come on out, big brother will take you to get something to eat! Marine food is delicious and plentiful!"
Soon, a slightly older boy mustered his courage and timidly peeked out. Then, he slowly crawled out. Once outside, he immediately hid behind Ian, his clear eyes warily scanning his surroundings. When the boy saw the Marine flag fluttering in the wind behind them and the majestic Marine warships, he finally couldn't hold back a loud "Waaah!"
"Waaah...!"
"The Marines! The real Marines are here to save us!"
"Woo... those pirates are gone... we... we don't have to go hungry anymore!"
"Everyone, you can come out now!"
As the first boy emerged, more and more children climbed out of their cages.
"Waaah! I thought we were going to die... Look! That's the most majestic ship on the sea!"
"The scary pirates are gone! We're free! We can go home!"
"Thank you, Marine big brother! Thank you so much! Waaah!"
"Sister, sister, can we go home now? Can we see Mom again?"
"Yes! It's over! The horrible nightmare is over! You have to remember big brother's face. He's a great hero!"
"..."
Bathed once more in the sunlight under the blue sky and white clouds, the children couldn't control their tears. At such a young age, they had experienced a terrifying nightmare. Now, only by hugging each other and crying their hearts out could they fully vent the fear that had accumulated in their hearts for days.
Among the group of children was a little girl, all alone. She looked only two or three years old. She rubbed her reddened eyes and ran clumsily over to Hina. She clumsily hugged Hina's legs and said in a soft, milky voice, "Thank you, Marine sister. You must have been as brave as Marine big brother, fighting off the bad guys for us. Everyone and I can all go home safely now, right? Marine sister... will you always protect us? Can you please not leave me in the sea?"
The innocent, naive words were like a sharp sword, piercing the softest part of Hina's heart. She crouched down. The stubbornness and anger faded from her eyes, replaced by pity and tenderness as she gently stroked the little girl's head.
Ian walked closer to Hina and said slowly, "If you really want to know why I attacked the Shichibukai's subordinates... Helping ordinary, weak people fight against evil pirates... Isn't that the very purpose of our Marines' existence on the sea? Captain Hina, I truly want to know, what is the justice you have always upheld? Is obediently following orders and mechanically adhering to the rules your justice? These vicious pirates... they never follow any rules!"
The series of soul-searching questions left Hina speechless. The reality was, what Hina had considered a "reckless interception" had saved dozens of young lives. At this moment, any excuse seemed pale and powerless.
Hina gently wiped the tears from the little girl's eyes. "Don't be afraid, little one. Sister Hina is a Marine. She will definitely protect you!"
A satisfied smile touched Ian's lips. It seems that as a new-generation Marine officer, Hina's conscience hasn't been completely erased by the system. She still holds onto the belief in justice in her heart.
What was even more gratifying was that, at the same time as the massive explosion had occurred, a prompt had sounded in his system. Ian called up the system messages again.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, on successfully defeating Gladius, 'Donquixote Family Cadre,' 'User of the Paramecia-type Pop-Pop Fruit'!]
[Reward Gained: 350 Enhancement Points!]
[Current Accumulated Points: 1750 Points!]
[Friendly Reminder: Every 1000 points can be used to...]
350 points!
Ian was particularly excited. Just an ordinary cadre was worth over 300 points! If it were one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea themselves, wouldn't my evolution be even faster!
Of course, that was something to consider after joining Headquarters. The most pressing matter now was how to report this conflict with a Warlord's crew to Marine Headquarters!