[The Harbor: The Melting Ice Cream]
The afternoon heat was still heavy over the Island of Chefs, but a sudden, unnatural chill seemed to sweep across the docks. Faramis stood frozen, his eyes wide behind his goggles. The ice cream he had been enjoying was now a sticky, colorful puddle at his feet. Out in the bay, the golden sunset was being blotted out by seven iron-clad nightmares.
"What are they doing here?" Faramis whispered, his voice trembling as he dropped his bags of books. "And not also one ship... there are seven of them. What will happen to us?"
Out in the bay, seven massive Vice-Commander ships were anchored in a perfect blockade. The blockade was iron-clad, and the symbol on their sails wasn't the standard sea-anchor—it was the mark of the EDEN Government.
Faramis watched as small transport boats lowered from the dreadnoughts. "Where are they going? Looks like they didn't notice our ship. They are going on a restaurant. I should find Ato and other's and leave. They are going on the restaurant called 'The Iron Oven'."
Faramis didn't waste another second. He turned and sprinted toward the city, his heart hammering against his ribs.
[The Iron Oven: The Commanders Arrive]
Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere was a mix of clinking silverware and happy chatter. Ato and Lemon were standing in the corner of the massive dining hall. Ato was still picking at some leftovers, but Lemon was unusually quiet. Suddenly, the heavy front doors were kicked open.
A group of people walked in. They weren't dressed like tourists or local chefs. They wore the long, imposing EDEN coats, white with gold trim and the high collars that marked them as elite officials.
Ato: "Huh, who are they?"
Lemon's face went ghost-white. He recognized the coats immediately. He reached out and grabbed Ato's arm, his grip tight and urgent.
Lemon: "Ato please tell me whatever they do you will keep quiet and stand here. Ok?"
Ato: "Huh what do you mean?"
Before Lemon could answer, the commander at the front of the group spoke. His voice was deep and carried a terrifying weight that silenced the entire room.
??????: "The head chef of this restaurant and the retired cook of the pirate king come here."
The diners began whispering in terror. "The Pirate King's cook? Here?"
??????: "I'm Raiden, EDEN's vice commander. Here is another vice commander Zen. There are more like Kaine, Sora, Jiro, Rina, Goro. Now come here cook jacob."
Jacob walked calmly from the kitchen. He didn't look afraid; he looked like a man who had been expecting this day for a long time. He stood in front of Raiden, his brass prosthetic arm glinting under the chandeliers.
Jacob: "What do you want? Vice commander."
Raiden: "We got the report that for money you are feeding food to many pirates. Why? Why would you feed those criminals?"
Jacob: "My food? No our food is not only for rich people it's for everyone. If someone is hungry, we will feed them free."
Raiden: "Even pirates?"
Jacob: "Even pirates!"
Raiden's eyes turned cold. "Your food you say."
Raiden looked at a nearby table. A fresh plate of food was sitting there. With a slow, disrespectful motion, Raiden throwed the food on the ground and started kicking it, grinding the meal into the dirt.
Faramis was slowly peeking through the door from the street. He saw the seven commanders in their long EDEN coats, and his eyes found Ato and Lemon in the corner.
Faramis: "What are they doing here?"
Back inside, Raiden stopped kicking the food and walked toward Jacob. When he got close, he delivered a brutal kick to Jacob's chest. Jacob fell down, gasping for air.
Jacob: "You bastard."
Raiden was going to kick jacob again when Manjo suddenly rushed out from the kitchen. She stood over her father, her one good eye burning with rage.
Manjo: "Oi stop it or else you are going to die."
Raiden: "Who is she?"
Manjo: "I'm that old man's daughter."
Raiden: "Hmmmmm."
Jacob: "Manjo go back."
Manjo: "No!"
Raiden looked at the girl and smiled a cruel, thin smile. "Ok I'll leave your father but you have to come with me. Ok?"
Manjo: "Huh?"
Jacob: "You bas—"
Ato: "Oi she's not going with you she will be my cook."
Raiden: "Huh you are also pirate—"
Ato: "Yes."
Lemon: "Oi—"
Ato ignored Lemon. He started walking toward the food Raiden had crushed. He reached down, picked up a piece of the dirt-covered meal, and started eating it.
Ato: "And what if I'm a pirate atleast I have respect for food."
Raiden: "Are you messing with me?"
Ato reached Raiden and looked at his eyes.
Ato: "Why did you kick that old man?"
Raiden: "Because it's my own will."
Ato: "Kicking people what do you take people for!"
Ato didn't wait. He drew back his fist and punched Raiden with 'Black Bullet'. The impact sounded like a cannon blast, but Raiden didn't even flinch. He absorbed the hit as if it were a fly.
Raiden: "Do you know how hard you punched me? This much hard."
Raiden launched a punch of his own. The force was astronomical. Ato flew outside breaking the walls of the restaurant, skidding across the street.
Lemon: "Oi what did you do to our captain."
Lemon jumped toward Raiden, his hands glowing with dark energy.
Lemon: "Hakai Kokuhai: Midnight Anchor"
The attack hitted raiden directly, but Raiden didn't flinch again.
Raiden: "Huh weak."
He kicked lemon to the ground with a sickening thud. Faramis, seeing his friends defeated, finally walked in. He pointed his gun and shooted towards raiden, but Raiden moved with impossible speed.
Raiden: "Palm Wrath."
The shockwave from Raiden's palm was powerful. It launched faramis through the air and onto a tree in the plaza outside.
Raiden: "You guys are weak. Huh."
Raiden looked back. Jacob was trying to get up and kick him, but Raiden dodged and send jacob flying too. The restaurant was in ruins. Everyone were stunned, and Manjo was shaking.
Manjo: "Even the old man was out in a single blow."
Raiden: "Now if you don't come with us we are burning this entire place—"
Manjo: "Ok im coming with you."
Raiden: "Take her and tell everyone that this place is closed."
Sora, the girl commander, stepped forward.
Sora: "Come with me."
Manjo quietly walked out. Jacob groggily opened his eyes, watching his daughter leave.
Jacob: "Man...Manjo."
The EDEN troops were taking her to the ship. They walked past the spot where Ato had fainted in the dirt. Suddenly, from the back, Ato stood up. He was bleeding and swaying, but his eyes were locked on her.
Ato: "Oi manjo."
The commanders stopped, looking back at the boy who refused to stay down.
Ato: "I'll get you back and the food was tasty i know you made that because it was delicious."
Manjo began crying harder, her shoulders shaking. She whispered in her mind: Sorry for dragging you all.
[The Harbor: The Demon's Move]
Down at the harbor, the seven EDEN ships were departing one by one, their massive anchors rising. Manjo was led onto the same ship as Raiden.
Suddenly, from a black alley near the docks, a man appeared. He was drinking a beer, walking slowly toward the water.
????: "So she was the cook ato mentioned."
It was Kojo. He threw his empty bottle on the ground, the glass shattering against the stone. As the last ship was about to depart, Kojo leaped into the air. He cleared the massive gap and jumped on the back of the ship.
Kojo: "No one should be here because everyone should be eating their dinner right now. It should make things easy."
He climbed onto the top of the boat, crouching low in the shadows. He looked out at the six other ships ahead of him.
Kojo: "So seven commanders got into seven ships and there are also seven ships i should make things quick."
His hand moved to his sword. The hunt had begun.