章節 133: Kidnapped
The merry atmosphere that had surrounded Jack and his crew as they returned from the cave disappeared in an instant. The smell of smoke and ash filled the air, a grim prelude to the horror they found awaiting them. Amelia, Isabella, Sophie, Liana, Luna, and Olvia quickly took the children away, sparing them the sight of what lay ahead.
Jack's eyes, which moments ago had reflected the tranquil blue of a calm sea, now roiled like a storm-tossed ocean. The village was aflame, structures reduced to smoldering rubble, embers dancing in the wind like fallen stars. There were bodies, too many to count at a glance. Ponis, Titi, Shakky, and Otohime stayed close, their faces tightened with urgency. The absence of children among the dead was a minuscule comfort; they had likely been taken, not killed.
Making his way through the devastation, Jack found a warrior propped against the charred remnants of what used to be a house. The man was bloodied, on the brink of death, but his eyes burned with a final message.
"Who did this?" Jack's voice was a low rumble, barely rising above the crackling of nearby flames.
The air was thick with acrid smoke, cutting through the silence like the screams that had come before it. Embers floated through the air, briefly illuminating the scorched remains of what used to be a thriving village. Jack's eyes flickered, stormy and turbulent, a mirror of the burning ruins around him.
Ponis, Titi, Shakky, and Otohime remained close, eyes sharp, faces set in grim lines of urgency. No one spoke; the destruction before them had rendered words insignificant.
Jack's gaze fell on a warrior, his body slumped against a charred wall. Blood stained the man's clothes, and he looked like he was barely clinging to life, but his eyes met Jack's with a spark of defiance, a glimmer of purpose.
"Who did this?" Jack's voice was a guttural growl, nearly lost among the crackle of dying fires.
The warrior coughed, struggling for each word. "It happened so fast. Men in strange clothes... nothing recognizable. One could float, but not like us—Devil Fruit powers. They took the children... killed everyone else. Vivre Cards, they took those too."
Jack's fists clenched. Lysa had just explained a few days ago that they would be creating Vivre Cards for every tribe member as a safety measure. Whoever did this knew that.
Shaking, the dying warrior reached into a pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper. "This is Adam's," he rasped, handing it over to Lysa. "Save my son." With that final plea, his eyes glazed over, life fleeing his body.
Lysa clutched Adam's Vivre Card, tears escaping her eyes as she tucked it safely away. The warrior had likely hidden it, keeping it separate, a last act of defiance and hope.
Jack looked around at his crew; their faces were a mask of shared determination. There was no question about what they would do next.
Jack walked over to Amelia and the others, his eyes revealing more than any words could. "Go to Bead's Space. Keep everyone safe," he ordered. Amelia, catching the urgency in his look, nodded without a word. One by one, the rest of the crew and their families vanished, leaving only Jack and Lysa behind.
Lysa's eyes were filled with grief but also resilience. He pulled a pair pickaxe and a shovel from Bead's Space. Jack led the way to the village cemetery, the two of them navigating through the remnants of what once was a vibrant community. As they worked, the silence was a heavy cloak, words unnecessary and even intrusive.
They dug in synchrony, their pickaxes breaking the scorched earth, their shovels piling the dirt aside. Soon, they had prepared enough graves to lay the fallen warriors to rest. Lysa, who could float with ease, gently placed the bodies in their final resting places. It was done in silence, each movement a tribute, each moment heavy with unspoken sentiment.
After the last body was interred, and a makeshift memorial erected from whatever debris could serve the purpose, Jack took a moment to look around. His eyes, now an angry, stormy blue, said it all.
"We can grieve later," he muttered, almost to himself. "First, we have to save the children."
Lysa, her eyes locking onto his, nodded. "I have Adam's Vivre Card. It might lead us to the rest."
Jack walked to the shore, the darkness of the night casting a somber veil over the world. Lysa followed, her expression a complex mix of grief and resolve. He activated Bead's Space, and within moments, Bead's Rider materialized on the water's surface. The boat, as sleek as ever, glowed softly, illuminating the surrounding water.
They jumped aboard, Jack channeling energy from the Bodily Refinement Bead within him to power the boat. It hummed to life, its turbines spinning under the surface of the water, creating a current that propelled them forward.
Lysa sat down, her gaze fixed on the horizon. She clutched the Vivre Card in her hand, its edges flickering in the direction they were supposed to go. Jack steered the boat skillfully, shifting his weight to navigate. The darkness seemed to stretch on forever, but neither of them spoke. What could be said had already been said, and what needed to be done was crystal clear in their minds.
After a while, Jack walked over to Lysa, pulling a blanket from a storage compartment in the boat. Silently, he draped it over her, their eyes meeting for a moment. Wordlessly, she nodded her thanks.
"Do you want to go to the island?" Jack finally broke the silence, referring to the secure pocket space where their family was hiding. It wasn't really a question—more like an offering of temporary reprieve.
Lysa shook her head. "No, not yet. We have something to do first."
Jack nodded. He understood, of course. There would be time for safety and time for grief, but now was the time for action.
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