章節 31: Desperation
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Kai fell back onto the frozen ground, a ragged, sharp breathe tearing its way from his throat as he clutched the raw stump his arm had become. His entire body was in razor-sharp pains, molten fire coursing with every pulse of his heart, threatening to burst his chest apart. He groaned through gritted teeth, mumbling to himself, "I need to do something about this." almost inaudibly against the chaos of the battlefield around him.
Before his fuzzy vision, the shining interface fluttered to life, displaying his status:
[Blood Loss: Critical.]
A red alert blipped steadily in the corner, flashing a dire message,
[Recommended item: Stanching Boluses.]
Kai cursed, fumbling to open the in-system store. His vision danced as it appeared on the screen, and his heart sank at the number that displayed 4000. Shit. i have only 3,321." His voice shook with frustration. He didn't have enough for the purchase, not now-not when he needed it most.
With no other choice, Kai hastily ripped a strip off his already-shredded clothes, grinning through the agony. Blood oozed down his side onto the cold ice beneath him, but he didn't have much time to wallow in the pain. Wrapping the cloth tightly around his shoulder, he tied it off one-handedly, wincing in excruciating pain. The pressure from the improvised tourniquet was barely enough to slow the bleeding meter building up, but it would have to suffice for the time being.
Panting, he forced himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as the world tilted around him.
His left hand reached down, gripping the Cleanrot Knight's sword with white knuckles, the weight of it oddly reassuring. As he looked forward, Akainu's attack had already begun to melt much of the ice, producing steam rising from the battlefield, as the only passage that would remain towards the plaza would be through the water. "So, basically we have to swim." Kai spat, his stomach churning at the thought of entering freezing/boiling water after having sustained so much blood loss. But there was no time for second-guessing. He needed to keep going-moving, which, however, he could not do before a nagging thought hit him-one which he had almost forgotten in the chaos.
"Shit," he snarled, turning his head back to the battlefield behind him. His eyes flashed towards Whitebeard, who still stood proudly on his ship, as immovable as a mountain against the storm. And then it clicked.
"Squardo." Kai's voice was raised in a cursing tone and his stomach just dropped. "That son of a bitch. he's gonna stab him."
The only hope to turn the tide in this insane war, Whitebeard would be betrayed by one of his very own men. Kai's mind was racing, putting fragments of a story together that he knew. If Squardo struck Whitebeard now, everything would come crashing down. The war would end in disaster, and nothing would be left to save Ace-or change the future.
"I have to warn him. I need that old man to remain intact if I want even a chance to alter what's going to happen here." He glanced down at his missing arm, the bloodied rag clinging to his shoulder. He was in no shape to run back, but he didn't have a choice.
Kai spun back toward the ship, every fibre in his body shrieking in protest, but he forced his legs to move, pushing through the pain. "No matter what" he thought, "I have to get to Whitebeard before it's too late"
Kai went forward, in a stumbly gait, his body still in agony, the blood-soaked bandage on his hand barely stemming the bleeding. Silent oaths continued to spill from his lips as frustration ate at him for being unable to do anything but run back to the ship. The battlefield spread out far too wide, with too much chaos between.
"Think, now, Kai. what am I supposed to do to draw his attention to me?" he growled, pacing and practically racing his mind. There was no time, no energy to spare, but somehow, he had to get Whitebeard's attention.
An idea, after a beat, came together, reckless but better than nothing. "I just hope I don't get killed for doing this," he grumbled. His hand had already switched to his Meteorite Staff.
The instant he did, Kai gestured the staff to the faraway ship of Whitebeard without hesitation. He began to chant each and every spell in his arsenal one by one: Glintstone arc, Night Shard, Glintblade-any of them all. Every spell tore through the air, trails of gleaming magic lighting up the chaotic battlefield as they zeroed in on Whitebeard himself.
Still standing tall and unshakeable, Whitebeard narrowed his eyes to a squint as he watched the barrage of magical attacks streak towards him. He didn't bat an eyelid-to him, there was no need to. Years upon years of experience had honed his instincts to perfection.
A blur of blue flame across the battlefield, before the attacks could reach him, finally cut through the volleys. Marco, in his hybrid phoenix form, swooped down. His wings were wide, casting a large shadow as he intercepted the incoming spells. Kai watched his magic slam right into Marco's flaming wings, dissipating harmlessly against the regenerative properties of the phoenix.
"Pops!" Marco called back, his voice oozing with sarcasm as he looked back over his shoulder toward Whitebeard. "I told you we can't trust these prisoners. This is the third one now trying to attack you."
Whitebeard said nothing. He eyed the scene before him with calculated composure, his bisento leaning against his enormous bulk. His eyes chanced upon Kai and for one moment, the brow of the big man furrowed slightly. Then in a low rumble he spoke: "That boy. he's in a sorry state."
Marco's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't hesitate. "Alright, Pops, I'm on it," he said, not waiting for the full order. He shifted into his full phoenix form, brilliant blue flames crackling around his body, and shot into the sky. His wings cut through the air as he flew toward Kai in a fiery streak, leaving a trail of embers behind him.
Kai's eyes shone with a pained smile as he watched Marco charge straight for him. It worked.
The moment the Whitebeard Pirates saw what Marco was doing, a number of them moved to intercept the perceived threat - Kai. Still too weak to do much else, Kai sent them down without much effort, creating Night Shard spells that pierced cleanly through them with quick, unseen strikes. A few managed to reach him before falling, clutching at wounds they hadn't even seen.
But his little victory was only short-lived. From above, a shadow fell right on him, and before Kai could do anything, Marco landed hard enough, skidding the breath from his lungs. His talons were deep in Kai's shoulders, holding him firm. Kai felt searing pain across his body as he was hoisted into the air, his feet dangling uselessly below.
Kai groaned in agony as he was hauled upward, his vision swimming, the battlefield shrinking below him. Pleading, he shouted above the rush of wind. "Marco, listen! You gotta protect Whitebeard!"
Marco still clutched him tightly as he stared down, his voice degrading in tone. "Goes without saying, from you and other idiots who really think they can take Pops down. Just give it up and die. or help us take out the Marines. Not that you'd do much, but-"
"No, fuck that!" Kai yelled, hoarse, as the wind whipped around him. "That's not what I'm after! Squardo! Your allied captain is gonna stab him! Whitebeard won't expect it!"
The world hung still for a moment. Marco's eyes widened in an unbelief that let his talons loosen ever so slightly. Kai could see the surprise ripple through him as the words hit their mark: Squardo, Whitebeard's very own ally.
And then, without warning, Marco dropped Kai, and he tumbled through the air before his body hit the deck of a Marine warship with a deafening crash. The whipping air cut around him as Kai dropped, his chest exploding in pain as the breath got knocked from his lungs, but he refused to black out.
Marco landed beside him with a soft thud, the phoenix flames still crackling around him as he folded his wings. He knelt down staring at Kai with accusing-hard eyes. "Why would Squardo of all people do that?" Marco's voice was sharp and riddled with skepticism.
Kai struggled to push himself up from the wreckage, wincing at the pain coursing through him. "Akainu.", he rasped out with his strained voice, " you are wasting your time with me. Squardo... He's been manipulated. something about a grudge against Roger, some kind of betrayal. I don't have time to explain everything, I know it just Trust me!, my interest lies in you guys winning this war, and we can't do that with a half dying whitebeard"
The catch in Kai's voice, the desperation, was enough to stay Marco's hand.
Whitebeard's life hung in the balance, and Marco couldn't afford to take the risk of ignoring the warning.
"I'm going to hold you to that," Marco finally said, eyes narrowed. "In fact you're coming with me." He didn't finish the sentence.
With that said, Marco spread his wings once more, this time carefully picked Kai up, and shot back into the sky toward Whitebeard's ship.
As Marco lifted Kai into the air, his phoenix wings beating powerfully and sending gusts of wind swirling beneath them, Kai clenched his teeth against the ache still pounding from where his arm used to be. The pain of blood loss was gnawing at him, weakening him with every passing second. But now, flying over this battlefield again,
Gritting his teeth, Kai opened the interface and quickly scrolled down to the list of his available items. The Stanching Boluses, he had barely managed to scrape together enough from defeating those pirates earlier. For a split second, his finger hovered over the purchase button before confirming it.
Instantly, the Boluses materialized in his hand. In the same moment he crunched down on the healing item mid-flight, feeling the strange texture dissolve in his mouth. A cooling sensation spread through his body and the interface's Blood Loss status bar began to disappear, draining away like water. The relief was immediate.
He let out a deep sigh; now, his breathing was proper as the gnawing pain subsided. "Finally." he muttered, as for the first time his body was not on the verge of collapse.
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章節 32: WhiteBeard's Principle
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As they drew closer to the Moby Dick, flying, the keen eyes of Marco locked in on the deck. His face contorted, the hissing of his teeth letting out the name: "Squardo." They were both staring below at the scene on the deck, Squardo stood exactly beside Whitebeard, his posture way too tense, his hand closer to his weapon than relaxation allowed. He was talking with the old man, but something was off, unnatural in the way he moved, in the flicker of his eyes.
Kai's heart dropped, his stomach pooling with dread. "That bastard. hurry!" he shouted. He grasped the Meteorite Staff hard in his fist, taking reassurance from its weight. His mind raced. Gotta move quickly.
Marco didn't need to be told twice. With one powerful beat of his wings, he angled himself into a steep dive and began to plummet downwards, flames trailing behind his decent as he rocketed towards the ground. Kai in Marco's talons, the rush of the wind tearing at his face as they picked up incredible speed-a fierce determination burning within them.
Kai's eyes slitted, his staff coming up to point directly at Squardo. Night Shard. The spell congealed at the tip of the staff, dark and deadly, its barely perceptible form like a whisper of death. He released it; the shard streaked toward its target with lethal precision.
At the same moment, Marco's talons released Kai, and he slammed into Squardo like a meteor. The force of Marco's kick was devastating—Squardo didn't even have time to react. His body was flung across the deck like a ragdoll, crashing into the side of the ship with bone-shattering impact. Timber splintered and groaned under the force as Squardo's body.
The Marines and pirates watching from a distance froze, some of them shouting as they witnessed the sudden, brutal assault. Even Akainu, watching from his vantage point, narrowed his eyes at the unexpected interruption. His cold gaze flickered toward Kai and Marco, but his lips curled into a small, cruel smile. He had expected Squardo to play his part in the betrayal, but this new development was... interesting.
On the deck of Whitebeard's ship, a momentary silence fell with Squardo in pain laying at the edge of the shattered railing. Whitebeard himself finally stirred from perfect stillness through the whole attack. His huge frame shifted with him only turning his head, narrowing his eyes at the sight of Marco standing tall and Kai now on one knee, catching his breath.
Marco's stare was still piercing into Squardo while taking a step closer; his wings flickered once before folding back into his body. "Pops, this idiot was about to—"
"I know," Whitebeard growled while cutting him off. His voice was the definition of calm, yet promising to be heavy as thunder. He stepped forward; his heavy footsteps sent echoes across the deck. "That boy warned you, didn't he?"
Kai stared up at Whitebeard in utter disbelief, his face written with it. His body barely managed to hold himself steady as the old man's words set fire in his mind.
"Wait. you knew?!" Kai shouted hoarsely strained; a mix of confusion and shock leaked from his voice. His grip on the staff began to clamp down as he tried to make some sense of it. "You were just standing there, letting it happen?"
Whitebeard's face remained unchanging-smooth, unruffled-apparently because Kai's reaction had not taken him by surprise. The wind whipped across the deck, tugging at the hem of Whitebeard's cloak, but he did not budge, a mountain of flesh. His eyes, a piercing glint beneath the fold of his brow, came to rest on Kai an age-tempered wisdom minted from battles, victories, and betrayals.
He let out a slow exhalation-a sound that was a palpable burden of a lifetime. "A parent," Whitebeard began, his voice as deep as the sea itself, "can often see the mistakes their child is about to make. but part of being a father is having faith."
Kai's breath caught in his throat as the words fell, each one steady and measured, and yet carrying a depth of emotion not expected from this giant of a man.
"Even when you know," Whitebeard went on, his eyes darting briefly to Squardo, "that they're about to do something wrong, sometimes you gotta trust. trust that they'll remember who they are." His gaze shifted back to Kai again, burning with intensity, and his voice dropped down low, soft, almost gentle. "That they'll come to their senses before it's too late."
Whitebeard was even bigger at that moment, not just the fearsome pirate who shook the seas but more-a father figure, protector who took many men into his protection. His words were not for Squardo alone. They carried with them a resonance, the echoes of which would travel far beyond this moment.
Kai froze, his body going rigid as those words deeply settled into his bones. "But. Squardo this idiot." his voice started before he lost it, couldn't grasp it. "He almost… "
Whitebeard chopped him off with an upward raise of his hand, prompting silence to thrash the confusion within Kai's voice.
"That is what it means to lead," Whitebeard was saying, his eyes softening though the steel behind them never gave way. "Being a father to so many men. you do not just command their loyalty-you earn their trust. And with that trust comes the burden of allowing them to make their own choices. even when it hurts."
Whitebeard looked down at Squardo once more, his large hand clenching his bisento as he let out a slow, deep sigh. "He might be an idiot. But i still love him."
Kai swallowed hard, his throat burning with emotion. The sheer weight of Whitebeard's words seemed to press down on him, making him feel both incredibly small and somehow important at the same time.
Whitebeard's gaze met Kai's again, and the air between them seemed to catch its breath. "You did good, boy," he said in that low, rumbling voice of his, tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But now, let's make sure no one else gets any bright ideas." Whitebeard's eyes narrowed now as his huge body shook with almost but hardly contained anger. His gaze cut toward the battlefield where his eyes settled on the figure far away, that of Sengoku. The weight of malice dripped from his voice. "Sengoku. you haven't changed a bit. Always relying on underhand tactics, scheming in the dark."
The wind wailed as he turned, his eyes fierce, speaking not just to Kai but to the lot that stood on the ship, every soul who had ever fought under his flag. "Betraying my sons?!" His voice thundered across the deck like an earthquake. "I know exactly what you used to sway Squardo. You played on his grudge with Roger. twisted the past, break our family bond, change the way he looks at Ace."
It was his anger that fell upon the crew, yet no fear shone in their eyes-only resolution. Whitebeard's rage was not a blind fury-fury of a man wronged, and his children knew this.
Without hesitation, Whitebeard stepped forward, his massive body moving with surprising speed for a man his size. His feet shook the deck with every step, his eyes set on the battlefield ahead. And then, with a surge of power that made the very air tremble, he leaped from the ship.
For a moment, it felt like the world itself held its breath as Whitebeard soared through the air. His shadow loomed over the battlefield, a symbol of the unyielding strength of the pirate who had conquered seas, not with fear, but with loyalty.
Whitebeard landed with a resounding crash that sent shockwaves through the ground, the ice beneath him cracking and splintering like glass. The earth seemed to bend beneath his might, and all eyes were on him now—Marines, pirates, Warlords, and even the distant figure of Sengoku. They all felt the gravity of his presence.
The Whitebeard Pirates, scattered and wounded, found their spirits rekindled as their captain stood tall, towering above them like a mountain that could never be moved. He raised his massive bisento high, its blade gleaming under the harsh light of the battlefield.
"Men! Believe what you will!" Whitebeard roared, his voice shaking the very sky. "That's how pirates are! We choose who we trust, and we live by that choice, even if it means death!"
His words echoed in the hearts of every one of his crew. The betrayal of Squardo, the deceit of the marines, none of it mattered in the face of the bond they shared with their captain. They knew who they were fighting for, and Whitebeard had just reminded them that their family bond was their strength.
"The strongest man in the world...," Sengoku muttered standing tall in the execution platform, more to himself than to anyone else. "Even at his age, his strength is terrifying. We can't afford to underestimate him, not for a second!"
Sengoku clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he recognized the gravity of what was coming. "Prepare yourselves!" he barked, his voice booming across the battlefield as Marines scrambled to follow his orders. "All units, get ready!"
Kai was unable to find his voice as he looked up at the man who had just let him see the heart behind the legend "This... Why do i want to die for this man now?" Kai realized. It wasn't just power or fear it was love, it was trust, it was believing in the best even when the worst seemed inevitable." This is what makes him a king,"
And in that moment, Kai understood why Whitebeard was more than just a pirate. He was someone who commanded loyalty, not through force, but through the bond of family.
Marco's piercing eyes locked onto Squardo, who was on his knees, trembling, tears of shame and regret streaming down his face. The man who had once been filled with rage and betrayal now looked utterly broken. Marco's expression hardened, his voice cold and unwavering as he spoke.
"Pops might have been easy on you," Marco said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge, "but I'm not. You were this close to doing something unforgivable."
Squardo's sobs grew quieter, his hands clenching the ground beneath him as the weight of his actions crushed him. Marco took a step forward, his gaze never leaving Squardo's bowed form.
"Be glad we stopped you before you did something stupid," Marco added, his voice laced with frustration, but there was no hate—just the disappointment of a brother who nearly lost another to the manipulations of their enemies. He glanced over his shoulder, his sharp eyes finding Kai, standing nearby, still ragged from the fight. "Thank you. You did good back there. Since you are injured you can stay behind my division if you want and..."
Kai raised his only hand, his expression defiant despite the pain he was in. "No. I'll push to the plaza with you guys. I didn't come here to sit behind and watch. I'm here for the same reason as all of you."
Marco's stern face softened slightly as he nodded in respect. "Alright."
He then looked back at Squardo, who was still paralyzed by guilt. His voice turned sharp again. "And you, are you just gonna sit there crying? Or are you going to get up and help us make the Marines pay for everything they've done?"
Squardo's body tensed, and his head slowly lifted. His tear-streaked face was filled with shame, but there was also a spark of determination, a recognition of the second chance he'd been given. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"I... I'll fight," Squardo rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll make them pay."
Kai watched the scene unfold, his mind racing. 'Honestly,' he thought to himself with a wry smirk, 'I'd just kill him for the runes, but... he'll be useful.'
//********************************************************\\
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