"All sins, I shall bear alone..."
Sabo murmured Dragon's words, his body trembling uncontrollably.
In the darkness, two dazzling flames suddenly ignited—Sabo's blazing eyes.
His expression regained its composure as he locked away all guilt, suppression, and pain deep within his heart.
"I will do it. Just like you, I will embrace the most absolute resolve! Even if the whole world condemns me, I will let this sacred flame—inherited from Ace—burn across the land, incinerating our enemies, incinerating all obstacles, incinerating... even myself!"
Finally enlightened, Sabo transformed into a roaring inferno, surging through the passage and vanishing into the darkness beyond the Flower Capital.
Expanding his Observation Haki, he scoured the land, searching for Koala's presence.
After a long search, Sabo finally found her in a bamboo forest near the Kuri region.
In the darkness, Koala sat alone on a small slope, hugging her knees helplessly.
Behind her stood the towering, unconscious Kuma, silent as a statue.
For some reason, this man—nicknamed "Tyrant" yet kind at heart—had been following Koala ever since Sabo and the others rescued him.
Perhaps it was because Koala, a girl equally filled with kindness, had earned Kuma's instinctive closeness.
"Sniff... Sob... Sabo, why did you become like that?"
Koala's sorrowful sobs echoed in the darkness, wiping away the joy that had briefly appeared on Sabo's face.
Moving silently, the flames around him extinguished as he approached her from behind.
The bamboo forest wasn't as dark as the underground passage.
It was already late into the night, nearing dawn.
The faint darkness cast shifting shadows through the bamboo, creating a uniquely desolate atmosphere.
"Where did the kind Sabo I knew go? Today... you were terrifying. Why did you kill those three workers? Even if they attacked you... the first one could have been an accident, but the other three—you could have subdued them! Why did you have to kill them?"
Koala trembled, her small frame shaking as she wept.
The sound wrenched Sabo's heart.
Thud.
Sabo fell heavily to his knees.
"Who's there?!"
Startled by the sudden noise, Koala jumped up and turned around, her guard raised—only to freeze when she saw him.
"S-Sabo?"
In the dim light, she instantly recognized the familiar figure kneeling motionless on the ground.
Despite her resentment toward his change, her attachment to Sabo remained deep.
"What's wrong? Are you okay, Sabo?" Koala hurried over, reaching out to help Sabo up, but found herself unable to move him.
"Koala... I'm sorry to disappoint you," Sabo said bitterly.
Koala's delicate frame trembled as she slowly crouched down, tears streaming once more.
A pair of strong hands grasped her shoulders as Sabo spoke solemnly.
"Koala, please believe me. What i have pursued from the very beginning is to bring light to this dark world!
But revolution inevitably comes with sacrifice. The longer we delay, the more lives will be lost. You know as well as I do that oppression is happening every minute in many countries across this world. We can't afford to wait leisurely anymore—we must act swiftly.
The time wasted on two or three stubborn individuals could save tenfold, hundredfold, even ten thousand times more lives!
The sooner we find the Pluton, the sooner we can return this world to the light!"
In the darkness, Sabo's eyes shone brightly, dispelling the chill that had settled over Koala.
Koala lifted her head, tear stains still fresh on her face, looking utterly pitiful and vulnerable.
That heartrendingly beautiful expression struck a chord in Sabo's heart.
His strong hands gently pulled the girl before him into his embrace.
"What are you doing, you... mmm—"
Koala's startled voice was abruptly cut off as Sabo's warm lips sealed hers.
In the darkness, two separate figures gradually merged into one, entwined together.
...
The first faint light of dawn filtered through the bamboo grove, scattering specks of radiance.
With a soft "hmph," Koala wearily opened her eyes, gazing blankly at Sabo before her.
"Aah..."
Her brows furrowed at the twinge of pain as the haze in her mind slowly cleared, memories of the previous night's events gradually returning.
Instantly, Koala's face flushed crimson, her ears turning pink, her glistening eyes shimmering with moisture.
"You're awake?"
Suddenly, Sabo—who had appeared to be asleep—opened his eyes, a gentle smile curving his lips as he gazed tenderly at Koala.
The profound love and affection in his eyes made her soft heart tremble uncontrollably, an unprecedented sweetness welling up from within.
Before she could speak, she noticed Sabo's loving gaze traveling downward from her face to other places.
Koala froze, remaining dazed for over ten seconds before snapping back to reality with a startled cry.
Blushing furiously, she curled into herself.
A pair of warm hands enveloped her once more, pulling her into an embrace.
...
The sun climbed high.
Three figures—two small, one large—made their way along the path toward Udon.
Sabo wore a radiant smile throughout, frequently glancing at Koala beside him.
Koala's cheeks remained rosy as she glared fiercely at Sabo before huffing and turning away.
"Koala, do you want me to carry you? You... ahem, you must be tired, right? Here, let me carry you."
Sabo chuckled as he spoke to Koala.
"No way! Stay away from me!" Koala quickly dodged, evading Sabo's outstretched hands.
"Hey, I'm serious. You must be exhausted—after all, it's been less than two hours since last night when we..."
Sabo grinned mischievously, circling around to crouch before Koala again.
"Shut up, shut up! How can you say that?" Koala covered her burning cheeks, shaking her head like a rattle drum.
Sabo paid no heed to her struggles and forcibly hoisted the squirming Koala onto his back, continuing forward.
After twisting and struggling for a long while without being able to break free from Sabo's strong grip, Koala gradually calmed down.
She lay on Sabo's broad back like a kitten nestled in a warm cradle.
Sabo's body radiated warmth, shielding her completely from the chilly morning breeze.
Watching the man who carried her with swift strides, Koala's face broke into a blissful smile.