As the sun fully rose, marines took breakfast in the base's mess hall.
Not all gathered at once. Shift schedules and duties meant some, like those guarding the brig, ate later, enduring hunger. The recent Dead End race had flooded the cells with pirates, requiring constant watch to prevent chaos.
Such duty was rare. Navarone seldom saw pirates, making guard shifts a novelty after years. Unseasoned recruits, unaccustomed, took it lightly, some unable to stifle yawns.
In a guardroom near the cells, two marines sat, visibly exasperated.
"Open the damn door!"
"Come here, you bastards!"
"You know what happens if you don't let us out! Hand over the keys!"
Deep underground, carved from the island's soil, vast rows of cells held pirates who raged nonstop, hurling insults, shaking bars, and tormenting the guards' nerves. The cavernous space echoed with clamor, unbearable after hours, threatening sanity. Even with shift changes, sighs were inevitable.
For green recruits, it was worse. Navarone had recently welcomed new marines, expecting easy duty. This was a nightmare.
The pirates' relentless noise grated, but complaints fell on deaf ears. Endurance was their only option, faces grim.
"Damn, they're loud. How long will these pirates keep this up?" one muttered.
"Ignore them. Engaging's a waste," the other replied.
"Might be harsh, but I'd execute them all."
"Same. Why's Vice Admiral Jonathan keeping them alive?"
"Pisses me off. Hope our shift ends soon."
"Just started. Earplugs might help."
To distract themselves, they grabbed magazines and newspapers, ignoring patrols entirely.
A shadow stirred, unnoticed amid the din.
From behind, a severed right hand floated closer to one marine.
Simultaneously, a human-sized sheet of paper slithered silently across the floor, quieter than crawling, nearing the other.
The noise masked their approach.
The floating hand struck first. Gliding in front of the magazine-reading marine, it clamped his mouth. A left hand, bodiless, zoomed in, grabbing his neck. The right shifted to cover his nose, cutting off breath.
He thrashed, toppling his chair, flailing. But with no body to grab, his hands swiped air. The grip was ironclad, unyielding. His face paled, a terrifying sight.
The other marine noticed instantly, kicking his chair back, stunned. Hands without bodies—an unnatural horror.
Unseen, unheard of. Dropping his newspaper, he froze, unable to act as his colleague suffered.
Behind him, the paper rose, forming a human shape.
"What the—!? Urk!" he gasped.
The paper's arm wrapped around his face, covering nose and mouth, squeezing tight. He grabbed at it, but the thin paper offered no hold, and panic left no time to tear it. Trapped, he couldn't escape.
A raspy voice whispered, "Thanks for the sloppy guard. Makes our job easier."
Eyes wide, struggling for air, he realized they were ability users—human, not phenomena. But it didn't matter. Both marines, breathless, collapsed, helpless.
Only two guards. No eyes remained.
Two figures emerged: Buggy, who'd hidden as scattered parts, and Kiri, paper-thin until now.
Surveying the unconscious marines, they paused briefly, minds racing. No time to linger—swift action was needed.
"Base isn't much. We're still undetected, and security's thin. Maybe their training's weak," Kiri said.
"Who cares? Next step," Buggy replied.
"Right. Those keys," Kiri pointed.
"Luck's on my side. I've got this," Buggy grinned, grabbing the key ring from the wall, his scheming face alight.
First phase of the plan. Stumbling here meant no escape.
Buggy strode lightly into the cellblock. Kiri watched him go.
Candlelight dimly lit the oppressive corridor, lined with countless cells, likely stretching beyond sight. Knowing Dead End racers filled them thrilled Buggy. Releasing them would plunge Navarone into chaos. Lax guards, low morale, and combat inexperience confirmed it—a chance was ripe.
Standing boldly, Buggy raised the keys high, drawing eyes.
The pirates roared, fixating on him.
"Listen up, you broken dreamers! Know what these are?" Buggy bellowed.
"Cell keys!" one shouted.
"Let us out!" another demanded.
"Oh? That's no way to talk. Who're you mouthing off to, huh?" Buggy sneered.
The pirates fell silent, grasping the situation. Keys in a pirate's hands, them in cells—Buggy held power. They weren't fools; they'd do the same. As pirates, talks moved fast.
Jangling the keys, Buggy smirked, voice booming.
"Your freedom—or rotting here—depends on my mood. If you're not idiots, shut up and listen."
"Tch, acting high and mighty…" one muttered, but they listened, grudgingly.
Buggy spoke grandly. "I'm leaving this fortress. Got a plan. But there's too many enemies and not enough of us. So, who's in? Who doesn't wanna die in this dump?"
Freedom sparked hope. Faces lit up. Escape was their dream, and Buggy was their savior. Cramped cells made obedience easy.
Buggy grinned, seeing their compliance.
No camaraderie here. These pirates were tools for escape, disposable if needed. Unconcerned, he continued.
"Who wants in on my plan? Name the man leading you!"
"Captain Buggy! Our savior!" one yelled.
"I'll follow you out!" another cried.
"Free us already!"
"Hold it. I said I've got a plan," Buggy smirked, scanning the crowd.
Kiri joined, eyeing the prisoners.
"Listen, this fortress has a vice admiral favored by 'Red Dog.' Even with my genius and your savior leading, we need teamwork to escape. I need a commander to lead these men. Who'll take my orders?"
"Me! I'll follow!" a voice called from the right.
Willy, a shark fishman, approached the bars. Buggy glanced at Kiri, who nodded.
"Alright, you're in. Free everyone with these keys, but not yet. I'll signal via Den Den Mushi. Then we move," Buggy said.
"Why wait? Escape now!" Willy protested.
"Idiot! How many marines are here? I'll create chaos first. Your breakout makes it bigger. That's the plan for our shot."
"Got it," Willy nodded.
Kiri approached, handing Willy a Den Den Mushi from the guardroom, then the keys. The cell's occupants buzzed with excitement.
Willy seemed calmer than Arlong, showing no clear hostility toward humans, perhaps due to the situation. He didn't threaten Kiri.
Act or obedience? Either way, their riot would spark chaos. That was enough.
Kiri stepped back. Buggy surveyed the crowd again. Bounty heads abounded nearby, stronger ones likely deeper in. Luck was with him.
Suppressing a grin, Buggy thought of the vault's treasure. Clenching his fist, he rallied the pirates.
"Listen up! Wait for it. We'll tear this 'Hedgehog' fortress apart. Your job: steal a warship, reclaim freedom, and sail. In minutes or hours, we'll live as pirates again—under me, Buggy!"
"YEAAAAH!" the pirates roared, fists raised, shaking bars, stomping the ground.
The once-quiet space was now a pirate frenzy. Recruits would've frozen in fear. The energy was overwhelming.
Things went better than expected. Buggy beamed. Kiri, calm as ever, spoke like a loyal deputy.
"Buggy, too loud. They'll notice. It's not time yet."
"Right! Quiet down, you lot! Save the riot for later!" Buggy barked.
The pirates hushed, already under his sway. Charisma or not, he commanded strangers effortlessly.
Perfect, Kiri thought, saying nothing.
"Save your strength. When my voice hits that Den Den Mushi, it's freedom time," Buggy declared.
The pirates grinned. Buggy chuckled.
"Heh… Gyahaha!" he laughed.
"Next step, Buggy. This alone won't get us out," Kiri said.
"Right. Later, you lot. Enjoy your last moments as prisoners. You're never coming back!" Buggy called, turning.
Greeted by grinning faces, they returned to the guardroom, now quiet.
The barred window connected the space, but with pirates silent and out of sight, they could talk freely if careful. This privacy was vital.
They stopped, facing each other. Escape odds had risen, but weren't perfect. The vault remained unfound.
Buggy, despite valuing life, obsessed over treasure, unwilling to flee without it. Kiri prioritized escape but needed Buggy's help, stuck cooperating for now.
"You tamed them well. What's next?" Buggy asked.
"Still no clue on the vault. Escape's undetected, and marines aren't panicked. Hmm, not as expected. Low training—good or bad?" Kiri mused.
"Hey, no time for pondering! Move, or we're caught!" Buggy snapped.
"I know. Finding the vault's tough. If we knew who hid it, we could ask, but it's secret, so probably no one knows."
"Who's hiding my gold!?" Buggy growled.
Kiri smirked, seeing Nami's greed in Buggy. He already claimed the unseen riches.
Refocusing, Kiri scanned the room. Stealth had limited detours. A base map would help, but none would be left out, and its existence was uncertain. Wendy, an auditor, had one, but that didn't guarantee another.
Finding the vault wasn't just for theft. Exposing it would shock marines, amplifying chaos from the riot. That was Kiri's angle for cooperating. But without clues, it was a burden.
How to search? Or convince Buggy to ditch the treasure?
A shrill alarm blared, likely echoing base-wide. Their escape was exposed.
Kiri looked up calmly, but Buggy jumped, visibly rattled.
"What's that!? Why's it ringing!?" Buggy yelped.
"Guess our escape's busted. Empty cells gave it away," Kiri said.
"What!? No time for calm! What now!?"
"It's fine. They don't know where we are. We've got options."
"Then think fast! Where's the vault, and how do we escape!?"
Buggy pressed, slightly panicked. Kiri stayed focused, ignoring the urge to show his face to the pirates who called him savior.
The alarm was expected, just later than anticipated. Reaching the brig undetected showed Navarone's marines weren't a threat. Only an unseen officer's skill worried Kiri; the rest were manageable.
Rumors kept enemies away, leaving marines lax. Even with stealthy abilities, sneaking to the brig unnoticed proved their inattention and lack of skill against ability users.
Bold moves might work.
Scanning the room, Kiri's eyes landed on the unconscious marines. A slight smile formed as his plan clicked into place.
"Let's chaos this place up. Hit the armory, grab explosives. Blow things up, and these soldiers will crumble."
"Then the pirates rise up," Buggy added.
"Might snag a map too," Kiri said, grinning.
"Huh?"
Kiri turned, clearly scheming. Buggy, sensing trouble, reluctantly listened.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
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