Chapter 3 — Soja
A while ago..
The Buster Call was already in motion.
"Professor, what do we do with the books?!"
Clover didn't hesitate. "Throw them into the lake. Protect them however you can."
The scholars rushed, tossing centuries of knowledge into the waves. Then a voice cried out:
"Reed! Where the hell are you?!"
Clover frowned. "Quiet, fool. There may still be survivors. My nephew wasn't here from the beginning… who knows what became of him. Perhaps he's dead. Or perhaps…" He exhaled, eyes fixed on the burning Tree of Knowledge. "Perhaps he escaped. Let's hope."
Meanwhile, Reed—wearing Fred's face—wandered the battleship. The crew were transfixed by Ohara's destruction, leaving him free to move about. He searched until he found the barracks, marked by three names: Fred's, and two others.
Inside, he rifled through baggage until he identified Fred's bed. He tidied it quickly and lay down, pretending he had been there all along.
Not long after, the door swung open. Two marines entered.
"Fred! There you are," one said. "We thought you'd been left on the civilian ship. Tell him, Kai."
So this one was Ethan.
Kai's jaw tightened. "Lieutenant Matsuda said he sent you there. When you didn't return, we feared the worst."
Reed's stomach clenched. So the lieutenant is watching me this closely? That's dangerous.
He forced a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I wanted to report back, but Matsuda was standing near the Vice Admiral. I… didn't dare interrupt."
At the mention of Sakazuki, Kai's expression darkened. "Before yesterday, I'd have mocked you. But after what that man did… even I avoided looking him in the eye."
"Agreed," Ethan muttered.
They spoke a while longer. Reed mostly listened, then waited until both were asleep before slipping away to the bathroom. There, slumped on the toilet, he let his disguise fade and finally drifted into uneasy sleep.
Morning came. He returned to Fred's face before joining Ethan and Kai for breakfast.
Afterward, he forced himself to approach Lieutenant Matsuda. His heart hammered. One slip could expose him.
"Sir," Reed said, standing stiff, "I'm sorry I didn't report yesterday. I saw you with the Vice Admiral and… I couldn't find the right timing."
Matsuda's eyes flickered at the mention of Sakazuki. Haunted. He dismissed Reed with a curt nod, saying nothing more. Reed bowed sharply and retreated, relief flooding his chest. That's done. Now, just stay quiet until Soja.
The second night, Reed repeated his ritual—sleeping in the bathroom. But when he returned at dawn, Kai was awake.
"Fred… I've been up for over an hour. Where were you?"
Reed didn't miss a beat. "Watching the sunrise. I wanted to believe things might get better. But… my stomach got the best of me on the way back."
Kai studied him, then sighed. "Fair enough."
By the third morning, the ship docked. Soja Island.
A kingdom split in two, crowned by twin fang-shaped mountains. Two halves, two rulers, living in peace. The eastern side housed the marines and military; the west thrived with casinos and wealth. And if Reed's memories were correct… a man named Issho, the future Fujitora, once lived there. But Reed wanted no part of him.
After breakfast, Reed helped discard cargo. Then, when the chance came, he bolted—sprinting into the alleys, heart hammering until the ship was far behind.
His pack was ready. He stripped off Fred's face, changed into spare clothes, and stuffed the marine uniform into a bush. For the first time since Ohara, he stood as Clou D. Reed.
The marine life is over. They'll search for Fred, but eventually, they'll assume he deserted. And me? I'm free.
The streets of Soja were safe, orderly, almost welcoming. But to reach the western side, Reed would have to cut through a stretch of untamed forest. Civilization ended at the treeline. Beyond it lurked beasts far less predictable than marines.
And with his luck… perhaps something worse.