The inferno that Kael Draven had unleashed burned far beyond anything the original course of fate could have imagined. The Holy Land of Mary Geoise was now engulfed in flames from horizon to horizon, a hellish sea of fire devouring the pride of the World Nobles.
The chaos grew so overwhelming that even the Celestial Dragons forgot to pursue Fisher Tiger. The entire city was crumbling beneath the weight of fire and rebellion. Even Admiral Aokiji, who had just arrived, abandoned any thoughts of confrontation and immediately joined the effort to contain the flames.
With countless slaves scattering in every direction, the army of the Holy Land found itself completely outmatched.
High above the burning city, on the topmost terrace of Pangaea Castle, a solitary figure stood watching the flames with an unsettling calm.
Imu the true ruler of the world did not see this disaster as a disgrace. On the contrary, a faint, almost delighted smile played upon her lips.
After acquiring the most absolute power in existence, her life had stretched into centuries of monotony. In the past hundred years, she had grown so bored that nothing in this world could stir her heart anymore.
But tonight, at last, something interesting had happened.
"This might be fun," she murmured softly, her tone light, almost childlike, as she gazed upon the burning city below.
She watched everything unfold like a spectator at a grand performance, her expression tranquil and detached. She didn't care how many slaves escaped, how many nobles died, or how much wealth burned away in the fire.
For her, this was merely entertainment a spark in a world gone dull.
Meanwhile, far from her lofty perch, Kael Draven and Fisher Tiger had already escaped the confines of the Holy Land, reaching the sheer cliffs that marked the edge of the Red Line.
Kael hadn't expected the fish-man to follow him all this way.
He had only helped Tiger earlier because the Marines were blocking his own escape route. With no better option, he had intervened and the effort had nearly drained him dry.
That last attack had consumed nearly all of his chakra. Were it not for the regenerative power granted by his Wood Release, he would have collapsed long ago.
As they moved, Tiger occasionally cast sidelong glances at him. The strange human's powers reminded him too much of a Devil Fruit user. Still, Tiger knew better than to pry trust between them hadn't reached that level yet.
When they finally reached the cliff's edge, Kael looked down. The abyss stretched endlessly below, the thunderous crash of the sea far beneath them echoing like the growl of some ancient beast.
He swallowed instinctively.
It wasn't fear he wasn't afraid of heights but even the bravest would feel their legs weaken before a drop like this.
"There should be a lift ship somewhere around here," Kael muttered, scanning the area. "It ferries travelers up and down the Red Line."
Tiger nodded thoughtfully. "Normally, those places are heavily guarded. But now that the soldiers are busy fighting the fire, we might slip through unnoticed. I know where it is."
Kael turned to him in surprise. "You do?"
Tiger noticed the disbelief in his eyes and quickly explained, "When I escaped the Holy Land before, I climbed up from the base of the Red Line. I saw the lift ships then."
Kael froze. "Wait did you say you climbed up here?"
Tiger simply pointed at the sheer cliff beside them, the one stretching tens of thousands of meters high.
And at that moment, Kael realized who he was dealing with.
A fish-man capable of scaling the Red Line with his bare hands there was only one such legend: Fisher Tiger, the liberator of slaves.
Now that he thought about it, the red skin and imposing frame made it obvious.
Tiger noticed Kael's lingering stare and felt uneasy under the scrutiny. "Don't worry, little brother. I'm not lying to you."
Kael smiled faintly. "I believe you. Tell me, though… were you also here to set fires?"
Tiger's expression darkened immediately. "It wasn't me! I only wanted to free the slaves!"
Then, realizing Kael had said 'also', Tiger blinked. "Wait why did you say 'also'?"
Kael coughed lightly, sidestepping the question. "No time for talk. The Marines will catch up soon. Lead the way to the lift."
Tiger hesitated, then nodded. "Right this way."
They followed the cliffside path until, after several minutes, they reached the lift station.
As Kael predicted, the guard presence was minimal. Only four soldiers remained, and Tiger dispatched them effortlessly with a few well-placed punches.
Afterward, the fish-man sighed, looking back toward the burning horizon. "If the defenses here are this weak, the others might have escaped too. I hope those poor souls make it out alive."
Kael couldn't help but feel respect for him. He was a man of conviction someone who carried the weight of others' suffering on his back.
"I see why you're remembered," Kael murmured under his breath.
Under the shroud of night, the two boarded the lift ship and descended the Red Line, leaving behind the blazing inferno of Mary Geoise and returning to the open sea.
Beneath the Holy Land lay a small coastal town that served as a docking point for travelers. It was quiet now, deserted the perfect place to slip away unnoticed.
As they walked through the silent streets, Tiger finally broke the calm. "So, little brother, are you heading home?"
Kael froze for a moment, then gave a faint, weary smile.
"Home? I don't have one anymore. There's no going back."
Tiger misunderstood his tone, assuming the young man had been sold into slavery and had lost everything. Sympathy filled his eyes. "Then what will you do next?"
Kael fell silent, deep in thought.
What was next?
He needed a plan some direction, some skill to hone.
If he wanted to survive in this world, he couldn't rely on luck or borrowed power forever. He needed strength of his own.
In the world of pirates, true strength often came down to Haki. Unlike Devil Fruits, which carried curses and weaknesses, Haki was pure willpower a force that could rival any power in existence.
But finding someone to teach him was another problem entirely.
In the New World, countless warriors mastered Haki but going there now, even with his Wood Release, would be suicide.
Outside the New World, the only place he knew with strong Haki users was Amazon Lily, the island ruled by Boa Hancock. But entering there as a man? That was just another form of suicide.
If not Haki, perhaps swordsmanship or martial arts could serve as a start.
There was one renowned dojo in the East Blue Shimotsuki Village's Isshin Dojo, where Roronoa Zoro once trained. But reaching the East Blue from here was nearly impossible for him now.
As for martial arts, Kael wasn't particularly impressed with what this world had to offer. Apart from the Marines' Rokushiki, most fighting styles here couldn't compare to the taijutsu of the shinobi world he had once known.
Still, he had to start somewhere. The fire of determination burned quietly behind his calm gaze as the night wind swept across the silent town.
The Holy Land was behind him, the sea before him and the uncertain future waiting somewhere beyond the horizon.
And Kael Draven knew one thing for certain.
This world had only just begun to see what he was capable of.
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