The ship appeared at dawn.
It wasn't large—just a single-masted vessel drifting lazily toward Gosa Village, sails half-lowered as if it had all the time in the world. No flag flew from its mast. No markings either.
That alone was enough to make Ryu uneasy.
He stood near the shoreline with Kenji, both of them pretending to watch the fishermen prepare their boats. Around them, the village moved as it always did, slow and habitual, unaware of what was coming.
Ryu felt it before anyone spoke.
That same tightening in his chest.
Pressure.
Kenji glanced at him. "You feel it too?"
Ryu nodded once.
The ship drew closer.
A few villagers noticed then. Conversations trailed off. Nets were lowered more carefully. Someone called for their child to come closer.
Still, no one panicked.
Not yet.
The ship anchored just beyond the shallows. A plank dropped. Three figures disembarked, boots splashing lightly through the water as they waded ashore.
Pirates.
They didn't wear the exaggerated coats or colorful flags the stories liked to exaggerate. These men looked ordinary—sunburned skin, tired eyes, weapons worn from use rather than decoration.
That made them worse.
The tallest one stretched his arms as he stepped onto the sand. "Quiet place," he said. "I like it."
Ryu's jaw tightened.
Kenji leaned closer. "Same crew as last time?"
Ryu shook his head. "Different."
Which meant nothing had been learned.
The pirates walked through the village without resistance. No one stopped them. No one challenged them. Fear moved faster than reason.
One of the men stopped at a stall and lifted a dried fish without asking.
"You selling?" he asked.
The stall owner swallowed. "Y-Yes."
"Good," the pirate said, tossing a single coin onto the table. It wasn't enough.
The man took it anyway.
Ryu felt heat rise in his chest.
Don't.
He remembered freezing. Remembered the knife.
He forced himself to breathe.
The pirates didn't cause trouble right away. They moved slowly, testing reactions, gauging how far they could go. A shove here. A laugh too loud there. A hand lingering on a shoulder a moment too long.
Ryu felt it all.
Every shift in intent hit him like a ripple in water. It was overwhelming—too many signals, too many instincts firing at once. He couldn't separate them yet.
It left him tense, teeth clenched.
"Kenji," he murmured, "if they—"
"I know," Kenji replied quietly. "But don't move unless they do."
That was the problem.
Ryu wasn't sure he could wait.
The first real incident happened near the dock.
A young fisherman protested when one pirate kicked over a crate of supplies. Not loudly. Just enough to show frustration.
The pirate turned slowly.
Ryu felt it.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Danger.
"Say that again," the pirate said.
"I—I just—those are for the boats—"
The pirate punched him.
Ryu moved.
He didn't think. Didn't plan. His body reacted before his mind could catch up.
He grabbed the pirate's wrist mid-swing and twisted.
The man yelped, staggering back in surprise. The dock went silent.
Everyone stared.
Ryu's heart hammered in his ears.
The pirate blinked at him, then smiled.
"Well, look at that," he said. "We've got a brave one."
Kenji stepped forward immediately. "He didn't mean—"
Too late.
The pirate shoved Ryu hard.
Ryu stumbled but didn't fall.
The pressure exploded.
Every nerve screamed.
Move.
Ryu ducked as the pirate swung again, the fist passing inches over his head. He felt the wind of it brush his hair.
Shock flashed across the pirate's face.
Ryu countered clumsily, fist connecting with the man's ribs. It wasn't clean, but it hurt enough to make him grunt.
The other pirates moved.
Kenji swore. "Ryu—!"
A boot caught Ryu in the side, sending him skidding across the dock. Pain flared through his shoulder, white and blinding.
He rolled instinctively as a blade struck where he'd been a moment earlier.
The world narrowed.
Not to sound.
Not to sight.
To intent.
Ryu didn't know how else to describe it. He could *feel* where the attacks would come from just before they did. Not clearly. Not perfectly.
But enough.
He ducked. Staggered. Barely avoided a slash that would've opened his back.
Still, he was losing.
He wasn't trained. His movements were sloppy. Every mistake punished him immediately.
Kenji tackled one pirate from the side, buying Ryu a second to breathe.
Villagers shouted now. Some ran. Some hid.
No Marines.
Of course not.
Ryu forced himself up, ignoring the pain screaming through his body. His vision swam, but the pressure guided him—pulling him just out of reach, urging him forward when an opening appeared.
He struck again.
This time, his fist connected with a jaw.
The pirate collapsed with a groan.
Silence fell.
The remaining pirates hesitated.
That hesitation saved them.
A whistle cut through the air.
Sharp.
Commanding.
The pirates froze.
A voice carried from the shore. "That's enough."
A Marine patrol stood at the edge of the village.
Ryu's knees nearly buckled with relief.
The pirates cursed under their breath but backed away slowly, hands raised just enough to show compliance.
The Marines moved in quickly, rifles raised.
"Drop your weapons," the sergeant ordered.
They did.
Later, after statements were taken and threats exchanged, the pirates were marched onto the Marine ship in cuffs. The crowd watched silently as the vessel pulled away.
Only then did the tension drain from the air.
Ryu sat heavily on a crate, breathing hard.
Kenji dropped beside him. "You're insane."
Ryu let out a shaky laugh. "I know."
The sergeant approached, eyeing Ryu carefully. "You fought back."
Ryu nodded. "They were hurting people."
The Marine studied him for a long moment. "Careful. The sea doesn't reward bravery. Only strength."
He turned and walked away.
Ryu stared after him.
That night, his body ached in places he hadn't known existed. His shoulder throbbed violently. Bruises bloomed across his ribs and arms.
But something else lingered.
Clarity.
He hadn't frozen.
He hadn't run.
He'd moved.
"I felt them," Ryu admitted quietly to Kenji as they sat by the pier. "Before they attacked."
Kenji nodded slowly. "Then whatever that thing is… it's real."
Ryu looked out at the dark sea.
Pirates would keep coming.
The world was changing.
And next time, he wouldn't rely on luck.
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