Sitting cross-legged while I flew on a magic carpet, I was almost reaching my goal.
[16th Branch Navy]
Dome-shaped, I saw the head of a gray rat on top with the number 16.
Descending, I rolled up the carpet.
Unfortunately, there was no option to assume the card appearance again. It would be much more convenient for me to store.
But it didn't matter, I managed to tie it around my waist with my belt and, using the partial invisibility of the hat, I went and knocked on the door.
"Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"
"Damn it! Who dares interrupt me!"
A thin and irritating voice came from inside, I knew who it belonged to, Marine Captain Nezumi, one of the main people responsible for Arlong managing to enslave the Conomi Islands.
When the door opened, I had already transformed into a fly thanks to the Hook.
Although I couldn't transform into something for long, with a limit of 1 minute max, it was enough.
After entering and seeing Nezumi walk out while looking for who knocked on the door, I took on the appearance of a fish-man, then quickly closed and locked the door.
I purposely let Nezumi see me in the form of a fish-man.
"What the hell?"
Obviously confused, Nezumi on the other side of the door took some time until I heard loud knocks on the door and his screams.
"Open this door! Open this door!!"
His banging and screaming must have alerted the rest of the marines.
But I didn't even care about that, I simply went through the entire room after returning to my original appearance, with a large cloth sack, I started grabbing everything I saw of value until I found a safe.
When I saw that safe, my lips curled into a smile.
With overwhelming strength, I didn't even bother to look for a key, I punched it with all my strength and a deep dent appeared.
Then, with both hands, I fit my hand into the dent and started making a motion to open it.
"Ahhhh!"
A scream escaped my mouth, the veins on my hands became visible.
I kept applying force as the metallic tearing sound echoed.
"Open! Open! Open! You son of a bitch, open this now!!"
Nezumi's screams became more desperate, but I didn't care.
"Ahh!"
With a final scream, I broke open the safe and my eyes lit up upon seeing hundreds of wads of cash, as well as golden objects.
Grabbing everything, I saw at the back of the safe, it was a box a little bigger than a fist, when I took it and opened it, I couldn't believe it.
'A Devil Fruit? How the hell did he get something like this?'
Although I didn't know what kind of Devil Fruit it was, pink and looked like a pair of buttocks. Somewhat strange to say the least. But, since when did devil fruits have a normal appearance?
Not wanting to waste any more time, I closed the box and put it in the sack.
Then, I went up to the top floor, possibly in the rat head area.
When I got there, I was furious!
On a double bed, I saw a naked woman with ropes tying her to the bed and a gag in her mouth.
She had several bruises all over her body.
The worst part of it all was that I recognized her.
She was Chabo's mother.
She had disappeared two months ago. Everyone in the village looked for her, but no one managed to find her.
Chobo is still young and receives help from Nojiko.
Approaching, visibly uncomfortable, holding myself back from exploding, I untied her feet, put a sheet I found over her body to cover her, then untied her hands.
"Noah, is that really you." She said with her hoarse and weak voice.
Her eyes were dead.
Even after I rescued her, I didn't see a single splash of emotion.
"Yes, Chizuru-san, it's me." I confirmed as softly as I could speak.
Clutching my clothes tightly, she looked at me pleadingly: "Please, kill me!"
When I heard that, it broke me.
I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my teeth tightly.
In pain, I said: "Chizuru-san... Chubo already lost his father, I know it might be cruel of me to say this, but please. Live for him at least."
"Chubo..." Upon murmuring that name, I saw her dull eyes gain a bit of life.
"No, no, I'm dirty, I can't!" She denied it.
That only increased my frustration.
I felt like shit.
My fists were clenched tightly.
Her desperate cry begging me to kill her, saying she was dirty, that she didn't deserve to be Chubo's mother, it felt like someone was crushing my heart.
'Why?'
I didn't even know what I wanted to know, but I could only think: 'Why? Why is it like this? Why?'
"Open this door!!"
"Captain, should we break it down?"
"Yes, do it!"
Hearing that, my eyes became violent.
Initially, I just wanted to steal from Nezumi, then make him believe Arlong was behind it, creating conflict between them and then get my revenge on both later.
But I changed my mind.
'He doesn't even deserve the air he breathes!' I thought.
But before walking away, I knelt in front of the bed, looking up into Chizuru's dull eyes and said as gently as I could be: "Chizuru-san, believe me, you are not dirty. Chubo needs you. The village needs you. Don't let a demon like Nezumi make you think for even a second that you don't deserve to live, that you don't deserve to be Chubo's mother."
She bit her lower lip until it bled.
Then she made a nasal sound agreeing with my words.
"Bang!!"
I heard the sound of the door being broken down.
But I didn't leave yet.
I was worried that when I left, Chizuru might do something to herself.
"Promise me you'll try, promise me you'll try to live." I held her arms: "Please, Chizuru-san, promise me."
"I-I... I'll try." Her voice sounded weak, reluctant, but I felt sincerity.
"Wait for me here." I said, standing up.
"Where are you going?" She grabbed my shirt.
When I looked into her eyes, I saw the purest fear.
"I'll be right back." I said: "He needs to pay for what he did to you."
At first confused, but soon she understood what my words meant.
"You can't, Noah. He's part of the government." She said.
"No one needs to know. And, there must not be anything to prove I was here, after all, if there was something like that, could he act so freely?"
My words managed to reach her, but not without reluctance. Not without fear.
Going to the Hook, I picked it up.
When I got out of Chizuru's line of sight, I transformed into a fish-man.
"There!"
When I got halfway down the stairs, Nezumi shouted in anger and somewhat pale when he saw where I had come from.
I have no idea if his men knew what he did, if he was the only corrupt one, but I didn't care. I wanted all of them dead!
When I saw them point their pistols at me, I had already kicked the ground and shot forward.
My hand, now like a claw, hit the chest of the marine next to Nezumi and when I pulled, it brought out blood that started to flow from the hole in his chest.
His eyes turned white immediately as he choked on the blood dripping from his mouth.
My cold eyes passed over each of the 8 marines in the place, 9 if you count Nezumi.
Full of fear, Nezumi still tried to act bravely by saying: "You bastard, do you know what you're doing?"
"Yes, getting rid of worms who don't even deserve the air they breathe." I said, standing in front of him, grabbing the arm holding a pistol, and started pulling while holding his shoulder with the other hand.
"AhhhhHHHHHHHH!"
Screaming in pain, the sound of his arm being torn made several faces turn pale as they shouted uncertainly: "Stop! Let Captain Nezumi go!"
Snorting coldly, like the tearing of a crab's claw, Nezumi's arm was ripped off by me.
"Rip!"
Holding this arm, I threw it with all my strength in the direction of the marine who was about to pull the trigger.
"Bang!"
The elbow of the thrown arm hit the marine's face, knocking him to the ground.
I don't know if he was alive or dead, but I didn't even care.
"Bastard, bastard... Kiiiiiiii!"
When my eyes turned to him, Nezumi made a strange rat-like sound as he screamed, and started begging without the slightest sincerity.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, spare me!"
How would he know why I'm so furious?
Even if he knew I saw Chizuru, he must think it's fine, after all, I believe she was a 'gift' from Arlong to him.
Otherwise, how could he have gotten his hands on Chizuru without anyone noticing?
Only Arlong, who had the island under his control, could do something like that.
"Forgiveness? You don't deserve that." I spat these words coldly, grabbing his other arm.
Knowing what was coming, he started to scream.
"Quick, help me! Get this monster away from me!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
When they started shooting, I snorted in disdain as I used Nezumi's body as a shield.
Each shot hit him, but not in any vital spot.
I didn't want him to die yet.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
"Cease fire, cease fire!"
Seeing the shots hit Nezumi, one of them took the lead to stop shooting.
On the ground, I saw the weapon that Nezumi had been holding before. I smiled cruelly, kicking the weapon with all my strength.
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
I didn't plan this, but the weapon I kicked hit the waist area, between the legs of the marine who had shouted earlier.
The other marines let out an involuntary cry while protecting a certain area with their hands.
Ignoring them, I started pulling Nezumi's arm, ripping it off.
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!!"
"It hurts?" I brought my head close to his ear: "This is nothing compared to the pain you made Chizuru-san feel!"
And I pulled his arm off, discarding it like something disgusting to touch.
His eyes bulged with surprise and fear.
Of course he must have recognized that name, but before he could say anything, I covered his mouth with my hand and started increasing my grip.
What I didn't see at first was that Chizuru, possibly after hearing the sounds of gunfire and fighting, had come down the stairs.
Nezumi had a look begging to be let go, tears flowing from his eyes like a waterfall.
"Though it's little, this is goodbye." I tightened my grip.
"Crack!"
When I crushed Nezumi's head and heard a sound, I looked back only to see Chizuru faint.
"!!!" On alert, I moved quickly, catching her before she could fall.
"Captain Nezumi, he..."
"Dead!"
Another one finished.
I wanted to go back and kill all of them, but looking at Chizuru in my arms, I hesitated, but in the end, I made a decision.
Climbing the stairs with Chizuru in my arms, I heard shouting behind me and the sound of footsteps, but I was faster.
With no one watching, with Chizuru unconscious in my arms, I canceled the transformation, holding the Hook while still carrying Chizuru, I grabbed the sack of valuable items with the Hook, then jumped out the window.
Soon, I used the effect of the hat, which was able to partially conceal Chizuru's presence as well.
When we landed, even from a relatively high height, I barely felt the impact. I quickly ran and hid.
I could hear sounds here and there of the marines looking for me.
When I didn't see any marines nearby, I grabbed the magic carpet and after unrolling it, I started flying with Chizuru.
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