Chapter 254: Freedom Does Not Always Bring Happiness (6k words)

Chapter 254: Freedom Does Not Always Bring Happiness (6k words)



Columbus Island was devoid of any structures, at least not at the present moment.

Sage walked a fair distance before halting his steps, his eyes scanning the ground beneath him with a red glint in his irises, before continuing on his way.

With his enhanced perception, he could sense the traces of history imprinted on this land. Long ago, there had been buildings erected here, but now, not even a hint of their existence remained.

As he drew closer to the center of the island, Sage felt the air growing warmer. The heat emanated from beneath the earth, intensifying as he neared the core.

Even altering the weather to bring about a snowstorm would not be enough to dissipate this heat.

It took Sage about a day and a half, with frequent breaks, to reach his destination as per Rob's directions.

At the heart of the island stood an enormous circular wall. Facing it, Sage could make out a large gate, reminiscent of the Gates of Justice, albeit much smaller. Upon the gate was the mark of the Donquixote Family, firmly closed.

"This is the place," Rob said, pointing at the gate. "I came out through there. There's another gate inside that leads underground, where we lived. Will you grant us our freedom once I enter?"

"Hmm, perhaps along with freedom, you'll find nothing else," Sage replied with a chuckle as he pressed down on Rob's head. "Kid, the outside world isn't as simple as you think. Let me teach you a lesson about freedom."

As he spoke, Sage gestured to the side, and one of his Fishman subordinates handed him a cannonball.

Sage weighed the cannonball in his hand, his mouth twisting into a sinister grin. "It doesn't always bring happiness!"

Bang!

The air split apart as the cannonball transformed into a blur, rapidly expanding to twenty times its original size and crashing into the gate.

Just as the cannonball was about to detonate from the impact, a layer of ice swiftly enveloped the gate and the surrounding ground from the side, freezing the impending explosion.

The gate and wall, partially destroyed by the impact, were now encased in ice, poised to shatter at any moment. The explosive force caused the ice to extend further outward.

"Ice Age?"

Everyone present was taken aback by this turn of events, including Lily, who instinctively turned to look, her pupils constricting as she gripped the hilt of her sword.

From beyond the wall, a man clad in a naval uniform with an eye patch and half his body covered in frost slowly materialized.

"Huh," the man exhaled, ice mist billowing from his mouth. "Making such a dangerous move right off the bat, eh, Sage? Ice Age!"

As he finished speaking, he slapped the ground, causing freezing frost to condense and form an ice layer that swiftly spread forward.

"Hundred Times Ice Age: Galaxy Crash!"

But in an instant, something collided with Kuzan's body, causing him to stagnate momentarily.

In that fleeting moment, his vision captured the terrifying figure with white hair and a malevolent grin, his fist enveloped in Haki as he threw a powerful punch.

Boom!!

Kuzan's body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing into the wall and creating a massive hole, with an even larger crater at its base.

"You can't stop me, Kuzan! Whooahahaha!"

Sage stood firm, his laughter echoing as he sent a Haki-infused punch straight toward the frozen gate.

"Galaxy Punch!"

The force of the punch shattered the thick layer of ice, causing the already weakened gate and wall to crumble and collapse, falling to the ground in a heap of rubble and shattered ice.

"I used the cannonball simply to conserve my energy. It doesn't mean I'm incapable of breaking this," Sage sneered as he glared at the hole. "Might you stop underestimating me from now on?"

With the destructive power of the Hokuto Shinken [North Star Fist], demolishing the ice and structures was child's play.

"Let's go!"

Lily drew her slender sword and led her subordinates through the breach without hesitation.

If Kuzan was here, Sage would have his hands full. It was up to them now.

"I never once underestimated you," Kuzan said as he emerged from the pit, his hand resting on the edge, the other clutching his head as he twisted his neck to stand upright. He raised his hand, summoning a massive ice bird.

"Ice Age: Pheasant Beak!"

"Galaxy Punch!"

Boom!

The ice bird, riddled with cracks from the Haki-infused punch, flew forward for a distance before disintegrating into ice fragments.

In that moment, Sage's figure vanished, only to reappear at Kuzan's side, throwing another punch.

Bang!!

The fist, imbued with Haki, collided with Kuzan's ice-covered hand, creating a deafening impact.

Bang, bang, bang!

Sage's fist seemed to disappear in the clash, but a red glint flashed in Kuzan's eyes, and the ice on his arm rapidly expanded, creeping along the ground and emitting a series of dull thuds.

As the final punch connected, Sage's fist emerged, colliding with Kuzan's once more in a burst of impact that sent them reeling apart.

Sage spun in the air and, upon landing, glanced at the frost that had formed on his arm. With a clench of his fist, he shook it off.

Kuzan, on the other hand, took a few steps back, the ice on his arm shattering into fragments that fell to the ground.

"You're quite the busybody. Are all Admirals this idle?" Sage queried.

"Of course not. This particular matter is just too important, and I need to make a showing as well, so here I am," Kuzan replied, scratching his head. "After all, I'm vying for the position of Fleet Admiral. Why don't you just leave? Save me the trouble of having to fight you."

"That won't do. I've got my eye on that thing too!" Sage exclaimed, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "Why don't you be the one to leave? You seem rather distracted here."

"Can't agree on that." Kuzan sighed. "Looks like we'll have to fight, then."

"That's what I figured," Sage said, twisting his body and producing a series of crackling sounds. He exhaled, sending a puff of white breath into the air, and his cape fluttered as his body rapidly expanded in size.

"When there's a dispute that can't be resolved through words, it's time to let our fists do the talking. And in the end, I'll definitely be the winner!"

"It's not that simple," Kuzan said, eyeing the increasingly menacing figure before him. "Underestimating this company will only bring you trouble, Sage."

...

"Lightning Waltz!"

Within the city walls, a spark of electricity surged among a group of black-clad guards, erupting from their bodies and carving wounds that sprayed blood as they fell to the ground.

Lily appeared in the midst of the crowd, her white lightning dancing as she brandished her sword, the blade's bloodshed off with a flourish before she sheathed it.

"You!"

A group of guards charged from the side, but Lily didn't even change her stance or glance their way. Instead, she asked Rob, who was behind her, "Where is it?"

Hsss!

"Binding: Finger Gun!"

As she spoke, her hair writhed like snakes, piercing the group of guards, the tips forming sharp spikes that impaled them.

Marika, a smile plastered on her face, stepped forward from the rear. "Let's make this quick."

The structure within the walls was a standard mining facility, complete with tracks and defensive positions, but there were no distinctive markings. It was clear that the Mother Steel wasn't here, so they would have to search underground.

"This way," Rob said, pinpointing a direction and leading the group toward the center of the walled area.

Deep underground, in a room resembling a control room, a white-coated old man with an odd laugh said, "Someone has intruded here. Hey, Kappa, go deal with them for now... Wait!"

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the monitors, his gaze fixing on the group trailing behind the blonde-haired woman with the large bust.

"Pitch-black eyes without any whites... And they have black and gold stripes like tattoos. They're from that ancient race! I can't believe they still exist!"

"Excellent! This is fantastic! They'll make the perfect labor force. With this batch, my experiments will be even better! Kappa, Garus, go capture them! Blah, blah, blah!"

Behind him, in a spacious area, there was a circular water-filled container wrapped in iron ore from the surrounding rock face, constantly emitting bubbles as if something was forming within. Next to the container stood two individuals: one burly and bear-like, the other thin and bespectacled.

"I know them!"

The bear-like man bared his teeth. "It's the up-and-coming Heavenly Disaster Pirates! What a pity I don't get to see Heavenly Disaster himself; I'd love to beat him and prove my strength!"

"Let's start by defeating these folks first," the thin man said, pushing up his glasses and smiling confidently. "There are plenty of ways to set up traps in the mines below. I can't wait to see the looks of despair on their faces."

"Blah, blah, blah, you'll get to see them all. I see them, they're all here!"

The old man's eyes glowed with a mechanical red light as he raised his hand and slammed it down on a red button on the control panel.

"Let's capture them all! This batch will make excellent experimental subjects!"

Whoosh!

On the sea where the ships were docked, amidst the storm, enormous waves churned. From within the towering waves, fish-human hybrid machines crawled out of the water, scurrying across the surface like insects.

"What the hell are those things!" Hawkins exclaimed, his eyelids twitching as he stared at the sea in horror.

"There are too many of them!"

Urki hugged the pencil pillar close, cold sweat forming on his brow.

The mechanical creatures advanced menacingly, their needle-like feet piercing the ship's hull as they swiftly climbed up. The upper half of their fish-like bodies opened wide, revealing sharp teeth as they lunged at Hawkins and his companions.

"Devil's Face!"

Hawkins instantly transformed, spewing countless iron nails from his mouth that struck the fish-creatures but did little to slow them down.

"Exorcism!"

Just as the fish-creatures were about to pounce on Hawkins, a pencil pillar shot out from the side, swinging with tremendous force and sending a gust of wind that blew the creatures back into the sea.

Urki swung the pencil pillar, creating a whirlwind that blew away the strange fish while also knocking them off the ship.

But the number of these creatures was simply too overwhelming!

No matter how hard Urki tried, the fish kept pouring towards them, and even when their mechanical legs were smashed flat, they continued to move forward, gradually overwhelming the deck.

"Bat Scatter!"

Just as the duo was about to be overwhelmed by the fish, a swarm of tiny bats suddenly attacked from behind, tearing into the fish and carrying the ones near Urki and Hawkins away, clearing a small area.

On the second-level steering platform at the rear of the deck, Moria stood with a gloomy expression, staring at the countless strange fish. "What are these things?"

As he spoke, he leaped down from the platform, his sharp-gloved hand sweeping forward to brush away a group of the fish.

Simultaneously, the bats converged into a shadow beneath his feet, forming a long shadow spear that pierced through the lower mechanical bodies of the fish and impaled their upper fleshy parts, turning them into skewers.

"Shadow Pike!"

The spear's penetration created a narrow path, but that was all it did. More fish continued to swarm the deck, relentlessly climbing up from the ocean.

This situation caused Moria's face to turn even grimmer. These creatures had shadows, and theoretically, his ability should allow him to grab and cut their shadows, significantly weakening their numbers.

However, the shadows of inanimate objects were useless. Cutting their shadows would neither enhance his strength nor allow him to insert the shadows back into their bodies since they were already lifeless.

Moria's ability was ineffective against these creatures.

"Where's Reneetya?"

Hawkins shouted, "She's a Power Fruit ability user; she should be able to do something!"

"No need to find her!"

Moria swiped away the fish in front of him, and a shadow clone emerged from his shadow, rushing forward to sweep the fish aside.

"Is this all it takes? Don't tell me I need to trouble a little girl. That would only prove that I, a former Shichibukai, am useless!"

However, as he spoke, the fish latched onto his shadow with their mechanical legs, only to be swiftly repelled, but the sheer number kept pressing, gradually overwhelming his defenses.

The fish tore into his shadow body with their sharp teeth, and as their numbers increased, they began to erode his shadow, reducing it to ink blots on the ground.

For Moria, certain aspects of Urki's strength were more useful against these creatures.

Because Urki's strength was formidable, and his pencil pillar could sweep away numerous fish.

Yet, the sheer number of these creatures was beyond what a few individuals could handle.

Hawkins had transformed his sword into a straw whip, using its flexible lash to pierce the metal of the fish's lower bodies, but even this seemed futile.

The trio's physical attacks were futile against the overwhelming numbers on the deck, and they could only watch as the fish continued to swarm.

Even if they managed to destroy the mechanical legs, the fish could still move on the deck. The internal structure of their fish-like bodies seemed to have some form of mobility, allowing them to crawl on the deck even without their mechanical legs.

Simply striking the fish bodies wouldn't work either. The lower mechanical parts had to be targeted, and with the sheer number of these creatures, precise strikes were nearly impossible. Each additional strike drained more of their energy, and their attacks were becoming less and less effective.

Could they abandon the ship?

The thought flashed through Moria's mind, only to be immediately discarded.

This was the first task Sage had entrusted to him, and he had resolved to make Sage the winner!

But to give up just because he was countered?

That would mean giving up on his dreams!

"Don't underestimate me!"

Moria's long neck bulged with veins, and his face twisted into a sinister grin. He swung his hand, not just brushing the fish aside but sending a shockwave through them, blasting a fan-shaped area clear of the creatures.

Even the fish below were impacted by the shockwave, suffering varying degrees of damage.

This sensation...

Moria paused, staring at his hand. A strange feeling was returning to him, one he hadn't experienced in a long time.

"Heh heh heh, so this is what it feels like. It's slowly coming back to me."

Bang!

He swung his hand again, sending another shockwave that cleared a semi-circular area in front of them, creating a blank space amidst the dense swarm of fish.

"Let's see how much I've regained!"

In the New World, after so many years, he was finally reconnecting with the power of his will.

Haki!

Inside the walled city.

Lily and her group reached the center and found a large door embedded in the ground, with a control lever beside it. Pushing the lever caused the door to slowly open, revealing a sloping track leading downward.

Descending along the track with caution, the first thing they encountered was pitch-black darkness, and at the end of that darkness, there was a fiery red light.

Upon reaching the end, the full picture of the furnaces was revealed. They were glowing a fierce red, and beside them were various kinds of iron slag. Apart from the fire within the furnaces, the entire place was shrouded in black soot, making it difficult to see.

Outside the furnaces were numerous low-lying houses. Some had faint candlelights, while others had already gone out, leaving the houses empty.

Correspondingly, in this underground world, there were many people pushing small carts along the tracks, coming and going.

These people were dressed in dirty mining clothes, and their entire bodies were almost blackened with coal dust, leaving only their eyes visible.

However, those eyes had lost their sparkle and appeared dull and lifeless, and the faces beneath them were expressionless, as if they were mere shells of their former selves.

Lily furrowed her brows as she observed these people. Her sense of perception was highly sensitive, especially since she regularly practiced the All-Encompassing Breath, which further enhanced her senses.

Normally, the Observational Color allowed one to perceive the aura of objects, whether living or inanimate.

But in Lily's case, she could discern certain things through her 'breath'. These people, they were no longer truly alive.

It was as if they were just wearing a shell, an empty vessel.

"Are there any more people without the cold disease?" Lily asked, turning to look at Rob.

Rob nodded. "There are still many down below. This is the first layer, and my family is in the third layer. There are many more who haven't fallen ill there. But there are too many mine tunnels here, and I don't know how to get back."

When he had escaped, he had hidden himself in an iron ore cart, so he didn't remember the way back.

"Let's split into two teams, then," Lily suggested. "Since we won't find Mother Steel here, we'll have to search underground.

"This way, we can cover more ground and reduce the risk of getting lost."

As for why she didn't consider splitting into more groups, well, this was unfamiliar territory, and with the Donquixote Family's stronghold right here, it would be unwise to spread themselves too thin.

These Devil Race members were all future elite warriors, and it would be a waste to lose any of them unnecessarily.

"Alright, I'll take one team, and you take the other," Maryka agreed. "Which way will you go?"

Lily pointed in one direction. "We'll go left. You choose a path, Rob."

Rob nodded, then looked from left to right, hesitating. Finally, he chose the gentle-looking black-haired woman.

The golden-haired woman was indeed quite impressive, but her intimidating aura was a bit too overwhelming for him.

"Let's go!"

With that, Lily led her team into the left mine tunnel, venturing deeper.

Right after they left, Maryka, who was leading the other team, stopped in her tracks and turned to look behind her.

"Do you feel like someone's following us?" she asked, a smile still plastered on her face.

"No," came the reply from one of her subordinates.

"I thought so, too," Maryka said, nodding. "Let's change our route."

The group veered to the right, passing through the spiderweb-like second layer.

This excavated underground area was like a spiderweb, with mine tunnels extending in all directions, constantly expanding further.

After all, this was touted as Iron Mine Island, and its iron ore resources were indeed abundant.

Upon reaching the third layer, they found themselves amidst 'islands' of flat land surrounded by crimson, lava-like liquid that separated the flat areas.

The island Maryka's team had landed on was unremarkable, but in the distance, she spotted a flat area that glowed with white light, standing out starkly from its surroundings.

"That way," Maryka said, pointing toward the distant location. "Something's different about that place. Let's go!"

"Hmmm," the man named Garus hummed, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the monitors. "Pitch-black eyes with no whites... And they have black and gold stripes like tattoos. They're from that ancient race! I can't believe they still exist!"

"Excellent! This is fantastic! They'll make the perfect labor force. Kappa, Garus, go capture them all! Blah, blah, blah!"

Behind him, in a spacious area, there was a circular water-filled container wrapped in iron ore from the surrounding rock face, constantly emitting bubbles as if something was forming within. Next to the container stood two individuals: one burly and bear-like, the other thin and bespectacled.

"I know them!"

The bear-like man bared his teeth. "It's the up-and-coming Heavenly Disaster Pirates! What a pity I don't get to see Heavenly Disaster himself; I'd love to beat him and prove my strength!"

"Let's start by defeating these folks first," the thin man said, pushing up his glasses and smiling confidently. "There are plenty of ways to set up traps in the mines below. I can't wait to see the looks of despair on their faces."

"Blah, blah, blah, you'll get to see them all. I see them, they're all here!"

The old man's eyes glowed with a mechanical red light as he raised his hand and slammed it down on a red button on the control panel.

"Let's capture them all! This batch will make excellent experimental subjects!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end