The sea breeze drifted gently across the beach, where silence hung heavy in the air.
A moment ago, the Marines had been trembling in fear — but now, realization began to dawn on their faces.
Right.
No matter what happened, they were simply following orders from above. Even if they were sent to Enies Lobby, they would surely be released in the end — at worst, their careers in the Marine would be over.
As for being executed on the spot?
Impossible. Their Rear Admiral was standing right there!
According to regulation, branch officers rank three levels lower than Headquarters officers — but that rule only applies up to the rank of Commodore.
As the deputy commander of the North Blue's First Branch, Rear Admiral Engel was technically about the same rank as a Headquarters Rear admiral — only half a step below.
So what could this "White Dragon" Nao really do? Even as a Vice Admiral, he didn't have the authority — nor the nerve — to execute someone just one rank beneath him.
"Still, gotta show some respect to Vice Admiral White Dragon, right?"
Engel had completely regained his composure. Feeling invincible again, he smirked as he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his coat.
"Here — I'll even cuff myself. My men and I will wait quietly on the ship until you decide what to do wi—"
He never finished the word "wait."
A sharp pain exploded across his scalp — before he could even react, a powerful hand clamped around his entire head and lifted him clean off the ground.
Nao's calm, expressionless gaze met his.
What… what is he doing?!
Rear Admiral Engel's face paled, a bad premonition flashing through his mind. He just wanted to say something when suddenly, that large hand, to his horrified gaze, clenched shut with tremendous force!
Crack!
The next instant, Engel's head burst apart like a watermelon, red and white matter splattering all over the faces of the surrounding Marines.
The headless corpse, draped in its white coat of "Justice," was flung aside like a rag doll, smashing against a boulder near the shore.
For a long, stunned moment, the entire beach fell silent.
The soldiers' minds went blank — the freckled Captain's eyes bulged in sheer horror.
R–Rear Admiral Engel… was dead?
He actually killed him—just like that?!
Zzzzt!
Before they could even process what was happening, blinding blue lightning flooded their vision.
The Captain was the first to react, turning to flee in sheer panic —
—but how could human legs outrun lightning?
In just two or three seconds, the storm was over.
When the light faded, not a single Marine was left standing. More than twenty blackened corpses littered the sand.
"Good kill, Vice Admiral!"
The CP agent Shumi kicked Engel's headless body in rage, spitting on it.
"To be able to lay hands on so many children... they were truly a bunch of beasts!"
Nao didn't respond. His face was unreadable as he slowly raised his head toward the sky.
Shumi followed his gaze —
—and saw a streak of white lightning racing in from the northern horizon. It transformed midair into a white hawk, which circled once before landing neatly on Nao's shoulder.
It was Little Luo, who had been sent ahead to scout over the White City.
After listening to the white hawk's cooing and chirping in his ear for a few moments, Nao's expression turned even grimmer.
"What's wrong, Vice Admiral?"
Shumi's face paled. "Don't tell me… the allied armies of the five nations have already invaded Flevance?"
"Mm."
Nao gave a slight nod — and in the next instant, wings of pure lightning burst from his back, lifting him into the air.
"The Thunder Hawk will reach here by noon at the latest," he said coldly. "Stay behind and look after the surviving children. I'll handle this myself."
"Let me come too, Vice Admiral!" Shumi shouted. "My Devil Fruit ability is quite useful for saving people! I might be able to help a lot!"
"Not necessary today." Nao looked back at him and shook his head, "But don't worry, I'll take you tomorrow."
Huh?
Take you tomorrow... what does that mean?
Shumi froze, confused. Now that he thought about it, ever since Nao had grabbed Engel by the throat, something about him had felt… off. His expression had been too calm, too composed — as if he had already made up his mind about something.
Before Shumi could ask for an explanation, Nao, suspended in the air, suddenly transformed into a streak of blue lightning and shot off toward the border of Flevance.
In the blink of an eye, he crossed the valley and vanished from sight.
...
The royal capital of Flevance lay more than thirty kilometers inland from the beach.
For the frail, wounded children, that distance would take an entire night to cover.
But for Nao, it was a matter of minutes.
Before long, he was hovering high above the capital.
What was once the prosperous, gleaming "White City" had become a living hell.
In every street and alley, terrified citizens fled in panic — only to be mercilessly hunted down by soldiers clad in biohazard suits, their flame-throwers reducing men, women, and children alike to charred corpses.
The air was filled with screams — shrill, heart-rending cries that echoed from every direction.
Hospitals, churches, city squares… corpses had been stacked into small mountains.
Flames roared skyward, and thick black smoke blotted out the rising sun.
It was clear — this brutal, inhuman extermination had been going on for some time.
Before the combined armies of five nations, the disease-weakened Flevance military stood no chance at all. They were paper before fire.
Nao couldn't bear to watch any longer.
He didn't descend to save anyone.
Instead, after a moment of silence, he opened his system interface — and from his inventory, he drew out an item he had obtained many years ago.
Two small red capsule pills lay in his palm.
[After Tomorrow]
Type: Consumable
Description: Upon activation, it will restart your current day, reversing time to 0:00 midnight.
Note: Can only be used twice. Use wisely.
"There are no parallel worlds — only a simple pill for regret."
——
There was no doubt.
This was the most precious item Nao had ever acquired — and he had only two chances to use it in his entire life.
Without the slightest hesitation, Nao closed his eyes slightly and swallowed one of the pills, storing the other red capsule back in his backpack.
The capsule took effect the moment it entered his stomach.
A strange, indescribable sensation swept through him — the feeling of time itself twisting around his body.
The sun sank back beneath the horizon.
Day folded into night.
And when Nao opened his eyes again—
He was standing on the deck of the Thunder Hawk.
The salty sea breeze brushed against his face. All around was darkness — only the pale moonlight above remained, shining cold and bright.