The square was silent. The villagers didn't know who the two people before them were, but at least they had stopped Colonel Rat. They must not be bad, right?
Hearing Aokiji's question, Ezra D. Vale replied calmly: "Keep them frozen for now. Don't worry about this trash."
"Yes, Admiral Emberflare."
The ice immediately solidified further.
Step by step, Ezra approached Belmeru, who looked at him with complex emotions.
"Ad…Admiral Emberflare… Belmeru reporting."
Ezra waved his hand. "Enough formalities. You're retired, yet you still come here."
Belmeru had once served under Ezra's command but was later temporarily assigned to Akainu. The tyrant used her and her team as cannon fodder, wiping them out entirely. Ashamed, Belmeru quietly retired, thinking she had no face to return to Ezra's fleet. Who could have imagined that the Admiral himself would follow her here?
"Say what you need to say later. For now…"
Ezra slowly raised his right hand, aiming at Belmeru. Spiritual energy surged from his body.
"Return."
In an instant, pure spiritual energy enveloped Belmeru. She felt warmth spreading through her body. Her wounds began to heal quickly.
Belmeru pressed her right shoulder, relief on her face. "Thank you so much, Admiral Emberflare."
Behind her, two young girls peeked nervously at Ezra.
"This is… my two precious daughters, Nochia and Nami," Belmeru said.
Ezra smiled at the blue-haired Nochia and the orange-haired Nami. "Hello, nice to meet you. Here, take these."
He pulled out a few candies from his pocket. "These are specialties from Marineford. Not many, so enjoy them."
The girls, encouraged by Belmeru, shyly took the treats. Ezra reached out and gently ruffled their hair.
"You're good girls."
Belmeru smiled for the first time in a while. "They're everything to me now."
"Belmeru, do as you think best," Ezra said, his gaze shifting.
At that moment, the rest of Ezra's Marines, led by Rosinante, landed on the island.
"Reporting, Admiral Emberflare! Assembly complete!"
Ezra turned to Rosinante and the others. His smile was gone, replaced by a cold intensity. His crimson eyes scanned Colonel Rat.
"Leave some men here to guard. The rest, help the villagers."
"Yes, Admiral Emberflare!"
The villagers finally relaxed. These were good Marines!
"Thank goodness, we're saved!"
"Please, Marines, help us!"
Seeing the villagers crying, Rosinante's face burned with anger.
"Everyone, stay calm! We will solve your troubles. Trust in us!"
He soothed the villagers as he handed out what aid he could, silently thinking of his own parents and sister.
Ezra looked at Belmeru. "Tell me everything. What happened?"
Belmeru recounted the village's ordeal. As expected, it matched what Ezra had feared:
A tyrant dragon invaded Cocoa Island Village, declaring himself the ruler and demanding tribute. The villagers planned to pay first, then secretly report his crimes to the Marines. But Colonel Rat was in league with the dragon.
With no choice, the villagers continued paying tribute, but a small village could not sustain such wealth. When Belmeru bravely told the dragon they were broke, he ordered Colonel Rat to wipe out the village entirely.
If Ezra and Aokiji hadn't arrived in time, Belmeru would have died under Marine gunfire.
As she spoke, Belmeru fell to one knee. "Admiral Emberflare, please… kill the dragon!"
The villagers, realizing the newcomers were high-ranking Marines, followed suit, kneeling and pleading.
"Please save our village!"
"Admiral, we beg you! Stop the dragon!"
Hearing their desperate cries, Ezra's spiritual energy surged. He lifted all the villagers effortlessly.
"I understand the situation. Everyone, stay calm."
A wave of relief passed over the crowd.
"First, let the medics attend to the injured," Ezra instructed.
Then he turned to Belmeru. "Where is that trash now?"
Belmeru pointed to the rear of Cocoa Island Village. "Admiral Emberflare, he's on the island at the border with Cocoa Island. Do you need me to come?"
Ezra shook his head. "Stay here. Don't intervene."
In the next instant, Ezra vanished, moving faster than the eye could follow.
Meanwhile, in the dragon's stronghold, the tyrant was still imagining the treasures hidden in Cocoa Island Village.
Suddenly, a figure stumbled in.
"Croobie! What's going on?"
Croobie hurriedly replied, "Big Brother Dragon! It's terrible! Colonel Rat and his men failed!"
The dragon's brow furrowed. "How? There's no one powerful in that village. How could they fail?"
Croobie hurried on. "Big Brother Dragon! It's the Marines! Another team arrived! One of them radiates an icy aura and froze Colonel Rat's men instantly!"
The dragon's body shuddered. Cold… ice… a name flashed in his mind.
"Vice Admiral Aokiji!"
"Damn it! How is he here?"
The dragon realized the Marines might not just be Aokiji if the Admiral himself had come, there was no hope left.
"Croobie, was it only Aokiji? Did you see anyone else?"
Croobie nodded frantically. "There's another, with him. Young, not very old."
The dragon froze. It was confirmed. The Admiral had come too.
Just then, the gates of the dragon's park were blasted open. Footsteps echoed ominously through the compound.