Chapter 29: Baptism by Fire
The source of the fragrance was the fine powder the bullet had turned into. If you didn't look closely, it almost looked like dust.
"What is this? It smells so good!" T. Bone sniffed the air, a lingering fear in his expression.
Peacock stood there without saying a word, not showing any excessive surprise, as if she had already known about the bullet's nature.
"Vegapunk's work, the masterpiece of the Iber Peace Prize... Gunpowder Flowers! Skylark, give me a reason why your reserve magazine is loaded with this stuff." Ian's face suddenly turned cold as he questioned Skylark.
The sudden shift in aura made Skylark's breath catch. "Because... because I yearn for peace. If we encounter a lot of enemies, rendering their gunpowder ineffective should reduce a lot of casualties."
Skylark followed her inner thoughts and gave her answer.
Ian shook his head unhappily. Another fool bound by so-called peace. They believe that by eliminating weapons at their root, they can achieve the desired 'peace.' The root cause of war isn't weapons; it's people!
"Skylark, what if your companions are surrounded by enemies, and the enemies are armed with swords? Can these childish flower pollens save your companions?" Ian stood up from his seat and looked down at Skylark.
"This... using a sword..." Clearly, Skylark had never considered this scenario.
"Me, or Nami, or Peacock, anyone is fine. One of us is seriously injured and in critical condition, urgently needing rescue from our companions. Are you using this thing to save us? The enemy will never show mercy and will never give you a second chance. It only takes a moment..."
As he spoke, Ian, holding the special gun, made a sharp, stabbing motion toward Skylark's left armpit. The swift movement, as if meant to pierce the heart, scared Skylark so much she fell to the deck with a thump.
"It only takes a moment... to die!" Ian stared at the fallen Skylark, his eyes like sharp swords, making her tremble.
In the back, T. Bone and Peacock remained silent. They didn't step forward to support Skylark or stop Ian's lecture. In their hearts, what Ian said was the bloody reality. At sea, you could be kind, but not naive. The enemy would never give you a second chance!
"Skylark, I don't need admirers on my ship, nor do I need incompetent officers who can't save their companions. If you're not ready to follow me, you can leave at any time." Ian turned around and picked up the lunch box on the table. His originally stern expression collapsed instantly.
It's so tiring to act tough! Did I go too hard on the girl? She just gave me a lunch box; how could I treat her like a beast? Alas, there's really no other way. As he had more and more people around him, he couldn't protect them all the time. Those constrained by kindness were more vulnerable. It was necessary to correct the sapling before it grew crooked.
Just as Ian was about to head back to the cabin to try the lunch...
Click-clack! Click-clack!
...
Behind him, the sound of bullets being loaded rang out again.
"Huh?"
Ian turned and walked over. Skylark had run to the side of the ship alone, gripping the gun barrel with her left hand and bracing her right elbow firmly against the railing. As she pulled the trigger, a bullet shot toward the empty sea.
The moment the bullet hit the seawater...
BOOM!
A ball of scorching flames erupted from the sea, surrounded by black smoke. The high temperature created layers of steam that intertwined with the black smoke, like a massive fireball spell cast directly.
Tch! Ian sucked in a breath. So the little one wasn't playing with a sniper rifle, but a mounted cannon! Now I don't have to worry about her not being able to save her companions in time... there's a high probability her companions would be killed in the explosion!
"Reporting to Commodore Ian, this is a Lava Fire Bomb! I don't want to be incompetent. I don't want to see my companions get hurt!" Two small teardrops hung at the corners of Skylark's eyes as she stubbornly straightened her small chest.
I thought she'd be immersed in disappointment for at least a few days. Did she catch on so quickly? If you have this kind of ammunition, why didn't you take it out earlier? Why hide it? Is there something wrong with your brain?
"Return to the team." Ian waved his hand dismissively.
"Yes, Commodore Ian!" These two simple words ignited a fire in Skylark's heart.
After listening to everyone, Nami stepped forward with a chart. "Commodore Ian, according to our current sailing speed and direction, we will be able to dock at the port in Grove 44 in about forty minutes."
Upon hearing this, T. Bone immediately stepped forward and interjected, "Commodore Ian, the Marine base on the Sabaody Archipelago is located in Grove 66. Grove 44 is the port where civilian ships dock. Is this a mistake? The current Commodore stationed at the base is still waiting to hand over matters to you. According to procedure, he should act as your guide and take you around the Sabaody Archipelago to familiarize you with the terrain."
Ian nodded and responded, "I know. I've already had Nami contact the stationed Commodore and told him to step down and report back to Headquarters without further delay. Uncle T, didn't you also serve on the Sabaody Archipelago? It's enough for you to lead the way and familiarize us with the terrain. We chose to dock at the port in Grove 44 because it's closer to the first 30 groves!"
T. Bone: "!!!"
Peacock: "!!!"
Skylark: "!!!"
When the three heard Ian's words, they all looked at him in surprise. T. Bone was so suspicious he'd misheard that he asked again in confusion, "The first 30 groves! That's the lawless zone, right?"
Ian shook the cloak off his shoulders and smiled leisurely. "Haha, now that I'm here, the law is here too, isn't it?"
...
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 44.
The three warships slowly decelerated and docked one after another like giant steel beasts. Ian transformed into a black shadow, rushing out from the bow of the warship and arriving on the island before the several cadres could disembark.
Soap bubbles unique to the Sabaody Archipelago floated all over the islands.