Merlin, the 50-million-berry pirate who carved ships apart in the West Blue… lay face-down in the dirt.
Taken down in less than a minute.
By Adam, a Marine officer.
A Marine most of them knew as the quiet one.
The drunkard.
The one who stared too long at the ocean after Marineford.
One of the younger Marines lowered his rifle slowly. "He… he beat him."
Another blinked. "Merlin was probably already exhausted from his fight with our captain. Right?!"
A third Marine, older, scar across his chin, let out a short laugh of disbelief. "Since when did that brat Adam fight like that?"
Anna stood frozen beside Adam, her breathing slightly heavier from the fight. Her gray eyes moved from Merlin's body… to Adam's face.
He wasn't even breathing hard.
No triumphant grin and no shaking hands.
Just… mild curiosity written all over his face. Like he'd just tested a theory and it worked out.
Behind them, the wounded Captain pushed himself upright with visible effort, one hand pressed against the blood soaking his side.
Two Marines rushed to support him.
"You okay, sir?!"
"I've had worse, don't worry about me.." he grunted through clenched teeth.
His gaze lifted.
Locked onto Adam.
There was irritation there.
There was also pride.
There was something else to
Recalculation.
"…Like I've mentioned Adam, we will talk later about you disobeying orders." the Captain muttered. Then after a pause, "…but good work nonetheless."
The remaining pirates stood several meters back now.
Weapons lowered, faces pale.
One of them dropped his sword entirely.
Another took a shaky step backward.
"Captain Merlin…"
"No… not here…" one of them whispered, eyes wide with panic. "We were this close… this close to reaching the New World!"
His voice cracked.
"We only wanted to sell our treasure, you stupid Navy!"
The frustration in his voice wasn't arrogance, It was desperation.
Adam turned his head slowly toward them.
"Treasure, you said.."
The pirate instantly regretted speaking.
His shoulders hunched, his bravado gone.
Adam took a few calm steps toward him.
The pirates flinched collectively.
"We shall be confiscating that," Adam said evenly, "by order of the Marines and the World Government."
The words came out smooth and authoritative.
And the moment they left his mouth
'I can't believe I just said that… I'm about to throw up...'
Anna leaned slightly closer and whispered near his ear, her voice low.
"You bastard… you want it for yourself, don't you?"
Adam snapped his head toward her.
"What?! Absolutely not."
She gave him a look that clearly said liar.
"I'm just interested," he added quickly, lowering his voice, "to see what this treasure they want to sell actually is, something that made them attract this much trouble... it shouldn't be that simple."
Her eyebrow rose.
Before she could respond
A heavy, mechanical thud echoed through the plaza.
Step.
The ground vibrated faintly.
Every Marine turned.
Some groaned.
From the edge of Grove 50, a massive figure emerged between the mangrove roots.
Tall.
Broad.
Expressionless.
Bartholomew Kuma's face replicated in cold, mechanical flesh.
"PX-5…" one Marine muttered.
The Pacifista's eyes glowed faintly.
A few Marines visibly frowned.
"Too damn late!" someone grumbled.
"We already handled it!"
"Of course they show up now."
The Captain exhaled sharply. "Secure the pirates. Let the Pacifista assist if anyone resists."
The remaining pirate crew didn't resist.
They dropped their weapons almost in unison.
Adam stepped forward and grabbed the pirate who had mentioned the treasure by the collar.
The man yelped.
"C'mon," Adam said calmly, though his grip tightened just enough to make the message clear. "Tell me where this treasure of yours is."
The pirate swallowed hard.
"O-or what?"
Adam's red eyes sharpened slightly.
"Or you'll be wishing you were sent to Impel Down instead. You already saw what I can do.. I don't care about orders too so I can freely get rid of you."
The pirate visibly shuddered.
He swallowed his own spit with difficulty.
"Our ship…" he stammered. "It's...it's getting coated right now! Grove 41 dock!"
Adam's grip loosened slightly.
"A small box in the Captain's quarters," the pirate continued quickly. "That's all we had! We wanted to get rid of that thing and get money instead for the New World! That's it!"
Adam stared at him for a moment.
Then let him go.
The pirate stumbled backward, nearly tripping over himself in relief.
"Thank you for the information," Adam said lightly.
Then, almost conversationally
"By the way, you wouldn't have made it very far in the New World."
The pirate blinked.
Adam gestured vaguely.
"You can't even survive Fish-Man Island or the deep sea like this."
The pirates looked crushed.
Anna stared at him like he'd just delivered a weather report.
Adam turned and began walking away from the plaza.
Anna hurried after him.
"Are you serious right now, Adam?" she demanded in a hushed but intense voice. "Disobeying orders is one thing, but this is a grave crime!"
"What?" he replied casually. "Taking pirate possessions?"
She glared at him. "You know what I mean."
He shrugged slightly. "Fear not. I won't be punished. It's clearly something small."
"And I think I have an idea what it might be."
Anna stopped walking for a moment and truly looked at him.
"…What's going on with you today? Seriously."
He didn't slow down.
"If you want to come with me," he said, voice calm, "then don't ask too many questions. I'm just doing my job. As a hardworking marine, we must ensure people's safety, consider this part of it."
She stared at the back of his head.
That wasn't the Adam she'd known for the past year and a half.
The old Adam drank, Questioned quietly.
Followed orders reluctantly but safely.
This Adam, moved first and left thoughts for later.
And somehow took down a 50-million-berry pirate without breaking a sweat.
He glanced slightly over his shoulder.
"Let's go to their ship," he said. "I'm interested in this treasure."
Anna exhaled sharply through her nose.
She looked back toward the plaza at the wounded Captain being treated, at PX-5 standing like an oversized, unnecessary monument to government power, at the defeated pirates being shackled.
Then back at Adam.
"…Fine," she muttered. "Let's go."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"But if it's money, we report it back."
Adam allowed himself the faintest smirk.
"Of course, noble marine lady."
And as they headed toward Grove 41's docks
Adam's mind wasn't on gold.
It was on something far more dangerous.
'Small box.'
'Something they wanted to get rid of.
Something worth selling before entering the New World.'
His pulse ticked up slightly.
'If I'm right…'
Then this "broken power" bound by the world's rules..
Might be closer than he thought.
/-\
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