Chapter 225: Freedom
Above the shattered ruins of Mary Geoise, the thick smoke and gray dust hung heavily in the air. Takuro stood with his hands in his pockets, his crimson eyes scanning the wreckage of the "Holy Land" he had personally torn apart. He didn't feel pride or joy; instead, he looked at the destruction with a sense of utter boredom.+3
The main battle was over. He had left the boring tasks of cleaning up the mess and managing the survivors to Dragon, Whitebeard, and the other leaders. Now, he wandered through the vast ruins alone. He wasn't exactly looking for trophies, but he was searching for anything that might be interesting—like the legendary treasures of the Celestial Dragons, or even better, any clues about a Dragon Ball.+1
He walked aimlessly, kicking aside a charred stone slab that was once a beautiful piece of art. Because of his high power level and mastery of Ki, his senses were incredibly sharp. He could easily feel the faint life signatures of people nearby. Most were just injured soldiers, captured Celestial Dragon scum, or terrified slaves who had just been let out of their cages.+4
As he walked past an ornate building that was still mostly standing, his ears caught a very quiet sound. It was a suppressed sob. He felt a life signature that was very delicate and filled with deep, shaking fear.
"Hmm?" Takuro raised an eyebrow, feeling a tiny spark of interest. This person's aura felt different from the ordinary slaves or the weak Celestial Dragons he had encountered so far.
The Birdcage
Following the sound, he found himself in front of a heavy metal door. It was specially made and had complex locks, but the shockwaves from the battle had already loosened it. Takuro didn't even use his hands to open it. He casually lifted his boot, let a small amount of Ki flow into it, and gave the door a gentle kick.+3
Boom!
The heavy door twisted and shattered like it had been hit by a cannon, falling inward and sending a cloud of dust into the room.
When the dust settled, he saw a prison cell that looked more like a fancy bedroom. It had soft carpets and expensive furniture, though most of it was now broken. It wasn't a dungeon; it was a "birdcage" designed for a captive pet.
In the corner of this cage, three small girls huddled together like scared birds. The oldest was a girl with long black hair, about twelve or thirteen years old. Even though her face was dirty and her eyes were wide with terror, she was already incredibly beautiful. She held her two younger sisters behind her, trying to be brave as she stared at the stranger who had just broken in.
Takuro's gaze moved over the three sisters. He immediately saw the "Hoof of the Celestial Dragon" branded onto their skin—the mark of a slave. He didn't feel pity or sadness when he saw it; he just felt bored.+1
"Tsk. Another group of pets raised by those Celestial Dragons?" his voice was full of contempt. He wasn't mad at the girls, but he hated the idea of people being kept in cages like objects.+1
His loud voice and violent entry made the sisters shake with fear. The youngest, Marigold, let out a small whimper. Boa Hancock bit her lip so hard it almost bled. She had no idea who this man was, but his aura was terrifying. He felt like a primordial beast, a force of nature far more frightening than any guard they had ever met.
A Change of Fate
Takuro ignored their trembling. His eyes caught sight of a jewel-encrusted box sitting in the corner. He walked over, picked it up, and flipped it open. Inside were several high-quality gems. To Takuro, these were completely useless. You couldn't eat them, and they didn't help you fight better.
"Paupers," he muttered, tossing the box aside. The expensive gems scattered across the floor like worthless pebbles.
He looked around the cell one last time, but there was no Dragon Ball to be found. Having lost interest entirely, he turned around to leave.+2
Seeing him turn away, Hancock felt a tiny bit of relief, but then a wave of even deeper despair hit her. This man was scary, but he didn't seem to care about them at all. If he left, what would happen? The world outside was in total chaos. Where would they go?
Just as Takuro was about to step through the broken doorway, Hancock found a tiny bit of courage deep inside her heart. She cried out with everything she had:
"Wait... please, wait!"
Takuro stopped and turned back, looking a bit annoyed. His red eyes locked onto the black-haired girl. "What? I'm busy," he said bluntly.
Hancock shivered under his intense gaze, but she forced herself to speak. "Who... who are you? What happened out there? The... the Celestial Dragons..." +1
Takuro frowned, thinking this kid was being a nuisance, but he answered anyway. "I'm Takuro. Outside? It's simple. I beat down those Celestial Dragon trash. This whole place belongs to me now". He pointed to the ruins around them. "As for you... you're free".+1
Free.
The word hit Hancock like a physical blow. Coming from a man who felt as powerful as a demon god, it sounded like an absolute truth.
Takuro looked at the three small, shaking girls and then at the wreckage of the palace. For a moment, he decided to be slightly helpful. "If you don't have a place to go, just walk outside. Find the guys from the Revolutionary Army or the Fishmen. They'll take care of you".+1
With those final words, he didn't stick around. His body flickered and he vanished into the dust of the hallway, moving so fast it was like he had never been there at all.+3
Inside the cell, it became deathly quiet again. Boa Hancock stared at the empty doorway, the man's rough words echoing in her mind.
"Takuro..." she whispered.
"The Celestial Dragons were beaten..."
"Free..."
Tears started to fall down her face again. But this time, they weren't just tears of fear. They were tears of relief and a strange, complicated feeling toward the man named Takuro. He was rude, impatient, and he looked at them like they were nothing. But he had also casually smashed the cage that held them and told them their lives had changed forever.
"Sister..." Sandersonia said timidly, pulling at her sleeve.
Hancock took a deep breath and wiped the dust and tears from her cheeks. She took her sisters' hands and looked out at the sky through the broken door. Even though it was full of smoke, it was the sky of the outside world.
"We... we're going out," she said. Her voice was quiet, but she sounded more determined than she ever had before.
The three girls carefully stepped out of their cage and into the new world of "freedom" that Takuro had created with his absolute power. For the young Boa Hancock, the name Takuro and the way he had saved them without even trying would be something she would never forget.
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