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"How am I supposed to feel about it?"
The moment Bastille realized the deeper meaning behind the young vice admiral's words, his heart started to pound.
He was just a lowly colonel. Not just in the grand scheme of the world, but even within the Navy itself, he was nothing more than a small fry.
When orders came down from above, no matter how unreasonable or cruel they were, his only choice was to grit his teeth and carry them out.
And yet here he was, standing beside a young vice admiral of immense prestige and terrifying strength. This was a man who had just crushed the only witness who had ever seen Roger with a single slap. And now, after that, he had turned around and calmly asked him this question.
Bastille felt nothing but fear. His whole body had gone stiff.
But he quickly forced himself to react. Gritting his teeth, he answered.
"On Baterilla Island, the other residents all claim they never saw Roger."
"So maybe… maybe this guy really was lying and sent in false information?"
After speaking, he cautiously glanced at the towering, broad-shouldered vice admiral beside him.
Just in terms of height alone, the pressure was overwhelming. The man stood nearly half a body taller than him, muscles thick and full, as if they might burst through the Navy uniform at any moment.
It inspired nothing but awe.
Anyone who saw him would think of only two words.
Absolutely formidable.
Kyle merely smiled. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down the street ahead, where civilians were being guarded by the Navy. They were trembling, fear written plainly in their eyes.
"The World Government isn't that easy to fool," he murmured.
Those quiet words made Bastille's face change again, terror flashing in his eyes.
Is that really something you should be saying to a mere colonel like me? he screamed internally.
"Lieutenant Colonel Bastille."
A cold voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Yes, sir!" Bastille answered at once.
"Would you mind doing something for me?" Kyle said calmly.
Bastille froze for a moment, then quickly replied with respect, "I'd be honored, sir!"
"Relocate everyone on this island," Kyle said.
"…What?"
Bastille stared, completely stunned.
"I hear your hometown is in the South Blue?" Kyle asked casually.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!" Bastille replied, still confused.
Kyle didn't explain further. He simply walked forward along the street.
As he went, he saw many familiar faces. The villagers recognized him instantly, and their expressions betrayed them at once.
Kyle nodded to them, giving them a reassuring look.
His eyes flickered as understanding settled in.
The islanders clearly knew about Roger, and they were just as aware of Rouge's situation. Yet despite the Navy's repeated interrogations, none of them had spoken.
Only one person had reported it.
There was fear in that silence, a desire to avoid trouble. But it also revealed something else: the simple kindness of ordinary people.
Everyone knew what kind of future awaited a weak, helpless pregnant woman once the identity of Portgas D. Roger was exposed.
Kyle slowed his steps and looked ahead at the women, their faces filled with fear and worry.
Most of them had swollen bellies. They were the pregnant women of the island.
"If you were ordered to personally execute these innocent pregnant women," Kyle said quietly.
Bastille shuddered, unable to respond for a long moment.
"Can't do it?" Kyle smiled. "Or don't want to?"
"They… they're innocent," Bastille said carefully, watching Kyle's expression.
"Innocent?" Kyle chuckled."And what if one of them carried Roger's blood?"
Bastille's body trembled. "Are we really supposed to kill all the innocent ones just because of Roger?"
Kyle stepped forward again.
After a long pause, Bastille finally heard his reply.
"That's exactly what they would do."
There was a brief silence.
"But not us."
Bastille let out a breath of relief, followed immediately by a swirl of complicated emotions.
Everything he had said was based on the rumors he'd heard about this man.
Justice that treated all equally. A genuine desire to protect the weak.
Sending Vice Admiral Kyle to carry out this mission was cruel in itself.
And yet, after seeing his swift, ruthless methods upon arriving on the island, it was clear he wasn't soft-hearted or naïvely merciful.
"Move everyone off the island," Kyle said evenly. "Find them somewhere safe."
"Yes, sir!" Bastille answered immediately.
As Kyle's figure gradually disappeared from view, a deep sense of respect rose in Bastille's eyes.
He knew exactly what kind of situation awaited him next.
Neither Marine Headquarters nor the World Government could be fooled so easily.
The order from above was to eliminate all pregnant women on Baterilla Island. It was never about verifying the source or the truth of the information.
Those were two entirely different things.
Which meant that Kyle had already disobeyed orders.
The evacuation proceeded quickly. Bastille was efficient, personally overseeing the operation. As he helped the pregnant women onto the ships, he repeatedly reminded them:
"You should be thanking Vice Admiral Kyle."
"Otherwise…"
He trailed off, letting out a sigh before turning away.
Later, when the civilians realized they had just stood on the edge of death's door, fear and relief washed over them in equal measure.
The warships remained docked at the harbor. Bastille stood at the bow, gazing at the towering, powerful figure standing at the center of the island.
"All civilians have been evacuated… so what is Vice Admiral Kyle going to do now?" he wondered.
Turning his head, he saw that the officers under Kyle's command were already in position aboard the vice admiral's ship.
Then—
Boom!
Thunder suddenly roared across the sky. Golden lightning split the heavens.
"Is it about to rain?" Bastille muttered."It was perfectly clear just a moment ago."
Suddenly—
At the center of the island, lightning flared. A dazzling, blazing dragon of electricity, radiating terrifying heat, let out an earth-shaking roar and shot straight into the sky.
In an instant, it collided with the thunderclouds above the island.
Wooooom!
An invisible ripple spread outward. The dark clouds expanded violently, swallowing the entire island in moments, stretching nearly ten kilometers across.
"That's Vice Admiral Kyle!" Bastille snapped back to his senses, shock filling his eyes.
As lightning flashed through the clouds, realization hit him like a hammer.
"Move! Now!"
"Get out of here immediately!"
"As fast as possible!"
Bastille understood. It was only a guess, but he was already eighty percent certain.
Vice Admiral Kyle was about to destroy the island.
At that moment, the lightning within the clouds grew even more violent. Countless blue arcs extended like writhing tendrils, spreading in every direction.
The wind howled.
In an instant, the sky above Baterilla Island became a place of chaos.
The thunderclouds blanketing the island began to contract, slowly compressing into a massive sphere. The lightning inside grew even more terrifying.
"Thunder's Descent!"
Amid the raging wind, a voice rang out.
Bastille's eyes went wide. He sucked in a sharp breath, his entire body trembling.
"..."
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