The next morning, a continuous drizzle fell from the gray sky. The silvery threads of rain dropped onto the sea, melting into the waves before they could even form ripples.
The *Freewill* sailed slowly. On the deck, about a hundred captives were held, sitting cross-legged in the corner with their hands tied behind their backs.
On the third-floor balcony, Killer, wearing his blue-and-white striped mask, looked down at the captives on the deck and spoke in a low voice to Sanji beside him.
"There's still plenty of space in the second-floor dining hall. Let them inside the cabin to take shelter from the rain."
"As long as you can take responsibility if they cause any trouble."
Sanji replied softly. He pinched the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers, slowly exhaled a stream of smoke, and added, "Don't worry, we won't do anything to them. Even in the worst-case scenario, Allen will at least let them go for your sake."
"Yeah."
Killer gave a slight nod. Pressing one hand on the railing, he pushed off with his toes and leaped down from the third floor.
*Thud!*
Killer landed lightly on the deck. He stood up and walked toward Heat, Wire, and the others tied up in the corner, the sharp curved scythes gleaming from the mechanical gauntlets on the backs of his hands.
"Don't move." ...
Looking at the familiar figure before them, Heat, Wire, and the others wore complex expressions.
Their once most reliable partner was now standing on the opposing side.
Yet none of them had the right to complain, as Killer had left back then for their sake.
*Shing! Shing! Shing!*
With a flash of cold light, Killer casually severed the ropes binding them with a few swift cuts, then turned and said, "Get up, I'll take everyone to the second floor."
"Wait a minute, Killer! The captain... how is Kid doing?!" Wire hurriedly asked about Kid's injuries after being freed from his restraints.
Killer stopped in his tracks and turned his head. "He's out of danger. Don't worry, our ship's doctor is highly skilled. He'll be fine."
"Follow me for now."
With that, Killer turned and continued toward the second floor. Heat, Wire, and the others exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately followed him.
Upon reaching the second floor, the group filed into the dining hall. The moment they stepped through the doors, a savory and sweet aroma wafted over them.
But they were in no mood to pay attention to it. At this time, there were already quite a few people inside the dining hall. Seeing them enter, the crew members immediately grabbed their weapons in high alert.
They thought the captives had broken free and were launching a counterattack, but upon seeing that the person leading them was Killer, the pirates finally dropped their tense guard.
"Relax, with me here, no one will lay a hand on you," Killer said slowly, then added, "As long as you don't try anything funny."
A short while later.
Killer and his former crewmates sat around a few dining tables in the corner of the hall. Out of the dozens of people, not a single one spoke. The atmosphere was dead silent, tinged with a gloomy depression.
"Here it comes! Delicious hot food coming right up! Have a few sips of hot soup to warm your bodies first, you bastard captives!"
It wasn't until a cook from the First Division brought them portions of food and hot soup that the silence in the corner was finally broken.
"Is this for us?"
"It smells so good...!"
"Wait a minute, Emma, you're being too reckless. What if it's poisoned?"
"That... probably isn't the case. After all, if they wanted to kill us, they could have done it a long time ago," the short-haired girl named Emma said hesitantly.
"Who can guarantee that? Maybe they just didn't want to do it directly because of Killer."
"That's right. Even if their captain doesn't have that intention, who knows if any of his subordinates want us dead? Don't forget, we just fought a massive battle yesterday," several people chimed in one after another.
"No one would poison the food. In the First Division, that is the one and only thing that will never be tampered with," Killer said lightly. Without any further nonsense, he casually picked up a bowl of hot soup and began to drink.
"Even captives have the right to eat. You might not believe it, but almost everyone on this ship was once defeated and taken captive, including me." The cook who brought the food shrugged, spreading his hands dismissively. "That was a year ago. Back then, if Bro Sanji hadn't given us defeated guys a meal, some of the wounded probably wouldn't have survived until now."
"Sanji... that's the name of your First Division Commander, right? He sounds like a decent guy," Emma muttered. As an intelligence gatherer, she had a decent grasp of the information regarding the Demon Lion Pirates' executives.
At the mention of Sanji, the cook smiled, his expression brimming with confidence. "Hahaha, of course! Bro Sanji is arguably the closest thing to a perfect man in the world..."
He paused for a moment before adding, "Of course, I mean when he's not acting like a lovesick idiot."
"Well then, enjoy your meal, Commander Killer, and you idiot captives."
With that, the cook pushed his food cart and turned to leave.
After he left, people gradually began picking up the food on the table to eat, though certainly not everyone did.
Wire looked gloomy, seemingly worried about something. He pursed his lips and said, "Killer, what are you thinking right now? Do you think Kid will really submit to that guy, Demon Lion?"
"No," Killer blurted out without the slightest hesitation.
Kid was just that kind of person; he knew him better than anyone.
Even if he lost ten times, a hundred times, a thousand, or ten thousand times, he would never submit to anyone.
But refusing to submit in his heart didn't mean he wouldn't compromise in his actions.
Allen and Kid had made a bet. Now that Kid had come and lost, even if he didn't accept it in his heart, it didn't mean he wouldn't honor the agreement.
Kid was a man with immense, arrogant pride. He wouldn't allow himself to bow his head to others, but he also wouldn't commit an act as self-insulting as breaking a promise.
"How things will turn out in the end, to be honest, I don't know either." Killer tilted his head back and sighed. "That man is too strong. So strong that I've habitually come to believe he is an existence meant to stand above everyone else."
If he didn't know Allen, he would have bet his life on the belief that Kid could defeat him. But the more he understood Allen's true strength, the more such emotional thinking was crushed by rational reality.
He simply couldn't utter words like "Kid will definitely win" when it completely contradicted his brain's judgment.
"Then... what choice do you hope Kid makes?" Wire stared into Killer's eyes with a complex expression and asked, "Can you tell me, Killer? Do you hope Kid leads us in rebellion, or do you hope he stays here from now on?"
Killer fell silent, not answering for a long time.
He didn't want to see Kid die at Allen's hands.
But he also didn't want to see Kid lay down his pride and choose to compromise. It felt as though if he did that, Kid would no longer be Kid.
"It's a difficult choice for him. No matter what he does, I will respect his decision and do what I must in my position," Killer finally said.
Before long, the *Freewill* finally arrived at the Rainbow Kingdom.
After docking, Allen led the group ashore.
Because of yesterday's attack, the Sea Train tracks were damaged, so they had no choice but to have someone sail a ship out to pick them up.
Although it delayed them for the better part of a day, fortunately, they were still able to make it to the Rainbow Kingdom in time to transfer.
Departing from the train station here, they would arrive in Dressrosa by the afternoon. Doffy estimated that the Straw Hat Crew wouldn't arrive until tomorrow, so they still had more than enough time.
"Nami, how is the train I asked them to prepare earlier?"
"Ready to depart at any time."
"Good. Let's go, to Dressrosa."