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Chapter 32: The Only Hope
In the hospital corridor, they faced each other from afar as snowflakes danced outside the window. Flying Squirrel felt an indoor chill colder than the outdoors, right down to his bone marrow. Darren's smile grew more intense, unrestrained, and even mad.
"You said such a thing has never happened..."
"Yes, never."
"But 'never' does not mean it's impossible or incorrect."
His tone took on a suggestive weight.
"One and zero hold very different meanings."
At these words, Flying Squirrel shook as if struck by lightning, his hands trembling. Fear enveloped him, making it hard to breathe, almost as if he would suffocate. Yet, in the next moment, he balled his fists with determination in his eyes and said through gritted teeth, "I will go with you."
Darren smiled, content with the response. He replied firmly, "No need. It's easier for me to act alone. And, should any harm befall me, I'd be relieved knowing the North Blue Marine fleet is in your care. You stay here and watch over those two. I'll return soon."
With that, Darren departed without looking back. Flying Squirrel, still as stone, finally exhaled once Darren was out of sight, noticing the cold sweat on his back. After a moment of silence, he offered a solemn military salute towards the empty corridor.
Without warning, he glanced outside. Heavy snow blanketed the landscape; darkness loomed with the threat of a brewing storm.
"It's going to change," Flying Squirrel murmured before turning around, his eyes resolute again. "Such is your way, Rear Admiral Darren," he muttered, his voice shaking despite the smile forming on his lips. "It's an honor to serve as your aide-de-camp."
He clenched his fist. Darren was right; going alone would be futile. He couldn't offer help, but by staying put, he could make a difference.
Soon after, Darren left the hospital alone for the north of Badia Island, where mountains lay under a blanket of snow. He pulled a crumpled piece of white paper from his pocket. It was torn, revealing it to be a life card, which began to move in a certain direction as if directed by unseen forces. Darren, after confirming the direction, pocketed the life card.
Darren, cautious and insightful, trusted not only his strength but his prudence and analytical skills. He knew the CP agents escorting Hildes Saint were CP1 level – less capable than the CP9, meaning none mastered Haki. Satisfied with that knowledge, he called forth a magnetic force field and transformed his metal wristband into a streamlined metal plate, resembling a floating silver skateboard.
Leaping onto the board, he bent his knees and leaned forward. The next second, the metal skateboard, powered by an intense magnetic force, propelled Rear Admiral Darren forward, breaking the sound barrier and disappearing into the stormy sky.
At that same moment, off the coast of Badia Island, a luxurious ship bearing the World Government flag sailed slowly. On the deck, Celestial Dragon Saint Shields sneezed, pulled his fine clothes tighter about him, and cursed the unusual summer snow, so out of place for the New World.
The gray sky was heavy with snow, and the snowflakes danced down, settling on the deck and mast of the official ship, coating it in a layer of silver frost. The icy sea breeze blew directly at them, and the low temperature fogged up the glass cover Shields Saint used to isolate the air with a layer of white mist.
"Master Shields Saint! If everything goes according to plan, and we encounter no accidents, the official ship should arrive at the Holy Land in two days," a CP member dressed in a black suit reported, kneel down on one knee and presenting a luxurious mink coat respectfully.
"Twelve members of the World Government's CP1 department are at your service during this return trip!" Shields Saint accepted the expensive coat and draped it over his shoulders but expressed some dissatisfaction:
"Why is it CP1? Isn't there a member of CP0?"
The Celestial Dragons typically have their own bodyguards, and after Shields Saint's guards fell to "World Destroyer" Byrnndi Waldo, almost all were killed. Within the CIPHER-POL organization of the World Government, CP0 stands at the pinnacle and can utilize personnel from CP1 through CP9. Normally, given such threats, the Holy Land should have assigned at least one CP0 member to ensure his security, rather than CP1, whose primary role is in intelligence gathering.
The CP1 team leader spoke anxiously, "Sir Shields Saint, the CP0 masters are currently collaborating with the Marines to pursue the notorious pirate Byrnndi Waldo, and many of our combat forces have been deployed."
"For this voyage, the CP department has conducted a thorough safety analysis. There should be no issues, so please, rest assured."
Hearing this, Shields Saint could only nod in impatient acceptance. While Celestial Dragons have the authority to call upon CP0, it's limited to major events or crises. The genuine control over CP0's deployment lies with the Five Elders, who wield the highest authority in the World Government.
"My lord, it's cold; please, retire to your cabin to rest," the CP1 team leader suggested with respect.
Shields Saint waved dismissively, "No, take me to see my wife first."
The CP1 member nodded and led the way into another separate cabin. Inside, the cabin was dark and permeated with a damp, foul odor, with the hint of blood. A small cage sat in the center, where a little girl chained by her hands and feet sat trembling, her mouth gagged.
As the Celestial Dragon entered, she glared at him with red, tearful, but defiant eyes. Shields Saint's heart raced with excitement.
"What a fierce look..." he thought, thrilled by the idea of breaking her will as she was powerless to resist. "Just a bit longer... my dear wife, we will live blissfully once we return to the Holy Land."
He left the cabin laughing, pushing aside the dreariness of the weather, his blood boiling with anticipation. Such indulgences would wait for the purity of the Holy Land, not in this squalid place or with her still soiled with dirt.
As the door closed, leaving her in darkness, the dim cabin light flickered with the sway of the ship, casting ambiguous shadows. The girl sat still, her little body huddled in a corner. What went unnoticed were her clenched fists, tightly gripping a piece of paper given by the compassionate Marine who had bound her. She didn't understand what it was but instinctively held on to it—as if it offered her the only ray of hope in her dark world.
This piece of paper was a Vivre Card, a unique item from the anime "One Piece" that is impervious to water and fire. It is fashioned from a person's fingernails and signifies the life force of its owner. It is often torn and given to loved ones upon parting, and it always points towards its owner. The very thing given to Luffy by Ace in Alabasta was indeed a Vivre Card.