The forest was eerily quiet as Isaac and Nolan moved cautiously through the dense trees, their footsteps muffled by the undergrowth. The tension in the air was palpable, and Isaac's sharp eyes scanned the surroundings for any sign of movement. He had heard the distant clatter of armor earlier, and his instincts told him that trouble was near.
"Isaac," Nolan whispered nervously, clutching the strap of his satchel. "Do you think it's them? The Marines?"
Isaac nodded, his green eyes narrowing. "I'm sure of it. They've been closing in on us since this morning. They're not amateurs, Nolan—they know what they're doing. But so do I."
Nolan swallowed hard, glancing around. "Should we run?"
Isaac shook his head. "No. They're too close. If we run, we'll expose ourselves. The only way to deal with this is to take the advantage while we still have it."
Nolan looked at him uncertainly. "What do you mean?"
Isaac crouched low, picking up a few small stones from the ground. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the strange energy within him. The faint green glow of his devil fruit power began to envelop the stones, reducing their inertia.
"Stay hidden," Isaac whispered, his voice calm but commanding. "Let me handle this."
Nolan hesitated but obeyed, crouching behind a thick bush as Isaac crept forward, keeping low and silent. The voices of the Marines grew louder, and soon they came into view—a group of five, led by a scarred officer with a menacing smirk.
"Spread out," the leader ordered, his voice gruff. "The captain wants the boy alive, but if he puts up a fight, don't hold back. Got it?"
The Marines nodded, their swords drawn as they began to fan out through the forest. Isaac observed them from his hidden vantage point, his analytical mind calculating their movements. They were disciplined, but their arrogance was their weakness.
Isaac gripped the stones tightly, his mind racing. Force equals mass times acceleration, he reminded himself. 'They may be stronger, but I control the laws of motion. That's my advantage.'
He focused on the nearest Marine, a tall man with a bulky frame. With a flick of his wrist, Isaac sent one of the stones hurtling through the air. The faint green glow intensified as he manipulated the stone's inertia, accelerating it far beyond its natural speed.
The stone struck the Marine's helmet with a sharp crack, knocking him unconscious before he even had time to react. The others whirled around, their eyes scanning the trees for the source of the attack.
"Who's there?" the leader barked, his sword at the ready.
Isaac didn't answer. He picked up another stone, his mind already calculating the trajectory. This time, he aimed for a Marine standing farther away, his back partially turned. The stone shot through the air like a bullet, striking the man in the side of the head. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
"Spread out!" the leader growled, his voice tinged with frustration. "He's toying with us!"
Isaac smirked faintly from his hiding spot. 'No, I'm eliminating threats. One by one.'
The remaining Marines moved cautiously now, their confidence shaken. Isaac took advantage of their hesitation, targeting the next one. He grabbed a heavier rock this time, using his devil fruit power to decrease its mass for easier throwing. When it reached its peak velocity mid-flight, he restored its full weight, maximizing the impact.
The rock struck a Marine squarely in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Where is he?!" the leader shouted, his scarred face twisting in anger.
Isaac finally stepped out from the shadows, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. "Looking for me?"
The leader's eyes narrowed. "You're the one who's been causing all this trouble."
Isaac tilted his head, his expression calm. "Trouble? No, I'm solving a problem. You're the ones hunting children in the woods. Doesn't seem very Marine-like to me."
The leader sneered, raising his sword. "You've got a smart mouth, boy. Let's see how smart you are when I cut you down!"
Isaac didn't flinch. Instead, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a handful of fountain pens he had taken from the village. He let them hover in the air for a moment, enveloped in the faint green glow of his devil fruit power.
The leader hesitated, his confidence faltering. "What the—?"
Isaac flicked his fingers, and the pens shot forward like projectiles, their velocity amplified by his manipulation of inertia. They struck the leader with pinpoint accuracy—one in the shoulder, another in the leg, and a third grazing his cheek.
The leader stumbled back, dropping his sword and clutching his wounds. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "What kind of devil fruit is this…?"
Isaac stepped closer, his voice cold and steady. "One you wouldn't understand. Now leave, and tell your captain to stay out of my way."
The leader glared at him, but the fear in his eyes was unmistakable. He signaled to the remaining Marine, who was trembling with fear. Together, they dragged their unconscious comrades away, retreating into the forest.
Isaac watched them go, his mind already racing with calculations for their next move. When he was certain they were gone, he turned back to Nolan, who emerged from his hiding spot with wide eyes.
"That… was incredible," Nolan said, his voice a mix of awe and fear. "But what if they come back?"
"They will," Isaac said calmly. "And when they do, we'll be ready… probably."
For now, though, the forest was silent once more, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
…
The forest had grown darker as the evening settled, and the faint chirping of crickets filled the air. Isaac and Nolan, exhausted from their encounter with the corrupt Marines earlier, sat by a small, river. The tension of the day weighed heavily on them both, but they knew they needed rest to face whatever came next.
Nolan poked at the water with a stick, his face lit by the flickering fireflies. "Do you think they'll come back tonight?"
Isaac, leaning against a tree, kept his gaze on the fire. "Probably. Men like that don't quit easily, especially when their pride is at stake. But we'll manage."
Nolan frowned. "You make it sound so simple."
Isaac smirked faintly. "It's not. But worrying won't help us, Sleep will."
Reluctantly, Nolan lay down on a patch of grass, pulling his satchel close to his chest. Isaac stayed where he was, his mind buzzing with thoughts and plans. Eventually, though, his body's exhaustion caught up to him, and his eyes drifted shut.
---
The peace didn't last long.
Isaac's eyes snapped open at the faint sound of movement in the distance—a rustle of leaves, the crunch of boots on dirt. He sat up instantly, his sharp instincts screaming that danger was near.
"Nolan," he hissed, shaking his friend awake.
Nolan blinked groggily. "What is it?"
"Quiet," Isaac said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're here."
The sound of footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the clinking of weapons. Isaac's heart raced as he counted the shadows emerging from the darkness. There were at least a dozen Marines, led by a man who could only be Captain Renard. His uniform was pristine compared to his subordinates, and his expression radiated cold authority.
"Well, well," Renard said, his voice smooth and menacing. "You've caused quite the stir, boy. Taking down my men like that... impressive for a child. But it ends here."
Isaac stepped forward, shielding Nolan behind him. "Your men attacked us first. I defended myself. Isn't that what Marines are supposed to do—protect people?"
Renard chuckled, shaking his head. "Spare me your moralizing. You are a criminal, and that makes you an enemy. Even if it was self defense, you're a murderer. Either way, you're coming with me."
Isaac's mind raced. They were outnumbered, and the Marines were prepared this time. But running wasn't an option—they wouldn't make it far. He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said.
Renard's smirk disappeared. "Then I'll drag you in pieces."
At his signal, the Marines charged. Isaac reacted instantly, grabbing a handful of stones from the ground and imbuing them with his devil fruit power. He flung them toward the first wave of attackers, each stone hitting its mark with precision and force. Two Marines went down, clutching their injuries, but the others pressed on.
Nolan tried to help, throwing what little he could find, but it was clear they were overwhelmed. One Marine managed to slip past Isaac's defenses, his blade slicing across Isaac's arm. Isaac stumbled back, biting down a cry of pain as blood seeped from the wound.
"Isaac!" Nolan shouted, his voice filled with panic.
Isaac gritted his teeth, his vision blurring slightly. The pain was sharp, but he couldn't let it stop him. He clenched his fists, his thoughts zeroing in on the chaos around him. He needed to turn the tide.
And then it hit him. The third law.
"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," he muttered under his breath, his green eyes narrowing.
Renard stepped forward, drawing his sword. "Give up, boy. You're out of your league."
Isaac ignored him, focusing entirely on his next move. He picked up a larger rock with his uninjured arm, letting the faint green glow of his power envelop it. But this time, instead of manipulating its inertia, he did something different.
He hurled the rock straight at a nearby Marine, but before it could hit, Isaac manipulated the recoil—the force of the throw itself. The reaction force shot Isaac backward with incredible speed, launching him out of the immediate danger zone.
Renard's eyes widened. "What—?!"
Isaac landed a few meters away, skidding to a stop as he steadied himself. He panted heavily, blood dripping from his arm, but his mind was alive with possibilities. The third law wasn't just about attack—it was about mobility, momentum, and strategy.
"Interesting," Isaac muttered, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
The Marines hesitated, clearly unnerved by the display. Renard growled, his grip tightening on his sword. "Don't just stand there! Get him!"
Isaac used the moment of hesitation to pick up another stone. This time, he threw it toward a tree branch above the Marines. As the branch snapped and fell, Isaac again manipulated the reaction force to propel himself forward, using the momentum to close the distance between him and Renard.
Before Renard could react, Isaac grabbed one of the fountain pens from his satchel, infusing it with his devil fruit power. He thrust it forward, aiming for Renard's sword arm. The pen pierced through the fabric of Renard's sleeve, forcing him to drop his weapon with a cry of pain.
Isaac's arm throbbed painfully where a Marine's blade had cut him, blood dripping onto the dirt below.
"No more games," Renard growled, his voice low and dangerous as he picked his sword back up. "You've caused enough trouble, you little shit."
Isaac kept his breathing steady, his mind racing. He had no intention of running—not now. Behind him, Nolan crouched, watching helplessly from behind a fallen log.
"Nolan," Isaac said without looking back, his voice calm despite the tension in the air. "Stay hidden. I'll handle this."
"You can't do it alone!" Nolan hissed, his voice cracking with fear.
Isaac spared him a quick glance, his green eyes unwavering. "I can. Just trust me."
Before Nolan could argue, Renard raised his sword, signaling his men to attack.
Another Marine charged forward, his blade aimed for Isaac's chest. Isaac reacted instantly, flinging a handful of stones toward him. Each stone was enveloped in a faint green light, accelerating with deadly speed. The first stone struck the Marine in the forehead, dropping him instantly, while the others ricocheted off nearby trees, causing the advancing Marines to hesitate.
Isaac didn't waste a second. He grabbed another pen from his satchel, hurling it with precision at the next attacker. The pen pierced through the man's shoulder with a sickening thud, forcing him to drop his weapon and fall to his knees.
"You little brat!" Renard roared, charging forward himself.
Isaac barely dodged the captain's blade as it sliced through the air, feeling the wind of the attack brush past his cheek. He retaliated by manipulating the inertia of a nearby branch, sending it hurtling toward Renard with a force that knocked the captain back a few steps.
But the other Marines didn't relent. A burly man wielding an axe lunged at Isaac, swinging with brutal strength. Isaac ducked under the blow, rolling to the side and grabbing a larger rock from the ground. With a sharp focus, he hurled the rock at the man's chest, manipulating its inertia mid-flight. The impact was devastating, sending the Marine flying backward into a tree, where he slumped unconscious.
Isaac panted heavily, his body screaming in protest. His wounds were slowing him down, and the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. But his mind, sharp as ever, continued to calculate.
Think, Isaac. You're outnumbered. Use their strength against them.
Renard, recovering from the earlier attack, sneered as he advanced again. "You've got tricks, boy!"
Isaac's grip on his pen tightened. He glanced at the ground beneath his feet, an idea forming in his mind.
"For every action," he whispered, "there's an equal and opposite reaction."
He slammed the pen into the ground with all his might, channeling his devil fruit power. The force of the impact created a shockwave that sent dirt and debris flying into the air, disorienting the Marines. But more importantly, the recoil launched Isaac upward, propelling him above the chaos without expending too much of his stamina, opposed to directly influencing his body.
From his vantage point in the air, Isaac hurled another pen downward, aiming for the largest cluster of Marines. The pen, moving faster than a bullet, struck the ground with explosive force, scattering the men like bowling pins.
Isaac landed gracefully, skidding to a stop as he turned to face Renard once more. The captain's face was twisted in fury, his uniform torn and bloodied.
"This ends now!" Renard bellowed, lunging forward with his sword raised.
Isaac stood his ground, his mind calm despite the danger. As Renard's blade descended, Isaac stepped aside at the last possible moment, grabbing the captain's wrist and using his own momentum to twist the sword out of his hand. Renard stumbled, his balance thrown off, and Isaac seized the opportunity to drive his pen into the captain's thigh.
Renard screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground as blood poured from the wound. The remaining Marines hesitated, their confidence shattered by the sight of their fallen leader.
Isaac's eyes burned with determination as he picked up another pen, holding it at the ready. "You're not taking me anywhere," he said coldly.
The Marines, realizing the fight was lost, roared in defiance and charged one last time. Isaac met them head-on, his movements precise and calculated.
The battle was brutal, but in the end, Isaac stood victorious. The clearing was silent save for the heavy breathing of the boy who had just defeated a force that should have overwhelmed him.
Nolan emerged cautiously from his hiding spot, his face pale. "Isaac… you're bleeding everywhere."
Isaac wiped at the blood on his face, his hand trembling slightly. "I'll live. But we need to move. If they sent this many men, there'll be more coming."
Isaac suddenly looked up, "Ah, first I'd like to return to the village… but not for too long." He looked at Nolan, to which Nolan seemed to agree.
Nolan nodded, his expression somber. Together, they began to make their way back to the village, leaving the bodies of the fallen Marines behind under the rising moon.