Shanter ultimately couldn't catch up with Spandam.
It was unclear whether it was due to the blood loss from Shanter's shoulder slowing him down, or if Spandam, fearing the Demon Slaying Order's explosion, ran too fast, but by the time Shanter reached him, he saw Spandam boarding the World Government's ship.
Oh, this is it.
When Shanter was injured, he hadn't properly treated the wound, and after this brief sprint, the wound reopened and bled even more.
"Damn it, why won't it stop bleeding?" Shanter tried to bandage the wound again, but he really didn't know how to treat a penetrating injury. Plus, during the earlier battle, his left shoulder had been nearly turned into a mangled mess. Now, even lifting his left arm was difficult.
"Forget it, we'll deal with the rest later! Worst case, I'll just quit the navy!" Shanter wiped the blood from his hands. "The girl should've run out by now, I'll go look for her!"
Giving up on a dream was a painful decision. But can a dream really be more important than family?
Shanter went to find Robin. This time, his plan was clear. Little Robin was indeed hard to find, but finding Salong was easy because he was such a large target.
When Shanter found Salong, he happened to see him get hit in the face by a cannonball.
"I'm sorry, Robin, I scared you. Just wait a little bit," Salong gently put Little Robin on the ground, then rushed toward a warship. "It must be that one, the one that fired from the shore. What if Robin gets hurt?"
"I can't tell what's right or wrong anymore; I'm just trying to protect my friends!" The giant lifted an entire warship, "Get this through your head—being my enemy won't be something that ends easily!" He then threw the warship at another one.
The two warships were instantly obliterated.
Shanter ran over. Though he was confused by the absence of Olvia, he reached Little Robin's side.
Amid the battle, Salong shouted at Shanter, "Shanter, take Robin and run to the escape ship! If you stay on this island any longer, there's no hope!"
"No! Salong, what about your raft? They know Robin's an archaeologist, we can't board the escape ship!" Shanter grabbed Robin and sprinted, dodging cannon fire.
At this moment, Little Robin looked at the burning tree of knowledge. She thought of her mother, still uncertain of her fate at the tree, and cried again.
Salong saw Robin hadn't escaped yet. Ignoring the attacks on him, he shouted, "Robin, hurry! What did your mother want for you?"
Shanter also urged, "Girl, stop crying! If you don't run now, it'll be too late! Salong, you better come quickly too!"
Robin remembered Olvia's last words for her to "live," and together with Shanter, they started running toward the place where Salong had set up the raft.
Just then, Kuzan made his move, and Salong was instantly knocked down by Admiral Aokiji Kuzan.
"Ala la la, if the Demon Slaying Order is stopped by former marines, it would be so embarrassing," Kuzan said, looking as cool as ever, but the only one seemingly impressed by his appearance was Spandam.
"Kuzan, do you really think this attack is worth bragging about? Retreat! Doesn't this seem strange to you? You should know this is just a show, right? For this, you're going to make Ohara disappear," Salong, lying on the ground, spoke frantically.
"If this is for the future of the world, there's no other choice. Actually, the scholars have broken the law, haven't they? Justice changes form depending on the standpoint, so I won't blame your justice, but if you stand in our way, I won't let it slide," Kuzan replied.
Shanter personally thought Kuzan's words had some truth to them—"People of different paths can't work together." Since they had different goals and no chance for compromise, even if they had once been friends, now they could only be enemies.
"Boom!" The escape ship was hit by a cannonball and exploded, flames immediately rising from the wreckage.
Salong, Shanter, Robin, and Kuzan all stared in disbelief at the destroyed ship.
"The escape ship has been blown up!" Even Spandam couldn't believe it, "W-why?"
The cannonball came from the warship of Admiral Sakazuki.
Kuzan looked at Sakazuki's actions with a horrified expression, angrily muttering, "Bastard!"
"If you're going to do it, you have to do it thoroughly. What if a scholar snuck onto that ship? Then all the sacrifices would be for nothing. We must uproot the possibility of evil!" Sakazuki, cloaked in a cape, coldly explained his actions. Of course, he didn't need to explain—his words were likely meant for himself.
Seeing the escape ship sink like that, Little Robin collapsed to the ground, fear etched on her face.
Shanter, nearly blinded with rage, his body feeling limp, cried out, "Is this justice? Is this justice? Is this justice? Is this really justice?"
He repeated the question over and over. Sakazuki's actions shattered Shanter's last shred of hope in justice.
This isn't the justice I wanted!
Shanter's mind was full of confusion and resentment: so, the so-called justice was just an illusion of my own making?
At this point, Shanter still didn't understand the true meaning of "To the victor goes the spoils," or maybe he did, but was unwilling to accept it.
---
Four years ago, on that sorrowful afternoon when their home was destroyed.
"Damn it! Shanter, Angelina! The pirates are catching up!" The eight-year-old Kadod yelled, running as fast as he could.
"Kadod! We can see them!" Five-year-old Shanter remained calm.
"I... I... I can't run anymore..." The blonde-haired girl, Angelina, the same age as Shanter, panted.
"We can't stop! Grab my hand!" Kadod reached out and grabbed Angelina's arm.
"We're almost at the shore! Three rafts, one for each of us. Split up, and whoever gets away, gets away! Hurry!" Shanter saw their speed slowing and grabbed Angelina's other hand.
"Listen up, once we get to the rafts, split up, run far, the farther the better," Shanter gasped as he spoke, "Each raft can only carry one person, take care of yourselves! You must live, you must!"
"If anyone dies, the one who survives will carry on for them!" Kadod yelled back.
"If we survive, when we grow up, we'll join the navy. If there's only one spot left for justice in this world, that's where it will remain. We can't let these damned pirates roam free!" Kadod continued, shouting with passion.
"Alright, now let's distribute the food." The three of them finally reached the shore, and the pirates had not caught up.
"Angelina, this is yours!" Kadod gave the largest portion to the long-haired girl.
"Shanter, yours!" Kadod kept the smallest portion for himself.
"Don't worry, you keep more," Shanter said, handing his share to Kadod. "I can fish, I won't starve! You're older, so take more food!"
Kadod wanted to refuse, but the pirates were almost upon them.
"Stop arguing!" Shanter shouted, "We have to remember today, remember it well! None of us is allowed to forget what happened today!"
The three of them simultaneously extended their right hands, curling their fingers except the thumb, and then pressing their palms down hard. This was a gesture they often made when making agreements, signifying, "It's a promise."
"We will never forget what happened today!"
Three rafts set off into the vast sea, drifting.
Is this justice? Shanter's heart bled, the sharp sting of blood rising in his throat as something inside him quietly shattered.
That was his dream.
---
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