After Wyper and Raki spotted the Seraphim, they immediately returned to Shandia and reported everything to the current Shandia Chief.
Especially after hearing that it was Gan Fall leading the newcomers, the Chief instantly gathered all the Shandia warriors and led them into the forest.
Using nature's cover, they began observing this group of unfamiliar outsiders.
"Their clothes are styles I've never seen before…"
"And they don't even have wings? Are they really normal people?"
"But the one leading them does have wings… what are his wings made of though? They're huge, and they actually move, and when they move, they even give off a faint glow? That's incredible!"
"Those are some badass wings!"
"Hey! These are intruders who could put you in danger at any moment!" the Shandia Chief turned his head and hissed at the few young men whispering to each other. "Wings and all that… how could that possibly be more important than the safety of Shandia!?"
No sooner had he finished scolding than he noticed those very same young warriors staring at him in horror.
He felt a bit puzzled…
He hadn't been that harsh, had he?
And what was with those looks… wait!?
They weren't looking at him—
They were looking past him!
The Chief's hair stood on end as he whipped around—only to see that the intruders, who had been moving forward through the forest just a moment ago, were already right behind him.
Some of the Shandia warriors had even been taken down already!
And standing in front of him was none other than the fearsome yet kindhearted saint, T Bone.
"A-a monster!"
"So the zombies written about in the books are real after all!"
"This is definitely some monster the Sky Islanders dug out from a dark corner somewhere to use against us!"
In an instant, voices of panic rose and fell like waves among the Shandia warriors, all directed at T Bone.
Although his expression did not change, his comrades from the SWORD Secret Special Force, who knew him best, could clearly tell from his slightly trembling shoulders…
He was EMO.
Even though T Bone's colleagues in the SWORD Secret Special Force felt bad for him, they still understood the Shandia's reaction.
Even as fellow soldiers who saw T Bone every single day and were long used to his appearance… they too sometimes got startled by him.
Still, this also showed how capable the Shandia warriors really were.
After all, T Bone had once made a female pirate with a 20 million Belly bounty burst into tears just by showing her his face.
"Ahem, I mean you no harm." T Bone forced what he thought was a kindly smile. "We come here seeking peace."
But the moment that smile appeared, every single word he spoke lost its meaning.
He vividly embodied the very definitions of "terrifying children into silence," "shocking at first sight," and "utterly chilling."
"Mommy!!!"
As is well known, when fear reaches its extreme…
It transforms into anger.
A self-defense mechanism.
And so, dozens of Shandia warriors charged straight at T Bone in unison.
"I really didn't want to use force."
Wiping his face, T Bone's tone carried some irritation.
Even the most patient man can only take so much, right?
"Right Angle Flash! Bone Sky Slash!"
The "Bamboo," one of the 21 Great Grade Blades, instantly left its sheath, unleashing a slashing wave shaped like a perfect right angle. With another swing, he extended the slash into a rectangle.
A flawless right angle!
Even so, T Bone had held back—he struck not with the edge, but with the flat of his blade.
Yet even then, the Shandia warriors hit by it spewed blood and collapsed to the ground, temporarily losing all ability to fight.
The Shandia Chief finally came to his senses, his expression grim as he glared at Gan Fall.
"So this is your so-called 'peace'? Bringing some powerful, hideous monster into Shandia?"
Gan Fall was about to speak, but Michael placed a hand on his shoulder.
Seeing Michael shake his head, Gan Fall decided to remain silent.
He knew full well—these Marines from the Blue Sea were far stronger than him.
"You were just so rude to my subordinate. Surely, he has the right to defend himself, doesn't he?" Michael stepped forward with a cheerful smile, addressing the Shandia Chief. "After all, it was you who struck first."
"Y-you… just who are you people?" The Chief instinctively shifted into a defensive stance. "Are you here to destroy Shandia and wipe out my people?"
"Paranoid much…"
Though Michael mocked him with his words, he fully understood the Shandia's excessive vigilance.
After all, this was a four-hundred-year blood feud. No act of cruelty would surprise them.
"I'm here to completely end that four-hundred-year grudge between the Sky Islanders and Shandia."
"End the grudge?" The Chief gave a mocking smile. "So you mean you plan to exterminate the Shandia?"
"No, no, no… not exterminate. Simply remove Shandia from the Sky Islands once and for all."
"That is extermination!"
"Ahem, as the Chief of Shandia, you should at least know something about your people's origins, right?" Michael coughed lightly and then smiled warmly. "We're fellow countrymen."
The Shandia Chief's head snapped up, his eyes locking on Michael's.
"What do you mean!? Could it be that you are…"
"That's right. We are Marines from the Blue Sea… you don't need to know what Marines are. You only need to know that I've come to bring you home."
Home.
The moment that word was spoken, all the Shandia fell silent.
Fear and rage dissolved away in an instant.
Only eyes filled with desperate hope remained, all fixed on Michael.
"Blue Sea… Blue Sea…" The Chief's expression turned wistful. "The great blue ocean, ten thousand meters beneath the White Sea… can you really bring the Shandia back there?"
"Not only can we take your people back… we can even return all of Shandora itself." Michael said firmly. "So… will you take us to Shandia now, so we can talk properly?"
The Chief's lips twitched.
His first instinct was to refuse. But when he thought about the overwhelming strength of these people—if they truly wanted to destroy Shandia, they would never need to go to such trouble.
"…Fine. Come with me."
"That's more like it. A wise man adapts to the times."
Michael chuckled, raising his hand as dozens of Holy Light healing spells washed over the Shandia warriors.
Soon, those who had been sprawled helplessly on the ground regained their strength, standing tall once again.
"Lead the way then, fellow countryman."
"We will absolutely not touch a single needle or thread of our own people."
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