Crash!
On the battleship that had escaped the Marine's encirclement, the sound of something crashing through the deck plating rang out.
"Saul, we're under attack!"
Robin's panicked voice cried out. The summoned Giant warily eyed the hole filled with smoke and dust.
From within the debris, a pink-haired figure pushed aside the wreckage and climbed up.
"Whew, not a perfect execution, but I guess it's half a success!"
Sakura scratched her head, dusting herself off.
'I had clearly locked onto the spatial anchor sealed within the kunai with my Chakra, but the preparation time was very long, and there had been some deviation during the teleportation.'
'Was it a lack of proficiency, or...'
"Sakura!"
While Sakura was deep in thought, Robin rushed over and tackled her to the ground.
The tear-streaked girl held onto Sakura tightly, making her feel suffocated.
"So flat... Wait, no! Let go, Robin! I can't breathe!!!"
Sakura, her eyes rolling back, patted Robin a few times before the other girl finally released her.
"Sorry, I didn't know..." Seeing Sakura's battered state, Robin's tears started falling again, "Those Marines... they went too far!"
Olvia, who had regained consciousness nearby, rummaged through the ship for a medical kit and began temporarily treating Sakura's injuries.
The scholars rescued from Ohara were scattered across the deck in various states of collapse, struggling to suppress muffled sobs and sniffles.
"How pathetic!"
Sakura, now wrapped in thick bandages, stood up and planted a foot on the ship's bow railing.
Looking down at the despondent scholars, she took a deep breath and roared!
"Hey! You fools from Ohara!"
The girl's direct and unmistakable will struck them, jolting the scholars who were closing in on themselves.
Lifeless eyes lifted, gazing at Sakura standing against the rising sun.
"If a holy land is destroyed, rebuild it elsewhere. If documents are lost, rewrite them."
"Are you going to abandon everything because of one attack from the government?"
"Then what was the point of your comrades' sacrifices and bloodshed? Won't your very lives cry out in protest?"
At this moment, a spirit inherited from another world seemed to shine from within Sakura.
Throughout that world's long history, they had far too much experience rebuilding everything from ruins. So, people from that world never feared destruction!
On the contrary, being accustomed to coexisting with destruction wrought by human hands was one of the most precious legacies that civilization had left her.
"If you don't even have the courage to start over from scratch and recreate everything, do you fools even have the right to call yourselves the people that watches over history?!!"
"Well said!"
Clover, with his arms crossed, emerged from the cabin, having just hung up the Den Den Mushi.
This authority in the field of archaeology walked straight up to Sakura and bowed to her solemnly.
"Haruno Sakura-san, on behalf of the thirty-two scholars of Ohara, I thank you!"
"Good! I accept!"
Seeing the old man and the scholars behind him regain their spirits, a bright smile spread across Sakura's exquisite face. She sat down, cross-legged.
[Notice, Achievement unlocked: Narrator of History. Achievement Points acquired: 100]
[Survival Achievement Settlement: Two Years. Cumulative Points: 80]
[Current Achievement Point Balance: 330]
That night, to celebrate their escape from Ohara, a grand feast was thrown by these World Government's criminals aboard the Marine Battleship.
Saul and Sakura went into the sea together and caught two Sea Kings. One was responsible for cutting them up with an ice blade, the other for grilling.
The scholars, having survived a catastrophe and found new resolve, desperately needed an outlet. They drank themselves into a stupor, carousing recklessly on the deck, dancing wildly, and using their drunkenness to curse the World Government.
"Aren't you going to join the scholars in letting loose a bit?"
Sakura's mouth was stuffed full of fish. She casually handed a plate of grilled fish to Clover, who was enjoying the sea breeze by the ship's railing.
"Let it be. I'm already past the age of needing alcohol to comfort himself."
Though the fish on the plate was simply prepared, it didn't stop Clover from eating with relish.
He swallowed the fish and studied Sakura, watching until the girl's pink hair practically stood on end before speaking, "I heard from Olvia that you have quite a talent in certain areas..."
"Not studying archaeology. It's a trap major."
Without even letting Clover finish, Sakura crossed her arms in a gesture of refusal.
To be honest, Sakura had come to Ohara for achievement points. And here was Clover, already planning to recruit her into the fold?
The key issue was his field was archaeology… digging up the graves of a kingdom that had lost the struggle for the world!
So Sakura refused outright. Even a direct Ph.D. offer wouldn't sway her!
"Hmph!"
The old man turned his face away in anger and chewed on his grilled fish fillet in frustration.
"Ah... so full!"
Saul, full and satisfied, leaned against the railing and looked at the two by the ship's side.
"Speaking of which, Clover-san, what are your plans now?"
"I've contacted an old friend. I plan to take the remaining scholars to his place to lay low for a while."
Clover didn't hide it. Everyone present now were comrades who had shared a life-and-death experience, so he laid out his plan to seek refuge in the weather country, Weatheria.
"What about you, Saul?"
Sakura finished her fish and used high heat to burn off the grease on her hands.
"Me? I plan to go to Elbaf, to see the homeland of all Giants in the world!"
After this ordeal, Saul no longer despised conflict as he once had. He realized that surviving on these seas required sufficient strength.
So he prepared to go to Elbaf to see if he could learn some of the Giants' combat techniques.
"What about you, Sakura?"
Saul's question made Clover stop his actions and prick up his ears.
"Me? I'm going home, of course!"
The girl, with her eyes curved like crescent moons, revealed a sly smile, answering them with an ambiguous response.
The clamor on the Marine Battleship continued. As the party atmosphere peaked, someone, no one knew who, suggested that the group of already thoroughly drunk uncles and aunties insisted on toasting with Sakura.
Helpless, Sakura could only raise her glass of juice in a toast to the many scholars on the ship.
"The road ahead is long. May your voyage be smooth sailing!"
"And, for our bright tomorrow, cheers!!!"
"Cheers!"
The scholars raised their glasses high. Wooden cups clinked, wine sloshing over the rims.
Laughter and cheerful voices once again filled the warship.
Under the faint light, the people struggling to survive sang and danced around the mast.
A moist, cool sea breeze blew from afar, gently filling the massive sails until they were taut.
The gentle cries of seagulls and waves sounded once more, sending blessings to these people sailing the seas in pursuit of their dreams.
The dust of despair and suffering had settled.
At the end of the delicate and narrow horizon, tomorrow would still come!
Sakura leaned against the ship's railing, watching them, and suddenly understood a little why Roger had played that trick before leaving the ship.
'System!'
[Here!]
'Return!'
[As you wish!]