"That thing called itself a demon?"
Zephyr's pupils shrank. After the Demon Little Demon Dragon left, he didn't give chase.
The palace was burning, with many people still trapped inside, including Dressrosa's royal family. If something happened to them right under an admiral's nose, it would be hard to explain to the World Government.
Besides, from the demon's own words, he'd be back. No need to waste time chasing. Saving people came first.
After the flames were finally put out, Zephyr spoke with King Riku about what had happened. Then he fell into deep thought.
First a monster, and now a demon?
These were non-human races that had never appeared before, yet they kept showing up one after another. Could there be a connection?
Zephyr's mission was to investigate "Zero." Now he sensed this might be a lead. He had searched through several countries without finding a single clue about Zero, but finally… maybe this was progress.
"He said Dressrosa had a shard of the Shikon Jewel, and that it was in this palace. We've heard of the thing, but we definitely don't have any shard." King Riku sighed as he sat with Zephyr in the burnt, blackened hall.
"Even if we did, it's no use to us. I would have handed it to the World Government as tribute."
"I've heard much about Dressrosa's good name." Zephyr nodded. He didn't doubt the king's words. This was indeed a rare peaceful nation. Just from the earlier battle, where the royal guard was easily crushed by the Demon Little Demon Dragon, he could tell how helpless they were.
"I'll be staying nearby the next few days. Please don't worry, Your Majesty. I will catch that demon." Zephyr reassured King Riku, who finally felt some relief.
"Thank you, Admiral Zephyr. I'll also search carefully for the shard. If I find anything, I'll report to you immediately."
Zephyr nodded again. In truth, he had already received orders from the Fleet Admiral: while gathering intel on Zero, he was also to watch closely for news of the Shikon Jewel shards. If what the demon said was true—that a shard was here—then Zephyr had to get it no matter what.
The danger was too great. If someone with evil intentions ever gathered all the shards and made a dark wish, the entire world could face disaster.
King Riku left, and Zephyr prepared to lead the Marines away after finishing the firefighting. But as he recalled everything that had happened since he arrived, he suddenly froze.
"Admiral Zephyr… what's wrong?"
His sudden stop made the Marines behind him halt too. A Vice Admiral stepped forward, looking at Zephyr's thoughtful face.
Zephyr didn't answer. The others dared not ask further. After a long silence, his brow furrowed deeper. Finally, he turned his head and said, "You all return to base first. I have something else to do."
??!
The Marines looked at each other in confusion, but seeing the admiral's serious expression, they had no choice but to obey.
Once everyone had left, Zephyr looked toward the untouched part of the palace, where the civilians had been moved. Draped in his coat of justice, he walked there—not toward King Riku, but to a balcony-like spot.
A woman stood there. She had shoulder-length orange-pink hair and was gazing down at Dressrosa from above. From here, one could see the whole country.
It was the demon's master, Makima.
It was only when he was about to leave that Zephyr realized something was off. From the moment he arrived, everyone's faces had been filled with panic—everyone's except one. She had stood calmly among them, like she was watching a play.
And somehow, everyone else seemed to ignore her existence. Even he had overlooked her! If not for looking back and reviewing everything at the last moment, he might not have noticed at all.
"The Shikon Jewel shard…"
Zephyr stepped up behind her and said in a low voice, "It's in your hands, isn't it?"
Strange. This woman was truly strange. Even as he spoke, his muscles were already tensed, fully ready for battle.
"Admiral, you really are different from the rest."
The woman slowly turned around, and her eyes made Zephyr frown. Those eyes…
They looked like the vortex's, full of circular rings!
Her face was calm, not showing the slightest unease at Zephyr's presence.
She had controlled those people's memories so they wouldn't notice her, but even with that trick, it was hard to affect a Marine Admiral. He still noticed her—Zephyr just hadn't paid attention before, since Makima had been standing among the others.
She slowly raised her hand, and a crystal shard appeared in her palm. Zephyr's pupils shrank. He had never seen the Shikon Jewel before, yet he could tell at a glance—that was it without a doubt.
The shard carried a strange kind of power, something like Haki but clearly different. Only the shards of the Shikon Jewel, the ones that had stirred up the world not long ago, could give off that kind of force.
"Little Demon Dragon wasn't wrong. After the jewel shattered, one of its shards did fly into this palace. But I was a step ahead." Makima said to Zephyr.
"Little Demon Dragon… you mean that fire-breathing lizard? And who are you?" Zephyr didn't relax—if anything, his guard went higher, even though Makima hadn't shown hostility yet.
Instead of answering directly, Makima began talking about the jewel. "The Shikon Jewel was born a long time ago, when a shrine maiden and a demon fought to the death. Their souls merged together, forming a crystal of spirit. Their bodies died, but their souls kept fighting inside the crystal."
"The battle lasted far beyond imagination. Over time, the crystal changed, becoming what we now call the Shikon Jewel, sealing the maiden and demon inside it. They should have fought inside there forever, as long as the jewel stayed whole…"
Makima gave a light smile. "But because of your battle at God Valley, the jewel broke. And sadly, the maiden and demon sealed inside were released. After being trapped for who knows how long, they're now searching for bodies to return to this world."
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