Makima ran.
She ran at full speed toward the village gate, her apron fluttering wildly behind her, her breath coming out in sharp, panicked gasps. The usually familiar streets of Hakkuro blurred past her as fear drowned out everything else in her mind.
Tenjin… Tenjin… Tenjin…
At the gate stood a man with an unusually massive back, broad enough to make him look like a moving wall. He paced back and forth, barking orders to armed villagers, his voice sharp and commanding.
This was Bigback Homes, the commander of Hakkuro Village's military forces.
Hakkuro Village was no ordinary settlement.
It was located on Welbems Island, an island split cleanly into two halves, North and South. Years ago, the Nagels Pirates had invaded and conquered the North, establishing a brutal kingdom ruled by Captain Nagels himself. His iron fist crushed resistance, and the North fell under pirate rule.
The South, however, was different.
Despite repeated attempts, Nagels had never managed to conquer it.
The reason was Hakkuro Village.
Hakkuro served as the backbone of southern resistance, a unifying force that coordinated defenses against pirate raids. The southern villages pooled their funds, weapons, and supplies and sent them to Hakkuro, trusting it to stand as their shield. Because of this, Hakkuro had become the most prosperous and most heavily defended village in the southern half of Welbems Island.
And Bigback Homes stood at the center of it all.
Homes froze when he saw Makima sprinting straight toward him, her expression wild with fear.
"Makima-san?!" he shouted. "What are you doing here?! You should be retreating to your home, this is dangerous!"
Makima reached him and nearly collapsed into his chest, gasping for air, her shoulders shaking. Homes instinctively caught her to keep her from falling.
She didn't even try to steady her breathing.
"Homes-san," she said urgently, her voice trembling. "Tenjin. Tenjin is still out there."
Homes stiffened.
"Tenjin…? Damn it," he muttered. "What is that kid doing out there now?!"
Makima grabbed his arm tightly.
"You can't close the gates, Homes-san. Please. If you do, Tenjin will be in trouble."
Homes clenched his teeth.
As a villager, no, as someone who knew Makima personally he wanted nothing more than to agree. But right now, he wasn't just a villager.
He was the commander.
He couldn't put the life of one child above the lives of hundreds.
"…Damn it," he whispered.
Homes lowered his head, his expression heavy with conflict.
"Makima-san… I can't do that," he said quietly. "Once this is over, I swear I'll go out myself and find Tenjin. I'll bring him back safely. But for now, you need to go home."
He forced a small, reassuring smile.
"Tenjin is a smart boy. I'm sure he'll find a way to stay safe."
Makima stared at him, disbelief flooding her face.
"You want me to go back home," she said slowly, "and stay safe… while my son is somewhere outside, possibly in danger?"
Homes opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Makima's expression hardened.
Seeing that this was pointless, she suddenly broke free from his grip and bolted toward the gate.
"Makima-san!" Homes shouted, panic rising in his voice.
He gritted his teeth, fists trembling.
"…Damn it all."
He had wanted to avoid combat at all costs, to prevent casualties. But right now, all he was doing was hiding behind duty.
Running from the right choice.
Homes straightened and roared, "You all, prepare for combat!"
The armed villagers snapped to attention.
"Yes, Commander Homes!" they shouted in unison.
Without another word, Homes ran after Makima.
Makima ran along the island's edge, her legs burning but never slowing. She was fast, faster than most but her eyes darted wildly as she searched for any sign of Tenjin.
"Tenjin… Tenjin… where are you…?"
Because of that frantic searching, she failed to notice what was directly in front of her.
She slammed hard into something solid.
"Ah—!"
The impact flung her backward. She hit the ground roughly, her head bouncing off the dirt as pain exploded behind her eyes.
"Oho?" a man's voice said.
Another voice followed immediately, sharp and cruel. "She dares knock into you, great Captain Nagels? What blasphemy. We should kill her."
A deep, amused chuckle echoed.
"Now, now. Don't be hasty," the first voice said. "Look at her."
Makima groaned, clutching her head as her vision swam. Shapes loomed above her, voices muffled, distorted.
"What a beauty," the man continued. "Truly, the South is filled to the brim with them. That's why I want it."
"W-Who's there…?" Makima murmured weakly.
A shadow crouched in front of her.
Rough fingers suddenly grabbed her chin and forced her head up.
The sudden aggression snapped her back to clarity.
Her vision sharpened.
And fear consumed her.
Standing before her was a man with a thick beard and an open shirt that exposed his large belly, flanked by nearly a hundred pirates grinning viciously behind him.
Captain Nagels.
Nagels smiled broadly.
"That look in your eyes," he said, staring straight into hers. "You know who I am, don't you?"
Makima's breath caught.
"…Nagels."
Nagels laughed loudly.
"So you do know me. Good. Very good."
At that moment, Homes arrived, sweat pouring down his face. The instant he saw Makima in Nagels' grip, his heart dropped.
Shit… I was too late.
Nagels glanced up.
"Oh?" he said. "If it isn't Homes. And you came alone?" He smirked. "Are you underestimating me?"
Homes drew his sword without hesitation.
"Let Makima-san go," he demanded.
"Makima?" Nagels repeated, momentarily confused.
He looked down at the woman he was holding, then smiled wider.
"So your name is Makima, huh." He leaned in. "Say, Makima… what would you say about becoming my woman?"
Makima glared at him.
"Sorry," she said firmly. "I'm married."
Nagels' smile vanished.
"…Really?" he said flatly. "Well. That's too bad."
He extended his hand backward. One of his men immediately placed a gun into it.
Makima's eyes widened in panic.
Nagels grinned again.
"You see," he said calmly, "all beautiful women should belong to me. If you already belong to another… then I have no use for you."
Seconds earlier nearby, Tenjin walked toward the village, one hand resting behind his head.
"At least I finally managed to stop that thing where flowers bloom when I walk," he muttered. "What was that all about anyway…?"
He frowned thoughtfully.
"I'm sure of it. That thing I ate must've had something to do with it. Maybe Mother will know…"
His steps slowed.
His expression shifted.
"…Man, but Mother must be really angry," he said nervously. "It's really late now. What am I gonna do…?"
Then he saw it.
Ahead of him, his mother was on her knees.
A man was holding her.
A gun was being raised.
Tenjin froze.
"…Mother?"
Makima, Homes, and Nagels all turned toward the voice.
"Tenjin!" Makima screamed. "Run!"
Nagels' grin widened.
"Oh? Mother, he said," Nagels mused. "What a handsome-looking child. I wonder how much he would go for."
Makima's heart shattered.
"Nagels!" she cried. "He's just a child! Please, let him go! I'll be your woman if that's what it takes, just don't harm my child!"
Nagels laughed.
"Too bad," he said. "That ship has sailed. You see, I hate being a second option."
He raised the gun toward Makima, smiling.
Tenjin's body trembled.
"St-Stop it…" he said softly, tears spilling from his eyes without him realizing.
"Let my mother go!"
"Makima-san!" Homes shouted as he charged forward, sword raised.
But nearly twenty pirates rushed in and blocked his path.
Nagels' finger tightened.
"Too bad," he said casually.
Makima looked at Tenjin, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry, Tenjin," she said softly. "You're going to lose another parent. Please… run and live on."
"How cute," Nagels said, about to pull the trigger.
"DON'T YOU DAAAAAARE!"
Tenjin screamed.
For a brief second, an invisible pressure flooded the area.
Then, one by one members of the Nagels Pirates began to collapse.
Bodies hit the ground in rapid succession.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Until only four pirates remained standing.
Nagels.
Makima.
Homes.
They all stared around them in stunned silence.
Homes swallowed hard and whispered,
"…What was that?"