Once all the townsfolk had boarded their boats and gradually drifted away, Will finally sprang into action again.
He first grabbed a few nearby explosive barrels and smashed them onto the ground, scattering gunpowder everywhere. Then, he hurled a couple more into the air, letting them collide and shatter mid-flight, evenly dusting the Marines below with the powder.
After setting everything up, Will didn't hesitate for a second. He bent his knees slightly, crouched low, and then launched himself into the air with a powerful stomp. Using precise kicks to tread the air, he stabilized himself mid-flight, hovering montarily. From his pocket, he slowly pulled out a box of matches, slid it open, and plucked one out.
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, he struck the match alight. Without missing a beat, he tucked the burning match back into the box, leaving a small gap, and gently tossed the entire thing downward. Then, without so much as a backward glance, he turned and strode off through the air.
The falling box of matches quickly erupted into flas. As it descended, it disintegrated mid-air, scattering a shower of sparkling embers that glittered brilliantly against the fading twilight sky.
And then—
The tiny sparks t the heaps of gunpowder below. In an instant, a blazing serpent of fire snaked outward, racing toward the surrounding barrels.
The next second—
BOOM—!!!
Under the dimming sky, a colossal fire dragon roared into existence, surging skyward. A visible shockwave ripped through the air, blasting outward at high speed! Even the seawater along the shore was shoved back by the explosion, forming waves that rolled outward in chaotic ripples!
Thick black smoke churned wildly amid the flas, billowing upward like a mushroom cloud! The sheer force of the blast shattered the small island, splitting it apart as it began to crumble into the sea.
Even though Will had already darted so distance away, the fierce winds from the shockwave battered his clothes, sending them flapping violently. In the dim twilight, his back was painted with a faint crimson glow from the firelight.
"What just happened?!"
Nami and Carina, who had finished dinner and been waiting for quite a while, bolted out of the cabin the mont they heard the terrifying roar of the explosion. Braving the warm, forceful winds blowing in their faces, they caught sight of the jaw-dropping pillar of fire blazing in the distance.
"This is..."
Even with all the grand spectacles they'd witnessed before, Nami and Carina were utterly stunned, their eyes wide as they stood frozen, staring in disbelief.
Thankfully, they snapped out of it quickly. Soon after, they noticed an unfamiliar ship being pushed toward them by the waves and winds from the direction of the island.
Thud.
Before the two could react to the approaching vessel, Will suddenly dropped from the sky, landing smoothly on the deck.
Gazing at the dazzling, radiant scene in the distance, Will couldn't help but muse to himself:
"Now this... this is true art."
Hearing the sound, Nami and Carina whipped around. Spotting Will's return, their eyes lit up, and they rushed over in unison, shouting, "Will, what the heck happened over there?!"
Will raised an eyebrow, his tone calm as he replied, "Nothing much. Just got a sudden urge and put on a little art performance, that's all."
"What? An art performance?!" Carina and Nami blinked, montarily thrown off, not quite grasping what he ant.
Will couldn't be bothered to explain further. Instead, he strolled over to the ship's edge, peering toward the approaching vessel illuminated by the firelight. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Listen up, you on that ship! Follow behind ! I'll lead you back to the Conomi Islands!"
The townsfolk aboard the other ship, still gaping in shock at the explosion, jolted back to their senses at the sound of that vaguely familiar voice. They hurriedly shouted back in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Carina sidled up beside Will, watching the scene unfold. She couldn't help but quip, "Will, where'd you pick up these new recruits?"
"What new recruits?" Will frowned, not catching her drift.
Carina smirked playfully. "Look at how obedient they are. Aren't they your new recruits or sothing?"
Will froze for a second before replying with a hint of exasperation, "You've got it wrong. They're just scared of , that's all."
"Those people are actually just ordinary townsfolk the Marines secretly rounded up."
"Huh?" This ti, it was Carina's turn to be stunned.
anwhile, Nami, who'd been brimming with questions, finally piped up. "Will, did I hear you say you're taking them back to the Conomi Islands? Isn't that near my hotown? And you said they're ordinary townsfolk—what's that about? Were they all captured from the Conomi Islands or sothing?!"
The flood of information hit her hard. Nami couldn't shake the feeling that, in the short ti they'd been apart, Will had gone off and experienced a ton on his own. It was like she'd missed out on a huge chunk of the story—despite being part of the journey herself.
Carina, now fully recovered, perked up her ears, eagerly listening in.
But since the situation was a bit complicated, Will didn't dive into explanations right away. Instead, he said, "Alright, Nami, you take the helm first. It's getting late, so let's get those townsfolk dropped off as soon as we can. I'll fill you both in on what happened later while we're on the way."
With that, he walked over and single-handedly yanked up the massive anchor securing the ship.
Nami sighed, realizing she wasn't getting answers yet. With no other choice, she dashed off to steer the ship, her mind buzzing with guesses.
As Carina hoisted the sails, the trio set off once more, retracing their original route.
The journey back was smooth, with no obstacles in their path. While Will savored the delicious al Nami and Carina had prepared, he began recounting the events that had unfolded at the Marine 16th Branch base.
By the ti Will and the townsfolk's ships neared the Conomi Islands, night had fully settled in. The sky had shed its colors, now adorned only by the glow of the moon and stars.
"We're almost there! You should be able to see the way from here—head back on your own!" Will called out from the ship's edge, shouting toward the cargo vessel sailing alongside them.
He didn't have ti to personally escort the townsfolk ashore. After all, more pressing matters awaited him.
Once they landed and t up with others from the villages, the townsfolk would naturally piece together what had been happening on the islands lately. And when they returned to their own towns, they'd undoubtedly start rebuilding their hos step by step. None of that was Will's concern.
Nami, currently at the helm, heard his words and deftly turned the rudder in sync. The two ships began veering off in separate directions.
The townsfolk, still processing Will's shout, didn't react right away. But as they spotted the familiar coastline growing closer, it finally sank in: that intimidating, towering man had genuinely brought them safely back to the Conomi Islands—not handed them off to so other fate.
Scrambling to the stern of their ship, they waved frantically toward the lone speck of light on the sea, shouting with gratitude and excitent, desperate to convey their thanks to their savior aboard the distant vessel.
By then, though, Will and the others had already sailed far out of sight.
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