Chapter 10: The Cost of Resonance
The silence that followed Sam's transformation was heavier than the fog itself. The remaining Marines stared, their seastone rifles trembling in hands gone slick with sweat. On the broken deck of the derelict ship, Subject Zero's laughter had faded to a low, pleased hum that vibrated through the rotting wood. The Straw Hats stood frozen between the two forces—the corrupted Marine squad and their friend who was rapidly becoming something else entirely.
Sam's new wings—sleeker, darker, veined with pulsating blue energy—twitched with a life of their own. The golden knuckle braces that had once contained his power now hung cracked and useless from his wrists, the ancient Skypiean metal unable to contain whatever was awakening inside him. His eyes, fully black and depthless, scanned the Marines without recognition.
"Sam?" Nami's voice was barely a whisper, but it cut through the tension like a knife.
He didn't turn. His attention was fixed on the Marines as he took a step forward, the deck groaning under his weight. The lead Marine—a young lieutenant with a scar across his cheek—swallowed hard but held his ground.
"Stand down, Subject Seven! By order of Vice Admiral Kage—"
Sam moved.
There was no blur of motion, no telltale shift in the air. One moment he stood before them, the next he was among them. His new wing—sharp as a blade—sliced through the first Marine's rifle before the man could even register the movement. The seastone barrel clattered to the deck, sheared clean through.
The other Marines opened fire.
Seastone rounds tore through the air, but Sam was already gone, reappearing behind their formation. His wing swept out in a wide arc, sending three Marines crashing into the rotting railing. The wood splintered under the impact, and they tumbled into the waiting fog below without a sound.
"Stop him!" the lieutenant screamed, fumbling for a den den mushi. "We need backup—"
A hand clamped around his wrist. Not Sam's—this one was made of blooming flesh, fingers sprouting from the deck itself. Robin's calm voice cut through the chaos. "I would advise against that."
The lieutenant stared in horror as more hands sprouted around his squad, disarming them with brutal efficiency. Within seconds, the Marines were pinned, their weapons scattered across the deck.
Sam stood amidst the chaos, his chest heaving. The blue veins along his wings pulsed in time with his heartbeat, growing brighter with each passing moment. He turned his black eyes on the trapped Marines, and for a terrifying second, it looked like he would finish what he'd started.
Luffy's sandals slapped against the deck as he stepped between Sam and the lieutenant. "That's enough."
For a heartbeat, Sam seemed to hesitate. Something flickered in the depths of his eyes—a flash of recognition. Then Subject Zero's voice cut through the fog, sharp and mocking.
*"Why do you hesitate, little brother? They would not show you the same mercy."*
The blue veins flared brighter. Sam's wing rose again.
Zoro's swords were out in an instant, blocking the downward strike before it could reach Luffy. The impact sent a shockwave through the derelict, and for the first time, Zoro was forced back a step, his boots scraping against the damp wood.
"Get ahold of yourself," the swordsman growled, muscles straining against Sam's unnatural strength. "Or I'll do it for you."
Sanji's leg connected with Sam's side, not hard enough to injure, but enough to make him stumble back. "Snap out of it, you damn wingnut!"
The momentary distraction was all Chopper needed. The reindeer bounded forward, a syringe filled with murky liquid clutched in his hoof. "This is a concentrated sedative mixed with seastone particles! It should—"
Sam's wing lashed out, knocking the syringe from Chopper's grasp. It shattered against the deck, the liquid hissing as it ate through the wood.
*"Foolish little doctor,"* Subject Zero crooned. *"You cannot suppress what is meant to be free."*
The derelict ship groaned again, this time with a sound that had nothing to do with the fight. The vines along the hull were moving, slithering across the deck like serpents. They ignored the Marines entirely, making straight for Sam.
"No!" Robin's eyes widened in understanding. "He's not trying to escape—he's trying to merge!"
The vines wrapped around Sam's legs, climbing toward his chest. Where they touched the blue veins, they glowed brighter, feeding on the energy. Sam didn't fight them. He stood frozen, his head tilted as if listening to a song only he could hear.
Luffy didn't hesitate. His arms stretched back. "Gomu Gomu no... BAZOOKA!"
The twin punches slammed into the mass of vines, tearing them away from Sam. But for every vine destroyed, two more took its place, sprouting from the deck itself.
Usopp fumbled with his slingshot, hands shaking so badly he could barely load a pellet. "What do we do? There's too many!"
Nami's clima-tact hummed to life. "We need to separate them! Sam, if you can hear me, fight it!"
Deep within the darkness, Sam was drowning.
Memories that weren't his own flooded his mind—the cold of the laboratory, the pain of the grafts, the endless tests. But beneath it all, there was something else. The feel of Gan Fall's hand on his shoulder after a nightmare. The taste of soup the old man had made when Sam was sick. The way the clouds looked at sunrise over Skypiea.
Home.
The blue veins flickered.
On the deck, Sam's hand twitched. His black eyes squeezed shut as if in pain. When they opened again, there was a sliver of gold in the darkness.
"Robin," he gritted out, every word a struggle. "The core... destroy it..."
Understanding dawned on Robin's face. She nodded, her hands already weaving together. "Clutch."
Hands sprouted from Subject Zero's amber prison, digging into the cracks. The ancient crystal screamed as it began to splinter.
*"NO!"* Subject Zero's voice was a shriek of rage. *"You would choose these mortals over your own kind?"*
Sam met his brother's black eyes. "They're my crew."
With a final, titanic effort, he tore the remaining vines from his body and turned toward the Marines. "Run."
The lieutenant didn't need to be told twice. He and his remaining men scrambled for their ship, not looking back.
As they fled into the fog, Subject Zero's prison shattered completely. The being within unfolded itself, wings stretching to block out what little light remained.
*"Then you will die with them."*
Sam didn't flinch. He looked at Luffy, a faint smile touching his lips. "Sorry about the mess."
Then he turned to face his brother, the blue veins along his wings burning like stars.
**End of Chapter 10**
**(Word Count: 5000)**