Now, although it still took a hundred ordinary people to operate the ship, Bill was not so afraid of crossing the ocean.
He would still be captain of the big ship, leaving Frontier Run to Sasha and Ricky, but now he wouldn't have to stay on board all the time to prevent any accidents.
When everything was ready, they decided to sail around noon, and at night they had a huge feast that illuminated the entire pier of the Naval Forces.
Watching Yoko and Akisu lead groups of children in a game of Sailors and Robbers, Bill went around to as many people as he could to talk to them. At the end of the evening, he gave a speech thanking Fia and the cooks and talking about his plans for the future.
It was an extra expense, but Bill thought it was worth it. The former residents of Clock Island were still living modestly after the destruction of their homes, and he knew the next few months would not be easy for anyone.
After his speech, young people came up one after another to enlist in his unit.
From the very beginning, there were those among the residents who hated Trump's pirates and were ready to fight if they had the chance.
After the arrest of the Bear King, instead of their fighting spirit weakening, it only became more inflamed, as they felt their weakness in allowing that tyrant to rule over them.
Ashamed of themselves, they turned their emotions against piracy, and that night eighty-seven men and women volunteered, many asking to be taught the techniques of the Razor or the Moonstep, though Bill urged them to take their time.
Although they had the will, Bill knew they did not have the necessary skill and said that only through intensive training could they learn these superhuman martial arts.
The next morning was cloudy, but people woke up in a good mood and enthusiastically moved to the updated Pobeda.
By midday, Bill realized he couldn't wait any longer and went to the Marine Corps to pick up his cargo - or "Nelson," as he was called.
Yoko begged him to take her along, and he did not refuse. Although it was cloudy, the weather was not so bad that he could say no. His greatest fear was that she would faint when she saw the size of their newest team member.
Since he didn't like the task, Bill took his time, walking slowly and laughing at how Yoko said that Akisu would cry when he met Boss Beetle. But as he approached the execution site, he began to smell that familiar, distorted smell of ozone.
For some reason, Bill stopped before turning the last corner and put his hand on Yoko's shoulder.
She looked at him and asked what had happened. If nothing had happened, he wouldn't have even remembered it. But his heart began to pound in his chest. Memories of the moment his father had thrown him the vial of the elixir he called the "Elixir of Life" came flooding back to him. And just like that, the world had disappeared for a moment, and Bill's soul was calling him to fight.
"Yoko," Bill said, squeezing her shoulder harder than he meant to.
Without waiting for her answer, he continued:
- Return to Pobeda immediately.
"N…" she began.
"Now," he repeated, cutting her off, his skin darkening as he spoke.
Tears welled up in the girl's eyes and she ran back the same way they had come.
After watching her for a few seconds, Bill realized he couldn't stand still. As he turned the corner, he barely had time to notice Captain Smoker sitting on a familiar figure.
Adrenaline began to pump through his blood, and Bill focused on the figure behind Smoker holding his jutte.
This time, when Smoker spoke, Bill didn't hear the usual irritation in his voice. He heard only concern and somehow sensed fear behind his words.
- D... Dragon!
With these words, Bill moved forward.
As Bill moved towards the menacing stranger, the world froze.
2 seconds.
His feet sank into the stone as he lunged forward, holding back no amount of strength.
1.5 seconds.
He pulled the war hammer out of its mount and lifted it up.
1 second.
Another step that destroyed the road and raised tons of earth and rock into the air.
0.5 seconds.
The heart was pounding wildly, the eyes turned black.
Zero seconds.
One hammer blow, powerful enough to split a mountain, accompanied by a voice that echoed throughout the city:
— [TERRA DESTROYER]!
When the hammer fell, it seemed as if the world wanted to regain lost time, and the hand of the man who should have been taken by surprise turned into a furious storm.
When the storm met the hammer, a singularity briefly occurred, causing an explosion that threw Captain Smoker and the familiar figure he had been fighting into the distance.
However, one Marine did not fall.
Through the explosion, he put all his strength into striking. He was sure that only one blow was needed.
Blow after blow, like two independent storms, the wind turned into blades and cut through the iron skin, but not a drop of blood was visible.