Enel pondered for a long time and sighed:

"Wait for the right moment. One strike, one kill."

Sakazuki nodded:

"Yes. One strike, one kill."

"Don't act without absolute preparation."

"Even one mistake could be fatal."

"The World Government has stood strong for 800 years."

"The Celestial Dragons have ruled the world for 800 years as well."

"And it's not the Navy that they relied on."

"It's 800 years of deep-rooted heritage."

"And that weapon... the one that has never been revealed to the world."

"The unknown is the most terrifying thing."

Enel nodded.

Sakazuki said:

"Let's go. Let's have a look at those adventurers."

Then, Sakazuki placed his hand on Enel—his figure flickered and disappeared...

...

Inside a two-story restaurant, Sakazuki found a seat by the window.

He ordered two glasses of cold beer and had Enel watch the group from the Note Pirates in the distance.

Leading them was the Note Pirates' Captain, Black Sway.

A graceful middle-aged man.

He wore a full tuxedo and carried a violin case.

The violin inside was both his instrument and his weapon.

At that moment, it seemed a conflict had broken out downstairs in the restaurant.

Sakazuki frowned.

Suddenly—

Boom!

A figure was sent flying, along with chairs, benches, and spilled alcohol.

The spilled liquor landed on Captain Black Sway's tuxedo as he walked in.

Staining it with large patches of wetness.

Drenched in alcohol all of a sudden—

Black froze for a moment, and then everyone from the Note Pirates burst into laughter.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!"

"Looks like you're still the popular one, boss!"

"You've only just landed, and someone already offered you a drink!!!"

"Hahaha!!!"

Black shook his head with a wry smile and wiped himself off.

He didn't get angry, and his gentlemanly demeanor made a good impression on everyone.

What a warm person...

This sentence flashed through the minds of the onlookers.

Without paying further attention to the two fighting downstairs, Black led his crew into the bar across the street.

Only then did Sakazuki speak to Enel:

"What do you think of him?"

Enel thought for a moment:

"He doesn't look like a bad guy."

"Everything he's done seems to be on the side of justice."

Thinking of what had just happened, he added:

"He isn't cruel, and he doesn't bully the weak."

"With his aura, he could have easily taken out those two downstairs in an instant."

"Hmm..."

"He's not a bad guy."

Then he looked at Sakazuki.

Sakazuki nodded:

"That's right. He really isn't a bad guy."

"He even saved two villages from pirate attacks."

"He's never killed a Marine."

"No record of harming civilians either."

"Everything he's done—he fits the definition of an adventurer."

"But..."

"I want you to kill them."

Sakazuki's indifferent voice echoed in Enel's ears.

Enel frowned deeply:

"Why?"

For heinous criminals, he could strike without hesitation.

But for an adventurer like this, who was practically a good person...

Sakazuki cast him a cold glance:

"This is a military order."

Enel's expression darkened.

After a long pause, he nodded:

"I understand."

Then he took off his cloak, revealing his white military uniform.

Crack!

Thunder roared through the area.

The explosion left the people nearby dizzy and disoriented.

Sakazuki looked at Enel's deliberate little act of rebellion—

And shook his head with a smile.

...

Inside the bar.

Enel, his expression gloomy, looked at the Note Pirates:

"Are you ready to die?"

Everyone in the Note Pirates burst into laughter.

Some even stepped forward, ready to tease Enel.

Enel clenched his fists... He couldn't summon the killing intent for people like this—adventurers...

Run! Just run!!!

Electric sparks began to flicker erratically across his body.

Black's expression grew serious as he sensed Enel's aura and grew uncertain.

He cautiously stopped his crewmates, who were still laughing:

"Let's go."

The crewmates froze, startled by Black's grave tone.

Their hearts tightened, and they followed him out.

Enel stood frozen in place.

A wave of relief washed over him...

Let me disobey Uncle's order just this once...

"Great Eruption!"

BOOM!!!!

A thunderous explosion.

Violent heatwaves surged wildly into the bar.

Enel whirled around in shock, staring at the wooden doors blasted open by the waves of heat.

On the street, a massive pool of magma had piled up.

The members of the Note Pirates who had just stepped out—

All of them were dead.

Enel transformed into lightning and bolted back up to the second floor of the restaurant.

Furious, he glared at Sakazuki:

"Why!!!"

Sakazuki glanced at him, then looked toward the distant port:

"There are still three people left on the ship."

"I'll give you ten seconds to take care of them."

Enel roared:

"I'm not going!!!"

Sakazuki stood, pointed a finger at the Note Pirates' ship.

Swish—

A piercing sound tore through the air.

A molten Shigan shot toward the pirate ship.

Enel turned into lightning and chased after it.

With the speed of lightning, he easily got ahead of the molten Shigan.

Trying to block it.

But Sakazuki's molten Shigan—how could the current Enel possibly stop it?

The molten Shigan dragged Enel along and slammed into the pirate ship.

BOOM!!!

A massive burst of magma exploded, instantly engulfing the ship.

Within the slowly sinking lava, a giant molten hand flung Enel out.

At some point, Sakazuki had appeared on the shore.

He caught the severely burned Enel.

Grabbing his frantically struggling body, he stomped the ground—

And soared into the sky with Enel, destination unknown...

...

Sakazuki, carrying the sulking Enel, walked into a shop and changed into casual clothes.

The street was filled with joy and harmony.

Sakazuki led Enel through the entire town.

Even though it had been three months since the Note Pirates left—

The townspeople still spoke of them with excitement.

That gentlemanly captain, the warm-hearted Black.

The hero who saved them.

Now and then, some children would run by shouting, "I'm Hero Black!"

Waving little paper violins in their hands.

After watching this peaceful town for a while—

Sakazuki turned to Enel and said:

"What do you see?"

Enel replied in a low voice:

"I see it now."

"They were all heroes."

He looked up and met Sakazuki's eyes directly.

Sakazuki wasn't surprised:

"That's right. They were heroes."

"They saved this town."

"This peaceful town—they protected it."

"But..."

"They are heroes."

"What are we?"

Enel was thunderstruck.

Stunned, speechless.

Sakazuki walked to a nearby store and bought a few ice creams.

He waved over some playing children.

Handing them the ice cream, he asked:

"What game are you playing?"

The kids, excited by the ice cream, all began to chatter at once:

"It's roleplaying!"

"I'm Hero Black!!!"

"No! I am!"

"I am! I am!"

Watching the quarreling kids, Sakazuki asked:

"Who's Black?"

The children replied:

"He's a pirate!"

"A super awesome one!!"

"When I grow up, I want to be a hero just like him!!!"

"Take this!!"

The carefree children ran off, still squabbling.

Sakazuki turned to Enel and asked:

"Do you understand now why I wanted you to kill them?"

Enel replied, struggling to speak:

"Because they were pirates."

Sakazuki said:

"Exactly. Because they were pirates."

"When pirates become heroes—"

"It plants a seed in the hearts of children."

"Blind worship and admiration."

"Who's to say that when they grow up, they won't become pirates too?"

"And who can guarantee that each one of them would be a good pirate?"

"What if this island had Marines?"

"What if, out at sea, they sacrificed their lives for the people of the world?"

"And yet, their hometown's children are all racing to become pirates."

"When a battle-hardened veteran, with a broken arm and a chest full of medals, finally returns home—"

"He isn't greeted with pride in the eyes of his people."

"Instead, he sees children in the streets shouting about becoming pirates."

"How hopeless and cruel would that be..."