Everywhere the eye could see, there was nothing but collapsed ruins.
The Marines' distinctive blue-and-white uniforms stood out amid the ruins—far too conspicuously, and painfully so.
"We're too late..."
Chaton used Soru several times, flashing to the nearest patch of blue and white.
Irregularly shaped stones had been piled together. Beneath them, a palm-sized hem of a blue-and-white uniform, stained with traces of blood, protruded through a gap in the rubble, fluttering gently in the sea breeze.
The blood that had seeped out from beneath the stones had long since dried into a dark-red stain.
Chaton stared gravely at the dried blood beneath the rubble. With his Observation Haki, he sensed no trace of life.
Even so, he still began moving the stones. Beneath the ruins, he found a body buried under the rubble, the corpse damaged beyond recognition.
Chaton's pupils contracted, and he fell silent for several seconds.
A moment later, he roared with all his strength, "Quick, save them!"
His answer was the sound of numerous Marines rushing over, along with the noise of them clearing away the wreckage.
Whether alive or dead, they had to find their comrades.
Every Marine worked desperately to clear the ruins, hoping that after moving aside another piece of the collapsed building, they would find a comrade who still drew breath.
"Damn Vergo...!!!"
The carnage before him made the veins on Smoker's forehead bulge.
Hina, who was coordinating the rescue with him, wore a solemn expression.
Marine Headquarters.
The news that the force led by Vice Admiral Fire Mountain had been defeated at the G5 Branch quickly reached Headquarters.
Akainu flew into a rage.
"Pursue them."
His voice, boiling like molten lava, became an order and was delivered to Chaton.
At the same time, many people at Headquarters saw the furious flashes