At last, the child couldn't hold on any longer.
"Dad—!"
He screamed as he fell from the tree.
"It's okay! I'll catch you!"
His father lunged forward, throwing himself onto the thorny bushes on the ground.
Squish—!!!
Dozens of thorns pierced his body.
And the child landed on the "cushion" his father had made with his own body.
He was still hurt, but at least he was alive.
His father struggled to lift his head. Looking at the child in his arms, he gave him a reassuring smile.
"It's okay... Dad's here..."
Then his head lolled to the side, and he breathed his last.
Watching this, Somaz shook his head with feigned regret.
"Ah, how touching. A father's love really is great."
After shooting the child dead, he turned his horse around and rode away, humming a tune.
Meanwhile, all the Marines had returned to their warships on the island's coast.
A Marine officer was taking attendance.
"Is everyone accounted for?"
The squad leader saluted.
"Yes, sir! Everyone's here!"
But his eyes were searching the crowd.
Where had Dragon gone...?
Had he gone onto the island?
The squad leader's heart sank.
He knew Dragon's nature. The young Marine was almost stubborn in his commitment to "justice."
After seeing what was happening on the island, he couldn't possibly stand by and do nothing.
I hope he doesn't do anything reckless... the squad leader prayed.
Along the way, Dragon found a small group of surviving slaves hiding in a cave.
Outside the cave, a Celestial Dragon had already spotted them.
"I found them, I found them!" the Celestial Dragon shouted excitedly. "Ten thousand points for a Buccaneer!"
He raised his gun and aimed at the biggest child in the cave: Bartholomew Kuma.
The slaves inside had no idea what was