Toward the Firelight

At the Navy warships in the waters not far from the town.

"Buster Call?!"

Everyone's expression changed upon hearing those words. The Marines were shaken, their faces filled with shock. Vice Admiral Hōshō was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Wuli to immediately guess it was a Buster Call. It seemed this Navy colonel recruited through the World Military Draft had quite a deep understanding of Buster Calls. Vice Admirals Onigumo and Mozambia, meanwhile, merely looked coldly at Wuli.

The civilians Wuli had saved were filled with anxiety. Hearing him mention the "Buster Call" only left them more confused.

They looked toward the town engulfed in smoke and flames from the fighting and pleaded urgently, "What is a Buster Call? Navy officers, can you save our town? We'll kneel before you! Please help us—save our home!"

With that, the civilians fell to their knees, trying to persuade the Marines to head into town and rescue it. The other Marines looked at them with pity in their eyes. They likely did not know that the Buster Call meant the destruction of the very place they wished to save.

But the question was, how had this Buster Call been issued? A Buster Call carried out indiscriminate, devastating attacks on the area where the signal was sent, completely eradicating all people and things in a region deemed threatening to the World Government's rule.

What Wuli could not understand was which high-ranking Navy official had granted the authorization. And who in that town had pressed the Golden Den Den Mushi?

"We will not intervene now," Vice Admiral Onigumo said coldly. He showed no emotional reaction toward the kneeling civilians. No matter who had granted the authorization or who had pressed the Golden Den Den Mushi, since the Silver Den Den Mushi in his arms had received the order, he would carry it out without hesitation.

That meant destroying the town!

"Why? How can you do this? How can you stand by and watch us die?" The kneeling civilians grew agitated. Their hearts sank into despair once more as they could only watch their hometown be swallowed by war.

They could not help looking toward Wuli, the Navy officer who had saved their lives before. He was their last shred of hope.

"Colonel Wuli, can you save us one more time? We will never forget your kindness for the rest of our lives."

A ding sounded in Wuli's mind as the system interface generated a new mission.

Mission: Save the town's residents!

Objective: Seeing civilians suffering under the ravages of war, trapped in dire misery, how could one possibly stand by without helping? Now was the time for someone to step forward. To act righteously and uphold the way of a hero was what a true man should do.

Mission Reward: 500 experience points

Mission Penalty: None.

Even without this mission, Wuli would have decided to go rescue them. He could not simply watch as the town's residents either died beneath pirates' blades or perished under the Navy's cannons.

Wuli therefore looked at the three vice admirals—Onigumo, Hōshō, and Mozambia—and, under their watchful gazes, said in a deep voice, "I'm going into town to save people!"

After saying that, he walked toward the kneeling civilians. "Get up. You don't need to kneel."

"Colonel Wuli! Do you know what you're saying? This kind of conduct will never be permitted. In the name of a vice admiral, I order you to remain here!" Vice Admiral Mozambia rebuked him. Vice Admiral Onigumo's expression darkened. If Wuli truly intended to go, then he could only arrest him.

"You understand the meaning and power of a Buster Call, don't you? Aren't you afraid of being caught up in it?" Vice Admiral Hōshō asked as he watched Wuli.

"I'm only going to save those residents. Since I've chosen to go, I'll bear all the consequences myself." As he spoke, Wuli helped the burly man kneeling before him to his feet. The others rose as well, looking at Wuli with both gratitude and concern. They had not expected him to defy a vice admiral's orders just to help them.

Wuli looked at his Marine subordinates and asked, "Who's coming with me? It's dangerous. Think it through before you decide."

"Count me in," Shu said calmly. Danger was not something he needed to consider at all. He did not want to merely wait for the Buster Call to begin either. They would save as many people as they could.

"Count us in too! Dangerous or not, we'll follow you, Colonel Wuli!" the Marines declared firmly.

Wuli nodded and looked at the civilians. He said to the leading man, "Take them and wait for our return on this deserted island."

The burly man nodded heavily. He knew that going with them would only hold them back. "Colonel Wuli, please be careful."

"Are you really trying to rebel?" Vice Admiral Mozambia roared. He and Vice Admiral Onigumo had both drawn their swords, ready to take Wuli down.

Feeling the grave, sword-drawn tension in the air, both the Marines and the civilians grew nervous. Wuli's expression remained calm. Even when facing two vice admirals, he showed not the slightest fear and simply did what he had to do.

"Let him go," Vice Admiral Hōshō suddenly said.

"Hm? Vice Admiral Hōshō, what are you saying?" Onigumo and Mozambia were both stunned, unable to understand why Hōshō would agree.

Hōshō opened his eyes, a rare occurrence, and said, "If they haven't returned by the time the Buster Call assembly is complete, the Buster Call will proceed anyway. It won't delay our mission, and they've already made up their minds."

With that, Vice Admirals Onigumo and Mozambia had no rebuttal for the moment. They could only watch as Wuli, after the civilians disembarked from the warship, set off toward the island. The light from the town on the island had grown even brighter!