Chapter 15: The Shadow That Follows
The morning sun painted the sea in golden hues as the waves gently lapped against the hulls of the retreating marine ships. The air was still, yet tension lingered like smoke after a fire. The once turbulent waters near Amazon Lily had quieted down, but the scars of the previous battle were fresh in the minds of all who survived.
Among the ships pulling away from the island was a vessel led by Captain Coby. His face was grim, his body still aching from the clash with the pirates of the Voidreign. The sight of Jessie's overwhelming power had struck a deep chord within him. It wasn't just fear—it was respect, awe, and a realization of how large the gap still was between him and those who had carved their names into history.
He stood at the bow, arms crossed, the wind tugging at his coat. Behind him, his subordinates tended to the wounded and patched up the damaged parts of the ship. Despite the somber mood, there was a quiet relief among the marines. Jessie, the force they feared might be a new tyrant, had not pursued them. His very presence had been a deterrent, yet he had shown no intention of mass destruction.
Still, Coby couldn't shake the weight in his chest.
> "Jessie could've ended us... but he didn't. Why?"
> "What does he see in the world that we don't?"
He closed his eyes, letting the wind rush past him. As a marine, he had always believed in justice, in the protection of the weak. But this new generation of pirates—Voidreign, the Straw Hats, even some of the Revolutionary forces—were challenging the very structure of the world.
And now, Coby found himself questioning more than ever: Who really protects the people?
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Far beyond the horizon, hiding beneath the waves and behind rocky outcrops, lay a shadow—a predator lurking in silence.
The Blackbeard Pirates.