Chapter 88

As soon as he uttered those words, he regretted it. How could everything be "alright"? Nothing had been alright since they witnessed the battle of the giants in the distance. The number of losses in such a short period was so enormous that Bill himself hadn't fully realized it!

Clearly, the captain didn't think this was worth mentioning, and something else troubled her. Looking at Bill with a serious expression, she said, "What happened to the prisoners' shackles, Lieutenant?"

Bill was confused as he had little experience with Devil Fruits and didn't understand why he was being questioned. So, he spoke quickly and casually: "Captain, I made it through the forest and returned to the camp, where I saw most of our able-bodied people guarding the perimeter. My first goal was to find you and talk. Seeing the camp moving to the ship, I ran to the command tent, where I found these prisoners in chains. I knew we needed all the hands we could get, and though these six weren't particularly important, I thought they might help as experienced sailors..."

"Lieutenant, I asked..." Captain Hina interrupted him mid-sentence, "What happened to their shackles?"

Looking at her face, Bill realized he needed to tread carefully. Although he didn't fear the captain, he didn't want to get into a conflict with her, so he spoke more slowly and less casually: "Captain Hina, I couldn't leave these people tied up, so I freed them before we left the tent."

"Hina wants to know, how did you free them?" she asked, still serious, although she typically spoke about herself in the third person.

By the third time he was asked about it, Bill's patience began to wear thin. The camp was on the brink of a siege, and he couldn't understand why this was so important.

"Obviously, I freed them by breaking the shackles. How else could it have happened?"

After these words, Hina didn't speak but frowned. A few seconds later, Bill couldn't hold back and continued, "Captain, we need to hurry. Hollandez knows how to launch ships; we just need to..."

"Lieutenant Ox! Do you think my crew doesn't know how to handle a grounded ship?! I kept those PIRATES shackled for a reason!"

For the first time since Bill had met the captain, she was more emotional than usual.

"What you've done not only questioned my decision but also my authority! But you know what?" she paused, pondering just for a moment, "Now that you're here, I have another task for you. Go and replace the perimeter guards and send them to the ship. When the ship is ready, I'll send for you."

When she said this, Bill couldn't believe his ears. For the past few weeks, this woman had earned his respect; she was steadfast and consistent in her actions. She gave him real answers to his questions and never spoke to him like an ordinary teenager.

But now she was ordering him and six dirty pirates to replace eighty Marines?

At her words, the pirates began to wail, but none fled.

As for Bill, he squinted and said, "Captain Hina, unless you're planning to get us all killed, it's impossible. I've fought some of these creatures. The animals on this island are abnormal; they require heavy artillery weap..."

"Did I say to abandon the watchtowers?"

Interrupting him again, for the first time in a long while, Bill was angry. Whether she noticed it or not, she continued, "The watchtowers will remain operational to provide you with support."

Gritting his teeth, Bill was full of responses he could have given. From physical violence to moral condemnation, at that moment, he exercised rare self-control and refrained from exploding.

He thought about the members of the Scientific Division he was responsible for, and after he asked, Captain Hina said they were working with her.

Whether it was her attitude or being sent back to the front lines, Bill didn't like it.

Unfortunately, what he didn't like didn't matter, and when the choice was between duty and pride, in this situation, duty won out.

He didn't salute, simply said "alright," turned to the pirates, and said, "You heard what the lady said."

This time, Bill didn't run but walked calmly to the perimeter.

Hollandez: "Sir, you shouldn't have spoken that way to the lady"

Bill was not in the mood for discussions, but he sharply asked the dirty pirate, "What exactly did I say that I shouldn't have?!"

Hollandez: "You told her that you broke her chains."

Not understanding where this man was going with this, Bill sharply replied again, "Of course, I had to tell her that I broke the chains!"

Hollandez: "Yes, sir, you had to say it, but it's about how you said it. People with Devil Fruits take pride in their strength. That strength is their essence, their spirit. You told the lady that you broke her spirit. That's why she's angry."

Bill had very limited experience with Devil Fruit users. Of course, one of his best friends had eaten a Devil Fruit, but that fruit was cannon-based and rarely used.

Thinking about what the dirty pirate had said as they walked towards the perimeter, Bill felt his anger somewhat subside. He decided that after all this, he should learn more about Devil Fruits.

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