Chapter 277: Smile Town
Prato Town was a pristine white settlement located beneath the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Its buildings were constructed from spotless white bricks, and its streets were kept so clean that people claimed one could lie down in the middle of the road without getting a speck of dust on their clothes.
The town was also known as Smile Town.
Just as its name suggested, smiles could be seen everywhere.
The residents greeted others with warmth and enthusiasm, seemingly untouched by worry or sin. Ordinarily, such cheerful expressions would make visitors feel welcome.
However, the smiles here were unsettling.
Several Marines assigned to guard the town were gathered near a street corner, quietly discussing the matter.
"Hey, don't you think the people here are a little too enthusiastic?"
"I feel the same way."
One Marine shivered slightly as he looked around.
"It's not that their friendliness seems fake. It just feels forced, like they're trying too hard."
He scratched his cheek.
"It reminds me of the girls in taverns. They act affectionate because they want your money, but what do these people want?"
Another Marine laughed and mocked him without mercy.
"With that scrawny body of yours, do you seriously think the whole town has fallen in love with you?"
The first Marine ignored the insult.
"We should return to our posts. If our superior notices, we'll be blamed."
"Superior?"
The other Marine scoffed.
"You mean that kid who was recently promoted to Rear Admiral? I don't consider him my superior."
His disdain was obvious.
"A child suddenly appears and receives the rank of Rear Admiral. Of course no one wants to acknowledge him."
Another Marine offered a different opinion.
"But we've already seen how strong he is. Besides, he's Vice Admiral Garp's grandson, and he isn't as strict as our previous commander."
"I think he's pretty good."
"I can't explain it."
The first man's expression soured.
"It just doesn't feel right having a child above me."
In truth, he understood the reason perfectly well.
It was jealousy.
Comparing himself to Axel had left him feeling inadequate, so he deliberately acted dismissive to prevent anyone from noticing his true feelings.
The discussion soon ended.
One of the Marines suggested, "Since the Rear Admiral isn't keeping a close watch on us, why don't we find somewhere to eat and continue talking?"
He rubbed his arms against the lingering cold.
"It's still chilly. A little wine wouldn't hurt."
At that moment, atop the town's clock tower, a child lay sleeping on the sloped roof.
The clock tower was the tallest structure in Prato Town. Its exterior was painted the same pure white as every other building, though its height made it stand out sharply against the surrounding rooftops.
The child's snow-white skin nearly blended into the tower beneath him.
Only the gentle rise and fall of his breathing revealed that he was asleep.
With his porcelain-like features, slender body, and seemingly fragile appearance, he looked as though a strong gust of wind might sweep him from the roof at any moment.
The child was Axel.
His eyes slowly opened.
As those brilliant yet hollow red eyes emerged, the atmosphere around him seemed to shift.
"A dream..."
It had been a pleasant one.
Perhaps because his brain was far more powerful than that of an ordinary person, every scene had felt real.
Within the dream, he had explored emotions.
The feelings sealed deep inside him had surged forth without restraint.
He had enjoyed the pleasure of delicious food, felt the joy of being reunited with his friends, and even discovered a reason to continue existing.
But the dream had not lasted.
Without warning, everything around him had fallen into darkness.
The only things that remained visible were his own hands, stained bright red.
Then he had awakened in fear.
Fear?
Axel silently raised his right hand and examined its pale, translucent skin.
What concerned him was not the blood covering his hands in the dream.
It was the fact that he had actually felt afraid.
He was not truly devoid of emotion.
He had merely sealed those emotions away.
Yet whenever he tried to recall the feelings from the dream, he could not reach them.
They were like the moon reflected on water or a flower seen in a mirror.
Visible, but impossible to grasp.
The dream remained a dream.
His emotions remained buried deep inside him.
That realization only strengthened his determination to keep searching for them, even if the method itself was built on deception.
Through Aokiji, Axel had obtained his current position.
Naturally, Sengoku had also given his approval, likely because of Axel's combat strength and the fact that Prato Town was not located within Mary Geoise itself.
If something happened here, it would not directly damage the Holy Land.
Axel's clear mind soon detected distant voices carried by the wind.
He slowly pushed himself upright.
He did not particularly want to move.
After traveling with Aokiji, Axel had begun imitating his laziness. He still did not understand what laziness truly felt like, but he copied the behavior all the same.
A moment later, he stepped off the towering clock tower.
His body plunged toward the ground at tremendous speed.
Yet when he landed, the tips of his feet touched the street so lightly that they made no sound.
The violent descent ended with almost no impact.
Axel maintained his lazy, indifferent expression.
He began walking at the leisurely pace of an old man, barely appearing to use any strength.
Then immense force erupted beneath his feet.
His body shot forward.
He moved at more than one hundred and sixty feet per second, comparable to a train traveling at full speed.
For Axel, however, it was little more than a casual stroll.
The people nearby could not see him clearly.
At such speed, even a large train would appear only as a passing blur. Axel's body was much smaller, so anyone facing him saw nothing more than a flash of white and felt a faint breeze brush past them.
Normally, moving at such speed would create powerful wind pressure.
Axel kept the air tightly controlled around his body, preventing it from disturbing the surrounding streets or attracting attention.
Before long, he reached the source of the commotion.
The shouting had not stopped.
The two sides involved were Marines and local residents.
Using his ability, Axel gently parted the crowd and made his way to the front.
A refined-looking man stood before a tavern, smiling broadly.
A group of similarly smiling residents stood behind him. From the way they deferred to him, he was likely either the tavern's owner or the leader responsible for its security.
Opposing them was a group of Marines, easily recognizable by their uniforms.
The refined man continued smiling as he shouted, "Get out!"
His smile did not waver.
"Get out of our town!"
It was impossible to tell from his expression whether he was pleased or furious.
Judging by his words, however, anger was far more likely.
The Marines naturally refused to back down.
"On what grounds?"
One of them stepped forward indignantly.
"We're Marines. We're here to protect you!"
"And you're telling us to leave?"
"Do you understand that once we're gone, this town could be attacked at any time?"
"We're risking our lives to keep all of you safe!"
The Marine's angry declaration only earned a sneer from the refined man.
Then the surrounding residents burst into laughter.
…..
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