Lan Hao Tian sat curled up on the cold floor, his body trembling uncontrollably. The deafening screams and the relentless sounds of bombardment echoed endlessly in his mind.
It felt as if he had descended into hell. Everything beautiful in this new life of his—gone in an instant.
His bloodshot eyes were filled with rage and fear. The fire of hatred growing inside him was expanding without end.
He clenched his teeth, forcing out each word through sheer will:
"If I survive... there will come a day when I destroy every last one of you bastards."
By now, the shelling had ceased. Naval troops were disembarking from the warship, swarming the island to assess the situation.
Their mission was clear: confirm that no one on this island had survived.
Hundreds of soldiers carrying rifles fanned out to every corner. Cold-blooded and precise, they fired into any place that seemed even slightly suspicious.
Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, Lan Hao Tian's body trembled even more violently.
He didn't want to die. Not now. Not yet.
He still had too much to do—avenge his parents, seek justice for the innocent villagers, and tear down the cruel, unjust world that allowed this massacre to happen.
He silently and urgently prayed that a miracle would grant him the ability to survive this moment of despair.
However, it was pointless.
A voice spoke out close by:
"Be careful, everyone. Maybe there's a tunnel underneath. Be cautious because we don't know if they are armed."
The final glimmer of hope in Lan Hao Tian's heart was extinguished by the words, which struck him like a bucket of frigid water.
He refused to accept it. In both his lives, he had never achieved anything truly meaningful. Regrets—layer upon layer of regrets—choked him.
One of the soldiers cautiously approached the entrance of the pit. He kicked away the debris blocking the hole.
Light streamed down directly onto Lan Hao Tian's face, revealing just how far into despair he had fallen.
Seeing that the figure inside was merely a child, unarmed and defenseless, someone hesitated and asked,
"Do we really have to kill him? He's just a kid, after all."
One of the soldiers struck Lan Hao Tian on the head with the butt of his rifle and snapped:
"Idiot! Think about it—who do you think hid him here? Those people are gone, which means we've already wiped them out. And you want us to spare a kid whose heart is filled with hatred for the Empire? That's the kind of seed that grows into a filthy pirate. This is evil in its infancy. We eliminate it now to avoid a plague on the seas later."
Another soldier muttered while rubbing his head:
"Yeah, yeah... Just don't hit so hard next time, will you?"
He then raised his rifle and pointed it at Lan Hao Tian.
"Goodbye, unlucky little brat."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots echoed in unison. Cold, merciless bullets flew straight at a defenseless boy who had no chance of resisting.
Lan Hao Tian shut his eyes tightly, accepting his fate. He was ready for the end.
But... nothing happened.
Time seemed to crawl. He still felt alive. Slowly, he opened his eyes—and froze in shock.
Somehow, a swirling sphere of water had materialized around him, forming a protective barrier. He didn't know where it had come from.
"Am… am I dreaming?" he whispered to himself.
The soldiers, sensing something was wrong, immediately pulled back, alert.
"Water Master! Everyone, stay sharp!"
No longer scattered, the navy troops quickly regrouped into a defensive formation, covering all directions.
Then, a man dropped from the sky.
Tall and lean, with shoulder-length deep blue hair tied back by a streaked black-silver cord, he landed gracefully on the ground.
His presence was wild yet oddly refined—a mixture of unrestrained freedom and rebellious charm.
His chiseled features carried a savage handsomeness: sharp jawline, straight nose, lips curled ever so slightly into a constant, teasing smirk.
He gazed at the navy soldiers with eyes full of scorn, as if they were nothing more than ants beneath his notice.
"This kid belongs to me. Now get lost."
Though wary of him, the soldiers bristled at his arrogance. Veins popped on their foreheads as they clenched their weapons tighter.
"Bastard, who the hell do you think you are?"
"The Navy does not take orders. Scum like you has no right to speak to us that way!"
The soldiers all raised their rifles at once. Gunfire erupted, bullets pouring toward the blue-haired man like a storm.
But he didn't even move.
The bullets stopped mid-air, repelled by a faint blue barrier that had silently formed in front of him. The shield shimmered softly, almost lazily, as if it didn't even need to try.
The navy troops were visibly shaken.
"No way… A world-class expert? In a place like this?" one of them stammered, disbelief etched across his face.
As the words left his mouth, a crushing pressure descended upon them—like the sky itself had fallen.
Crack!
All around, there was the sound of bones cracking. These soldiers had been armed and proud just moments before. Their limbs were twisted and useless, and they were now crushed on the ground, moaning in agony.
Lan Hao Tian stood wide-eyed and motionless. Beyond the astonishment, however, there was another flash in his eyes: hope.
"That strength... I could make all the difference if I had that type of strength. I would no longer be powerless. I have to get stronger. I will."
With a blazing purpose in his eyes, he climbed out of the crater and went up to the man. Then he knelt down without thinking.
"Please," he implored. "Teach me."
The man laughed and arched an eyebrow.
"Oh? And why are you interested in learning?"
Without fear, Lan Hao Tian looked him in the eye.
"This unfair world is something I wish to alter. I want to bring about a revolution where everyone has the opportunity to live the life they deserve. a human rights-based world."
The man looked genuinely surprised. He had expected the boy to say something about revenge—parents, village, the usual. But this? This was different.
And it stirred something within him.
He laughed, deep and hearty.
"Hahaha! Good, very good, kid! I'm Luo Tian Hai. And you?"
"Lan Hao Tian."
"Lan Hao Tian, huh? Alright then. From this moment on, you'll follow me. Learn what you can. And one day, when you're ready… I'll send you out to see the world for yourself—to chase that dream of yours."
Lan Hao Tian bowed low, pressing his forehead to the dirt in gratitude. This was a moment he would never forget.
But Luo Tian Hai grabbed him by the collar and yanked him to his feet.
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Nah, that attitude won't do. First lesson—optimism."
"Optimism?" Lan Hao Tian tilted his head, utterly confused.
Luo Tian Hai grinned.
"I'm taking you somewhere. From now on, you'll live there. Let time handle the rest."
With that, he slung Lan Hao Tian over his shoulder and, in a blur of motion, vanished from the island—leaving the broken soldiers behind and carrying the boy toward a new destiny.