After staying together for another good half hour, simply breathing against each other, letting the fear fade and warmth replace the anxiety, we finally left the cabin. Nami had regained her color, even if her fingers stayed hooked around mine a little longer than necessary, as if to make sure I wouldn't disappear again.
The moment we set foot on the deck, Luffy burst out laughing, hands behind his head.
"Ooooh! So it's Jordan and Nami now, huh?!" he shouted with a big innocent grin, making kissing noises like a kid.
"SHUT UP, LUFFY!" Nami yelled, turning bright red as she delivered a perfectly calibrated punch to his head.
Usopp immediately leaned toward me, a conspiratorial smile plastered on his face.
"So… it's official? Vice-captain and navigator? Try not to wear yourselves out."
"You talk too much," I replied, tapping his forehead with my fingertips, making him stumble back theatrically. "Or would you rather meet Kaya again without your partner?" I added with a sadistic smile.
He went pale at the thought, imagining what he'd become without the support of the Heartless' defensive Devil Fruit. "Brother, no need to go that far. I wish you all the happiness in the world," he said before quickly retreating.
Sanji shot me an amused look.
"Seriously, Jordan… welcome to couple life. And make her happy."
"Count on it," I replied simply, without looking away.
Charles took the opportunity to add "in a couple" on his memo, while "single" could still be seen next to Luffy, Koby, and himself.
Meanwhile, Nami had been literally pulled aside by Kuina, Kazuki, and Elise, who dragged her a little away from the rest of the group. Their voices dropped, punctuated by muffled laughter.
"So?" Kuina asked, arms crossed, a smirk on her lips. "All good?"
"And more importantly… did things go far?"
Nami took a breath, still a little emotional, before blushing like a beetroot at Kuina's second question.
"Yes… we're a couple now. I thought I'd lost him earlier. And I realized I never want to feel that again. And no, we didn't do anything yet."
Kazuki smiled softly.
"We figured as much. You never looked at Jordan the way you look at others."
Elise, more hesitant, added with a small laugh:
"And besides… you're way too possessive for it to be just friendship."
"Hey!" Nami protested before sighing. "Alright… maybe a little."
At the other end of the deck, Zoro was sitting on an overturned barrel, forearms resting on his knees, watching Trafalgar Law without any particular hostility. The pirate with the wool hat was still restrained, soaked to the bone, salt clinging to his skin. The seawater had done its job: his breathing was short and uneven, and his arms were still trembling from the effort as he clung to the plank to stay afloat.
"You're holding up pretty well for someone who's just been neutralized," Zoro remarked in a flat, almost detached tone.
He tilted his head slightly, sizing him up.
"Not many guys are still standing after facing Jordan… even briefly."
Law let out a rough chuckle, immediately followed by a fit of coughing.
"Tch… I've been through worse."
He painfully lifted his head, his gray eyes narrowing.
"But that guy… he was holding back. I felt it. Every strike, every movement… he could've gone much further."
Zoro gave a faint smile, almost imperceptible.
"He never shows all his cards," he replied calmly."Unless you're meant to die at the end."
A heavy silence lingered for a moment. Law turned his gaze toward the sea, visibly uneasy.
"…My crew," he finally murmured. "They're here, somewhere."
I caught the question without him needing to say more. Pushing my Observation Haki to its limits, I let my perception slide beneath the surface of the water, past the waves, the currents, the rocky masses. A metallic silhouette appeared in my mind—familiar—lurking not far from the shore.
The Polar Tang.
Without a word, I dove in. A few seconds later, I resurfaced, holding the submarine above my head, its gleaming hull streaming with water. The weight was considerable, but manageable. I lifted it up to the level of the Merry, stabilizing the whole thing.
The moment the submersible was out of danger, Koby agilely jumped onto the hull, found the hatch, and flung it open. A rush of fresh air poured inside, followed by panicked voices that quickly turned to relieved ones.
Law stared at the scene, eyes wide, torn between distrust and a relief he no longer even tried to hide.
For the first time since the fight began, his shoulders relaxed slightly.
Three figures finally emerged from the submarine, still dripping with water. The first was impossible to miss: a huge white bear, standing upright like a man, wearing an orange jumpsuit far too tight for his massive build. Behind him came two men in white suits, one of them wearing a cap embroidered with the word Penguin.
From his position—still restrained and partially submerged—Law forced his voice out.
"Bepo! Sachi! Penguin! Are you alright?!"
"Captain!" Bepo cried, rushing toward the railing, his eyes shining with worry.
I immediately placed a firm hand on his chest before he could jump into the water without thinking. The bear froze instantly. His animal instincts were screaming danger, and he now looked at me with almost palpable caution.
"He's fine," I said calmly. "I just need to introduce him to someone. After that, you'll be free to leave.That okay with you, Law?"
A brief silence followed. Law clenched his teeth, assessed the situation, then finally nodded.
"…I accept. Bring the person."
I was about to slip away when chaos erupted.
The girls of the crew—Kaya in the lead, already transformed into her rabbit form—literally rushed Bepo.
"HE'S TOO CUTE!" Kaya exclaimed, clinging to his arm.
"It's a bear! A real one!" Kazuki added, stroking his fur with fascination.
Even Merry, floating slightly above the deck, leaned forward to place her small hands on the bear's head.
Bepo instantly turned bright scarlet, completely frozen, unable to understand what was happening.
"H-Huh?! W-Why are they all touching me?!" he stammered, his voice trembling.
Beside him, Sachi and Penguin stared at the scene, mouths agape, before exchanging a jealous and deeply offended look.
"Why isn't anyone throwing themselves at us…" Penguin muttered.
"This is unfair," Sachi added.
I couldn't help but chuckle softly before opening a shadow portal and stepping through it.
On Heartless Island, I found Lami sitting quietly, talking with Nojiko and Belmère. The atmosphere was peaceful, almost family-like.
Nojiko crossed her arms when she saw me arrive.
"Jordan… you could at least warn us before leaving someone on the island," she said, gently scolding me.
"Charyzax knew," I replied with a smile. "He came back with her."
Nojiko sighed, rolling her eyes.
"That guy… he's seriously antisocial, except with Elise or when he's teaching classes."
I then turned toward the little girl with light-colored hair.
"Lami, you can come. I've found your brother… faster than expected."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"Really?!"
She bounced in place, unable to contain her joy.
"That's amazing! I can't wait to see him again!"
Nojiko hesitated for a moment, then turned toward me.
"Jordan… may I come with you? I'd like to sail with you for a while. Change the scenery."
Belmère shot me a pointed look—silent, but unmistakable: accept.
I nodded.
"You can come. But still ask Luffy for permission. And if you stay a long time… be careful about your safety."
I opened another portal, inviting Lami and Nojiko to follow me.
When we arrived on the deck, Law had already been freed from his restraints. He stood near the railing, still pale and visibly exhausted, but surprisingly calm. He wasn't making a scene or trying to provoke anyone; his gaze was simply fixed on the sea, as if he were still trying to sort through his thoughts after everything that had just happened.
The moment Lami set foot on the deck, she tried to rush toward him, recognizing him instinctively. I immediately placed a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder to hold her back.
"Wait a moment," I said calmly. "We need to explain who you are to him first. Otherwise… he might panic."
She nodded, a little disappointed but obedient. A few meters away, Nojiko had just joined the group. Seeing the commotion, she let out a small joyful cry that caught the attention of several crew members before hurrying off to formally ask Luffy for permission to stay aboard for a while.
I then stepped toward Law, the young girl at my side.
"Law," I began in an even voice, "before we go any further, I know you're very familiar with Devil Fruits… and with how special—sometimes completely abnormal—some of them can be. So I'd like you to keep an open mind about what I'm about to explain."
But my caution was unnecessary.
The moment he lifted his eyes to Lami, his entire body froze. His breath caught. His pupils dilated, and all hardness drained from his face. He didn't need a word or an explanation. He recognized her instantly.
His knees hit the deck as he dropped to them, arms wide open.
"…Lami…"
The girl didn't wait a second longer. She slipped free from my grip and threw herself into his arms, crying.
"Big brother!"
The shock was total for the Heart Pirates' crew, all of whom knew that their captain's little sister had died when he was a child. Some froze in place, others turned away, shaken by the scene. Bepo, for his part, began to cry openly without even trying to hide it.
A little farther back, Zoro and Kuina exchanged a knowing look, then turned their eyes toward me. I simply shrugged lightly, as if to say that sometimes, the world was just stranger than it seemed.
Law finally lifted his head, eyes wet, still holding his sister tightly.
"Thank you, Jordan…" he said in a still-trembling voice. "This is… magical. I don't even know what else to say."
He hesitated, then the question he feared most crossed his lips.
"…And my parents?"
I slowly shook my head.
"I'm sorry. I didn't expect to find you so quickly. And with my current abilities, I can only bring back one person from outside. Taking Lami cost me… about twenty percent of my overall strength."
Law stared at me, visibly shocked—especially after our duel.
"Twenty percent…" he repeated under his breath.
He remained silent for a few seconds, then looked back up at me, determination in his eyes.
"If I take on that bond… do you think you could come with me for someone else?"
Lami turned her head toward him, curious. Law took a deep breath before continuing, his voice heavy with emotion.
"After leaving Flevance, I joined a pirate crew. One of them protected me… he saved me from my illness."
He gave a sad smile.
"He was kind of like a foolish big brother… and a father at the same time. His name was Donquixote Corazon."
I took a moment before answering.
"I'll reserve my judgment until the day I meet him. But you'll have to wait a little longer. Luffy is the captain, and we follow the route he chooses. That said… you can follow us. We're going to explore North Blue. When we pass by the place where he died, and if his soul is still there… I'll do what needs to be done."
I paused.
"Did he die on this island?"
"No," Law replied, tightening his embrace around Lami. "He died on Minion Island. And I'm going to talk to your captain about it."
At that moment, Nami wrapped her arms around my waist and gently rested her head against my chest, as if anchoring me in the present. Nojiko, standing not far away, watched the scene with a warm, amused smile.
A little away from the commotion, Charles remained frozen beside Koby, his gaze still fixed on the reunion between Law and his sister. His face had drained of all color, as if his mind still refused to process what he had just witnessed.
After a few seconds of heavy silence, he finally murmured, his voice hesitant:
"Koby… can Jordan really… bring people back to life?"
Koby turned his head slightly toward him, a small, calm smile on his lips, far from the shock Charles was still showing.
"It's… a bit more complicated than that," he replied gently. "And when Jordan decides it's the right time, he'll explain it to you himself."
He paused, then added with an almost amused smile:
"But if you're curious, there's a very good chance he'll mostly make you train. A lot."
Charles's face went even paler.
"It's… it's not normal to train that much," he blurted out, running a hand through his hair. "Even the Navy doesn't force that many sessions. And with your dungeons… those are real fights—regular, dangerous ones."
He let out a deep sigh.
"I get why you're all getting stronger so fast, but… I'm seriously starting to get sick of swimming."
He had barely finished his sentence when a familiar voice rose right behind him.
"I can find a different kind of training, if you want."
Charles jumped so violently he almost lost his balance. I was standing behind him, arms crossed, a far too serene smile on my face.
"How about training… to take hits?"
Charles's gaze froze for a split second, then panic took over. Without even thinking, he spun around and leapt overboard in a desperate motion.
"NO THANK YOU!"
A huge burst of laughter shook the deck. Koby doubled over, unable to hold it in, while I leaned over the railing to watch Charles resurface, coughing.
"You see," I said calmly, "swimming is still useful."
Laughter continued to echo across the Merry, lightening the atmosphere even more after all the day's revelations.
(Author's note: Sorry for the delay—this Saturday I had my godson with me all day outdoors, so I couldn't publish. I hope you enjoyed this short chapter. I'm planning to develop the Kingdom Hearts side a bit more soon.)