November 30, 1498, Age of the Sea Circle
Ginrummy did not react immediately to the words of the stranger who had suddenly appeared. When she finally shook off her initial shock, she felt no relief at Orion's presence—only a deep, paralyzing fear.
She had grown up on the streets since she was little, and in her fifteen years of life, she had encountered all sorts of people. To survive, she had learned to tell apart those she could deal with and those she had to avoid at all costs—and a man who could open a door in thin air and step out of nowhere definitely fell into the second category!
Orion paid little attention to the frightened expression on the girl's face, since his focus was on her leg—or more precisely, the bleeding wound in her thigh.
In an instant, Orion closed the distance, appearing before the terrified girl like a specter, and immediately inspected the bullet wound. Ginrummy reacted in panic, trying to push herself to her feet to get away from him, but he simply placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving and worsening her injury.
She, who was used to dominating any man she came across thanks to her superhuman strength, felt for the first time the resignation of being at the mercy of someone stronger. With a single hand, and without even exerting much effort, Orion had restrained her movements. From the oppressive aura that radiated from him unintentionally, she knew that if he wished it, he could snuff out her life in the blink of an eye.
Of course, Orion was not being confrontational—in fact, his manner was rather gentle and "delicate." But Ginrummy had sharp instincts, almost beast-like, and she could sense the danger hidden beneath the friendly smile of this strange man before her. Behind that façade, there was an edge that made her uneasy.
Just as the girl was preparing to risk everything in a desperate attack, a hand gently rested on her head, and a voice—a mixture of tenderness, laziness, and sensuality—whispered in her ears:
"Hey, don't move or your wound will get worse, little sister. We don't mean you any harm."
Ginrummy looked up in surprise and saw Olive, who had appeared behind her without her noticing. The beautiful pirate was smiling warmly at her, her posture casual and alluring, as if it were her natural state.
Seeing this woman at Orion's side eased Ginrummy's mind, if only a little. At least she no longer thought Orion was trying to take advantage of her—after all, a man who had a woman like Olive beside him probably wasn't very interested in her. Looking at Olive, Ginrummy felt, for the first time in her life, inferior in beauty. Without a doubt, today was a day in which she would experience many firsts.
"The bullet's still inside your leg. I'm going to take it out now and treat the wound," Orion said, retrieving his medical tools from the Pocket Dimension.
Ginrummy fixed her eyes on him and gave a small nod. No matter how little education she had, even she could recognize medical instruments, and so she figured he wasn't pretending to be a doctor.
Orion gave her a medicine—an analgesic he had prepared himself from various herbs. While its effect wasn't as strong as true anesthesia, it helped considerably in dulling the pain of the procedure. Even so, he made her bite down on a mouthpiece. After applying medicine to disinfect the wound, he began the treatment.
The process was quick and efficient. With Orion's current medical skill, this type of injury was no problem at all. If he had better herbs at his disposal, he could have even used more effective drugs, which was why he always stocked up on different medicinal plants during his travels whenever he had the chance.
Once Orion finished treating and bandaging the wound, he looked at Ginrummy, who had already spat out the mouthpiece. She was staring at him with pursed lips and tears in her eyes, and only then did Orion notice that this girl was quite beautiful. In a couple of years, she would undoubtedly become a stunning woman capable of breaking countless hearts—though in his mind, Olive would always remain superior. After all, Orion had a bias toward his beloved concubine.
"What are you going to do? This area is dangerous. I recommend you come with me for now," Orion said seriously, though still trying to keep a gentle tone.
Ginrummy looked back at him with lingering wariness, though not the raw fear she had felt when he first appeared. She had realized by now that he truly didn't intend her any harm. Still, her cautious nature made it impossible for her to accept going anywhere with a strange man. She preferred to continue on her own, even if it was dangerous.
The girl shook her head lightly, trying not to be too rude out of fear of angering Orion.
"Thanks, but I'd rather act on my own," Ginrummy said firmly.
Orion nodded and didn't try to convince her further. Right now, there were still people in the city who needed his help, and Ginrummy's condition was relatively good. As long as she didn't wander into the middle of the battlefield, she would probably be fine. After all, she had a body much stronger than that of a normal person, something Orion had noticed while treating her injuries.
"Very well then, I'll take my leave for now. Perhaps we can talk again once the situation on this island settles down," Orion said, opening a door in the air once more.
Though he still intended to recruit Ginrummy—or at least build a friendly connection with her for the future—he wasn't obsessed with doing so right this moment. The girl was clearly on guard against him, and it would take considerable time to win her over. For now, he couldn't afford to spend too much effort trying to recruit her, so he simply decided to withdraw and try again after solving the main issue on this island.
However, before he could step into the Pocket Dimension, Olive's voice rang out once more:
"Darling, you're far too gentle. Sometimes you need to be a little more assertive, especially when dealing with this kind of bratty little girl."
Olive looked at Ginrummy with an ambiguous smile, seeing in her a reflection of her younger self. She had begun her life as a pirate at about the same age, and she could instantly recognize the similarity: free-spirited, determined, ambitious, irreverent.
With just a glance, Olive understood the kind of personality Ginrummy had—and therefore she knew exactly how to handle her.
"When you're dealing with a brat like this, the best thing to do is establish the chain of command right away, so they don't get any strange ideas. If you treat her too kindly, she'll just think you're a fool and try to use you," Olive added, stepping forward and effortlessly lifting Ginrummy, tossing her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Ginrummy cried out in anger and surprise at being handled so roughly.
"Hah! Don't think you can fool me with that act of yours—playing the sweet, helpless damsel. When I was your age, I was already sailing the seas!" Olive said with a haughty smile that, far from diminishing her beauty, made it shine in a new light.
Orion had never seen this side of Olive, as their interactions had been limited. During the month and a half they had spent together, they had been on a honeymoon, drowning in passionate love. The only time Orion had seen her in a role closer to her true nature as a pirate had been during the battle against the Marines in Poober Cedy, the underground city.
Now, he was seeing a new side of Olive, one that better fit her status as a pirate—and Orion had to admit he didn't dislike seeing her so domineering. In fact, it stirred in him a certain urge to drag her into the Pocket Dimension and tame her like a wild mare… though that was clearly impossible at the moment.
"Put me down! Put me down now!" Ginrummy shouted, flailing her arms in protest.
Slap!
"Silence. Right now, you're being kidnapped by a pirate. Do you really think you have the right to complain?" Olive said, smacking Ginrummy firmly on the ass.
The girl felt the sting of the palm on her butt and immediately blushed with embarrassment… and a strange feeling welled up inside her. It was as if she wanted to bow her head before Olive and admit defeat.
But Ginrummy quickly shook her head, dispelling those aberrant thoughts, and went on protesting to no avail while Olive carried her into the Pocket Dimension—under the bemused gaze of Orion, who thought that at least this time he wasn't the one doing the kidnapping.
Olive walked up to the large bed in the center of the small parallel dimension and dropped Ginrummy onto it without the slightest care.
"Ouch! What do you think you're doing, you damn brute?!" Ginrummy shouted angrily at being handled so callously.
"Silence! You're my hostage now. Stay here quietly for the time being, and when the problem on this island is solved, I'll give you the chance to escape—if you can defeat me," Olive declared, punctuating her words with another firm slap on Ginrummy's butt. The girl glared at her with clenched teeth, thinking that if she weren't injured, she would give Olive the beating she deserved.
Orion carried the unconscious tavern keeper into the Pocket Dimension, then stopped paying attention to the interaction between Ginrummy and Olive. He turned instead toward the next person in need of help.
…
Meanwhile, in the forest outside the city.
Hanafuda leapt high into the air and descended with his scythe, cutting down three of Big Mom's crew members in a single strike.
"Hahahaha! It feels good to get a bit of exercise," said the Shichibukai, clearly enjoying the fight.
In truth, given the level of strength of Big Mom's children who had come on this occasion, Hanafuda would have had no trouble eliminating them quickly—or even escaping if he didn't want to fight. But that wasn't his style. Although he didn't want to kill Big Mom's children and spark an irreconcilable conflict with the powerful pirate, he had no problem at all cutting down the rest of her crew.
Even so, he had been holding back considerably, limiting his power just as he had in his fight with Orion, simply for the sake of enjoying a fun battle. He was merely toying with Big Mom's children, and once he had had his fill, he would leave.
The presence of the Marines didn't worry him in the slightest—he was a Warlord, after all, and the Navy would not risk turning him into an enemy over something as trivial as stealing a Devil Fruit. For that reason, he was savoring the fight instead of exterminating his foes.
Of course, Big Mom's children weren't fools, and they knew full well that Hanafuda was only playing with them. But they had no intention of retreating. They had already called for reinforcements, and their only goal now was to stall the Shichibukai until their stronger elder siblings arrived.
In a way, both sides had reached a tacit agreement—they were playing a game. The only true losers were the unfortunate members of Big Mom's crew unlucky enough to be struck down, and the citizens of the city who had been unwillingly dragged into the conflict.
"Mash, how much longer do we have to hold out until Katakuri arrives?" Cornstarch asked, already weary of the cat-and-mouse game with Hanafuda.
"He's coming all the way from the base, so even if he uses that special method, it'll probably take him a few more days," Mash replied, wiping the sweat off her forehead with a waffle.
On this mission, it was not the elder brother Cabaletta who was in charge, but Mash.
"Arrgh, that's way too long. I'm tired, sis," Cornstarch complained with a pout. But given her generally un-cute appearance, the effect wasn't very convincing.
"It's our job! Otherwise, when we return home, Mama will be furious!" Mash answered, a bit irritated. She was also exhausted, but she couldn't pull back—not when she feared that Hanafuda might get bored and decide to leave before their elder siblings arrived to help.
At her sister's words, Cornstarch shivered involuntarily. If there was one thing she feared, it was seeing her mother angry. Though their mother was loving and generally treated them well, when she was enraged she was terrifying. That was something all the Charlotte siblings knew—and that was why none of them ever dared do anything that could earn their beloved mother's wrath.
In the distance, the youngest of the four siblings present, Charlotte Mozart, was currently facing off against Hanafuda. She was only fourteen, about to turn fifteen in a few days, so her power could not compare to that of her three older siblings here. After all, Mozart was no prodigy like Smoothie, and her abilities placed her at the lower end of the family's hierarchy.
Even so, each sibling had to take turns "entertaining" the hateful Warlord.
Bang Bang Bang!
Mozart's pistols fired relentlessly, but Hanafuda merely swung his scythe, deflecting the projectiles. Mozart could use Armament Haki, but continuously and effectively imbuing her bullets was no easy task. Most of her shots carried no Haki at all, and the few that did were too weak to cause Hanafuda any trouble.
As the three siblings watched their younger sister battle Hanafuda, the Den Den Mushi began to ring. Mash calmly approached the snail and took the call, but the information she received from the other side made her expression change drastically. At once, she began cursing in frustration.
The two siblings beside her looked at her in surprise and immediately asked what had happened.
"Change of plans—we have to leave right now," Mash said with great irritation and reluctance.
"Leave? After all the effort we've put into keeping Hanafuda here? Why?" Cornstarch complained openly.
"You think I want this? That damn Navy has sent that lunatic Akainu! We have to get out before he arrives or we'll be in serious trouble!" Mash spat in fury.
"Akainu?!" Cornstarch and Cabaletta exclaimed in unison.
If there was one Marine they didn't want to encounter, it was that deranged Vice Admiral. Not only was Akainu incredibly powerful, but he was ruthless and never hesitated to fight anyone if it was for the sake of his justice.
Other Marines might be intimidated by the fact that they were Big Mom's children; even if they had enough strength, they might refrain from killing blows for fear of sparking a war. But Akainu was not the type to consider such things.
When facing pirates who opposed the Navy, his response was simple: annihilate them.
"Now you understand the gravity of the situation? If we stay here, we don't stand a chance against Akainu. The best course is to retreat. As irritating as it is to abandon the Devil Fruit, we can't take that risk! I'll call Katakuri and report what happened. You two, go fetch Mozart and bring her here. We need to set sail immediately!" Mash said, pulling out another Den Den Mushi to contact their elder siblings. They would not arrive in time—and this time, they wouldn't have the chance to act.
Cornstarch and Cabaletta ran to the center of the battle to look for Mozart, who was struggling not to get hit by Hanafuda's scythe.
Even though the Warlord had no intention of finishing off the Charlotte siblings, that didn't mean his attacks were harmless, and if Mozart or any of the other three lost focus for even a moment, they could easily suffer a serious injury, even if not a fatal one.
"Mozart! We must leave! Return at once," Cabaletta said while Cornstarch attacked directly with the powers of her devil fruit, the Supaisu Supaisu no Mi, which allowed her to produce and control spices.
Hanafuda swung his scythe in a perpendicular slash, creating a massive wave of energy that clashed against Cornstarch's attack, instantly erasing it. He had no other option but to cut down the spice-based attacks of the pirate from a distance, since those moves caused a wide range of irritating problems, as he had already confirmed during their earlier battle.
"You want to escape now? After stalling for days?" Hanafuda said with a smile, and then moved at full speed to appear next to Cabaletta and strike him with the heavy metal ball of his scythe.
Cabaletta managed to use Armament Haki in time, preventing a serious wound, but even so he was sent flying through the air like a cannonball.
The Warlord took a step forward and grabbed Mozart by the hair, then swung his scythe, ready to leave her with an indelible mark she would never forget.
Just as the Charlottes knew that Hanafuda was only toying with them, the Shichibukai knew they were buying time, waiting for some kind of reinforcement. His idea was to enjoy the opportunity to fight until he was satisfied, but that didn't mean he wasn't slightly irritated by the Charlottes' attitude, which seemed like a direct challenge to his pirate dignity.
Although he had never fought Big Mom, his status was similar to hers, and the pirate was far from pleased with the lack of respect the four Charlotte children had shown him. His plan was to teach them a lesson before leaving, so they would understand that there were certain people in this world they had to respect. Now that they intended to escape, Hanafuda had decided to stop playing with them and give them that "small" lesson.
However, the scene of the scythe piercing Mozart's body never happened, because at that very moment, Orion appeared like a specter, blocking the Shichibukai's attack with his cutlass, though with great difficulty.
Sparks flew from the clash of both weapons, and Orion stepped back several paces with Mozart in his arms, dispersing the tremendous force of the strike.
Hanafuda looked at Orion in surprise, not expecting to run into him so soon, and before he could question why Orion had interfered in his fight with the Charlottes, Orion showed a friendly smile and said:
"Hey Hanafuda, this is my sister-in-law, could you let her go this time?"
...
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