As Ginny and Ivankov ate their Devil Fruits, Kuma smiled at the two of them, still determined to act as the decoy for the mission. Koa, however, wasn't smiling. Unlike them, his sensory perception was extremely heightened. He could feel that the God's Knights were now mobilizing. But there was a caveat—he could also sense multiple strong Haki signatures approaching the island. Judging by their strength and number, Koa guessed they were the Rock Pirates.
"Please tell me you instantly know how to use your powers," Koa said to Ginny and Ivankov, who had just eaten the Devil Fruits. He got his answer when Ivankov transformed—not into something as large as a mountain, but at least the size of a small hill—his body now covered in a slimy, mucus-like texture.
"HEHEHEHE! I do! The Devil Fruit tells me what it can do," Ivankov laughed. As he transformed, he spat slime toward the group of slaves, which healed their wounds and restored their stamina. Kuma was among them, and the treatment healed the injuries he had sustained from previous beatings. Koa, meanwhile, felt his stamina returning, too. He had been using his levitation and invisibility abilities for over an hour now, carrying thousands to safety. It may not sound exhausting, but it had taken a heavy toll on him.
Koa then summoned the levitated island he'd been hiding, making it float toward them, still invisible. After a few minutes, the floating landmass landed gently in front of them. The civilians onboard were crying again, trembling with fear.
"Please don't kill us! Please!" the civilians cried. They had thought the floating island was a haven, only to now face more uncertainty.
"Don't worry," Koa reassured them gently. "We're just here to heal you and transport you to safety."
Then, turning to Ginny, he asked, "Do you think you could use the teleportation function of your rings to move them somewhere safer?"
"Maybe? I can try," Ginny replied. She created a large ring—about three meters in diameter—and focused on a destination she remembered as safe. A moment later, the ring displayed an image of a forested area, full of trees and wild vegetation.
"Where is this?" Koa asked, wanting to confirm its safety.
"It's an isolated island in the East Blue. I saw it once on a map," Ginny answered. Koa stepped through the ring and used his Observation Haki to scan the area. It was indeed safe—no people, plenty of vegetation, and manageable wildlife.
"You can come in now. It's safe," Koa announced as he stepped back through the portal. The thousands of civilians eagerly crossed through, followed by the remaining slaves. All were desperate to escape the Celestial Dragons' grip.
Kuma, Ginny, and Ivankov, however, remained behind. They remembered their promise to Koa. This act of loyalty confirmed something important to him: these three were truly trustworthy people.
"Hey, if we survive rescuing the rest of the civilians, do you want to join me?" Koa asked them suddenly. "I plan to join the Roger Pirates."
The trio was shocked by his bold ambition.
"You want to be a pirate?" Ivankov asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I want to join the Roger Pirates and become stronger. Then, once I'm strong enough, I'll leave and form my crew. You're welcome to join me. That way, you can also grow stronger and chase whatever dreams you have. If you decide to go your way later, that's fine too."
"Why would we want to become pirates?" Ginny asked, genuinely confused.
"I don't know," Koa shrugged. "But don't you want to get stronger? So that something like this never happens to you again?"
The three of them went quiet, pondering his words. But before anyone could answer, a massive explosion rang out in the distance. Koa instantly recognized the arrival of the pirates.
"It's time for my plan. Let's go," Koa said, touching Ginny, Ivankov, and Kuma, turning them all invisible.
"This is just an extra layer of protection. Now others won't be able to detect us. Kuma, let's go collect the treasures. I'll give you a Devil Fruit too—to make the deal fair," Koa added, turning to Kuma, who was still marveling at his newfound invisibility.
"Alright, here's the plan," Koa said, laying out the strategy. "Kuma and I will go for the prizes while creating a diversion. Ivankov and Ginny, your job is to rescue as many civilians and slaves as possible—quietly. Don't attract the pirates' attention."
The three nodded in understanding.
"Once we make it through this, let's meet back at this location. Good luck, everyone," Koa said. He and Kuma began making their way toward the center of the island, where the prizes were hidden. Ivankov and Ginny went off in another direction, determined to find and rescue survivors.
Koa, who had been preparing for this since his very first day on the island, knew exactly where to go to reach the prizes quickly and discreetly. He didn't use his Rooster talisman this time; the God's Knights were on high alert. Ten Celestial Dragons had already been killed, and any unnatural disturbance in the air would give him away.
'I hope the prizes are still in that place, ' Koa thought, as he and Kuma quietly navigated through the forest.
Kuma, on the other hand, wore a look of fierce determination. After hearing that Koa would give him a Devil Fruit, he made a silent vow to use its power to help as many people as he could, just like Ivankov and Ginny. He wanted to become a brave warrior of freedom, like Nika, the legendary figure his father had once told him about before he died.