Standing at the doorway, the Navy soldiers filled the entrance. Fang Yi immediately shifted his body so that Jessica was between him and the marines, effectively using her as a human shield.
"Who are you?" asked the leading naval officer, frowning as he saw Fang Yi blocking Jessica.
"Dragon Wolf Pirates… Captain Fang Yi!" Fang Yi replied with a slight smile. "So you're the commander of this base, then?"
The man looked young but had a firm, resolute face and wore the uniform reserved for high-ranking naval officers, so Fang Yi naturally assumed he was the base commander.
"I'm not the commander here. The commanding officer is Vice Admiral Gerald. I am Major General Jonathan, his adjutant," Jonathan said, giving Jessica a subtle glance. "I don't know why you infiltrated this base, but I'll make you an offer: if you release the hostage now, I will let you leave."
"I see…" The corners of Fang Yi's lips lifted slightly upon hearing Jonathan's name.
At first, it was just that the name felt familiar, but that subtle look Jonathan gave Jessica jogged Fang Yi's memory—he remembered exactly who this man was. Jonathan would later become the base's highest-ranking commander, and Jessica, behind Fang Yi, was his future wife, a strong woman skilled in cooking.
Knowing this, Fang Yi abandoned the idea of taking Jessica away. She would never agree to leave with him.
Two failed attempts to invite people aboard his ship left Fang Yi wondering if his luck was cursed—why did things always end up like this?
"Brother Jonathan, it's them! They're the pirates who infiltrated the base! That guy even wore a skull mask to scare me! You can't let them get away!" cried Tiffany, who had just regained consciousness.
Fang Yi looked at Brook with a grin, signaling that this was his mess to handle.
"Ah~ young lady! I wasn't wearing a skull mask… because I'm a skeleton who's already dead—Brook! Yohohoho!" Brook gave Fang Yi a knowing look, then pulled open his shirt to show Tiffany his bony frame.
Tiffany jumped in fright at first, then her eyes lit up with curiosity.
Jonathan and Jessica were also startled, though Jonathan concealed his reaction well and began silently speculating about Brook's condition.
"Ahem… well, this is a bit of an accident. His case is… special. But I can guarantee he wasn't trying to scare you on purpose," Fang Yi said awkwardly, rubbing his nose.
Brook, for his part, looked even more embarrassed.
"Just punch our way out," Barrett said quietly after glancing outside. "The longer we stay, the more Marines will show up."
"Alright," Fang Yi said, still a little regretful as he glanced at Jessica one last time.
With Fang Yi's nod, Barrett smashed through the wall, leading the group out. Jonathan did nothing to stop them.
"Sir, are we just going to let them go?" a nearby officer asked in confusion.
"We had an agreement—they don't harm the hostage, I let them leave," Jonathan replied with a small smile. "But… whether they can escape unscathed depends on their skill."
As a strategist, Jonathan had made other preparations in advance.
Once outside, Fang Yi quickly noticed that marines were closing in from all directions. They attacked occasionally, but it felt more like they were herding the group toward a certain location.
"Something's off! Buggy, fly up and check that direction," Fang Yi said, pointing where he suspected they were being driven.
"Are you stupid? You want me to fly up and be a target?" Buggy shot back with a glare.
"You feel it too?" Shanks and Barrett asked at the same time, both sensing something wrong. Buggy and Brook, however, seemed oblivious.
"Yeah. Looks like the navy has no intention of letting us go," Fang Yi said with a grin. "If we don't show some strength, they'll think we're weak."
"What's the plan? Force our way through?" Barrett asked, clearly eager.
Fang Yi was about to draw his bow when a familiar voice called out, "Hey! You guys—this way!"
He turned to see Tiffany, the little girl they had previously taken hostage.
"What's that brat up to?" Buggy muttered suspiciously. "Could be a trap."
"Heh… only one way to find out," Shanks said with a smile. He seemed to have a good impression of Tiffany.
"Idiot! You think I'm walking into an obvious trap? The marines are probably lying in wait over there," Buggy scoffed.
The two started bickering again, but Fang Yi ignored them and headed toward Tiffany, confident enough in his abilities to take the risk. The others followed his lead.
"Didn't think you'd come. Guess you've got guts. Come on, I'll get you out," Tiffany said with a smile, walking ahead of them.
"We didn't hurt you before, so I doubt you'd harm us now," Fang Yi said, sheathing his dagger. If it was a trap, he could always grab her as a hostage again.
With Tiffany leading them through twists and turns, they soon made it out of the Navy base.
"Thanks. Didn't expect you to help us. But… can I ask why?" Fang Yi said that once they were outside.
"My parents… were pirates," Tiffany answered, glancing at Shanks and Buggy, who were still arguing.
"Huh? Then why were you in a navy base?" Brook asked in surprise.
"They died in a war," Tiffany replied calmly. "The marines who were chasing them took me in afterward."
Even Barrett raised an eyebrow at that.
"Pirates usually don't get involved in wars," Fang Yi noted, catching the keyword.
"Yeah! They were idiots. Some kingdoms' civil wars had nothing to do with them, but they joined in anyway—and ended up throwing their lives away. Pirates should just stick to robbing and treasure hunting! But… I guess I'm still proud of them," Tiffany admitted, a glimmer of pride in her eyes despite her words.
"That's not right! Pirates aren't just thieves. Pirates are the freest people on the sea, sailing toward their dreams and braving storms. Isn't that cool?" Shanks said, stepping forward to object.
Tiffany looked at him in surprise. She'd heard those exact words before—from her parents.
"You guys are strange," she said with a smile. "Go on—before the marines catch up. And don't be stupid enough to wander into a navy base again."
"Hey, Tiffany—want to join my crew? Come be a pirate with us," Fang Yi called suddenly as she turned away.
"You're inviting me?" she asked in surprise, turning back.
The others looked at Fang Yi curiously.
"You're a cook, right? I saw you learning from Head Chef Jessica earlier. How's your cooking? If it's not up to par… I'll just make you an apprentice," Fang Yi teased with a grin.
Shanks' eyes lit up. "A cook? Perfect—we don't have one on board. Come with us and see the grandeur of the sea!"
Tiffany hesitated.
Fang Yi caught her hesitation and smiled. "That Major General Jonathan who took you in—he's a good man. But he's navy… and you're the daughter of pirates. That means you're destined to sail the seas."
"…Alright! I'll do it!" she said at last, biting her lip before nodding firmly.
"Hahaha! Welcome to the Dragon Wolf Pirates! I'm Captain Fang Yi, the 'Eerie Archer,' bounty: 33 million berries!" Fang Yi announced with a laugh.
"I'm Vice-Captain Shanks, bounty: 10 million berries!" Shanks grinned.
"This is our combat captain, Douglas Barrett, bounty: 12 million berries. Just call him Barrett," Fang Yi said, pointing to Barrett, who gave a cool, silent nod.
"And these two are passengers for now: the famous bounty hunter Buggy the Clown, and the afro-sporting skeleton, Brook," Fang Yi added.
Passengers? Not crewmates? And… why is he a skeleton? Tiffany asked, eyes fixed on Brook. Oh, right—I'm Tiffany, former assistant to the head chef at Navy G8 Base.