Vinsmoke Reiju was known to stop by periodically to gather supplies.
Clearly, this visit had gone sideways.
Her attacks were precise. Each kick delivered a poisonous burst, and with every strike, the toxic mist in the air thickened.
The Marine officer facing her began to stagger.
Poisoned.
He collapsed moments later.
Reiju's pale legs landed lightly on the Germa snail-ship. She paused for a second, turning her head toward the two strangers standing on the shore.
She didn't hesitate long.
"Cast off!" she barked to the clone soldiers.
And with courage befitting her family name, she turned her ship directly toward the three Marine warships blocking the exit.
BOOM! BOOM!
The snail-ship's cannons roared.
With Germa 66's high-tech weaponry, their firepower outmatched standard Marine gear.
Jin was impressed.
He assumed Reiju was about to pull off a Donquixote-style suicide charge—one woman against three warships.
Instead, the snail-ship executed a perfect drift, spun mid-wave, and accelerated toward the left.
A hidden cave. A side passage.
There were multiple exits in these sea caves—and she knew them all.
Jin grinned, then leapt onto the Genesis.
"Follow them."
He hadn't come here for the auction alone.
His primary target was still Germa 66.
First, he needed Reiju's help—just in case he couldn't heal Bonney himself.
Second, and more importantly—
Bloodline Factors.
Vinsmoke Judge and Vegapunk had both discovered the genetic source code of life. And unlike Vegapunk, who still focused on cloning, Judge had already pushed through the ethical limits of science.
He had created genetically engineered children with modifiable traits.
Madness. But effective.
"Oi! Another ship behind us—what the hell?"
A voice shouted.
More cannon fire.
The Genesis tore through the gunfire, weaving behind Reiju's snail-ship, navigating cave after cave until both vessels emerged into the open sea.
Just then—
"Move aside!"
A third ship exploded from another cave.
Standing proudly on deck was Bellamy, grinning like a man who had just won the world.
He spotted the ship ahead.
"Ram it! Full speed!"
He aimed straight for the Genesis, his ship bearing a steel-plated ram.
This guy's actually serious? Jin thought, surprised.
But the Genesis didn't budge.
It just floated there, perfectly still, right in Bellamy's path.
The pirate burst out laughing.
In his mind, he already saw it—their pathetic ship splitting in two, sinking helplessly beneath the waves as he sailed on victorious.
What a beautiful sight!
He had just returned from snatching the Spring-Spring Fruit from a mysterious seller.
Now, newly empowered as a Devil Fruit user, he was itching for a fight.
But in the blink of an eye—
Something felt wrong.
There was no impact.
None.
His ship should have slammed into theirs, yet it kept sailing forward without resistance.
It was as if…
The enemy ship wasn't real.
A mirage. A ghost. A hallucination.
Then—
SLURP.
The entire Bellamy ship was sucked into the yawning mouth of the Carrier.
Bellamy leapt into the air in panic.
"Bastard! What did you do to my ship!?"
He dropped like a spring-loaded cannonball, aiming a full-powered attack at Jin standing calmly on deck.
Jin sidestepped casually.
Bellamy couldn't stop.
CRASH.
He smashed face-first into the deck, half his body lodged into the wood like a broken dart.
Robin shook her head.
Truly pathetic.
Not even worth a punch.
…
After breaking through the Marines' blockade, the Carrier continued its pursuit of Reiju's snail-ship.
By the dead of night, the enemy had slowed.
Reiju must've realized she couldn't shake them off and decided to face them directly.
When she turned and saw who it was—
Her face darkened.
"Why are you following me?" she called out.
"I need… cough… emergency syrup!" Jin blurted.
Reiju froze.
What?
He scratched the back of his head, chuckling. "I mean—you're sweet. Like syrup. Like something that saves people."
"…"
Robin stared at him in disbelief.
Even Reiju was momentarily stunned.
Then she burst out laughing.
"You're a weird one, old man. So you're saying I'm your medicine?"
"Is that why you're chasing me?"
Jin grinned. "Exactly. You say it way better than I do."
But Reiju's expression hardened.
She pointed at the flag waving above her ship.
"You do realize what that symbol means… don't you?"
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