The Red Hair Pirates gathered on the deck to discuss what to do with the baby girl.
"It must have been those pirates we just fought," Benn Beckman said, looking at the blood-stained treasure box. "They must have plundered the ship belonging to this little one's parents. It's likely her parents are in grave danger."
Shanks looked at the adorable, now-homeless baby, and a complex emotion flickered in his eyes. The moment felt strangely familiar, reminding him of when Captain Roger had taken him in all those years ago.
"Is this fate...?" he murmured to himself. He took a deep breath and made his decision. "If that's the case, then we, the Red Hair Pirates, will take this little one in! "
The captain had spoken, and the fierce men of his crew had no objections. In fact, most of them were hoping he'd say that. Life at sea could be monotonous, and having a little angel on board would surely add some much-needed color to their journey. With that settled, the next priority was giving her a name.
Takero stepped forward without hesitation and patted his chest. "I found her, so of course I'll name her! "
No one argued; it was just a name, after all.
Takero looked at the infant with a serious expression. "I see she's so delicate, she needs a strong name to balance it out," he declared. "Hmm... let's call her Wang Gang! Easy to raise! "
"Pfft—! "
"What? Wang Gang?! That sounds like a name from the Land of Flowers! "
"No, no! Absolutely not! You can't call a girl that! "
"Have you ever named anyone before? You're just making things up! "
Takero's "masterpiece" of a name was met with a wave of immediate and universal opposition from the crew.
"What's wrong with Wang Gang? It sounds great... " he grumbled, but Shanks interjected, putting an end to the debate.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing," he said, making the final decision. "Listen to me. We'll call her Uta! "
Time slipped by, and a few more calm days passed at sea.
On another beautiful, sunny day, Takero stood on the foredeck of the Red Force holding little Uta. "This child... might just become a rock superstar! " he prophesied with complete seriousness, gazing out at the boundless ocean.
"Giggle giggle ~" Uta seemed amused by his tone and let out a clear laugh.
"Haha! You think so too, right! " Takero's eyes lit up. He excitedly tossed the baby gently into the air, playing a game of "human cannonball. " The warm sunlight streamed down as the tiny figure traced a cheerful arc against the blue sky. Uta wasn't scared at all; she just laughed even more happily, her bell-like laughter carried on the sea breeze.
"Takero! What are you doing to Uta! " Shanks's anxious voice called out from behind him.
"Oh, it's you, Shanks," Takero said, steadily catching the falling Uta. He pouted. "What could I be doing? I'm just entrusting my unfulfilled musical dreams to the next generation! "
"Isn't your dream to become the strongest person?! " Shanks shot back, mercilessly exposing him.
"Those two aren't mutually exclusive, are they? " Takero retorted righteously. "Deep down, I, Takero, have always wanted to be a great musician! " He muttered to himself, recalling how before he transmigrated, he was talented enough for both singing and dancing. If things hadn't gone wrong, leading him to a life of underground boxing, he could have easily passed an idol audition and made a good living off his popularity.
"Forget it... my brain is messed up for even discussing this with you," Shanks said, rubbing his forehead and deciding to end the ridiculous conversation. "Get ready. We'll reach Ambri Island in about an hour."
"Ambri Island? " Takero asked while teasing Uta's soft cheeks with his finger. "What kind of place is that? "
"It's Donquixote Pirates' territory," Shanks explained, showing his extensive knowledge of the North Blue's powers. "They specialize in the North Blue's entertainment industry and... human trafficking. Their business is quite prosperous, thanks to their location."
"Donquixote Pirates? " Takero latched onto the name and immediately asked, "How strong are those guys? "
Shanks thought for a moment. "They should be quite strong," he replied. "After all, he's one of the Shichibukai. But don't worry, we, the Red Hair Pirates, aren't afraid of any Shichibukai ." Although Donquixote Doflamingo was older and had become famous earlier, Shanks was confident in his own strength.
However, Takero wasn't concerned about whether their opponent was stronger; in fact, stronger was better. His focus was on something else. "Shichibukai? What's that? "
So, Shanks began to explain the system to him.
After hearing about the "Shichibukai" system—how they were granted the right to legal plunder, territorial autonomy, and pardons for their past crimes—Takero felt a vein throb in his forehead.
"So, to deal with a growing number of bad guys, they use other bad guys to keep them in check? " he scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Which 'big brain' came up with this terrible idea? It's like raising tigers that will cause trouble later! What about the common people who get hurt by the Shichibukai? Who can they turn to for justice? "
Takero was well aware that the Red Hair Pirates weren't saints and had blood on their hands. But he also knew that Shanks and his crew, like him, had a moral bottom line and wouldn't harm civilians without reason. If there
was a reason, then all bets were off. But not all pirates operated that way. During his short time at sea, he had already seen countless pirate scoundrels who burned, killed, and plundered without any limits. The Red Hair Pirates were an anomaly. Because of this, he found it even harder to understand the logic of this world's ruling body—the World Government.
As Shanks continued to explain the grand structure of the sea—the pirates, the Marines, the Revolutionary Army, the Shichibukai, the World Government—Takero's inner doubts began to grow. The structure of this world seemed a bit different from the "Dragon Ball" he remembered.
Most importantly, the title "Pirate King" sounded increasingly familiar. He suddenly remembered that in his past life, among the "Big Three Shonen Manga," there was one called "One Piece. "
Could it be...? A startling thought exploded in his mind.
"Hey, Shanks! " Takero interrupted him, his voice urgent. "Do you know a guy called 'Straw Hat Luffy'? " Although he had never watched
One Piece, he knew a few things about it and vaguely recalled the protagonist having that name.
"'Straw Hat Luffy'? " Shanks was stunned. He unconsciously adjusted the straw hat on his own head. "I do wear a straw hat," he said, "but as for someone named Luffy... I don't know him."
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