"Really? We're finally putting out to sea?"
"Yeah. By the way—how'd that thing I asked you to handle go?"
"Karin agreed, but she said you should invite her yourself. I think she has something to tell you."
"I'll swing by tonight. C'mon—home." I laced my fingers with Aili's as we headed back. (Yeah… we're a thing now.)
"Mom, Dad, Sis— I'm planning to set sail in a few days."
"Got supplies laid in? And take care of Aili, you hear?"
"Got it."
"Uncle," An asked in that cool little voice of hers, "can I come too?"
"That's up to your mother."
"Mom, I can take care of myself."
Rouge looked at me—no words, just a question: Can you protect her? An's identity isn't exactly plain.
"Relax, Sis. On this sea there aren't many who can match me anymore."
"Then I'll allow it," she said at last.
"Thanks, Mom!" An hugged her tight.
"Remember to look after yourself. You've never really dealt with outsiders—there are plenty of bad people out there. So listen to your uncle. No tantrums, no stunts. Understood?"
"Understood. I'll do whatever Uncle says."
That night, at Karin's Bakery:
"I heard you wanted to talk before agreeing to join my crew," I said. "Something on your mind?"
"Please, come in." She poured tea, then squared her shoulders. "I… offended a Celestial Dragon. Our kingdom held a culinary championship. The king invited them to watch. One of them set his eyes on me—wanted me as a slave. I refused and fled for my life. If I leave with you… can you really protect me?"
I laughed. "That's all? Don't worry. I've killed a Celestial Dragon. I'm not scared of some puffed-up nobles."
"You've… killed one?" She stared, stunned.
"Yup. That 'shocking Mary Geoise incident' a while back? I was one of the architects. Under the masks, those pigs are just people."
"But the papers said Fisher Tiger did it—leader of the slave-liberation movement!"
"Government spin. They never figured out who I was. Easier to bury anything about me."
Karin let out a long breath, then smiled. "Then from today, I'm your ship's chef. Please take care of me, Captain."
"A pleasure, Chef. Our stomachs are in your hands. I eat a lot, by the way."
Five days later, the Tiger God—sealed at the pier for eight years—rolled back her deck covers and eased away from the harbor to a chorus of farewells.
Crew of six: Aili (doctor), Benson (helmsman), Adrian (sniper), Karin (chef), and our little swordswoman An—with me at the helm.
"First stop: Water 7. Let's see if we can pick up a shipwright."
A few days into the Grand Line—
"So this is it?" Adrian asked, eyes bright as we broke the Calm Belt.
"Difference is fewer Sea Kings and insane weather. Benson, full speed—get us out of this patch!"
"Aye, Captain!"
"Uncle, what's wrong?" An peered up at the sky.
"Downpour incoming. Maybe a waterspout."
Aili and the others leaned over the rail, fascinated.
"Burn this into your heads," I said. "On the Grand Line, weather kills more than pirates. The Edd War—Roger's crew was getting pushed back by Shiki's armada until a freak storm smashed the Golden Lion's fleet to the seabed. Without that, who knows if there'd ever have been a Pirate King."
Minutes later, the skies behind us ripped open—sheets of rain, a howling tornado. From the fringe it already looked inhuman.
"Captain," Adrian called, "pirate ship ahead—coming toward us."
"Intercept. Wipe them out."
The deck thrummed with energy. Even An looked eager, fingers tight on the Snow Sakura I'd given her. Two years of hunting beasts had honed her bite.
"An, lean on your Fruit. The more you use it in real combat, the faster you'll master it."
"Yes, Captain!" She practically bounced.
"Captain," Adrian added, "no Jolly Roger. Only six aboard."
"Stay sharp," I said. "A few of them feel strong. But don't sweat it. I'm the Blood Wolf Relf with a 210 million bounty! Get 'em!"
A roar from the other deck.
"Benson, bring us alongside!"
"Heh, little girl," a scarred brute sneered, raising a cleaver over An. "Pirating isn't for kids!"
She slipped past, blade stabbing behind his knee—short legs, short reach—and then froze him where he stood.
"You're the little girl," she sniffed as ice blossomed outward, frosting the planks and catching three more.
The others carved through their marks. Two Devil Fruit users—probably the captain and a senior hand—were soon bleeding and barely upright.
Half an hour later, bodies littered the deck.
"Monsters like you belong in the New World, not 'Paradise'," the captain spat.
"We're rookies," I said mildly. "Just set sail. Any last questions? No? Then I'll send you home."
He snarled, body bulking into a hybrid form and lunged… straight for An.
"Soru." Benson blurred in front of her, clamped a hand on the man's neck, and twisted. The captain's voyage ended with a wet crack.
"Strip supplies. Course for Water 7."
"Aye, Captain."
I knelt by An. Her face had gone pale. "You okay?"
"I'm fine. Just… got a little scared."
"For a first real fight, you did great. But remember: don't relax until it's truly over."
"Yes! I'll remember."
"Good. Wash up—grimy isn't cute."
"Hmph. You're the smelly one," she muttered, stalking off, a little proud tilt to her chin.
"Heehee," Aili sang, "Karl got sass~"
I sighed. "The older she gets, the less adorable she is. C'mon, Aili—let's clean up."
"Nope! You go," she laughed, bolting.
"Captain," Adrian asked later, "why were they so… weak? Aren't pirates supposed to be vicious?"
"This is the first half of the Grand Line—'Paradise.' Most pirates here just arrived from the Blues; almost none can use Haki. The second half is the New World—nearly everyone there has Haki, and the strong rule. The Navy barely has pull."
"So when do we go there?" Excitement crackled off him.
"Not yet. We're swinging to the North Blue first—to find a moving country."
"There's a country that moves?"
"You'll see. Karin—first victory feast. Let's party."
"With pleasure, Captain!"
"Kanpai!" We raised cups. An's was milk. She clutched it in one fist, meat in the other, devouring like, well, a pirate.
"Ever since Karin came aboard, my life got easier," I sighed. "Never cooking again."
"Karin-neechan," An tattled, "he recruited you because he's lazy!"
"But it is better than his," she added solemnly.
Karin giggled. "I'm a national champion. Of course it is. An, chill my beer?"
An tapped the glass; perfect frost bloomed.
"Yes, yes—Chef reigns supreme. To food!"
We ended up sprawled across the deck, absolutely unglamorous. An snuck a sip of beer and promptly got tipsy.
No wonder pirates love a good party.
Morning. Karin handed me a steaming bowl.
"Hangover soup. Works wonders."
"Bless you," I said after a sip. "Delicious."
"Thank you, Captain."
"Everyone else still out?"
"Benson's on deck. The rest are dead to the world."
I found him doing sets.
"Training after a bender's rough."
"I didn't get drunk, Captain. And if I don't move, I feel wrong."
"Fair enough. Carry on."
I flopped into a lounger with tea. Soon the rest emerged, stretching and yawning.
"Head still spinning?" I asked An.
"Nope. I'm going to practice." She trotted off to swing Snow Sakura.
"Captain, merchant ship ahead," Adrian called.
"Leave it."
A beat. I stood, eyes narrowing at the horizon. "No—bring us alongside."
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