Chapter 267: Zephyr
[One month spent with Wendy Marvell, gained 1 Bond Point]
[One month spent with Carla , gained 1 Bond Point]
[Mission Progress: Ship's Doctor, Musician summoned, 13/15]
In the month since Wendy and Carla arrived in this world, four companions had already been summoned. However, Kisame had not been recognized by the system as the ship's helmsman as Eric had expected, because Kisame did not know how to steer the ship.
'It seems Kisame can't become the ship's helmsman like Jinbeii...' Eric thought, one foot resting on the ship's railing, frowning in contemplation. Summoning characters for specific professions had turned out to be unexpectedly troublesome. Who should he summon next?
The sea breeze from the Invincible ship tousled his short hair, and feeling the rare calm, Eric 's heavy mood began to ease. 'Well, whatever, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.'
"Tap, tap"
The sound of footsteps was unmistakable behind him, and someone stopped right behind him.
Eric half-jokingly said, "Don't stand behind me like that. I might not be able to resist making a move..." He turned to see who it was.
"Heh..." Kisame chuckled softly. "I heard from the crew that you have plans to overthrow the World Government and become the king of the world."
'You ninjas gather intelligence too quickly...'
"Yeah, do you think that goal is laughable?" Eric asked, hoping they hadn't gathered the information that he wanted to become the king of the harem.
"No, your goal actually isn't too different from the 'Eye of the Moon Plan'." Kisame spread his hands. "It's just that Uchiha Madara's plan failed. I'm curious, Captain, how do you plan to achieve this seemingly impossible goal?"
"Is that so? But I'm taking a completely different path from him," Eric shrugged. "'Eye of the Moon Plan' was about Uchiha Madara using 'Infinite Tsukuyomi' to put everyone into an illusion, causing the world to unify and create eternal 'peace'."
"Kisame, do you really approve of such an approach?"
"..."
"People living in a drunken stupor within an illusion, like walking corpses, unable to control their own thoughts or consciousness—can we still call these people human?"
"..."
"The reason people are called human is because they have their own thoughts and consciousness. Even if life is hard, they are still living beings with the capacity for thought."
"Kisame, even if it's a world with no lies, no war, without your own unique thoughts, being controlled by Uchiha Madara's every move, becoming a living puppet—are you sure this is the real world you want to see?"
"No, I just wanted to see what that world without falsehoods would look like." Kisame looked up at the blue sky, self-mockingly saying, "Maybe I was under his genjutsu back then."
"No, it's because you were too disappointed in that false world, wanting to find a place of your own," Eric said seriously. "The Dawn Pirates is your place of refuge, and its reach will grow. So, Kisame, you no longer need to long for that illusory real world."
[Kisame's Affinity slightly increased, Bond Level remains the same]
"..."
Eric said seriously, "As for my goal, I don't want to say any grandiose words, I will simply put everything I have into realizing it."
"Unlike Uchiha Madara, who stepped on the bodies of others to achieve his goal, I must achieve mine by my own strength. The first step is to accumulate strength and influence, making sure other powerful factions don't underestimate us."
"Travel the entire world, learn about the lives and customs of people from different places, and let people choose freely whether they want to remain oppressed by the corrupt World Government, or become my citizens."
"Then, with overwhelming power, overthrow local kings and nobles, intimidate those with ill intentions, and finally implement benevolent rule, allowing the common people to accept my leadership."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
"This method can't control the people. Your goal is even more difficult than 'Eye of the Moon Plan'," Kisame laughed loudly.
"If people don't have a goal, what's the difference between them and a salted fish... Ah, I didn't mean anything by that."
"This is a thorny road full of hardships~" Kisame grinned, showing his sharp teeth.
"I've known that all along, which is why I need many like-minded companions. I need the full strength of my comrades. Kisame, please lend me your power."
Kisame looked at Eric 's outstretched right hand, and this time, without hesitation, his light blue palm firmly gripped Eric 's hand. "Let me witness with my own eyes just how far the Captain's methods will go."
[Kisame's Affinity slightly increased, Bond Level remains the same]
"By the way, Kisame, from now on, please wear a mask in front of others. I have an especially important task for you. In fact, this may be something only you can do."
Kisame nodded. "Understood." As a ninja, he had always lived in the shadows, so wearing a mask during operations was second nature to him.
Meanwhile, Perona, who was wandering around the ship in spirit form, saw the two men shaking hands.
Eric and Kisame then turned and looked at Perona—
Three sets of eyes locked.
"I-I didn't see anything!" Perona quickly waved her hands, diving into the deck and shouting, "I didn't see anything, nothing at all..."
Eric muttered, "What's wrong with this girl again?"
Until one day, when Kurumi directly asked, "Eric -, I heard you got bent?"
"Perona, you're asking for trouble!!"
◇
In Kurumi's room after shopping in the Goa Kingdom, it was still a lively scene, with nearly identical copies of Kurumi's outfits, all giving advice to her original.
Why "nearly"? Because four of the Kurumi clones' outfits were completely out of place.
"I, you and Miss Miku went to the clothing store, and you saw, right?! That terrifying size," Bandaged Kurumi wailed.
"Yeah, I, I couldn't even fit my face into it!" Wind Kurumi chimed in.
"Ahhh... That world-destroying godly item, so dazzling! How can I defeat the great villain with such an item?!" Eyepatch Kurumi was still in full chuunibyou mode.
"Size doesn't matter, we'll rely on this!" Sweet Kurumi pulled out an outfit that would make any normal person blush, "Come on, I, wear this, and I'll make Eric - dizzy, then defeat Miss Miku !"
"Enough!" The real Kurumi, her head aching from the noise, rubbed her forehead, "What are you guys up to, getting all excited?"
"Of course, it's for 'ourselves'!" One of the clones blurted out.
"Ah?" The real Kurumi raised her eyebrows.
Realizing they had said the wrong thing, the clone quickly covered their mouth, while the others moved away, pretending they didn't understand what was being said.
"What do you mean? 'I'." The many Kurumi clones saw the flames burning on the original's head, like a demon, approaching.
The clone who had spoken out left a trail of sweat, suddenly giving up and shouting, "We want to do the same with Eric - too! We can't let the original be the only one to experience his tenderness!"
"Do we all think like this?" The real Kurumi scanned the room.
"No, not at all! I don't think like that!"
"Of course not, 'I', I'm your clone, how could I harm the original?"
"That's your thought, nothing to do with 'us'."
"Eh? Wait, this wasn't what we agreed on?! 'We'!" One clone showed a betrayed expression. "Didn't we agree that the original would get Eric - first, then we'd take turns going to Eric - every night..."
"Uh-oh?!" The original's expression turned even darker, glaring at the others, "You're accomplices too?!"
"No! How could I steal 'my' man?"
"Exactly, even if 'I' took my man, 'we' didn't think of using the original's method to gain Eric -'s favor..."
"Crack!" The space shattered like glass, and the noisy voices immediately disappeared, leaving behind a silent atmosphere.
"..." The real Kurumi finally understood. Two handguns of different lengths appeared in her hands. "Are you ready to be remade?"
Seeing another clone speak out of turn, the others stopped pretending and began to express their thoughts: "Original, your happiness carries the happiness of countless clones, you need to work hard!"
"Exactly! Let us clones forcefully pin Eric - down on the bed, first XXX, then XXX, finally XXX. The original gets the meat, we'll get the soup!"
"And no matter the outfit—police, nurse, kimono, we have the numbers and power, we can hold a perfect fashion show just for Eric -'s various kinks. We're not afraid of Esdeath's military cosplay solo!"
"You guys are too much!" The real Kurumi's shadow wrapped around everyone, pulling them into the darkness.
"Ahhhh, 'I', didn't listen to the old man's advice, now I'm paying the price!"
"'We' millions of sisters are waiting for you! Hurry and take down Eric -'s..."
"Even if 'I' fail, countless 'me's will rise again..."
"Esdeath's already one step ahead, we can't let anyone else get ahead…"
Even with everyone sucked into the shadows, the real Kurumi's forehead kept throbbing.
However, the floor was left with some of the items originally belonging to the clones.
A letter written in an archaic, love-filled style, nearly unreadable, its last line inviting Eric to come to Kurumi's room.
A bottle labeled "computer accessories" with a note saying: A single drop will turn a herbivorous man into a beast.
And six provocative outfits, including lingerie, clothes, and stockings.
Finally, a battle plan detailing the first, second, and third steps clearly.
"These guys..." Kurumi rubbed her forehead in headache after reading it all and carefully tucked everything away.
◇
Over the next month, the Dawn Pirates toured most of the East Blue, witnessing the beauty, prosperity, and poverty of various nations and towns.
Even in the peaceful East Blue, the Pirate Era had led to a surge in pirates, and the seas were a little chaotic. They encountered several pirate groups, and even though they avoided the Dawn Pirates' flag from afar, pirate groups with too many crimes were sunk by Eric 's long-range lightning strike. The average bounty in the East Blue, which had been three million Belly, luckily dropped to one and a half million Belly.
"I can't believe we didn't run into Buggy, has he just been lucky?" Eric muttered, not planning to steal Luffy's wild cards. "Next, we'll go after the Vinsmoke family and 'take' their scientific research."
The compass needle turned, pointing south.
'Time to cross the Grand Line again.'
"Gin , sail south."
"Yes!"
◇
In early 1513 of the Sea Year, a Navy training ship was sailing through the waves. Zephyr, who had once been a Navy admiral, was the highest-ranking officer aboard this ship.
Twenty-three years ago, Zephyr lost his family to pirate retaliation and began to hate pirates. He shifted from being an admiral to a Navy instructor, training countless outstanding sailors over the past two decades.
Even the so-called monsters—Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji—had been taught by him, as well as many other well-known Navy rear admirals.
On this day, Zephyr led a group of Navy recruits in real combat training during the first half of the Grand Line.
A long-haired beauty with ocean-blue waves approached Zephyr. "Zephyr-sensei, we'll reach Long Chain Island tomorrow."
"Good," Zephyr nodded, adjusting his reading glasses. "We'll conduct combat training with pirates there. This sea is not exactly safe, so the recruits should always be ready for battle."
Ain saluted. "Yes, Zephyr-sensei!" She quickly went off to pass along Zephyr's orders.
At that moment, the once-clear sky began to be covered by dark clouds. The warm sunlight disappeared, and cold raindrops began to fall on Zephyr.
This was typical for the unpredictable weather of the Grand Line, but a sense of unease began to creep into Zephyr's heart.
'Maybe it's just my imagination...' Zephyr reassured himself.
The constant rain brought a gloomy mood to the still-raw recruits.
"Boom!"
A sudden explosion shocked everyone.
"Enemy attack, enemy attack! Ah...!" A Navy soldier screamed, his voice torn apart, and then fell silent.
"Who was that?!" Zephyr rushed to the explosion site, where the thick smoke didn't hide the massive, round figure within.
(END CHAPTER)
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