A few minutes later—
The room had quieted.
The conversation that followed was far less chaotic than the moment before. Details were settled. Routes discussed. Timing considered.
When Kaya finally opened the door, Nami paused briefly at the threshold.
She looked back once.
Her eyes were clearer now.
Determined.
"I'll be ready," she said.
Kael gave a small nod.
"I know."
Kaya offered him a knowing look before stepping out into the corridor.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Kael remained standing for a few seconds before exhaling and sitting down.
His gaze drifted toward the window, where faint lantern light filtered in from the village outside.
Second crewmate.
Nami.
He hadn't shown much reaction earlier.
But the thought settled firmly in his chest.
A navigator of her caliber.
Someone sharp enough to read oceans the way others read books.
Someone who had endured, survived—and still dared to dream.
A faint breath left him.
(That worked out better than expected.)
He leaned back slightly.
(Our crew just became far more dangerous.)
Just then—
A familiar blue interface flickered into existence.
[Major Plot Deviation Detected]
[An Important Character from the Original Timeline Has Joined Your Crew]
Kael stared at the notification.
"…Important character," he repeated quietly.
Then his brow furrowed.
"System. Why didn't I receive this notification when Kaya joined?"
A short pause.
[Host, according to the original timeline, Kaya was not classified as an important character.]
[She was a minor figure within the Usopp recruitment arc.]
[Meanwhile, Nami is categorized as a core character with significant narrative weight.]
Kael was silent for a moment.
Then he nodded slightly.
"…I see."
That explanation aligned with what he had already suspected.
"So," he continued, folding his arms, "is there a reward for recruiting Nami?"
A new line appeared.
[Reward Condition Fulfilled]
[System Update Available]
[Initiate Update?]
He stared at it.
"…That's the reward?"
His eyebrow lifted slowly.
"You're upgrading yourself?"
[Host, the update is designed to enhance functionality and expand accessible features.]
[It is beneficial to you.]
Kael's mouth twitched faintly.
"…Convenient."
[Estimated Time Required: 8–10 Hours]
He leaned his head back against the wall.
"Less than I expected."
A quiet breath left him.
"Fine. Start the update."
A brief pause.
Then he added calmly—
"And if you're still this stingy afterward, I'll reconsider how cooperative I feel."
[Host, I am the most reliable companion you could possibly have in this world.]
Kael closed his eyes.
"You don't even have a body."
[Beginning System Update]
[All Non-Essential Functions Shutting Down]
[I will be temporarily unavailable.]
A faint flicker ran through the interface.
[Try not to miss me too much.]
"…Just go."
The blue light vanished.
The room fell completely silent.
No hum.
No presence in the back of his mind.
For the first time since arriving in this world—
There was nothing.
Kael sat there for a few seconds longer, sensing the absence.
Then he stood, removed his coat, and lay down on the bed.
The village outside had grown quiet.
Tomorrow would bring movement.
Consequences.
Possibly trouble.
For now—
He closed his eyes.
And slept.
A Flag on the Horizon:
Morning came with the sound of waves cutting against wood.
Beyond the shoreline of Cocoyashi Village, a Marine ship advanced steadily through the water.
At its helm stood Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi.
The rising sun caught the white of the sails and the symbol stamped across them.
Someone working near the shore noticed first.
"…Marine ship."
The words carried.
Heads turned.
Conversations stopped.
Within seconds, unease spread like a ripple across still water.
"Why is a Marine ship approaching here?"
"Are they here because of yesterday?"
"Didn't he kill that Marine captain…?"
At that, the murmuring thinned into silence.
The unspoken conclusion settled heavily among them.
Kael.
Reactions shifted.
Confusion hardened into anger.
Fear sharpened into resolve.
"They're here to take him."
"No."
A man near the docks clenched his jaw.
"We won't let that happen."
Voices rose.
"Gather whatever you have!"
"Call Genzo!"
"Move!"
There was no panic in the movement—only urgency.
Fishing spears were pulled from storage. Wooden poles were gripped tightly. Kitchen knives disappeared into calloused hands. Even old farming tools were dragged out.
Children ran behind the adults, clutching carved wooden swords and sticks, their faces serious in ways children rarely were.
By the time the Marine ship docked, a line had formed.
Genzo stood at the front, coat draped over his shoulders, jaw set.
Behind him stood nearly the entire village.
Angry.
Protective.
Unyielding.
The Marines slowed as they took in the sight.
Whispers moved across their deck.
"…What's going on?"
"Why are they armed?"
Some swallowed under the weight of dozens of hostile stares.
Tashigi stepped forward, eyes scanning the crowd.
Weapons.
Improvised though they were.
Even children stood in formation.
Her grip tightened slightly on her sword.
What happened here?
She disembarked.
Boots touched wood.
Before she could take more than two steps—
"HALT!"
Genzo's voice cut across the dock like a blade.
"State your purpose before we lose our patience."
The air thickened.
Tashigi stopped instinctively.
Despite the confusion tightening in her chest, she spoke clearly.
"I am Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi, serving under Captain Smoker of Loguetown. We are here to speak with someone."
Genzo's gaze sharpened.
"Let me guess. That someone is a swordsman named Kael."
A flicker of surprise crossed her face—brief but visible.
"…Yes."
"Then you can turn around."
Murmurs of agreement rose behind him.
"You think we'll hand him over?"
"You've done enough already!"
"Marine trash!"
"Corrupt bastards!"
"Even pirates treated us better than you!"
The words struck harder than any weapon.
Tashigi stood still.
Marine trash?
Untrustworthy?
Pirates… better?
Her fingers trembled faintly at her sides.
Behind her, several Marines stiffened—anger flaring—but none stepped forward.
They knew about the Sixteenth Branch.
They knew about Captain Nezumi.
Because of one corrupt unit, the entire uniform was stained.
Genzo took a step forward.
"Leave while we're still being polite."
Behind him, weapons lifted in unison.
The sound of wood and metal shifting made several Marines flinch.
Tashigi lowered her head briefly, steadying herself.
When she spoke again, her voice wavered—but did not break.
"Please listen. We are not here to arrest Mr. Kael."
No one lowered their weapons.
"You can inspect our ship. We have already detained the fishmen and the corrupt officers stationed here."
A murmur moved through the villagers.
"We came to confirm reports. To understand what happened."
Her jaw tightened.
"If justice failed you before, that responsibility lies with us. But I swear on my blade—our purpose here is not retaliation."
Silence followed.
Suspicion remained.
But doubt flickered.
At the edge of the village path leading toward the docks—
Footsteps approached.
Kael had already completed his morning training when the noise reached him.
Even without the system active, his Observation Haki caught the disturbance.
Many presences.
Tense.
Clustered.
He adjusted the cloth around his wrists and began walking toward the shoreline.
Along the way, he crossed paths with Nojiko, Nami, and Kaya.
They were moving quickly in the same direction.
"Marines," Nojiko said quietly.
Nami's expression had hardened.
Kaya's hands were clasped, but her gaze was steady.
The sound of raised voices grew clearer as they neared the docks.
Whatever awaited there—
It had already drawn the entire village into its orbit.
Weapons lifted.
Genzo's expression hardened.
"We trusted Marines once," he said, gripping his spear tightly. "We won't make that mistake again."
Behind him, villagers stepped forward in unison.
Wood scraped against dock planks. Metal shifted. Breath grew heavier.
Across from them, several Marines instinctively drew their weapons.
Steel cleared scabbards.
Tashigi's eyes widened.
"STOP!" she shouted, turning sharply toward her men. "Stand down! We are not here to harm civilians!"
But momentum had already tipped.
Genzo moved first.
Despite his age, he closed the distance quickly, spear raised in a clumsy but committed strike.
At the same time, a Marine swordsman nearest to Tashigi reacted on instinct, stepping in front of her and swinging his blade toward Genzo.
Two attacks.
Two trajectories.
Neither would land.
A figure appeared between them.
No one saw him move.
One moment, there was empty space—
The next, a tall silhouette stood at the center.
Two meters of controlled presence.
One hand caught Genzo's spear mid-swing.
The other stopped the Marine's blade barehanded.
Steel met skin—
And went no further.
The dock fell silent.
The Marine swordsman's eyes widened.
Genzo froze.
Tashigi barely registered the motion. Her instincts had flared a fraction too slow.
Now she stood staring at the man before her.
Lean. Athletic. Calm.
A sheathed sword rested at his waist.
Her breath hitched slightly.
The blade.
Even sealed, it carried a weight she could feel in her bones—a quiet pressure. Not loud, not wild—refined.
Her pulse quickened despite herself.
It has to be him!!
The presence alone confirmed it.
Kael released both weapons without force, pushing them aside just enough to create distance.
He glanced at Genzo first.
A faint sigh escaped him.
"Old man, what are you doing charging in like that?"
Genzo bristled immediately.
"I was fighting for you, you ungrateful brat. And who are you calling old? I'm still in my late forties."
"Of course you are," Kael replied evenly.
A few villagers behind them failed to hide their smiles.
He turned his attention to the Marine swordsman, who was now sweating visibly, still trying to process how his blade had been stopped by a bare hand.
"So," Kael said mildly—though something colder sat beneath the tone—"would you mind explaining what was happening?"
The Marine swallowed.
Before he could respond—
"This is a misunderstanding," Tashigi cut in, stepping forward. "He reacted in self-defense. The situation escalated unexpectedly."
Kael finally looked at her fully.
Up close, she felt it more clearly.
That composure.
That control.
"Oh?" he said. "A trained Marine requires self-defense against a civilian who doesn't even realize he's holding his weapon backward?"
Genzo stiffened.
"…I know how to hold it."
"You're gripping the blade," Kael replied without looking at him.
A short silence followed.
Behind them, Nami snorted. Nojiko coughed to hide a laugh. Even Kaya's shoulders shook slightly.
Genzo adjusted his grip with a low mutter.
Meanwhile, Tashigi shot a sharp glare at the Marine swordsman.
I told you not to draw your weapon against civilians.
The message was clear.
The Marine stiffened further, sheathing his blade immediately. Others nearby quietly did the same, pretending they had never drawn them.
Kael observed the exchange without comment.
Then, briefly—
(I should've expected this. For something like Arlong's fall, Smoker would send someone reliable.)
Tashigi's breath caught.
Her eyes widened.
She stared at him.
He hadn't spoken.
His mouth hadn't moved.
But she heard it.
Clear.
Distinct.
Her heartbeat quickened.
What was that?
She searched his expression for any sign of movement.
Nothing.
The villagers began to notice her reaction.
Kael tilted his head slightly, studying her.
The dock remained suspended in a fragile stillness.
Marine and civilian.
Steel and wood.
Mistrust and restraint.
The tide had shifted.
But it had not settled.
And between them all stood the man who had forced it to change.