The ship slowed as it approached land.
Not because of the waves—
But because the crew felt it.
Something was wrong.
The shore of Kozuna Island came into view.
No fishermen.
No children.
No voices.
Only smoke.
Ace jumped down first, stretching his arms.
"LAND!! Finally!"
He inhaled deeply—
And froze.
"…that's not normal…"
Reiji stepped beside him, eyes already scanning everything.
"…no wind movement from people…"
"…no sound patterns…"
"…this place is dead."
Reiju crossed her arms, her expression tightening.
"…or dying."
Deuce stepped off carefully, adjusting his glasses.
"…this feels like a battlefield…"
Mihal followed, calm as ever, but his eyes were sharp.
"…Captain. I suggest immediate reconnaissance."
Skull crouched, touching the ground.
"…ashes are fresh…"
"…less than a few hours…"
"…this isn't aftermath… this is ongoing…"
Kotatsu growled.
Low.
Instinctive.
Ace sniffed the air again.
"…smoke…"
A pause.
His jaw tightened.
"…and blood."
Silence.
Then—
"…we move," Ace said.
Low.
Serious.
Reiji smirked faintly.
"…finally."
They ran.
The deeper they went—
The worse it got.
Burned houses still cracking.
Bodies scattered across the ground.
A hand reaching toward nothing.
Deuce clenched his fists.
"…damn it…"
Reiju's eyes softened for just a second.
Skull forced himself to keep looking.
Mihal's gaze hardened.
"…enemy presence confirmed."
Ace walked faster.
Reiji walked beside him.
Calm.
Cold.
They reached the plaza.
And everything stopped.
Citizens—
Kneeling.
Crying.
Bleeding.
Pirates—
Laughing.
Drinking.
Destroying.
At the center—
Julius.
A massive man.
Grinning.
A cannon where his arm should be.
Still smoking.
In front of him—
A little girl.
Broken.
Shaking.
"…please…"
"…someone…"
Julius sighed.
"…you people really don't learn…"
Behind him, the statue stood.
Cracked.
But still standing.
"…we told you…"
An old man coughed blood.
"…we won't give it to you…"
Julius' grin widened.
"…then die protecting it."
He raised his cannon.
…this is boring… just end it…
Then—
The world blinked.
The girl disappeared.
Julius' eyes widened.
"…what—"
Reiji stood at the edge of the plaza.
Holding her.
"…you're safe now."
The girl clung weakly to him.
"…M-Mira…"
Reiji's voice softened.
"…Mira… breathe…"
"…you're okay…"
She trembled.
"…they… killed everyone…"
Reiji's eyes darkened slightly.
"…not everyone."
Above—
A shadow.
Ace.
Looking down.
Eyes burning.
"…hey."
Julius looked up.
Too late.
…when did—
Ace's fist descended.
BOOM.
The ground shattered.
A crater formed.
Julius' head buried deep into the earth.
Instant.
Brutal.
Final.
Ace stood there.
Breathing heavily.
"…I hate people like you."
Silence.
Then—
Reiji's voice cut through it.
"…don't stop."
And everything exploded into motion.
"SPREAD OUT!!" Ace shouted.
Reiju moved first.
A pirate rushed her.
"…you're loud."
She stepped aside.
One precise strike.
The pirate dropped instantly.
Reiji gently placed Mira in a safer spot.
"…stay here."
She held his sleeve weakly.
"…don't go…"
Reiji smiled faintly.
"…I'll be back."
He turned—
And vanished.
A pirate blinked.
"…where—"
A palm strike sent him flying across the plaza.
Reiji laughed.
"SHANANANANA!!"
Deuce stepped forward, calm.
"…leave this side to me."
A pirate charged him, blade raised.
The sword passed through Deuce's body—
Flames dispersing naturally.
Deuce didn't even flinch.
"…you really shouldn't rely on that."
He raised his hand.
Fire gathered instantly—
Controlled.
Dense.
"…I've already learned this the hard way."
A wave of flames surged forward.
Precise.
Overwhelming.
The pirate was blown back violently.
Another hesitated.
"…h-he's untouchable—!"
Deuce adjusted his glasses.
"…not untouchable…"
A faint, confident smile.
"…just ahead of you."
Mihal raised his weapon.
Calm.
Precise.
"…distance… timing…"
Bang.
"…target eliminated."
Another shot followed.
Skull ducked behind debris.
"…numbers decreasing…"
A pirate lunged.
"…too close!!"
He countered quickly, barely holding his ground.
Kotatsu leaped into battle.
Claws tearing through enemies.
"…GOOD GIRL!!" Ace laughed.
Ace charged forward again.
Punch after punch.
"…STOP RUNNING!!"
He grabbed one pirate.
"…did you think you could just leave?"
He slammed him into the ground.
Reiju glanced at him briefly.
Reiji moved like a storm.
"…too slow."
"…too weak."
"…pathetic."
Bodies fell around him.
Minutes later—
Silence.
The pirates were gone.
Only survivors remained.
A woman cried.
"…we're alive…"
An old man whispered.
"…they saved us…"
A child stared at Ace.
Hope returned.
Days passed.
The crew stayed.
Ace carried wood.
"…this is actually fun!!"
Reiji worked beside him.
"…don't drop it."
"…you're not my boss," Ace grinned.
"…I'm your vice-captain."
"…same thing."
They laughed.
Reiju helped organize the civilians.
"…slowly… yes…"
Deuce treated the wounded.
"…you'll be fine, don't worry!"
Mihal coordinated reconstruction.
"…focus on structure first."
Skull wrote everything down.
"…Kozuna incident…"
"…Spade Pirates intervention…"
Kotatsu carried supplies proudly.
A week later—
A banquet.
Food.
Music.
Laughter.
"BANQUET!!" Ace shouted.
Everyone cheered.
Ace took a bite of meat.
"…we got stronger."
Reiji nodded.
"…and we'll keep getting stronger."
Reiju smiled faintly.
From the pirate ship's loot—
A fruit.
Strange.
Spiral-patterned.
"…a Devil Fruit…" Deuce said.
Reiji observed carefully.
"…Zoan type…"
"…Kumo Kumo no Mi, Model: Phantom Spider."
Excitement spread.
The citizens brought something else.
A new ship.
Strong.
Reliable.
Beautiful.
"…please take it…"
"…it's our thanks…"
Ace smiled.
Wide.
"…we'll use it well."
The crew stood together.
Stronger.
Closer.
Free.
"…next island," Ace said.
Reiji laughed loudly.
"SHANANANANA!!"
And once again—
They sailed.
Toward the unknown.
To be continued. 🔥
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