Somewhere in West Blue.
Alvin and Robin sat facing each other on the gently rocking motorboat, carefully studying the sea chart together.
Earlier, they had encountered a small storm. To avoid sailing directly into it, Alvin had deliberately steered around its outer edge.
However, the detour had slightly altered their intended course.
"Hmm..." Robin finally murmured after a long silence.
"It is confirmed. Fortunately, the deviation is not significant. Otherwise, with my limited navigation skills, I truly would have been like a headless fly, unable to determine our direction," she said softly after comparing the chart and compass for more than ten minutes.
"Phew... That is good. I was starting to think we would drift endlessly in this vast ocean. Robin, you really should study navigation more seriously from now on," Alvin said, visibly relieved.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho~" Robin laughed lightly, her voice clear and pleasant. "So from now on, I must also serve as navigator in addition to archaeologist?"
She smiled sweetly as she folded the sea chart.
"Is that not obvious? I am the Captain. You are the navigator and archaeologist," Alvin replied with complete confidence, as if stating an undeniable truth.
"Very well, Captain. Then let us depart. If we delay any longer, the sun will soon set below the horizon," Robin said, rolling her eyes before handing him the sea chart.
Alvin touched the chart and instantly stored it inside his system space.
"Right. We should hurry. I do not want to spend the night drifting at sea," he said as he adjusted his seat.
Robin then wrapped her arms securely around Alvin's waist.
At that moment, Alvin felt a distinct pressure from behind him.
"Robin, loosen your grip slightly. You are holding on too tightly," he said awkwardly.
"Hehehe... This is the open sea. It is dangerous if I do not hold on firmly," Robin replied teasingly.
"It is not that I mind, but it makes steering difficult," Alvin said helplessly.
"Perhaps you should not accelerate so recklessly," Robin responded calmly.
Alvin wisely chose not to argue further.
He controlled the motorboat, executing a smooth turn before accelerating across the ocean like an arrow released from a bow, leaving a brilliant white wake trailing behind.
Before long, however, they encountered pirates.
More precisely, a pirate ship was attacking a merchant vessel.
Alvin slowed the motorboat several hundred meters away. His expression gradually shifted, excitement flickering across his face like waves under strong wind.
More bounty points.
The roar of cannon fire, the pirates' arrogant laughter, and the desperate cries of the merchant guards echoed clearly over the sea.
"It is the Kabake Pirates. Their captain carries a bounty of 14,000,000 Berries. Shall we eliminate them?" Robin said after recognizing the skull flag flying from the pirate ship.
"14,000,000 Berries?"
"Then we absolutely must eliminate them. As champions of justice, how can we tolerate pirates rampaging freely and oppressing innocent civilians?" Alvin declared righteously, gripping his sniper rifle.
Robin cast him a sideways glance, clearly unconvinced by his sudden sense of justice.
She prepared herself nonetheless.
Alvin steadied his sniper rifle and aimed through the scope, locking onto Kabake, who stood at the bow of the pirate ship.
Kabake noticed the small motorboat in the distance.
He did not consider it a threat.
At that moment, the pirate ship had drawn alongside the merchant vessel. Grappling hooks secured the ships together. Kabake brandished his blade, his expression ferocious, as he directed his crew to board.
Several pirates had already leaped onto the merchant ship, cutting down defenders without restraint.
The merchant deck quickly turned into chaos. Screams echoed continuously across the sea.
"Ya ha ha ha!"
"Men, attack! Every treasure aboard belongs to us!" Kabake shouted wildly, standing at the bow like a predatory beast.
"Yes!"
"Kill them!"
"Seize everything!"
The pirates surged forward in a frenzy.
"Alvin," Robin called softly.
"Understood."
Alvin inhaled deeply, centering himself. His rifle barrel aligned precisely with Kabake's chest.
At that moment,
Kabake chose to make his move.
He bent his knees and launched himself forward with explosive force, leaping from his own deck toward the merchant ship like a cannonball.
Seeing their captain advance personally, the pirates' morale surged even higher.
"Six Fleur: Bind!"
As Robin activated her Devil Fruit ability, arms blossomed from Kabake's limbs and neck, restraining him midair.
Kabake's eyes widened.
He instantly remembered the small motorboat positioned several hundred meters away.
"Captain!"
The surrounding pirates cried out in alarm.
A gunshot cracked across the battlefield.
Kabake felt a chilling sensation run through him.
The next instant, a bullet pierced straight through his chest. Blood burst outward like a blooming crimson flower.
His consciousness faded rapidly.
By the time the pirates fully realized what had happened, Kabake's body had already fallen into the sea.
"Captain!"
"Captain Kabake!"
The pirates froze, staring at the water in disbelief.
"Ding~"
"Bounty points + 14,000,000!"
Alvin felt a surge of satisfaction upon hearing the system notification.
He did not stop.
His sniper rifle shifted from target to target with cold precision.
"Ding~"
"Bounty points + 9,800,000!"
"Ding~"
"Bounty points + 7,600,000!"
Alvin had not expected two additional pirates with active bounties. Fortunately, he had never intended to let any of them escape.
Within minutes,
No pirate remained standing.
Those who were not eliminated by Alvin either leaped into the sea in desperation or were already floating lifelessly in the water.
"Phew..."
"That is settled."
Alvin lowered his rifle, his tension easing.
"Let us go."
"Alvin, we should collect the spoils of war," Robin said, having fully embraced the philosophy of post battle looting.
"Agreed."
Alvin maneuvered the motorboat toward the pirate ship.
"Robin, you board first," he said after bringing the boat alongside.
Robin nodded.
Using her Devil Fruit ability, she manifested a ladder formed from overlapping arms along the hull of the pirate ship and climbed aboard gracefully.
Alvin followed, storing the motorboat into his system space.
Filled with anticipation, the two hurried toward the ship's cabin.
Meanwhile,
On the battered merchant vessel, the surviving crew members slowly rose from the deck as if awakening from a nightmare.
Some cautiously approached the railing, peering across the water.
"It... it appears they are all gone..."
"We survived... we survived..."
"All the pirates have been defeated!"
Tears streamed down their faces.
The joy of survival overwhelmed them as they embraced one another, crying and laughing in equal measure, celebrating their escape from certain death.
...
Read advance chapters on p@treon
[email protected]/guilt_free_daoist
Join disc0rd link in synopsis.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.