The night was quiet.
Too quiet.
Inside the Germa ship—
Men died without making a sound.
Reiji moved first.
A single step.
A single strike.
A guard collapsed instantly.
No scream.
No resistance.
Behind him—
Vinsmoke Reiju exhaled softly.
A faint pink mist spread—
And three soldiers dropped at once.
"Still too easy," she muttered.
Reiji didn't respond immediately.
Another guard approached—
He grabbed his face—
And slammed him into the ground.
Hard.
"…we're done here," he said calmly.
Reiju looked around.
Bodies.
Silence.
"…yeah."
Minutes later—
They stood at the edge of the ship.
Watching.
Far in the distance—
Another Germa vessel moved away.
That one carried their brothers.
And him.
Vinsmoke Judge.
Reiji crossed his arms.
"…if he comes after us…"
Reiju finished the thought.
"…we can't resist."
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Reiji exhaled slowly.
"…then we don't let him find us."
A pause.
Then—
Reiju smiled.
Not controlled.
Not forced.
Real.
"…for once… I like that plan."
They jumped.
Landing on a small boat below.
No uniforms.
No armor.
No symbols.
Nothing tying them to Germa.
For a moment—
They just stood there.
Looking at each other.
Processing it.
Then—
Reiju laughed.
Light.
Free.
"…this feels weird."
Reiji blinked slightly.
"…yeah."
A pause.
Then—
He laughed too.
Low at first—
Then real.
"…we actually did it."
Reiju leaned back slightly, looking at the sky.
"…we're free."
The word lingered.
Different from before.
Real now.
Reiji sat down on the edge of the boat.
"…so what now?"
Reiju glanced at him.
"…you tell me."
"…I've spent my whole life following orders."
He looked at his hands.
"…I don't know what to do without them."
Reiju walked closer.
"…then we start simple."
"…like what?"
She smiled slightly.
"…we live."
Silence.
Reiji looked at her.
"…that sounds harder than fighting armies."
"…it probably is."
The wind began to change.
The sea grew restless.
Clouds gathered.
Reiji frowned slightly.
"…that's not good."
Reiju looked up.
"…storm?"
Lightning flashed across the sky.
The ocean roared.
"…yeah."
Reiji stood up.
"…hold on."
The storm swallowed them.
Waves crashed violently.
The small boat was nothing against it.
The world turned into chaos.
Water.
Wind.
Thunder.
And then—
Darkness.
Elsewhere—
A small boat drifted across the sea.
A young man stood on it.
Hat resting on his back.
Eyes full of life.
Portgas D. Ace.
He grinned widely.
"…man… this is it."
He stretched his arms.
"…the sea's way bigger than I thought!"
He looked forward.
Excited.
Alive.
"I'm gonna find them."
A pause.
"…my crew."
His smile softened slightly.
"…Luffy…"
Monkey D. Luffy.
"Don't die before I become famous, alright?"
He laughed.
"…and that old man…"
Shanks.
"…thanks for saving him."
The wind shifted.
Suddenly—
The sky darkened.
Ace blinked.
"…huh?"
Thunder cracked.
"…oh come on."
The waves rose violently.
"…seriously?!"
A massive wave hit his boat.
Ace grabbed the edge.
"…HEY! WAIT—!"
Another wave.
Bigger.
Stronger.
"…THIS IS NOT HOW I WANTED MY JOURNEY TO START—!!"
Darkness swallowed him.
Meanwhile—
An island.
Silent.
Empty.
Unforgiving.
Sixis.
A man walked through the forest.
Careful.
Tired.
Hungry.
Wearing a mask.
Masked Deuce.
"…day three…"
He looked around.
Nothing.
"…no food… no water…"
He sighed.
"…what kind of island is this?"
He adjusted his bag slightly.
"I just wanted to write a novel…"
A pause.
"…not die in one."
He stopped.
Looking toward the mountain in the center.
"…if there's anything here…"
"…it has to be there."
Hours passed.
Reiji opened his eyes.
Slowly.
"…we're alive."
Reiju sat up beside him.
"…barely."
They looked around.
An unfamiliar island.
"…Sixis…" Reiji muttered.
"…guess this is our first stop."
Not far from them—
Ace crawled out of the water.
Coughing.
"…I hate storms…"
He looked around.
"…where am I?"
At the base of the mountain—
Deuce arrived first.
"…nothing so far…"
Then—
Footsteps.
He turned quickly.
Reiji and Reiju approached.
Silent.
Alert.
Deuce tensed.
"…who are you?"
Reiji stopped.
Calm.
"…same question."
Reiju tilted her head slightly.
"…you don't look like you belong here."
Deuce sighed.
"…I don't."
A pause.
"…I'm stuck."
Another voice—
"Yeah, same here!"
They all turned.
Ace walked toward them, waving casually.
"…you guys got food?"
Silence.
Deuce blinked.
"…who are you?"
Ace grinned.
"Portgas D. Ace."
A pause.
"…future pirate."
Reiji watched him carefully.
"…you don't seem worried."
Ace shrugged.
"…what's the point?"
He looked around.
"…we're alive, right?"
Reiju smiled slightly.
"…you're interesting."
Deuce crossed his arms.
"…I'm Masked Deuce."
A pause.
"…doctor… writer… currently starving."
Ace laughed.
"…yeah, that last part I get."
All eyes turned to Reiji.
He stayed quiet for a moment.
Then—
"…Reiji."
A pause.
"…just Reiji."
Reiju stepped forward.
"…and I'm Reiju."
Silence.
Then—
Ace smiled.
Wide.
"…well…"
He looked at all of them.
"…guess we're stuck together."
Reiji crossed his arms.
"…for now."
Ace grinned wider.
"…nah."
A pause.
"…this feels like the start of something."
Reiji looked at him.
Long.
Carefully.
Then—
"…maybe."
The wind passed through the mountain.
The storm had brought them there.
But what it created—
Was something much bigger.
To be continued. 🔥
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