When Gin awoke again, night had fallen.
Outside the porthole, a full moon rose over the sea, its pale light dancing on the waves like scattered silver.
Gin struggled to sit up, realizing he was in a ship's cabin.
The bed was warm and soft, the blankets dry despite the sea air. His bandages, soaked from earlier, had been replaced.
He sat up, memories flooding back—events from days ago at the port.
Paru's warning, Krieg's heartless betrayal, the cries and screams of dying comrades…
These tore at his will more than physical pain.
Despite his "Demon Man" title and cold ruthlessness in battle, a bone-deep chill gripped him.
Even with a burning stove and sealed windows, Gin pulled the blanket tighter.
"Loyalty…" he muttered, a self-mocking smile forming. "Hah."
"Betrayal is the truth among pirates—!"
Creak!
The cabin door opened.
Gin turned to see Gawain enter with a plate of fried rice. "The cook's injured, so I made this. Try it. You need strength for what's next."
Gawain set the plate by the bed, gesturing.
Gin froze.
Gawain's aura was unlike Krieg's. Despite greater power, he radiated calm, the opposite of Krieg's savage brutality.
Gin had never met such a man, such a pirate.
He glanced at the steaming rice, then at Gawain. "Why save me?"
"I need men. Your character and strength are exactly what I want," Gawain said, his admiration clear.
On the day the ship sailed, he'd probed Gin.
As expected, Gin, like Kuro, had awakened Observation Haki during the battle.
Though still Bronze in potential, Gin was among the closest to Silver. A breakthrough or a Devil Fruit could elevate him to Silver—a long-term asset like Kuro.
More importantly, Gin had a rare quality among pirates: loyalty.
This was clear in Raven Port. Despite Krieg's reckless bombardment, the gravely injured Gin offered his life for Krieg's.
That alone made Gawain want him.
"Gin, remember what he last said to you?"
Gin's gaze darkened. "Of course. 'Don't board my ship in the next life.'"
"So you've paid your debt to him," Gawain said. "You're free now, with the right to choose your path."
"If you're willing, the combat captain's spot is yours until we reach shore."
Looking at the dejected man, Gawain discarded the idea of forcing him to stay with a debt of gratitude. That would make him no better than Krieg.
Gin stared at the fried rice, silent.
Gawain sighed inwardly, rising to leave. "Rest well."
Creak!
He closed the door, turning to find Kuro watching him, a faint smile on his lips.
As Gawain stepped out, Kuro guessed the outcome, his grin widening. "Got the cold shoulder, huh?"
"Stubborn guys like that, once they choose a captain, will give their lives without hesitation. I'd know—I fought him."
Kuro touched his chest, wincing at the pain, his smile fading, eyes sharpening. "No wrong nicknames, only wrong names."
"Demon Man isn't just ruthless to enemies—he's merciless to himself. To win, he'd bet his life without a second thought."
"How could your kindness sway someone like that?"
Kuro adjusted his glasses, exuding a sharp aura. "Need me to handle it?"
"Though I'm injured, I'm not the same as before. Even against you…"
"Hmph," Gawain glanced at Kuro's bandages. "Injured, you don't spark my interest. Heal up, then come for the captain's seat."
"But losers don't get to cry."
"Ha," Kuro shrugged, helpless. "You're always like this—everything's trivial to you. That hidden arrogance is infuriating."
Gawain smirked.
As they turned to leave, Gin's voice called from the cabin. "Captain, one more serving!"
Gawain paused, a grin forming. "Really treating me like a cook."
"How'd you do it?" Kuro's eyes widened, the outcome beyond his expectations.
"I made him fried rice."
Kuro blinked. "That's it?"
"That's it." Gawain patted Kuro's shoulder. "Being a good captain takes more than strength."
"Hmph, when I was sailing, you were busy charming princesses in Goa Kingdom."
"Can you not bring that up?"
"Then tell me, what did you say to Gin? A stubborn guy like that, bending so easily?"
Kuro was baffled, especially seeing Gawain's faint smile.
He felt mocked.
"Some things can't be judged by gain or loss alone. Even a Demon Man has a heart."
…
Pala Island, a small port.
Beyond a few small pirate ships, wooden houses lined the port, many decayed, evidence of Kuro's long-established base.
At the port's center, dozens of pirates sat around a bonfire, its light highlighting their pale faces.
Zango, expressionless, interrogated two pirates stationed at the base. "Two female thieves stole all the treasure Captain—no, Vice-Captain Kuro—amassed over years?"
"Yes," the two nodded rapidly.
"I remember their looks."
"About fifteen or sixteen. One with orange short hair, the other with purple."
"Gotta say, young but with killer figures."
The pirate gave a thumbs-up.
Smack!
Zango swatted his head, knocking him down, his face grim. "The problem is, how do we explain this to the captain?! Even with Gawain's style, he might cleave you in two!"
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