As Kiri wandered the streets, vitality pulsing undimmed, he couldn't ignore the injured throngs shuffling past.
Blood trailed unchecked, untreated—crawlers dragging themselves through the grime, numbers swelling unnatural. Some brawl had boiled over, no doubt.
Not our crew, right?
Solo stroll, Kiri scanned the wounded, mind ticking.
"Luffy and the rest? Plausible. Real likely."
Crowds clogged the lanes still, but the vibe had warped. Battered bands banded, aiding the halt—hubbub shifted hue. From his perch, Kiri clocked the delta clear: not the prior pulse.
Huh—busier than before.
Wounded aside: this throng always this thick?
Mid-stride musing snagged a bellow sharp.
"G-Gasparde-sama!"
"Hm?"
Alley-slice to the far thoroughfare. Mohawk'd twig-man quaked.
Narrow gap skewed the view.
But the name-drop, silhouette tease? Big-league pirate, clear.
Bounty ninety-five mil: "General" Gasparde.
Front-facing bulk, sullen scowl flickered.
Kiri's lips curved sly.
Intel goldmine incoming.
Wall-hug quick, he eavesdropped sidelong, ear cocked. They hadn't clocked him—chatter rolled unchecked.
Mohawk—lackey, likely—spilled desperate.
Gasparde loomed statue-still, absorbing.
"S-Sorry— was heading for backup... Tavern's got this punk rioting. Y'know, that paper's rookie. Packs a punch—need more bodies—"
"Who the hell're you?"
"Huh?"
Gasparde's opener iced flat.
Deadpan, void of vibe—like the query meant zilch.
Kiri's brow twitched unease; twin to Mohawk's cold-sweat bead.
"N-No, I'm your ship's... crew..."
"Losers who fold to outsiders? Not my crew."
Sudden: Mohawk erupted crimson—gored rear-flank, invisible.
No blade flash, no form, no method.
Just rent flesh, instant autopsy—lethal pro, one glance. Not Gasparde. Shadow strike.
Blood-mist caught Gasparde's gaze? Blank. No twitch.
The chill hit Kiri—smile snuffed.
"Filth. Ruined my threads with your muck."
Iced verdict; he stirred forward.
Emotionless timbre, humanity hollow. Man mid-die sprawled? Ignored absolute—like erased.
Kiri peeled from the peek, back to wall—posture reset, sigh heavy.
Name checks out, but no flavor. Pirate raw, sure—but crew-cannon-fodder captain?
Luffy's antithesis.
Mismatch misery; shrug sealed.
"Luffy's nightmare type. Face-off? Headache central."
Loitered brief, timing the fade; wall-push, onward.
Detour deliberate: alley gut to the drop-spot.
Dim drain to light-laced lane—scan quick. Gasparde ghosted; delay paid—crowd cloak.
Paranoia-proof.
Kiri crouched the blood-pool wreck, dissecting.
"Gutted rear—merciless. Blade... big. Not the General—his hound, maybe."
Kneel-close, Mohawk's pulse probed—mutter low.
Mind: foe profile.
Threat or trifle? That's the math. No pity ping, no edge-watch. Boredom base.
The wreck clocked it—mosquito-whine plea.
"H-Help..."
"Still kicking? Tough nut."
Limp lift eyed cool; seconds ticked.
Kiri's grin bloomed lazy, drawl deliberate.
"Save you?"
"P-Please..."
"But no saints here. Trade fair? Get me?"
"A-Anything... spill..."
"Words lock—honor it."
Paper summoned, scooped the sodden—haul initiated. Crimson seeped, slack threatening; layers stacked, no drop. Eyes trailed.
Ignored wholesale; stride steady. Spur thought: smart pivot, maybe.
Self-pat? Fair. Gasparde whisper in the wings? Grin ghosted.
"General's opposite? Hedge bets. Schemer mug screams it."
Mutter to the mid-flicker flesh-meet.
Amusing angle. Juicier play.
Rare belligerence bent his lips; gaze forward, mind miles off.
＊
Nami bundled the bills thick, slamming the sheaf desk-ward.
Triumph twisted her smirk wide.
Exact fifty grand proffered. But her back? Ten sacks bloated with notes and coin. Zoro, Sanji wardens now—exhausted eyes ogled envious, but drained frames forbore the lunge.
All hers, claimed.
Brawl-bonanza loot: felled wallets raided, fortune funneled.
From that hoard? Mere fifty thou.
Pinprick pain. Tip generous? Tempting. But ego-feed the bookie? Nah—Nami's strut stayed smug, laugh loud.
"Here's your fifty grand. Count it proper."
"Crystal con. Pirate play—spot on."
Bill-stack lifted; digits danced expert—accustomed to the graft.
Fifty tallied; pocketed. Nodded satisfaction gracing his mug.
"Checks out. Fee filed."
"Cool. Then—"
"Here. Entry Pose—points to the prize."
Desk-dug, dropped before her eyes: lone-lander needle, Eternal Pose. Hourglass echo, already locked.
Nami claimed, etched base scanned.
Partia. Clear as carved.
"Partia's the finish?"
"Bingo. Dawn start: Grand Fall cue, mass exodus. Guard your hull—don't sink stupid."
"Grand Fall? What's—"
"Eh—see for yourself. Once-in-years show. Feel it fresh."
Lilt laced loaded; no elaboration tease.
Fresh flex soured to pout—lip-pursed peeve. Probe pointless; pivot sharp.
Bookie back-turned; crew-and-cash reclaimed.
Whatever—qualifier clutched. Race locked.
Luffy's gaze glued the bauble, eyes electric.
Novelty nibble, sure—but greenlit grind? Overload.
Query queued natural; Nami's upbeat unspooled easy.
"Oi, Nami—that?"
"Race road-map. Chase the needle to endgame."
"Win bags three hundred mil?"
"Yep. We're in—victory or bust, got me?"
"Shi shi shi. Heating up."
Chair righted, perch squat—shoulder-shimmy chuckle. Post-pummel? Zero wear, no new wear-and-tear.
Crew's vigor viceroy, no lie.
Pack pooled post-fray: top-floor tableau trashed.
Wrecked ranks limped lots; Straw unscratched, upright.
Clash? Concluded. No champ crowned—ebbed organic, hands holstered.
All easy-breath, but one? Shadowed.
Luffy's lift? Usopp's drag—worry-weary, sigh seismic.
Crisis dodged, but dawn doom loomed. Luffy's high? Halt-proof—voyage-vet truth. Buck? Futile fade; peril-pray default.
"Haa... pirate rally... Smooth sail? Fat chance. Today's tally? Mess central. Tomorrow's tape? Total terror."
"Eh—works out. We're cleared."
"Mainly you, Luffy! Your no-brain nosedive—!"
"Oi—where's the hunter?"
Protest paused, gaze grazed; Luffy hopped, scan wide.
Schrayer sidelined slight.
Bottle boosted, swigged throat-deep; rough wipe, exhale ragged.
Luffy locked, strolled sans-snag—Usopp's gripe back-burnered.
"You riding our tub, right?"
Query caught; Schrayer wheeled.
Eyes edged lethal—like trust taboo, raw reserve.
Echoed Zoro's ice age—early distrust dawn. But then or now, Luffy mood-matched zilch.
Waist-cocked, grin gala—welcome wide.
"Fifty grand? Off the hook. Thanks."
"No sweat. Had the same scam queued."
"Huh. So—tub-time's race-run?"
"Yeah..."
"But bounty man. Why risk the rock?"
Schrayer's stare? Venom veiled—subtle sting.
Bottle binned, clink-roll distant; red pooled, think-time bridged.
"Truth? Race's side-quest. Your ship? Best bet afloat. Sink-proof odds."
"Ships sink?"
"Wild west. Capsizes happen."
"Whaaat~?! See—doomed dash! Bail now, Luffy! Pressing quest!"
Usopp's holler hit home—panic-pale.
Luffy flicked.
"Nah—not rushing."
"Alabasta?!"
"Kiri says chill. We'll hack it."
Cackle cascaded; Usopp slumped seismic.
No base. But Kiri's cue? Gospel.
Gaze reset: Schrayer sans-suspicion.
Schrayer blinked baffled.
Usopp skipper-swap? Luffy's lapse lethal.
Hunter-hardened: pirate parsed peril-pitch perfect. Solo scrapes schooled the scan.
Luffy's ledger? Logged: mob-melee, Kid-clash.
Beast bracket, no beef. Post? Boy banal.
Alert absent—extreme.
Or... normalcy null.
First pirate sans-snake-oil? Fresh. Wariness wired: cons con slow, strike sly.
Luffy? Blank-beam bliss.
"Race rat, huh. Ex-pirate?"
"Nope. Hunter then, now, next."
"Right. My crew—"
"No dice. Pirates? Pass."
No knuckles crossed, but brawl-bond? Luffy lobbed light; Schrayer's swift shutdown sliced.
Tone? Tang bitter.
Schrayer smirked sealed, hair-raked, spine snapped.
"Hat?"
"Oh—right. Usopp—toss."
"Tch—deaf as ever. Here."
Prompt pitch: Usopp lobbed; Luffy snagged, frisbee'd back.
Spin-straight, Schrayer snared.
Fingers fussed fringe; topped low, dip faint—gaze grazed ground, mutter low.
"But race-run? In your debt. Beef?"
"Nah—none."
"Dawn docks, then. Short stay—deal?"
With that, peel-out primed.
Blunt bolt yanked Luffy's blink—halt-holler hasty.
"Hold—tub-mates dawn-to-dusk? Crash with us till."
"Nah—skipping. Pirate pals? Pass."
Wheel-back brink: Schrayer stared spite-sour.
"One goal. Done? Dip fast."
Done-drop; vanish vertical.
Isle inmate: pirate pure, name notorious—peril packed. Yet solo-stubborn? Steel-spined. Unspoken oath, maybe—resolve raw. Schrayer strode sans-second-look.
Luffy lingered labeless, back-burner stare.
Offer oddity? Nagged.
Nami's nudge broke: errands ended. Tavern tab? Closed.
"C'mon, Luffy—head out. Drama day's done; ship-sack for tomorrow. No more mess, plea~se."
"Aw~? Grub?"
"Post-port. This pit? Over it."
"Yeah—linger long? Next pest parade. Ships sacred—safest spot, stat-return."
Nami's nod nabbed Usopp's; Luffy meat-motived, me-too.
Muster mobilized: Nami's marshal-mode.
Zoro, Sanji shouldered doubles—unbent. Igraham aid-ape, twin-tote. Silk, Vivi tag-team single. Usopp strained solo sack. Nami? Naught, natural.
Luffy lugged pair; surplus stacked.
Raid rich? Overload obscene.
Dump excess? Waste wince, but limits loomed. Usopp piped.
"Can't-carry? Ditch the drag—"
"No way—all mine."
Nami's nix nipped nip.
Fresh-fought fortune? Forsake? Foul. Means must: haul hell-or-high.
Usopp's single-sweat scanned; her flat fiat.
"Usopp—one more, easy."
"Easy?! Weight wizard—what?! Haul your own!"
"Nuh-uh—delicate dame? No dice."
"Me? Mundane mortal! Don't lump me with lunks!"
"Fine... Sanji-kun? Crave a hunk who hauls this haul"
"Yaaas, Nami-saaan! Piece o' cake~!"
"Cake's you, clown."
Sanji's siren-song swirled stares—stunned swarm.
Zoro? Grumble-gut.
"Moron. How long you lapdog?"
"What was that, moss-mop?! Love's cyclone spins solo! Romance rookie—zip it, fool!"
"Nosebleed nap? Face-fix incoming."
"Hah?!"
"Both—cut the crap or I cyclone you."
Silk's slash-stay? Voice-vortex, right-arm rift primed—belt-bound blade. Vivi-bag burden unbroken, but blow-by? Breeze-easy, all knew.
Sanji subsided; Zoro's glare grudged ground.
No nuclear—tension thawed.
"Thanks to sweet Silk-chan, marimo. Six sacks? Shoulder-snap city."
"Grateful? Your sham spared."
"Wha—"
"Huh?"
"Quit or—"
"Yeees, Silk-chaaan! Cease♡"
"Tch—pain-in-ass prick."
Silk's snap shut the skirmish.
Sanji beamed; Zoro head-shook huffy.
Luffy? Halt-free, hooted merry.
"Shi shi shi. Zoro 'n Sanji—morons~"
"Not you."
"But haul-how? Kiri'd crush it..."
Usopp's unload-woe whined. Crew consensus congealed—Kiri's the key absent.
Luffy's lit shifted shade—suspect-spark, query casual.
"Oi—Kiri AWOL? Solo'd with someone, right?"
"Eh—his deal. No sweat, probably."
"Ugh—key moment MIA? Who's the mule?"
"Care to assist?"
Nami's crossed-arm crank crested a chime.
Neck-crank back: stranger stood.
Chime clean, kind: waves of gold, curves killer—youthful bloom, cherub-cheek smile soft. Green garb, ankle-graze gown.
Beauty benchmark, aura angelic—poised pristine.
Crew-crowd cordial, over-familiar.
Anita flanked: pockets plunged, pout bored, side-eye sulk.
Silk's soft sound.
"Anita-chan."
"Who? Pal?"
"Kiri's bud—guided us."
Nami's nudge answered; Silk, Vivi sack-set.
Rest rid baggage, beam-beauty bound.
Gaze glued goldilocks.
"Uh—you...?"
"G-Goddess?! Nah—mortal miss, but mercy—such splendor sans-name sin. Heart hijacked—I'm yours—"
"Sanji-kun—shush."
Name-nab ear-yank exile.
Fluff flushed, Nami neutered.
Silk stepped rep.
"You... Anita's sis?"
"Yes. Michelle here. Anita says you helped heaps."
"Nuh-uh, Mee-nee—I guided them."
"Oh? Then... Anita helped you heaps."
"Uh... huh."
Smile serene, spacey vibe.
Silk's snag slight—stumped simper. Anita's adjacent exhale? Excused it.
Sibs? Stretch: faces, flair, tresses clashed.
Bond bright, though—pry-proof, wise.
Harmless halo, sure.
Brawl-bedlam, corpse-clogged? Grin unfazed—query quirk, but pirate-pad prerequisite, likely.
Weird warmth wordless.
Silk's probe prepped; Michelle mid.
"Anita spilled the sitch. Kiri's pals, yeah? Crash our inn?"
"Yes! Please!"
"Sanji—hush. Inn? Yours?"
"Yep. Us plus posse—co-op spot."
"Why us...?"
"Kiri's crew, right?"
Cut crisp—query-quell? Dubious, but delivery? Disarm-dazzle.
Kiri-kin claim? Zero zip—unwitnessed. Same scam as swarm-scum? Fair fear. Pirate preserve: trust toxic.
Nami, Usopp? Swallow-stuck, stance stiff.
Luffy? Blank-bolt forward.
Michelle met, mug mundane—query queued.
"Inn grub—meat menu?"
"Absolutely. Special: steep discount~"
"Real? Shi shi shi—inn it is!"
Snap-settle stunned Nami, Usopp—dash-duo.
"Wait—Luffy! Blind buy? Risky~"
"You recall the rush-hour? Pirate pile-on! Lullaby lure—wake to wreck? For real?!"
"No big. Kiri's buds."
Grin gospel—guard zero. Sanji synced; Silk, Zoro too—tacit. Vivi, Igraham? Perplexed pair, plan-pivot.
Heavy huff-duo: fold flagged.
Nami, Usopp neutered; Luffy lugged, Michelle marshal-ask.
"Lead to lodgings? Kiri ping too."
"Sure. But no fret—sister Maggie's on scout. Duo inbound, promise."
"Another sis?"
"Triplet trio, us."
"Huh. Me three-brother match."
Grin-glow traded; terms tallied.
March muster primed.
Brawl-by? Minutes massed—loiter long, felt now. Stragglers sparse; hale holdouts haunted—haul-heist? Hazard hum.
Hurry-haul: sacks shouldered swift.
Hands? Still shy.
Fresh flail loomed; Michelle moved.
"Tough tote? I'll tag-team."
"Ah—hold, Michelle-chan! Frail flower freight? Man's honor howls no! Leave to lunkhead long-nose—chill."
"Oi—me?!"
"Decreeing solo...?"
"Hee hee—fine. Strength secret, see."
Untoted tackle tagged; grunt-grip, arm-ascend.
Crew-cue crushed: casual claim, double-duty—drill-dodger Silk's strain solo.
Smile steady, sway none; jaws universal-drop.
Michelle wheeled whoop, lead-lithe.
"Follow me~ All aboard!"
"Grace... and grit~!"
"Fine. Muscle means mishap-moot. But you—swipe my stash? Hell hath no fury. Guard gospel."
"Aye!"
"Plus: splurge-spare."
"Meat main—minimal."
"That's the fear."
Crew trailed Michelle's wake, tavern-trail.
Post-peel: Vivi voiced, Nami-nab.
"Nami-san—no ship-snooze? Fetch Karoo—solo sad. Okay?"
"Yeah—poor pup. But lone? Lurk-risk—"
"My shield supreme!"
"I'll escort, Vivi-chwaaan~!"
"Zoro and Silk. You two? Too loud."
"Aww~?!"
"Not meee?!"
"Duh. Drama done—quiet quest, quiet quit. No brawls, Vivi—capish?"
"Haha... got it."
Fray-fume lingered—limp-lark lilt.
Vivi's wry warmed the weird.
Their way: wonder weird, noise null-harm.
Freedom feast, lesson live.
Stair-step, outer-aim: Michelle, Anita marshal to the manse.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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