After that night's conversation, the Delos sisters seemed to shed a heavy burden. They slowly returned to their natural selves. Fiona threw herself back into her sword training, pushing herself with a ferocity that left even seasoned fighters in awe. Felina, on the other hand, claimed the ship's navigation cabin as her territory, barking crisp instructions like a born sailor. She set Simon and Dote the two rescued fish-men to proper tasks, sending one up to the lookout tower while placing the other at the helm.
Watching Felina take charge with such fire in her eyes, Eli Winters lounged against the railing, letting the sunlight wash over his face. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"She's got energy to spare, that one. Still, having those two fish-men on board might be worth considering. A ship needs hands, and with their strength, they'd be invaluable crew."
Simon and Dote had shared their story with him earlier. Both hailed from Fish-Man Island, though their lives had been anything but calm. They had once been part of a larger fish-man pirate crew that numbered in the dozens. But the Grand Line showed no mercy. Their group was ambushed by a powerful enemy, and most of their comrades were slain. The survivors scattered, fleeing in every direction. Simon and Dote barely escaped with their lives, eventually drifting into the West Blue. For a time, they scraped together a living on a deserted island until the day fate delivered them into the clutches of Kuma the Black Bear. Even their natural strength hadn't been enough against a pirate crew armed with a sharpshooter who wielded Observation Haki. Captured and chained, they had been destined for the slave market until Eli shattered their cages.
Two uneventful days passed. The sea remained calm, as though granting them a rare reprieve.
"Captain Winters!" Dote shouted from the lookout tower, his deep voice carrying across the deck. "Land ahead! I see a port!"
Eli exhaled in relief. After weeks of endless water, the sight of land was like a blessing. His body still carried the exhaustion of drifting half-dead on a sampan before fate dropped him into this world.
On the shore, however, the approaching ship had already drawn the attention of the stationed navy. A patrol raised the alarm, and within minutes, a squad led by a stern-faced officer hurried down to the docks.
"What's the situation?" barked the officer, a man in his forties with the stripes of a major.
A young sailor snapped to attention. "Report, Major Rad! The ship approaching the port matches the Black Bear Pirates' vessel. However, their flag is missing. Requesting orders! Should we open fire?"
Rad's expression tightened. The Black Bear Pirates were infamous in the West Blue. Their captain, Kuma the Black Bear, wasn't just another raider he was a menace. If their ship was approaching, it could mean carnage. Yet the missing flag puzzled him. Every pirate valued their Jolly Roger as dearly as their own life. To sail without it was unthinkable.
"Send word to Colonel Falkforth at once," Rad ordered his lieutenant. "Tell him we may need reinforcements."
His jaw clenched as he prepared to give the order to fire. Then, across the water, a voice rang out.
"Naval brothers on the shore! Hold your fire! We are not the Black Bear Pirates. We're an adventurer's company. The Black Bear Pirates have been wiped out by us!"
The words left the gathered marines stunned. Rad narrowed his eyes.
"Prove it!" he bellowed back.
Eli said nothing. Instead, he hefted a bloodied bundle wrapped in a tattered pirate flag and hurled it to the dock. The marines recoiled, rifles raised, until the package tumbled open to reveal the severed head of Kuma the Black Bear himself. Gasps echoed along the line.
"It's him!" one soldier choked.
"Impossible… but it's real. That's Kuma!"
"They say his bounty was forty-three million berries! And he had a Devil Fruit too he even defeated a Marine commander once!"
Murmurs rippled through the ranks until Major Rad raised his hand. "Stand down! Let them dock!"
When Eli, Big Pan, and the others set foot on solid ground, Rad strode forward, saluting. "I am Major Rad of the Naval Guard. May I ask the name of the man who felled Kuma the Black Bear?"
Eli laughed warmly, shaking the major's hand. "Eli Winters, adventurer. These are my companions Big Pan, Fiona, and Felina."
Rad studied them with admiration. "Remarkable. To accomplish such a feat at your age… you have the Navy's respect."
"It was luck as much as anything," Eli replied lightly. "But Major, there is something you should know. The Black Bear Pirates weren't just raiders. They were slavers. When we struck them down, we found over two hundred civilians locked in their hold. We freed them, but we can't send them home ourselves. That duty falls to the Navy."
Rad straightened. "And so it shall. Protecting the people is our oath."
"Then I'm grateful," Eli said sincerely.
Before Rad could respond, a booming voice thundered down the docks.
"Rad, are you dead yet? Where's the Black Bear Pirates?!"
The crowd parted as a giant of a man strode forward. Over three meters tall, wrapped in a Justice cloak, Colonel Falkforth radiated raw strength. His very presence was like that of a beast unleashed.
Rad rushed to intercept him. "Colonel! It's resolved. The Black Bear Pirates have already been destroyed by this young man here. Kuma's head is proof enough."
Falkforth halted, his piercing eyes fixing on Eli. "You? You're barely more than a boy. Tell me, how did you slay a pirate like Kuma?"
Eli kept his tone modest. "Kuma underestimated me. Thought me weak because of my age. That arrogance cost him his life."
Falkforth's gaze lingered, weighing him, then shifted to Rad, who recounted the pirates' crimes. After a moment of silence, Falkforth gave his orders. "Rad, secure the freed civilians. Arrange their shelter until we can escort them home."
Then he turned back to Eli. "And you. If you want Kuma's bounty, come to the naval branch office. We'll settle accounts there."
"Gladly. I'll see you soon," Eli replied with a grin.
With that, the colonel departed, and Rad hurried away to handle the rescued villagers. Eli gathered his companions in a quiet alley.
He turned to Simon and Dote. "What are your plans now?"
The two exchanged uneasy looks. Their kind were rarely welcomed in human cities. Even free, they would be hunted, prized as merchandise in slave markets.
Eli saw their hesitation and spoke firmly. "Then join us. We're adventurers, not pirates. We travel the seas to chase dreams, not plunder. When we reach Fish-Man Island again, you can choose stay with us, or return home. Until then, you'll have a place here."
The fish-men glanced at each other, then nodded. "Aye, Captain."
"Good. Tonight, we celebrate. A feast, my treat!" Eli declared.
Big Pan practically leapt into the air. "Food! Real food! Captain, you're the best!"
The sisters exchanged smiles at his excitement. Felina even cuddled up to Big Pan, rubbing his furry face affectionately while he tried to swat her away.
They found a lively tavern in the port town. The waiter froze at the sight of two fish-men but quickly recovered, offering a polite bow.
"Welcome, honored guests. What may we bring you?"
"Ten of your best dishes, twenty portions each!" Eli ordered without hesitation.
Soon the table groaned beneath platters of roasted meat, seafood, and steaming bread. Big Pan tore into a lamb shank first, grease running down his chin.
"So good! Better than anything the captain cooks!"
Eli cuffed him on the head. "At least I season my meat, you glutton!"
Laughter rolled around the table. By the end of the meal, every belly was round and every spirit was high.
It was then Felina leaned forward, eyes shining. "Captain, what should we call our adventurer's group?"
Eli blinked. "Uh… I haven't thought of one. Any ideas?"
"Then how about 'The Navigators' Expedition Guild'?" Felina suggested eagerly.
"No," came the chorus of voices.
Big Pan banged the table. "I've got it! 'The Panda and His Five Hundred Warriors'!"
"Absolutely not," Eli groaned.
They tossed names around until Eli finally raised his cup. "We're dreamers, all of us. Adventurers chasing the horizon. So let's call ourselves what we are the Dream Expedition Adventurers."
The name hung in the air, then one by one, the others nodded.
"A good name," Fiona said softly.
"I like it," Felina added with a smile.
"Better than Panda Warriors," Big Pan muttered.
Eli lifted his drink high. "Then it's settled. To the Dream Expedition Adventurers!"
"To the Dream Expedition Adventurers!" the others roared, their voices echoing through the tavern.
And so, in a bustling tavern on a quiet island in the West Blue, a new band of adventurers was born not pirates, not heroes, but dreamers bound together by fate and the open sea.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a comment, drop a power stone, or add it to your collection your support keeps the journey going!