In front of me—
Ripple.
Our sea cat…
trapped inside the whirlpool of border of Wano.
The water roared like it was alive.
The spiral kept tightening, dragging Ripple closer to the center.
"Ripple… no—" my breath got stuck.
My hands were shaking.
My legs felt numb.
"HAJRUDIN!" I screamed with everything I had.
"THROW A ROPE!"
The massive giant ship stood ahead of us, steady against the storm.
Hajrudin's eyes widened.
"Stansen! Now!"
A thick rope flew through the air.
"I've got it!" Gray shouted, catching it hard, the impact burning his palms. He dragged it toward me. "Tie it fast!"
I tied the rope around the railing, fingers slipping, knots messy.
I turned sharply.
"Spruce! Follow Hajrudin's ship—turn north-west!"
"Yes, Captain-resu!"
Spruce jumped to the helm, small hands gripping tight, teeth clenched.
Gray rushed beside him.
"Push harder! Don't let the current take us!"
The ship groaned.
I grabbed the loose end of the rope and hurled it straight into the whirlpool.
"RIPPLE!" I screamed.
His cry pierced straight through my chest.
Help me… help me…
Before anyone could stop me—
I jumped.
"ASH—!!" Gray's scream cracked.
Cold.
Pressure.
Spinning.
The whirlpool swallowed me whole.
"…bruh," I muttered as the water dragged me down.
"Second worst decision of my second life."
The rope loosened.
My body spun uncontrollably.
Then—
Something flashed through the water.
Golden scales.
"…Koi?" I whispered, barely able to breathe.
I shut my eyes.
"Please… I don't care if you hear humans or not…
Help me. Lift me and Ripple. Take us to that moving ship."
Nothing.
Above the water—
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING CLOSING YOUR EYES, IDIOT?!" Gray shouted.
Spruce yelled back nervously,
"Captain is very brave-resu…!"
Gray ignored him. He grabbed another rope.
"Spruce! Harden it with mercury—NOW!"
"Wait—Gray—resu—!"
Too late.
Gray jumped straight into the sea.
"GRAY—!"
Then—
The water changed.
From Wano's direction, the sea bulged.
"One… two… no—more!" someone shouted from Hajrudin's ship.
Koi. Dozens of them.
They rushed in like a living tide.
One massive koi surged upward, lifting me onto its head.
"W-What…?" I gasped.
Four more koi grabbed Ripple—
one under his head, two along his sides, one at his tail.
Ripple stopped struggling.
Another koi caught Gray—but—
"Ghh—!"
The mercury hardened too fast.
Gray's arm split open.
"GRAY!" I screamed.
Blood mixed with seawater.
Spruce panicked from above.
"I—I messed up-resu…!"
"It's fine!" Gray gritted his teeth. "Just pull!"
Chaos.
Shouting.
Pain.
Then—
The whirlpool loosened.
The koi fought the current together.
And suddenly—
We were free.
One by one, the koi launched us upward.
I landed hard on the deck.
Ripple splashed back into the sea, swimming beside us again.
Alive.
Spruce rushed to Gray, hands shaking, wrapping bandages tightly.
"Don't move, idiot-resu…!"
Gray laughed weakly.
"Tch… hurts like hell… but worth it."
Soon, we reached Hajrudin's ship.
Everyone cheered.
But inside me—
Something felt heavy.
---
I locked myself in the captain's room and collapsed onto the bed.
The ceiling spun slowly.
"I'm weak."
"Because of me, Gray got hurt."
"All I do is shout, panic, run."
"I even surpassed God Usopp…" I whispered bitterly.
A memory hit me.
Spruce throwing his hammer at Gray today—
"Respect our captain-resu!"
"…How can I be captain," I muttered,
"when I'm not even the second strongest?"
I turned my head toward the window.
Ripple swam beside the ship.
Still scared.
Still staying close.
"…At least you trust me," I said quietly.
"Spruce… Hajrudin…Gray..? Maybe"
"Even if it's just my skill."
I stood up and walked outside.
The sky burned orange.
"Oi," Gray said suddenly.
"…Were you crying?"
I stiffened.
I looked away fast.
"W-What made you think that?!"
Gray stared at me for a moment… then sighed.
"…So," I said quickly, changing the topic.
"I was thinking about our crew name."
Gray blinked.
"Oh?"
Spruce jumped onto my shoulder.
"What is it, Captain-resu?"
Ripple splashed excitedly beside us.
"…Sol Pirates?" I said.
Spruce's eyes lit up.
"It's good, Captain-resu!"
Gray smirked.
"You're weak… clumsy… reckless…"
I tensed.
"…but damn," he added,
"you're good at naming."
Ripple chirped happily.
Above us, Hajrudin and his crew laughed.
"So! What's for dinner?!"
"I'll cook!" their cook shouted.
Laughter spread across the ships.
The sun sank into the sea.
And my adventure—
continued.
"...Bruhh."