Within the Ice Sea Passage, two pirate ships sailed steadily across the frozen waters.
With the ferocious penguins already wiped out by Jin, there were no longer any obstacles ahead. The route was completely clear as they advanced straight toward the Achino family's main base.
It wouldn't be long before they arrived.
Behind the Thousand Sunny, the damaged pirate ship being dragged along by ropes swayed gently on the sea.
On its deck, Stanson and the others stared blankly at the Sunny, their minds still struggling to catch up with what had just happened.
It wasn't until Luffy's voice rang out that they finally snapped back to reality.
"You guys are way too strong…"
Ayer said, staring at Luffy in disbelief. "You defeated those people so easily."
Back then, even when all of them fought together, they couldn't beat Brindy alone.
Yet the Straw Hat Pirates had crushed them without breaking a sweat.
"Of course!" Luffy grinned widely. "We're really strong!"
"Then… what was that water dragon?"
"Oh, that was Jin's ninjutsu. Pretty awesome, right?"
"So strong!"
Ayer exclaimed in shock. "That's ninjutsu?!"
"So this is the power of legendary ninja… no wonder."
With strength like that, even entering the New World wouldn't be dangerous at all.
Maybe they really could gain a foothold there.
"Hahahaha! Jin's super strong!"
Luffy laughed loudly.
Being praised for his companions always made him happy.
"A pirate crew with a total bounty exceeding one billion…"
Stanson swallowed nervously.
"Eh?!"
"Over one billion?!"
Ayer and the others stared at Luffy in shock, their eyes practically popping out.
One billion!
That number was insane!
Their Phoenix Pirates' captain only had a bounty of one hundred million at most!
"Huh?"
"I didn't tell you?" Luffy tilted his head.
"No you didn't!!"
Ayer shouted with his mouth stretched wide like a shark.
If they'd known earlier, they wouldn't have dared think even a little crooked.
Stanson: ...
He suddenly realized—yeah, he really had forgotten to mention it.
"Luffy…"
Chopper ran out from the cabin, his small backpack already strapped on.
"Chopper, are you done with the treatment?"
"Yeah." Chopper nodded. "He's awake now."
After all that treatment, the man had not only escaped death, but had also regained basic mobility.
"Then let's go."
Chopper had already done what he wanted to do—there was no reason to stay longer.
"P-please… wait…"
A weak male voice came from inside the cabin.
With Gino's support, a man slowly walked out.
"Captain Pazel, be careful."
"I'm fine."
Pazel shook his head and looked at Luffy.
"You're the captain of this ship's doctor, right? Thank you."
"Our things were all taken… so we don't even have anything to repay you with…"
"It's fine."
Luffy smiled. "I just respected my ship doctor's wishes."
"No need to thank me."
Chopper scratched his head shyly. "I was just doing a doctor's duty."
Pazel pressed his lips together.
He truly hadn't expected to meet pirates like this.
"I heard you're heading to the New World?"
"Yeah."
"The New World is extremely dangerous."
A shadow passed through Pazel's eyes.
He remembered his vice-captain's death—
that meteor falling from the sky, shattering their dream in a single blow.
The New World wasn't a place for ordinary pirates.
Charging in recklessly meant only death.
"Mr. Pazel…"
"I'm fine."
He patted the child beside him, then looked at Luffy again.
"I just want to warn you. The danger there is far beyond what you imagine."
"We'll find out once we get there," Luffy replied casually.
"Even if it's dangerous?"
"No matter what danger we face, we'll break through it!"
Luffy grinned brightly. "Because we're strong!"
That confident smile made Pazel's mind go blank for a moment.
For an instant, he saw his younger self.
Back then, he had been just as fearless… just as certain he'd become Pirate King.
"…I see. Then I wish you good luck."
"Yeah."
"Chopper, we're leaving."
"Okay!"
As the two walked away, Ayer hurriedly shouted,
"Captain! They're going to challenge the head of the Achino family—we should prepare too!"
"Prepare for what?"
Ayer froze, then said urgently,
"Prepare for battle, of course!"
"We have to take back the Phoenix Pirates' flag!"
"…The pirate flag."
Pazel looked up at their mast, his expression complicated.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"We don't need the pirate flag anymore."
"Why?!"
"Because… we're no longer pirates."
"Captain—you…!"
Ayer stared at him in disbelief.
Was this really the man known as the Undying Phoenix?
"Luffy… they…"
Chopper glanced back worriedly.
"Chopper, they're not pirates anymore."
Luffy didn't look back. "Let's go."
"…Okay."
Chopper said nothing more and hugged Luffy's leg as they walked.
"Damn it! How could Mr. Pazel say something like that?!"
Gino's eyes filled with tears.
"Gino…"
"Even if Mr. Pazel quits being a pirate, I'll still take back the flag!"
With that, Gino ran after Luffy.
"Doctor! Luffy! Please wait!"
Luffy didn't turn around—but he didn't leave either.
"Please take me with you!"
Gino said seriously. "I can fight too!"
"Pirate battles are cruel, Gino."
"I'm not afraid!"
Gino clenched his fists.
"I must take back the Phoenix Pirates' flag!"
"Even if you die?"
"Even if I die!"
Hearing that determination, Luffy suddenly smiled.
"And me!"
"And us too!"
Ayer and the others rushed forward.
"Please let us fight as well!"
"You guys…?"
Pazel stared at his crew in disbelief.
"Captain…"
Kuku looked at him quietly.
"I don't know why you lost your fighting spirit—but I believe the Undying Phoenix will return someday."
"So we must take back the pirate flag!"
"Please, let us join."
Their words struck Pazel deeply.
For a moment, his expression wavered—
but when he remembered his vice-captain's death, that flame dimmed again.
Luffy didn't look at him or anyone else.
He simply smiled.
"I'm not stopping you from following."
"If you're not afraid of death—then show me your resolve."
With that, Luffy stretched out his arms and grabbed the ship's railing.
"Until we reach our destination, this rope won't be cut."
Whoosh—
In the next instant, Luffy launched himself back with Chopper, flying toward the Thousand Sunny and landing firmly on the deck.
"Thump."
"I'm back."
Jin glanced over.
"Healed?"
"Yeah," Chopper nodded.
"He can move now. As long as he doesn't fight intensely, the wound won't reopen."
Then Chopper noticed the two unfamiliar figures on deck.
"Eh? Who are they?"
He looked at Arubelu, then at Lilu.
Especially Lilu—
she was sitting on the swing beside Merry, chatting happily like close sisters.
The sight completely confused him.
"They're the bounty hunters we fought earlier," Jin said.
"Didn't you see them?"
"After Luffy came back, I went to check on the captain again," Chopper said.
"Ah, that explains it."
Jin nodded, then added,
"They're prisoners. We kept them to guide the way."
As he spoke, he shot Arubelu a glance—clearly a warning.
She shuddered and immediately lowered her head.
"Don't worry. I won't try anything again."
Earlier, she'd thought about secretly leading them in circles to stall for time.
But the moment Jin glanced at her—
she'd seen something utterly terrifying.
She'd nearly wet herself.
From then on, she didn't dare have even the slightest scheme.
Chopper blinked.
Though he didn't know what had happened, since Jin said so, he didn't question it.
"Hey, Jin—be gentler with ladies!"
Sanji scolded, handing Arubelu a cup of tea.
"Miss Arubelu, have some tea to warm yourself~"
"Th-thank you…" she replied.
Strangely enough, the pervert was the most polite one here.
Her feelings were… complicated.
"Merry, so you're the legendary ship spirit!"
Lilu said curiously while sitting on the swing.
"How were you born?"
Merry tilted her head.
"I don't really know either."
"One day I suddenly had a body, and I could secretly come out to help repair the ship."
"Hehe—when I first did that, I totally scared Usopp!"
She giggled, clearly remembering something funny.
Usopp's face instantly darkened.
Hey! That wasn't his fault!
In the middle of the night, a mysterious figure appeared on the ship repairing things and smiling at him—
from his perspective, it looked like a ghost baring its teeth in the fog!
Not peeing himself was already impressive, okay?!
"Oh~"
Lilu smiled mischievously.
"Then that Usopp guy must be really timid~"
"Hey! What did you say?!"
Usopp protested.
"I'm a brave warrior of the sea!"
"Lilu, don't say that," Merry said seriously.
"Usopp isn't a coward."
"He's fought in many battles. He's a real man!"
Merry knew this well.
Even if Usopp talked big or got scared—
when it truly mattered, he never ran.
"Merry…"
Usopp teared up.
"She really gets me… she's basically an angel!"
"Yeah! Usopp is really strong!"
Chopper added.
"I've fought together with him befo—"
"W-wait!!"
Lilu stared at Chopper in horror.
"T-the raccoon talked!!"
"I'M NOT A RACCOON!!"
Chopper exploded.
"I'm a reindeer! A reindeer!!"
"You even have antlers!"
"Ah… sorry."
Lilu apologized sincerely.
"So you're a reindeer."
"Since you apologized, I'll forgive—"
"But reindeer don't talk either!"
Chopper: ...
So that's the real problem?!
"I ate the Human-Human Fruit!"
Chopper shouted.
"I'm a reindeer who became human! Remember that!"
"A Devil Fruit user…"
"Chopper is our ship doctor," Merry explained proudly.
"His medical skills are amazing. There's almost nothing he can't cure."
"Eh?! Then he's a miracle doctor!"
"J-just because you praise me doesn't mean I'm happy!"
Chopper twisted shyly—clearly delighted.
Lilu blinked.
Was he… embarrassed?
"Hahahaha!"
Luffy burst out laughing.
"They're really fun!"
"Such a clever little girl," Robin said gently, watching Lilu.
"What do you mean?" Nami asked curiously.
"It's obvious," Robin explained.
"She realized Merry's position in our crew."
"If she becomes Merry's friend, at the very least she won't be killed."
From Lilu's perspective, they were terrifying pirates.
Who knew if they'd suddenly decide to kill her?
But if Merry pleaded for her—
maybe even her sister could survive.
A very smart choice.
Though what Lilu didn't expect—
was that Merry's purity would make their friendship genuine.
"She really is smart," Nami smiled softly.
It reminded her of her younger self.
"Hey! I can see the Achino family buildings now!"
Franky shouted from the bow.
At once, everyone's expression sharpened.
Luffy adjusted his hat.
"Alright, everyone—prepare for battle."
"Oooh!!"
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