Morning came slowly.
Not peaceful.
Just… normal.
—
The sea looked calm again.
Like nothing had ever happened.
—
But the shore still carried traces.
Broken wood.
Burned remnants.
Footprints that didn't belong anymore.
—
Carina stretched.
"…Okay. I like this version of reality better."
—
Kuina stood near the water.
Silent.
Watching the horizon.
—
Tashigi adjusted her glasses.
"…Something is coming."
—
Kevin turned slightly.
"…Yes."
—
Nami looked up from where she sat near the fire remains.
"…That fast?"
—
Kevin didn't answer.
Because it wasn't fast.
—
It was expected.
—
A ship appeared far offshore.
—
Not large.
—
Not impressive.
—
But official.
—
Too official.
—
Carina squinted.
"…That looks like trouble with paperwork."
—
Kuina's hand rested near her sword.
"…Marines."
—
Tashigi nodded once.
"…But not frontline units."
—
Kevin watched silently.
—
The ship anchored.
—
A smaller boat lowered.
—
And it came ashore.
—
First came soldiers.
—
Armed.
—
Uneven.
—
Then—
—
a man stepped off last.
—
Short.
Round.
Sweating slightly despite the calm weather.
—
Captain Nezumi.
—
He looked around slowly.
Not with concern.
—
With calculation.
—
"…So this is the place," he muttered.
—
One of his men whispered:
"…Captain… this is supposed to be a pirate-controlled zone…"
—
Nezumi waved him off.
"…Was."
—
A pause.
—
He looked at the ruins.
The empty structures.
The cleared ground.
—
Then at the group standing nearby.
—
"…You there."
—
Carina pointed at herself.
"…Me?"
—
Nezumi ignored her.
"…You cleared this island?"
—
Silence.
—
Kuina answered first.
"…Yes."
—
Nezumi blinked slowly.
"…All of it?"
—
Tashigi nodded.
"…All threats neutralized."
—
Nezumi's expression shifted.
Not fear.
Not gratitude.
—
Interest.
—
"…Convenient," he said.
—
Kevin stepped forward slightly.
"…State your purpose."
—
Nezumi looked at him properly now.
Measuring.
—
"…We're here for documentation," he said.
"…Reports. Confirmation. And evidence."
—
Carina frowned.
"…That sounds like you're trying to take credit."
—
Nezumi smiled faintly.
"…Credit is irrelevant."
—
A pause.
—
"…Authority is not."
—
He walked forward.
Inspecting the ground.
The damage.
The aftermath.
—
"…Arlong was defeated," he said quietly.
—
No one confirmed it.
No one denied it.
—
Nezumi nodded as if that was enough.
—
Then—
—
he looked at Nami.
—
Longer.
—
"…You're the one from the charts."
—
Nami didn't respond.
—
Her expression tightened slightly.
—
Kevin noticed immediately.
—
Nezumi continued:
"…Interesting. A collaborator surviving the cleanup."
—
Carina blinked.
"…Wait—what does that mean?"
—
Kuina's eyes sharpened.
"…Careful."
—
Tashigi stepped forward slightly.
"…Define 'collaborator.'"
—
Nezumi waved a hand.
"…Irrelevant now."
—
A pause.
—
Then casually:
"…We'll just write the report."
—
He pulled out a small den den mushi.
—
"…This will be simplified."
—
He began speaking into it.
—
"…Arlong Park incident. Pirate crew eliminated. Local threat resolved."
—
Carina frowned.
"…That's it? That's the report?"
—
Kevin stared at him.
"…You are omitting context."
—
Nezumi shrugged.
"…Context doesn't matter to headquarters."
—
A pause.
—
"…Results do."
—
Tashigi's expression tightened.
"…That's not justice."
—
Nezumi smiled.
"…No."
—
"…It's policy."
—
Silence.
—
The air shifted.
—
Not violently.
—
But dangerously.
—
Kuina stepped forward half a step.
—
Carina noticed.
"…Uh… guys…?"
—
Kevin raised a hand slightly.
Not stopping Kuina.
Not stopping anything.
Just watching.
—
Nezumi continued speaking into the den den mushi.
"…Yes. Send confirmation. And prepare bounty issuance for all involved pirate activity."
—
He paused.
—
"…Yes. All of them."
—
Silence.
—
The words landed.
Not loud.
But final.
—
Carina blinked.
"…Wait—bounty?"
—
Nami froze slightly.
—
Kevin's eyes narrowed.
—
Kuina didn't move.
—
Tashigi exhaled slowly.
"…So it begins."
—
Nezumi packed the den den mushi away.
—
"…You people should be grateful," he said casually.
—
"…Recognition is rare."
—
Kevin stepped forward slightly.
"…You are not reporting truth."
—
Nezumi shrugged.
"…Truth is flexible."
—
A pause.
—
"…But paper is permanent."
—
He turned.
—
"…We're done here."
—
Then he stopped slightly.
—
Looking back.
—
"…Oh."
—
A small smile.
—
"…Congratulations."
—
He boarded the boat.
—
And left.
—
Silence returned.
—
But it was different now.
—
Heavier.
—
Not from fear.
—
From awareness.
—
Carina broke it first.
"…So… we're wanted now?"
—
Kuina nodded once.
"…Yes."
—
Tashigi adjusted her glasses.
"…Officially."
—
Nami looked down slightly.
"…That was fast…"
—
Kevin didn't move.
—
But something inside him shifted again.
—
Not emotion.
—
Not hesitation.
—
Understanding.
—
"…Now the world knows," he said quietly.
—
Kuina looked at him.
"…Does it change anything?"
—
Kevin thought for a moment.
Then:
"…No."
—
A pause.
—
"…It confirms it."
—
Carina sighed.
"…I miss when we were just 'random scary people on a boat.'"
—
Nami exhaled slowly.
Then stood up.
"…We should leave before more of them come."
—
Kevin nodded.
"…Agreed."
—
Kuina and Tashigi moved without hesitation.
—
Carina followed immediately.
"…I vote we become famous later."
—
Nami walked last.
—
Looking back at the island one final time.
—
Not afraid anymore.
—
But aware.
—
The ship was prepared.
—
The sea ahead opened again.
—
And somewhere far beyond the horizon—
—
names were being written.
—
Not by them.
—
But about them.