One piece: Black Cat

Somehow, I managed to finish it. No, I was surprisingly effective out there.

The marines' attacks were strangely sophisticated, and some posed real danger. I barely avoided them using pure instinct and reflexes. This really highlighted just how pathetically weak the East Blue marines were in comparison. The difference was like comparing sitting ducks to actual combatants who could land a hit if you dropped your guard for even a second.

From what I could tell, the entire skirmish lasted roughly thirty minutes. While their attacks managed to connect, I blocked each one methodically. Breaking through their coordinated defense took an exhausting amount of time.

If there had been more marines, or even one additional warship, this could have turned dangerous, I mused, wiping sweat from my brow. The salt air stung my cuts, reminding me how close some of those strikes had come.

Or worse—if that Hina had managed to activate her "Black Cage" technique... I would have been finished. The girl I'd deliberately targeted first, worried she might get caught in the crossfire, was roughly my age. The irony wasn't lost on me.

"Captain, everything wrapped up?" Daz's gravelly voice cut through my thoughts.

"Ah, yeah. Everything went according to plan... mostly." I glanced around, noting the conspicuous absence of the island's residents. "Speaking of which, where did all those panicked islanders disappear to?"

"Horohoro!" Perona's distinctive laugh echoed across the beach. "They scattered like frightened mice the moment they saw you slice through that warship's mast!"

"Where exactly did they run to?" I asked, genuinely curious. It wasn't as if this small island offered many hiding spots.

Not that I particularly needed them anymore, but still...

"Some barricaded themselves in their homes, others fled to the mountain caves," she replied with another giggle.

"I see..." I turned toward Daz, noticing something odd. "By the way, there's smoke rising from your forehead. What happened?"

"I got shot," he stated with the same casual tone someone might use to comment on the weather.

"AHAHAHAHA!" I couldn't contain my laughter. Any normal person would be writhing in agony—or dead. Yet here was Daz, discussing a bullet wound like a minor inconvenience.

"That must have been quite the surprise for whoever shot you!"

Daz's scarred face cracked into a fearless grin. "Oh, they were definitely surprised."

The mental image of some poor marine's face when their bullet simply bounced off Daz's steel-hard skin sent me into another fit of laughter. "I really wish I could have seen that! The islanders probably thought you were some kind of monster."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he shrugged.

This world had video communication technology—I wondered if there was some way to record and store such priceless moments. Sky Island's dial technology seemed promising for that sort of thing. Something to investigate if we ever made it up there.

"Anyway," I said, turning my attention to Perona, who was floating nearby with her usual ethereal grace, "regardless of our future plans, we should leave this place immediately. Staying here is asking for trouble."

The marines from that battle would undoubtedly conduct a thorough investigation. Plus, there had been no real point in my being here in the first place—I'd always planned to leave eventually.

Daz nodded knowingly. "Makes sense."

I completely agreed. The islanders might not realize it yet, but their community structure was fundamentally broken. They'd grown dependent on having someone to blame, someone to sacrifice for their problems. They'd probably continue blaming Perona's "curse" for a while, but once she vanished, they'd simply find a new scapegoat. Most likely whoever was currently trying to coordinate their response to this crisis.

"I honestly never expected to be branded a pirate," I admitted, running a hand through my hair.

"That's rich coming from you, Captain. You were the one doing the recruiting, but I never imagined it would escalate to this level," Daz replied with dry humor.

He had a point. This situation had spiraled far beyond my original expectations.

"Horohoro! Well, traveling with you two seems like it'll be much more entertaining than staying here," Perona chimed in, her ghostly companions bobbing around her shoulders.

"Then it's settled. Let's become pirates."

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters...

"I never thought a man of your caliber would be defeated by some rookie from the East Blue."

"I apologize, Fleet Admiral Kong." The lieutenant's voice carried the weight of professional humiliation.

"No, don't apologize. I misjudged our enemy's capabilities."

The battle report from that remote island wasn't glowing—it was a bitter pill to swallow, a black mark on the records of several promising marines.

"At least there were no fatalities," Kong noted, his weathered hands folding the report.

"That's the strangest part, sir. Despite clearly having lethal intent, the enemy seemed deliberately avoiding casualties. One of our trainee officers heard him say as much during the engagement."

Kong's eyebrows raised slightly. "Another remarkable individual has surfaced."

"Yes, sir. I was shocked. Never expected someone of this caliber to emerge from the four seas, let alone challenge Grand Line-level opponents."

The lieutenant shifted uncomfortably, transferring the Den Den Mushi's receiver to his other hand. He flexed the fingers that had gripped his saber during the fight, muscle memory replaying those terrifying moments.

"That man's attacks were definitely real. In fact, I could see them coming. No—" He paused, searching for the right words. "By the time I could see them, they were already connecting."

A low growl emanated from the Den Den Mushi's speaker, Kong's frustration palpable even through the connection.

"It's remarkable that he taught himself Soru, Geppo, and Rankyaku techniques. The real concern is determining what other abilities he's mastered. The reports suggest at least six different sophisticated combat techniques."

"I've reviewed statements from the other officers aboard your vessel."

"No warning signs, no sound. Is that accurate?"

The lieutenant's voice dropped to barely above a whisper. "It sent chills down my spine. Even though he was standing directly behind me, I had no idea he was there until he spoke."

"The crew members I interviewed earlier corroborated this account."

—I think the marines behind you saw it... I just came running.

"Nothing was seen or heard. When he disembarked, he left no trace on the ship's deck."

"I've been a marine for two decades, but this was the first time I've been caught completely defenseless from behind."

"'Stealth,' hmm? What a terrifying individual."

"Yes, sir. Most likely."

"Between Kuro's 'Stealth Foot' technique and this man's mastery, they've developed skills sophisticated enough for the New World."

One Month Later...

"So we're heading to the East Blue first?"

It had been a month since Perona officially joined our crew. After systematically defeating assassins from the five major crime families (who kept targeting us for reasons I still didn't understand), countless bounty hunters, and the occasional pirate crew when we needed supplies, we'd finally found temporary refuge on a secluded island.

Despite the apparent calm, our ship remained hidden in an inconspicuous cove. We'd been secretly restocking supplies while disguised with simple accessories like sunglasses and worn caps, hardly foolproof, but effective enough for quick shopping trips.

"There are various resources stored throughout the East Blue that I need to retrieve," I explained, checking our hastily drawn maps. "Plus, we still only have three crew members. It makes sense to recruit additional people while we're there."

"What kind of people are you looking for?" Perona asked, her hollow ghosts circling curiously around my head.

"Ideally, individuals with mental manipulation abilities. I've been thinking about this for a while now."

The only person I could identify with certainty was Django, the hypnotist. His skills might prove invaluable for advancing our Haki training—assuming we could convince him to join us instead of trying to arrest us.

"For now, let's focus on acquiring proper equipment. We've finally saved enough money for decent gear."

"Why don't we just rob the islanders? That's what pirates do, right?" Perona suggested with disturbing casualness.

I grimaced at the suggestion. Something about it felt fundamentally wrong—like it would invite terrible luck down upon us.

"I'd rather not make enemies of innocent people unnecessarily. Besides, recruiting you alone was worth this entire detour. That's accomplishment enough."

And I meant it. Having Perona join our crew at this stage was incredibly significant. Her Hollow-Hollow Fruit abilities could neutralize most opponents without permanent harm—a perfect fit for someone who wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Of course, we lived in a world where neglecting combat training meant swift death, so I tried not to rely too heavily on any single advantage.

"That's sweet of you to say, but as a result, we haven't been able to afford anything decent besides food and basic clothing," she pointed out with a slight pout.

"Sorry about that. I did want to spend some money on proper attire though."

"Are we all getting black suits?" Daz asked, his tone suggesting he already knew the answer.

"Exactly. Professional and practical, don't you think?"

Black suits it was. Daz looked naturally intimidating in formal wear, and Perona appeared surprisingly elegant. Since skirts would be impractical for the rough work ahead, I figured matching black suits would give our crew a distinctive, professional appearance.

"Anyway, we should prioritize equipment first. Daz doesn't really need weapons, but Perona, you should consider some form of self-defense."

"Do I really need it?" she asked, her ghosts performing lazy loops around her shoulders.

"It's important to have backup options. There are opponents out there that even your abilities might not affect."

While it was unlikely we'd face one of the Four Emperors anytime soon, I couldn't rule out skirmishes with high-ranking marine officers. In those situations, Perona's comedy-specialized powers might prove insufficient.

Advanced Haki could probably counter her abilities entirely, I mused.

"Fair enough. So what's our next job?" she asked.

"We're going to raid a smuggling vessel belonging to one of the five major families. Should be quite profitable, so I'll organize the ship's cargo hold afterward. I'll do my serious shopping once we've secured those funds."

After that raid, we'd finish cleaning up the West Blue and head east. If I wanted to, I could probably carry both of them and use Geppo to travel much faster, but that would be exhausting over long distances.

"Hmm... wait, what?" I paused mid-step, something catching my attention.

"Captain?" Daz's voice carried a note of concern.

"No, sorry. Just a second."

I'd been trying to move an empty barrel, but it felt unexpectedly heavy. Was there something inside?

Lifting the lid, I peered into the dark interior.

"...Ah..."

A small girl with jet-black hair and matching eyes was curled up inside, fitting perfectly within the barrel's confines. I recognized her face immediately from the bounty posters I'd flipped through back on Perona's island.

"You've got to be kidding me."

The current center of chaos throughout the West Blue.

Nico Robin was hiding right here in our ship.

"Um, well..." she began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Help me, someone. Anyone.