"Thank you, Lady Kaguya. Thank you for saving us. If you hadn't appeared when you did, we might not have made it." Ain still felt lingering fear as she recalled the dire situation they had just faced.
Thankfully, Lady Kaguya had arrived in time. If not, both she and Teacher Zephyr could have—
"No need for thanks," Kaguya waved her hand dismissively. "By the way, how's old Zephyr's injury?"
Since she was in front of his students, she figured she should at least give the old man some respect.
Ain immediately understood what Kaguya meant and smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, Teacher just suffered some external wounds and lost quite a bit of blood. But it's nothing serious—a bit of rest, and he'll be fine."
"That's a relief," Kaguya said. "Oh, but this ship is already heavily damaged. Even if it holds together for now, it won't last long. You should all come aboard my ship."
"That wouldn't be right!" Ain quickly waved her hands, flustered. "That's Lady Kaguya's ship, and besides, you have your own matters to attend to—"
"It's nothing," Kaguya smiled. "This is just a small matter. Besides, I can't just stand by and watch you all get thrown into the sea to feed the fish, can I?"
"Then… we sincerely thank you, Lady Kaguya." Ain's delicate face flushed slightly with gratitude.
Kaguya noticed her strange expression and asked, "What's wrong? Do you have a fever or something?"
"No," Ain bit her lip lightly and whispered, "You really are a good person."
"No need to thank me. Just call me Liuli," Kaguya grinned.
But before she could react, Ain suddenly stepped closer, stood on her tiptoes, and planted a light kiss on Kaguya's cheek. Then, as if realizing what she had done, she turned away in a panic and hurried off.
In her haste, she failed to notice the doorframe and—thud!—smacked her forehead against it. "Oww!" Ain yelped, rubbing her head.
Kaguya twitched at the sight, feeling secondhand pain just from watching.
This girl… she's quite amusing.
"Come with me for a moment."
Just then, a voice sounded behind Kaguya.
She turned around, smirking. "Old man, don't tell me eavesdropping is one of your bad habits?"
Standing not far behind her was none other than Zephyr.
At the moment, he looked rather battered—his body wrapped in bandages, and his arm encased in a thick cast. It seemed he had suffered a fracture during the battle.
"I have no time to concern myself with the trivial affairs of you youngsters," Zephyr huffed. "But Ain is a simple, innocent girl. I don't want you leading her astray."
"Hey, old man, what's that supposed to mean?" Kaguya said indignantly. "Are you implying that I'm manipulative and scheming?"
"I never said that. Those are your words, not mine," Zephyr replied dryly. But then, after a brief pause, he turned serious. "Still… thank you for saving my students. If it weren't for you…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear. Without Kaguya's intervention, his entire group might have been wiped out.
In the original events, after Edward Weevil's attack, only three people—including Zephyr—survived. The rest of the cadets had either perished in battle or were brutally slaughtered.
After all, Zephyr was getting old, and with his asthma, his strength had significantly declined. It was only natural that he couldn't match a monstrous opponent like Edward Weevil. Besides, he had to protect his students, which limited his ability to fight at full power.
However, there was one thing about Zephyr that Kaguya admired—his unwavering dedication to his students. He cared deeply for them, which was why, in the original story, he was devastated when they were slaughtered.
"If you're just here to thank me, then save it," Kaguya shrugged. "I'm not a fan of gratitude."
"There's another reason I called you here," Zephyr's gaze sharpened. "Why did you join the Navy in the first place?"
"For work, obviously. Why else?" Kaguya replied nonchalantly.
"Work?" Zephyr scoffed. "From what I've gathered, you've been collecting Devil Fruits for quite some time, using various means. That's not something an ordinary person does."
Leaning against the ship's railing, Kaguya smirked. "I like collecting things. Is that a problem?"
"But as far as I know, none of the Devil Fruits you've collected have resurfaced. Which means…" Zephyr's eyes burned with suspicion. "They're no longer in your possession."
Kaguya raised an eyebrow. "Are you spying on me?"
"I don't make a habit of keeping tabs on little girls," Zephyr snorted. "But I have to ask—why do you need so many Devil Fruits? What are you planning to do with them?"
"That's my business, old man. Don't you think you're prying a little too much?" Kaguya said impatiently.
"Don't get me wrong. Actually, the second reason I called you here is…" Zephyr reached into his coat and pulled out an object. His usually stern face broke into a rare smile. "By chance, I happen to have one here. I wonder if you'd be interested?"
Kaguya blinked, surprised. She had expected Zephyr to interrogate her, not offer her something.
"What, don't want it? Guess I'll have to give it to someone else then," Zephyr said with exaggerated regret. "It's not exactly a powerful fruit, but I have a feeling it might be useful to you."
"Who said I don't want it?" Kaguya swiftly took the Devil Fruit from his hand without hesitation. "Since you insist on giving it to me, I won't be polite."
Huh. This old man's kinda cute in his own way.
"One more thing," Zephyr's expression turned serious.
"What now?" Kaguya tossed the Devil Fruit up and down in her hand absentmindedly. "If you're about to give me some kind of warning, don't bother. As long as people don't mess with me, I won't mess with them."
"That's not it," Zephyr shook his head. "I wanted to tell you—your actions have already caught the attention of the World Government."
Kaguya's movements halted. "The World Government?"
"That's right," Zephyr said gravely. "Recently, CP0 operatives have been appearing at Marine Headquarters. They've been gathering a lot of information about you. I suspect they're investigating your activities."
So, it's finally happening.
Kaguya's eyes narrowed.
No matter how discreetly she had collected Devil Fruits, there were bound to be traces left behind. Besides, she had never intended to hide her actions in the first place. She had always known the World Government would take notice sooner or later—but she hadn't expected them to grow suspicious this quickly.
"I don't know what you're planning, nor do I care what you want to do, but…" Zephyr stopped halfway, turned his head, and said, "You'd better not become a pirate. If you do, I won't hold back."
"If it ever comes to that, then so be it," Kaguya shrugged nonchalantly. "You're not blind to the corruption within the Navy, are you?"
Zephyr's body stiffened. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "Even so, I will never back down."
With that, he turned and strode away.
Looks like this old man still hasn't given up hope on the Navy.
Kaguya chuckled. If only he knew about his tragic fate in the original story—would he still be so persistent?
And so, Kaguya's warship carried the group of wounded and weary soldiers back to headquarters. Zephyr truly lived a pitiful life—an old man working tirelessly with no weekends off, no retirement benefits, and refusing to rest at home. Now, he'd been beaten senseless by some reckless brute who had no respect for his elders, almost ending up permanently crippled. That was rough.
It was like an old security guard getting pummeled by street thugs. If Kaguya hadn't happened to be there, who knew what would've happened to him?
As for Kaguya, she continued her journey alone in her small boat. She had snuck out this time, so there was no way she could return with them. If that bureaucratic monk, Sengoku, caught her, she'd surely get an earful. And while she could ignore a lecture, dealing with more restrictions would be annoying.
She had no idea how long she had been sailing. Despite having a Log Pose, the thing was unreliable—it occasionally jumped around unpredictably. As for the nautical maps? Worthless. Whoever drew them must have been blind.
At this moment, Kaguya finally understood the importance of having a skilled navigator. No wonder Golden Lion went to such lengths to kidnap Nami.
When Kaguya woke up from a nap, she found that her surroundings had completely changed. A thick, black fog enveloped the area, the sky was gloomy, and dense clouds loomed overhead—not rain clouds, just an eerie dampness that made the air feel heavy and uncomfortable.
What the hell is this place?
She had only taken a nap.
Now, this was a problem.
Kaguya scratched her head.
Her ocular powers could easily penetrate the mist, but they weren't telescopic. She couldn't see beyond a limited distance, and the oppressive fog surrounding her gave off an unsettling atmosphere.
Suddenly, she spotted a massive black silhouette in the distance, towering like a small mountain.
Could it be an island?
As Kaguya approached, she realized that it did resemble an island—but one surrounded by towering walls. More curiously, there was a gigantic mast protruding from the "mountain's" surface, which struck her as odd.
Upon stepping inside, she found herself in a dense forest. The eerie silence and the oppressive atmosphere sent chills down the spine.
Not that Kaguya was the type to be frightened by such things.
If you couldn't beat me while you were alive, why would you think you could after death?
How childish.
Meanwhile, inside the castle—
"Lord Moria, someone has entered the island."
"Excellent! Capture her immediately! My zombie army shall grow even stronger, hahaha!"
"Yes, Lord Moria. However—"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"I feel like I've seen this person somewhere before."
"Seen before?"
"Yes, she looks very familiar."
"Capture her first. We can interrogate her later."
"Understood, Lord Moria."
Boom!
A deafening explosion sent dust flying everywhere.
Kaguya frowned as she looked down at the foaming creature beneath her feet. "What the hell is this thing? Disgusting."
Beneath her, a massive three-headed beast twitched. Except… one of its heads was that of a fox, crudely stitched together like a ragged doll. Its entire body was wrapped in bandages, emanating a putrid stench.
A zombie, probably.
Kaguya rubbed her chin, uncertain.
Well, either way, the humane thing to do was to put it out of its misery.
With a casual kick, the three-headed beast let out a pitiful Awooo! before soaring into the sky.
Now that she thought about it, this scene seemed oddly familiar. Whatever—she'd figure it out once she went deeper inside.
Kaguya continued forward.
Before long, she arrived at a graveyard, filled with crooked tombstones covered in moss and overgrown weeds. Wisps of eerie ghostly fire flickered in the air, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
Suddenly, a rotting hand emerged from the soil.
A decayed, monstrous zombie clawed its way out, its grotesque face twisted as it let out a silent scream. Just as it struggled to crawl free, Kaguya unknowingly stomped it right back into the dirt, as if crushing a mushroom.
"Hmm? I think I stepped on something…" She paused, puzzled. "Oh well, probably just a rock."
After passing through the dense forest, she reached a towering, grandiose castle. The structure was massive and imposing—if not for the eerie aura surrounding it, it might have made for a decent residence. It even reminded Kaguya of a castle she once had…
Upon stepping inside, she was surprised by how well-furnished the interior was. Plush carpets covered the floors, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, elegant paintings adorned the walls, and the furniture was impeccably arranged. Everything was clean and pristine, a stark contrast to the castle's aged and decayed exterior.
"Hey, anyone here?" Kaguya cupped her hands around her mouth and called out.
"Idiot! Don't you find this even the slightest bit suspicious?!" A crisp, melodious voice snapped back.
A petite figure emerged.
She had long pink hair tied into twin pigtails, a delicate face, fair skin, and large, expressive eyes. Atop her head sat a crown-like hat, and she wore a Gothic-style dress paired with thigh-high stockings and small red shoes. In her hands, she held a tiny parasol, exuding an adorable yet eerie charm.
"Suspicious? Why would it be suspicious?" Kaguya asked curiously.
"Even a pig would know what it means when a creepy castle appears in the middle of nowhere!" The girl huffed before adding smugly, "Not that it matters. You'll be joining Lord Moria's zombie army soon anyway. A little stupidity won't make a difference."
Lord Moria?
Kaguya's expression turned amused.
So… she had wandered right into his territory.
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