The sea was churning under a dark and chaotic sky. Flames reached into the sky and thick smoke spread in all directions. Floating on the turbulent waters were fragments of shattered ships and countless bodies strewn about. The stench of blood and smoke filled the air.
As the flagship of the Big Mom Pirates, the ship's storage had been filled with not only food and fresh water, but also a vast amount of ammunition, firearms, and gunpowder, nearly packing the entire storage hold in preparation for battle.
No one had expected Pudding to go so far as to ignite the powder magazine. The resulting explosion was catastrophic—not only was the Big Mom pirate ship blown to pieces, but nearby pirate vessels were also caught in the blast, reduced to wreckage by the flying shrapnel.
Smoothie stared grimly at the distant inferno, her lips tightly pressed together. This was not what she wanted.
She had long grown tired of Pudding, that brat giving orders as if she were in charge. Especially after learning that Big Mom had died, the memory of Pudding's commanding attitude only fueled her rage. She couldn't bear the fact that she had once been toyed with by such a girl.
So Smoothie had agreed to the Vinsmoke family's proposal, hoping to eliminate Pudding and claim the title of the new captain of the Big Mom Pirates.
But now, Pudding's actions had destroyed most of the crew's main force and foiled all of Smoothie's plans. How could she not be furious?
Smoothie waved her hand and said through gritted teeth, "Search with everything we have. No matter what, capture Pudding!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Her subordinates immediately moved out in formation, launching a dragnet search across the stormy waters.
"Don't worry," Reiju said as she walked over with a calm smile. "This area is surrounded by our people. There's no way she can escape. It's not so easy to flee across the vast ocean."
Beneath the endless sea, Pudding's body was submerged, her limbs stiff, slowly sinking like a stone into the depths.
She was a Devil Fruit user—possessing the Memo Memo Fruit. But as with all Devil Fruits, her ability came with the curse of being loathed by the sea.
The suffocating sensation crept in, like hands tightening around her throat. She wanted to struggle, but her limbs felt frozen. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move—even a single finger. She could only watch helplessly as she descended into the black abyss.
Was this the end?
Pudding's face turned pale. For the first time, she felt the true terror of death. She had never realized how close it could be.
She didn't want to die!
Just as despair set in, through her blurred vision, she seemed to see a slender figure swimming swiftly toward her…
Then Pudding slipped into the depths of unconsciousness.
In the haze, she faintly heard a voice near her ear—distant yet somehow close, fragmented and unclear.
Cough cough cough—!
A series of harsh coughs brought Pudding back to her senses. Her mind was still foggy, but as she looked up at the figure before her, her gaze slowly sharpened.
Pudding stared at the girl in surprise, hesitated for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Shirahoshi?"
"A-Are you okay?" Shirahoshi asked timidly.
"You… you saved me?" Pudding frowned slightly.
"Yes." Under Pudding's intense gaze, Shirahoshi appeared uncomfortable. Her tail swayed nervously behind her.
Pudding asked, "Why did you save me?"
Shirahoshi's lips trembled. "I… I don't know either."
Seeing Shirahoshi's timid, pitiful expression, Pudding suddenly grew angry and shouted, "You idiot! Why did you save me? Don't you know I'm your enemy? I was the one who locked you up! Have you forgotten that?!"
Shirahoshi flinched, her eyes welling with tears.
"Why are you crying? What's there to cry about? That's all you know—crying!" Pudding pointed at her, furious. "You're such a fool! How did I end up meeting someone like you? If it were someone else, you'd probably be sold off and still be counting money for them!"
Shirahoshi's eyes turned even redder, tears brimming as she looked as if she might burst into sobs any second.
Pudding took a breath, calming herself slightly, and stood up. Coldly, she said, "Showing mercy to others is being cruel to yourself. Kindness is just a mask for weakness. In this world, the one thing you need the least is fake, hypocritical emotions!"
Shirahoshi stood off to the side, nervously pressing her lips together, holding back her tears, deeply aggrieved.
Pudding clenched her fists and growled, "In this world, the only person you can rely on is yourself."
But just then, she seemed to notice something. Frowning, she looked at Shirahoshi and asked, "What's that on your back?"
"N-Nothing," Shirahoshi replied, eyes darting nervously—anyone could see she was hiding something.
Pudding narrowed her eyes. "Turn around!"
Shirahoshi quickly waved her hands. "It's really nothing!"
Pudding raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "You hiding something back there? Turn around, or I'll do it myself!"
"There's really nothing!" Shirahoshi said in a panic. She clearly wasn't used to lying—repeating herself clumsily with an anxious expression that only made things more suspicious.
Seeing her still refuse, Pudding's face darkened. She strode over and grabbed Shirahoshi's smooth shoulder, forcefully turning her around.
But when she saw Shirahoshi's back, her eyes froze!
"This is—" Pudding's pupils trembled.
Before her was Shirahoshi's pale back, and on that soft, fair skin was a long gash—flesh torn and bleeding, the wound gruesome and shocking against the whiteness of her skin.
Pudding looked at her in surprise. "You're hurt?"
"I-It's nothing, it doesn't hurt anymore," Shirahoshi said with a sheepish smile.
"You really are an idiot. I don't even know how you've survived this long!" Pudding snapped. Still scolding, she walked over, glanced at the wound, and then turned and headed off.
When she returned, she was holding a canteen of water from who-knows-where.
"You really are hopeless!" Pudding growled, roughly turning Shirahoshi around again. She poured the water over the wound to clean it.
Shirahoshi's face went pale—the earlier claim that it didn't hurt was clearly a lie.
Pudding gave her a sidelong look. "Hurts now, doesn't it?"
Shirahoshi mumbled something unintelligible.
Once the wound was clean, Pudding lifted her skirt and tore a strip from her undergarment with a loud rip. She wrapped the fabric around Shirahoshi's wound as a bandage.
Shirahoshi lowered her head and softly said, "Thank you."
Just as Pudding was about to respond, her expression sharpened—sensing something unusual. She quickly grabbed Shirahoshi's hand and dragged her toward the cover of the nearby forest.
From the darkness, several figures slowly emerged.
"There was a report just now—someone may have spotted that wretch. She's probably still on this island," Smoothie said coldly as she scanned her surroundings. "Send word—mobilize everyone and capture that woman!"
"That won't do," said Reiju as she walked over, raising a finger and smiling.
Smoothie's expression darkened. "Why not? Are you planning to back out now?"
"Don't misunderstand," Reiju said lightly. "We signed a deal, and I intend to keep my end of it. However…" she stopped mid-step, then continued, "Helping you seize control of the Big Mom Pirates was one thing. But hunting down Miss Pudding is something entirely different."
"What are you saying?" Smoothie asked coldly, her gaze sharp.
"Just what I said," Reiju replied. "These are two unrelated matters. We've already helped you take the captain's seat—that completes our contract. As for the rest, that's beyond our agreement. So, I'm afraid I must decline."
Smoothie's face grew more unpleasant. "Are you toying with me?"
"You misunderstand me," Reiju replied with a sweet smile. "How could I dare toy with the great Smoothie-sama? Besides, the contract was written exactly that way—you reviewed it yourself. Are you now suggesting you'd break your word?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" Smoothie asked, eyes fixed on her.
"Killing me would be easy for someone like you," Reiju said calmly. "I couldn't resist if I tried. But…" Her smile deepened. "As far as I know, the Navy's fleet isn't far from here. After the commotion earlier, they've probably been alerted. They may already be en route. Without our assistance..."
Reiju's smile turned smug.
After the devastating explosion, the pirate crew had suffered heavy losses. Those who weren't injured had fled due to fear of Smoothie's retaliation, leaving behind only her close subordinates.
But those loyal to her made up barely a quarter of the original force, and many of them were wounded. With such numbers, searching the entire island before the Navy's arrival was nearly impossible.
Smoothie's face darkened further. She hadn't expected Reiju to exploit the situation, yet she had no choice. She couldn't afford to offend the powerful Vinsmoke family while surrounded by enemies.
"What exactly do you want?" Smoothie asked coldly. "Just say it straight."
Reiju clapped her hands lightly. "As expected of the new captain of the Big Mom Pirates—so decisive. Don't worry, my terms are quite simple." Her gaze sharpened. "Add another 500 million Berries to the original five."
"Are you extorting me?" Smoothie said through gritted teeth.
Reiju ran a pale finger through her silky bangs and smiled. "You're free to refuse, of course. But if you do, I'm afraid Miss Pudding may slip away. I'm sure you understand how crucial that is."
Smoothie glared at her, and Reiju met her gaze with a calm smile.
After a long silence, Smoothie turned away and snorted. "Can we negotiate a discount?"
Reiju blinked, caught off guard—she hadn't expected the usually cold Smoothie to say something so… normal. The contrast was almost jarring.
Noticing Reiju's surprised expression, Smoothie's face flushed slightly. She turned her head and coughed twice. "Well, you know… the crew is falling apart. The treasure's location is with that wretch Pudding. Right now… I don't exactly have that kind of money."
"Ah, I see," Reiju said with a nod of realization.
"So," Smoothie turned her head slightly, "could I get a little more time?"
"Of course," Reiju replied with a dazzling smile. "You, Lady Smoothie, are a premium client of the Vinsmoke family. Naturally, you deserve the highest quality service. Let's do this—think of that additional 500 million Berries as a loan. Pay it back whenever you're able."
Smoothie's expression softened a bit. "In that case, thank you, Miss Reiju."
"It's the least I can do. However—" Reiju turned away. "Now's not the time to discuss finances. Capturing Miss Pudding is the real priority."
Smoothie gazed into the distance and said seriously, "But it's been a while. With how cunning Pudding is, she's probably long gone by now. If it weren't for you, Miss Reiju, we might have caught her already."
Her tone carried a hint of blame—clearly she was still unhappy about Reiju's opportunistic delay.
Reiju seemed to sense Smoothie's frustration and smiled slightly. "Don't worry. With the clone army in action, no matter how she runs, she won't escape our grasp." Her eyes flicked toward a nearby monitor, and a hint of mockery surfaced in her gaze.
"No! We've been found!"
Pudding's heart skipped. She grabbed Shirahoshi's hand and tried to flee, but it was too late. Shadows darted out from all sides, surrounding the two girls!
They were clad in tight suits, armed with blades and pistols, moving in perfect unison like machines. They exuded a deadly aura—they were the Vinsmoke family's clone soldiers!
"Aha, looks like the little kittens hiding in the bushes have been discovered," Reiju emerged from the crowd with a half-smile. "I was wondering how Miss Pudding, a Devil Fruit user, managed to escape. Now I see—she had help."
"You people!" Pudding instinctively stepped in front of Shirahoshi, shielding her. She said in a low voice, "What did Smoothie offer you? If you're just after treasure, I'll pay you double to get rid of her."
"That won't do," Reiju waved her finger. "The Vinsmoke family has always honored its contracts. Since we already made a deal with Lady Smoothie, we're obligated to follow through. Sorry."
Just then, Smoothie strode over, fury in her eyes. "You knew they were hiding here, didn't you?!"
"Lady Smoothie, you misunderstand," Reiju turned and smiled calmly. "Why would we do something like that? It was just a coincidence—nothing more."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven