"Look! Something got blown out!" Kasa exclaimed as he spotted two figures flung from the shattered enchantment by the swirling vortex of energy and smoke.
"It's Rin!" Artoria's sharp eyes instantly recognized Rin among them. Without hesitation, she sprang into the air with the agility of a seasoned warrior similar to how the Kuja warriors move and gracefully caught Rin mid-fall.
"Ugh, I'm so dizzy…" Rin mumbled, clutching his head in confusion. The violent spinning of the purple-black tornado-like enchantment had clearly tossed him around several times before ejecting him, leaving him dazed.
"Rin, are you hurt anywhere?!" Artoria landed softly, laying Rin down and immediately inspecting him with a seriousness befitting a knight sworn to protect her captain, scanning him meticulously for wounds.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, it's no big deal. Though that was way too close!" Rin forced a sheepish grin, brushing it off like the light-hearted captain he aspired to be, despite knowing how dangerous the situation truly was.
"Hey, kid." A calm but deep voice interrupted Uncle Bone Erosion, who had also been hurled out by the vortex, was already standing sturdily in front of Rin. His swift recovery showcased his extraordinary physical resilience something rare even among experienced Fishmen fighters, who were known for their toughness.
"What are you trying to do?!" Kasa immediately stepped in front of Rin, muscles tensing. From what the crowd earlier had murmured, this fishman had been the one fighting Rin inside. Seeing him approach like this set off alarm bells.
"Sword of Promised Victory!" Artoria didn't hesitate—she drew her sacred blade, Excalibur, and pointed it at Bone Erosion with a fierce gleam in her eyes, the blade's ethereal radiance reminiscent of how Mihawk's Yoru releases killing intent just by being drawn.
"What an intense aura!" Uncle Bone Erosion recoiled slightly, caught off guard by the raw, overwhelming power radiating from Artoria's sword. The pressure reminded him of the feeling when top-tier haki users like Shanks or Rayleigh exerted their will clearly, these companions of Rin's were no ordinary fighters.
"He's a friend don't misunderstand!" Rin, regaining his balance, hurriedly waved his arms. Seeing Artoria go into full defense mode startled him, it was clear they had mistaken Uncle Bone Erosion for an enemy due to the tension.
"Huh? Isn't he the guy who fought you just now?" Kasa asked, confused by Rin's sudden defense of the very person he thought was a threat.
Artoria, hearing Rin's words, immediately sheathed Excalibur without a word she trusted Rin's judgment absolutely, like a knight obeys her lord.
"Stand down, I have something to discuss with him." Rin commanded Kasa with a firm tone. No argument necessary.
"...Tch, alright." Kasa clicked his tongue in frustration but obeyed, stepping back reluctantly.
"Uncle Bone Erosion, will you join our pirate crew now?" Rin, wasting no time, asked with a broad smile, extending the invitation once again.
"Ahem my answer remains the same. When you can truly defeat me, I'll follow you wherever you want." Uncle Bone Erosion chuckled. His terms hadn't changed, much like how characters like Jinbei chose to join Luffy only when conditions aligned with their personal code.
"Then… where are you headed next?" Rin asked with respect, not pushing further.
"Me? I'm going to roam this world. I never got the chance when I was alive. Now that I'm... well, like this, it's time I see what's out there." Uncle Bone Erosion said with a hint of melancholy. His plans sounded much like a Ronin's journey traveling across the seas to experience the world firsthand, and one day return home to honor his deceased family.
"Are you going to travel in that body?" Rin glanced at Uncle Bone Erosion's current Fishman form thinking it might be inconvenient, especially above water.
"For now, yes. If I find a better vessel later, I'll consider transferring." Uncle Bone Erosion tapped his body lightly. As a fishman, movement on land would be more challenging, but manageable for someone of his strength and swimming was no longer an option since his soul wasn't fully alive anymore.
"What about Van der Decken IX?" Rin asked, his mind flashing back to the infamous fishman who had terrorized Princess Shirahoshi for years with the cursed Matatabi powers.
"That strawbag? He's dead. His soul was weak couldn't even satisfy my appetite." Uncle Bone Erosion said flatly. When he had emerged from the Bone Erosion Blade and taken over Van der Decken's body, he had devoured the original soul entirely meaning Fishman Island would no longer live under the shadow of Van der Decken's harassment.
·········
"Then… when will we meet again?" Rin asked, a little wistfully. Strong allies like Uncle Bone Erosion weren't easy to come by, and their bond, though born of battle, was genuine.
"The road ahead is long. Somewhere, someday, I'll be there waiting for you to catch up." With those words, Uncle Bone Erosion leapt high, disappearing into the shadows with the silent agility reminiscent of how powerful swordsmen like Ryuma once moved.
"Heh, what an interesting man." Rin chuckled, watching the spot where Uncle Bone Erosion had vanished. His swordsmanship, his story, and his sheer will made him one of the most intriguing figures Rin had ever encountered.
.....
"Captain, seriously, who was that guy?" Kasa came over, still curious and impressed. Rin wouldn't have tried to recruit him unless he was exceptionally strong likely on par with Anilu, Artoria, or Kasa himself.
"Him? His story goes back more than a decade." Rin said cryptically, smiling as if he knew an epic saga that the others could only guess at much like how Nico Robin would hint at ancient histories she had glimpsed.
"Rin, are you sure you're okay?" Artoria approached, reaching out to inspect him again with a serious expression, unwilling to overlook any hidden injuries.
"I'm really fine." Rin assured her, though he rubbed his temples. The earlier spinning and the impact had left him dizzy, but no real harm done.
"Grrrr…" At that moment, Rin's stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl.
"Eh after all that fighting and swirling, of course I'm starving! Come on, let's hurry back to Ryugu Palace—I'm gonna faint if I don't eat soon!" Rin laughed, clutching his growling belly. Without wasting another second, he led Kasa, Anilu, and Artoria back toward the grand halls of Dragon Palace City, their spirits lifted by survival—and the promise of a hearty feast.
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