Hearing Kairos Flint shout, Uta turned back and saw the two pirates who had been chasing her lying lifeless on the ground. A wave of relief washed over her.
Though she possessed the power of the Sing-Sing Fruit, in a situation like this...
She could only run.
Naturally, a big reason for this was the fruit's limitations—it had no real offensive capability. Its main function was to lull people into a trance with her singing and eventually put them to sleep. Not exactly ideal when you're being chased.
"Thank you... thank you so much."
Uta bowed her head in gratitude. Only a fool wouldn't realize that this stranger had just saved her.
"No need to thank me."
As she turned to face him, Kairos Flint couldn't help but feel like she looked familiar. There was something about her—especially her split-colored hair—that tugged at his memory. He tried to recall where he'd seen her before, but the memory remained frustratingly out of reach, like a locked door waiting for the right key.
And just then...
"Uta! Uta—!"
A voice echoed from a distance. A figure ran up, panting heavily, clearly desperate to reach her.
That name—Uta.
Those two syllables were like a key unlocking the vault of Kairos's mind.
"No way..."
He looked at Uta again. That name. That hair. That look in her eyes. It was all too familiar.
The man who had come running—none other than Gordon—finally arrived, nearly collapsing from the sprint. His face was pale and drenched in sweat, clearly not in great health.
He took several deep breaths before speaking.
"Uta, the pirates have landed. Come with me—quickly. It's not safe here. We can come back later, but for now, we need to hide."
Gordon reached out toward her urgently.
But Kairos Flint stepped forward, his eyes sharp.
"Wait a second... you're Shanks' daughter, aren't you?"
He finally recognized her.
That was it. This girl—she was from the latest One Piece movie. He'd seen it not long ago. The plot might've been a bit weak and forgettable, but he watched it anyway—for one simple reason.
Shanks has a daughter.
Just like thousands of other fans, he'd gone to the theater because of that headline. And now, by sheer coincidence, he'd stumbled into her.
Well—technically speaking, she was Shanks' adopted daughter.
But still, what a twist of fate.
"You've got the wrong person. I'm not his daughter."
Uta's voice was low and sharp, her face darkening instantly. At this point in her life, she still didn't know the truth. All she carried was the deep pain and resentment left behind after Shanks had abandoned her.
Kairos's expression softened.
"So... you still don't know the truth."
He spoke with a wistful tone, as if remembering something from long ago.
"The truth? What do you know?"
Uta's heart skipped a beat.
All these years, she had never fully come to terms with what had happened. The abandonment, the silence, the lingering questions—why had Shanks left her behind?
Gordon had always kept things vague. She had long suspected he was hiding something from her. That doubt had grown quietly inside her like a weed, impossible to ignore.
So now, hearing Kairos Flint say he knew something—really knew something—sparked something inside her.
"Yes. I know," Kairos replied firmly. "I know the real reason Elegia was destroyed... and I know the truth behind why Shanks left you behind."
He wasn't trying to show off or act superior. In fact, as soon as he realized who she was, a new idea had formed in his mind.
He wanted her to join his bounty hunter crew.
Not because she was strong—she wasn't, at least not in combat. She barely understood how the world truly worked. But she had something even more valuable:
Her voice.
Sure, in the movie, her powers had spiraled out of control and she'd essentially acted like a female version of Madara or Obito in the One Piece universe. But Kairos couldn't ignore the fact that if she simply focused on being a performer—truly leaned into the power of her fruit—Uta could become the greatest singer in the world.
And that made her extremely useful.
If she joined his team, and her fame grew, it would only be a matter of time before Shanks found out where she was. And once he did...
Well, if Kairos Flint ever found himself in trouble, could the great Red-Haired Shanks really ignore the fact that his daughter—adopted or not—was in danger?
Not likely.
To put it simply: if Uta joined him, she'd be like a living summoning card. In a worst-case scenario, her presence alone could bring the entire Red-Haired Pirates to his aid.
So, why wouldn't he want her on the team?
Even though Kairos was cautious by nature—preferring to grow stronger before diving into dangerous situations—he knew that unpredictable things could always happen.
Having Uta on board wouldn't just be a boost to morale or popularity... it could be a game-changing layer of protection.
An amulet.
And right now, he was going to use the truth as the first step in earning her trust.