"Genrou-san, you're so heartless. You're just going to toss me aside after using me?"
"I went through quite a bit to smuggle you out of the North Blue and get you here to the East Blue, not to mention evading the Marines."
"You know full well that the Marines are relentlessly hunting you down because of that woman behind you."
Reiju stepped closer to Genrou, wrapping her arms around his as her gaze shifted to the unconscious woman lying on the bed behind him.
Long legs, flowing black hair, and a standard Marine cape—it was clearly Rear Admiral Gion, the candidate for the next Marine Admiral.
"I didn't really have a choice," Genrou replied with a shrug, looking a bit helpless.
"If I hadn't taken her hostage, there's no way I could've escaped from those crazy women under Tsuru's command."
Besides Tsuru and Gion, both of whom were formidable in their own right, even the rest of the female Marine squad onboard was no pushover.
Genrou had only been able to defeat Gion through a sneak attack.
Had he fought them head-on, he doubted he could've escaped with his life.
And with the blood of a Celestial Dragon on his hands, he could already imagine what the Marines would do to him if he were caught.
"As for you, Reiju-san…"
"I'd honestly love for you to stay by my side."
"Your navigation skills are exactly what I need."
"But with that genetic programming forcing you to obey Judge's orders, I simply can't keep you around."
"If someday I find a way to remove that genetic command and you still want to sail with me, I'd be more than happy to have you."
Genrou smiled.
"If I could break free of my father's control… maybe I really could sail with you," Reiju sighed, her smile at that moment carrying genuine warmth.
"Alright, enough sentimentality, Reiju."
"Take this troublesome Gion woman off the island for me—that's the last thing I ask of you."
"If we return her to the Marines, maybe they'll stop chasing me like rabid dogs."
Genrou gently pulled his hand from Reiju's embrace, grabbed his blade—Kinpira, taken from Gion—and turned to leave.
"Wait, Genrou."
"Before you go… why did you kill the Celestial Dragon?"
"From the way you describe it, you seemed to be doing pretty well for yourself in the World Government."
Reiju asked curiously.
"Well… I guess after seeing so much darkness, I started longing for the light."
With a casual wave, Genrou stepped out of the ship without looking back.
Leaving behind Reiju and the heavily sedated Gion.
"Longing for the light… did he see something unbearable on the Celestial Dragon's ship?"
Reiju furrowed her brows slightly, recalling the days spent with Genrou and thinking of the nature of the Celestial Dragons. She found it very possible that Genrou had simply reached his limit with their atrocities.
"Forget it. That's not for me to dwell on."
"Better get this woman somewhere far away, maybe to a Marine base."
"Then I'll return to Germa 66."
Reiju shook her head and turned to look at Gion.
Her eyes landed on a hastily scribbled kanji for "正" (meaning "correct" or used as tally marks) written on Gion's long thigh.
A smirk crept across her lips.
"I wonder what kind of face Vice Admiral Gion will make when she finds out about Genrou's little prank."
…
"Wow! That snail's huge!"
"Koby, look at that! Isn't it awesome!?"
On the shores of Shells Town, Luffy, donning his straw hat, stared in awe at the giant snail-drawn ship docked nearby.
"Y-yeah, totally! I didn't know snails could pull ships…"
The pink-haired, glasses-wearing boy Koby pushed up his nearly falling glasses, equally amazed.
"Koby, look! Someone just got off the ship!"
"That's gotta be the ship's owner!"
"I've decided—I'm gonna invite him to join my crew!"
Luffy shouted with excitement and, before Koby could say anything, bolted toward the man who had just jumped off the ship—Genrou .
"I'm Luffy, the man who'll become Pirate King! Be my crewmate!"
"…Hmm?" Genrou blinked, surprised to see the Straw Hat kid standing in front of him.
'Straw Hat Luffy? I really just ran into him…'
'And that little guy over there must be Koby.'
'Which means… the story is just getting started?'
Genrou raised an eyebrow, thoughts flashing through his mind as he shook his head at Luffy.
Had this been right after he first arrived in the One Piece world, he might have been tempted to join the Straw Hat Pirates and go on a classic adventure.
But now, it had already been over ten years since he'd crossed over.
He had fully mastered Rokushiki and all three types of Haki.
His combat strength was enough to go toe-to-toe with even an admiral candidate.
Given that, he didn't see any reason to join Luffy's crew.
"Sorry, but I'm not…"
[Ding! You have received an invitation from the Child of Destiny in this world. Do you accept?]
[If you accept, you will awaken the "Strongest Heroic Spirit Template System," which allows you to enhance yourself and your allies with Heroic Spirit templates.]
Genrou: "…"
…
(End of Chapter)
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