The sky visible through the window was gradually changing.
Thick clouds rolled in, hiding the blue, with strengthening winds and rising waves.
Wendy, standing by the wall, gazed outside and muttered softly,
"The weather's turning. A storm's coming, perhaps?"
"Puts me in a foul mood. I'm not great with rain. Don't hate it, but…"
Kiri grumbled, seated at a table in her private quarters, snacks and tea set before him.
His handcuffs had been removed upon entering, leaving his hands free. Yet, he didn't act out, casually picking at the snacks with his fingers.
His lack of manners only drew a smile from Wendy. She sat across from him, ready to resume their conversation.
"Clothes dry yet?"
"Sorta. Getting there, but not perfect."
"Yet you didn't change?"
"Not keen on becoming a marine."
"Want to borrow my clothes? Underwear included, of course."
"I'll pass. Not my thing."
"Hehe, shame. They'd suit you."
Wendy lifted her teacup with refined grace, tilting it elegantly.
Kiri's expression darkened as he watched her.
"Handcuffs off—is that okay?"
"No worries."
"Talk about underestimating me. Guess you don't even need guards for just me."
"I'm not underestimating you. But don't forget—I'm strong too."
"Sounds about the same…"
Kiri gave a wry smile, wiped his hands with a cloth, and leaned back.
Was there a point to this conversation?
He wasn't planning to die or rot in a cell. Giving up wasn't an option. His eyes darted around the room, searching for an opening. No sign she'd noticed—unless she was letting it slide.
Bookshelf to his right. Paper napkins on the table.
His clothes weren't fully dry, but his ability could still work if he didn't rush.
Her strength was unknown. Could he win? She looked young but held the rank of commodore. A headquarters commodore—far beyond someone like Morgan, whom he'd fought before.
Her softened expression didn't fool him. Kiri observed her cautiously, ready to fight at any moment.
"Do you take after your father or your mother?"
"That again… Doesn't matter who I came from. My parents are dead. Even if they were murdered, I don't hold grudges. Hatred and revenge are endless."
"Cold. Such a waste for a pirate."
"Thanks, but I'm not joining the marines."
"Pity. Shall we change topics?"
Wendy recrossed her legs, taking the lead.
Unlike Kiri, she was relaxed—almost too relaxed, which made her all the more dangerous. Her ease felt like a prelude to fear.
He stayed on guard, tension easing from his body.
"When did you become a pirate? Not a recent thing, I bet."
"Five. My parents died, and a pirate ship came to my village—not to raid, but for supplies. They seemed like good people. I'd heard pirate stories from my dad, so I snuck aboard and set sail."
"And became one of them?"
"They were against it at first. But the captain allowed it, and I joined that day."
"Where to after that?"
"Two years roaming East Blue. Then the Grand Line. Sailed for nearly five years until pirates wiped out my crew. I was the only survivor."
"Then you traveled alone?"
"Stuff happened. Not talking about it."
"Something shady, huh?"
"Maybe. Dig if you want."
"I will. In time."
Smiling, Wendy accepted his challenge.
She'd planned to investigate anyway. There was a past she needed to uncover. He didn't know it, and those who did were likely dead. She'd have to dig thoroughly.
If her suspicions were correct, he might have hidden potential.
A talent only the chosen possess. Perhaps a candidate for Conqueror's Haki.
Caution and curiosity drove her focus on him.
"You traveled the Grand Line. How far?"
"Not the second half. Just hopped around the first. Saw plenty of places."
"Like where? Tell me about your adventures."
"We're not that close."
"We will be. Let's get to know each other."
"You're awfully fixated. Not even sure if I'm telling the truth."
"Woman's intuition. Mine's said to be spot-on. We'll get along."
Kiri sighed, shrugging. She was tough to deal with.
Probably a bad match. Sitting at the same table felt like a losing game.
"I became a marine because I grew up watching my grandpa. Looking back, I might've admired him—chasing his rival endlessly."
"That rival being me?"
"Maybe. But you're here, caught by me. Wonder what happens next."
Her words made Kiri frown.
"You want me to escape? No way."
"Hehe, no. If it sounded like that, my bad. No funny business, okay?"
Wendy took another sip of tea, smiling, then shifted her posture to change the topic.
"Being an inspector's tough. Traveling everywhere, long voyages, dealing with lying officers, and being shunned by the navy. Grandpa handled it well."
"Couldn't do that job."
"Right? I'm half-tempted to become a pirate. …But being an inspector's not bad. It gives me freedom to move—Grand Line to East Blue. There are all kinds of marines, so I've got to visit several branches. Shells Town was one, but headquarters sent backup to help."
"Not interested."
"Means I can chase you anywhere, like Grandpa did."
"Stalker vibes. Quit the marines."
"Thanks for the advice. But maybe you should quit being a pirate. Then I wouldn't have to chase you."
"You've caught me but keep talking about chasing."
"Hehe. Shall we get deeper?"
Her smile turned serious, heightening Kiri's alertness.
"Geographically, you were at Warship Island, right? I'm heading there to meet an officer. Navy's Eighth Branch—Admiral Nelson Royale."
"Never heard of him. Not famous, huh?"
"Oh, he's known in East Blue. They say he's unmatched in naval combat here."
"But there's always someone better. Grand Line's a different beast."
"Harsh, but true. He's only good at naval combat. Honestly, I wonder how he stays in the navy."
"What's this admiral want with Warship Island?"
"Know the Millennium Dragon legend? He's after them, apparently."
Millennium Dragon. Kiri knew the name—a creature from storybooks, its location unknown, spoken of as legend.
Hearing it now was surprising.
"Millennium Dragons on Warship Island?"
"Not certain, but Nelson Royale's searching for their nesting grounds."
"Typical power-hungry nonsense. Probably wants eternal life."
"I think so too. Not very 'justice' of the navy."
"So why tell me?"
Wendy just smiled.
That was it.
Her cryptic grin made Kiri fall silent.
As he sipped his tea, the cup emptied. The ship began to rock—a full-blown storm had hit.
After an odd silence, Wendy spoke.
"It's getting rough."
"Yeah."
"You said you don't like rain."
Kiri felt the strange tension and went quiet.
Rain, whipped by strong winds, battered the walls. A knock came at the door. Someone else had arrived.
Their silent stare-down ended as Wendy glanced over.
"Come in."
"Excuse me."
A lieutenant entered, soaked from the rain, standing tall at the entrance.
"Commodore, an unknown ship's approaching. They're flying a flag… Pirates."
"The mark?"
"Unfamiliar. A skull with a straw hat."
"I see."
Wendy locked eyes with Kiri, her smile fading.
The room grew tense.
The lieutenant sensed it too. The two seemed calm, but something was off.
A moment of silence. Thunder roared outside.
Wendy broke the quiet, addressing Kiri, who no longer smiled.
"Hehe. Your captain coming to save you?"
Silence lingered for seconds.
Then, Kiri suddenly kicked the table. It flipped, scattering snacks and tea, spinning toward Wendy.
Using the momentum, he fell back with his chair, rolled, and leaped to the bookshelf behind him.
As the lieutenant reached for his weapon, Kiri touched the books.
"What the—!?"
A flurry of paper burst from the shelf, swarming the lieutenant. It wasn't lethal but clung to him, pushing him out and sealing the entrance with a paper wall.
No reinforcements. Just the two of them now.
Kiri turned his gaze back to Wendy.
In that split-second exchange, he was stunned.
The room was a mess—snacks and tea scattered, table and chairs flipped. Yet Wendy stood unscathed, her suit and coat spotless.
How had she dodged the table?
No sign of movement. She was in the same spot. The table lay overturned behind her, clearly in its path.
Kiri gripped paper in both hands, on guard.
Her strength was real. She was a commodore for a reason.
"You've trashed my room."
"How'd you dodge that? You shouldn't be there."
"So, you're a paper-user. I heard about the holster under your parka, stuffed with paper. Your swaying made sense—you hate getting wet. That's why you dislike rain."
"Not answering?"
Kiri swung his arms, sending hardened paper like bullets toward Wendy.
They should've pierced her.
But as they hit, his eyes widened.
The paper passed through her, leaving no mark, as if she wasn't there.
It embedded into the opposite wall.
His ability had worked, despite his damp clothes.
Something else was at play. Kiri clicked his tongue.
"Devil Fruit user…!"
"Miss Deep, they call me. Guess I'm not that famous yet."
Kiri reached for the bookshelf, dumping all the books. Pages tore free, dancing in the air.
His paper-manipulating ability, paired with a weapon, was versatile.
If attacks didn't hit her, he'd test how much she could dodge.
A wall of paper surged toward her.
Wendy nodded, unmoving.
At the moment of contact, she jumped slightly.
The paper passed through her, continuing backward. She landed effortlessly, brushing her hair.
It was clear now. Her body didn't touch objects.
Likely a Devil Fruit ability suited for evasion.
"An ability to phase through objects…"
"Correct. You're observant."
"So attacks don't hit. Your commodore title's no lie."
Kiri bundled paper into weapons, stabbing them into the floor. With a twirl of his right hand, paper swords scraped the deck.
Not an attack to defeat her.
Something worse.
Wendy's expression shifted. As she moved, more paper flew, targeting her feet.
She'd figured out his ability's nature. Forced to jump without using her power, she dodged physically.
In that moment, Kiri's ability carved through the floor, and he dropped to the lower deck, feeling weightless.
He chose escape—and more. He planned to target the other marines.
On the sea, losing the ship meant death, ability or not.
He aimed to destroy it.
Wendy quickly phased through the floor, following.
She landed in chaos—marines scrambling, preparing for battle as an enemy ship approached. Some readied weapons, others loaded cannons. It looked like pandemonium.
Kiri was easy to spot.
Unlike Wendy, who phased, he'd broken through the floor.
Surrounded by enemies, he attacked in all directions.
Paper weapons flew, and paper puppets knocked marines aside. Some were cut, others bowled over by paper wolves. The ship was in unprecedented chaos.
Kiri snatched a saber from a marine, eyeing a cannon.
"Already loaded? Thanks for the quick work."
"Hey—!"
He kicked the marine aside, lit a match from his hand, and ignited the cannon's fuse.
He slashed the ropes securing it.
As the fuse burned, the ship's rocking sent the cannon rolling, its barrel now aimed inward.
With a mischievous grin, Kiri covered his ears.
Wendy shouted, "Everyone, get down!"
The cannon fired.
Had it faced outward, it'd be fine. But the blast tore through the ship's wall, causing a massive explosion. A gaping hole opened.
Rain and waves poured in. Kiri hurriedly retreated to a dry spot, locking eyes with Wendy's stern gaze.
"You're good… Quite the pro."
"Wrecking ships solo is my specialty. My ability's handy."
"You're livelier now. Enjoying the chaos?"
"Nah. I'm just happy my crew's here."
His smile softened, his eyes gleaming with a new energy.
Wendy sighed, shaking her head with a wry smile.
"Pity. I wanted to get along."
"We can, but we've got our roles."
Kiri summoned paper, forming a snake puppet and lighting its tail with a match.
A fanged owl puppet flapped nearby.
Directing both toward the cannons, he grinned.
"Don't care what you think. I'm not stopping. Try and stop me."
The owl darted through the chaotic marines, cutting cannon ropes.
As the ship rocked, cannons slid. The snake slithered, lighting fuses one by one.
Explosions followed, punching more holes in the ship.
Damage was mounting.
Waves swept marines overboard.
Wendy clenched her teeth, scolding her shaken crew.
"Hold on for dear life! Fall into the sea, and you're done!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Drenched in seawater, Wendy brushed her hair back, noticing Kiri had vanished.
Off to destroy another part of the ship?
Despite hating rain, he moved freely indoors.
She'd underestimated him. She thought she could handle him, but he exceeded expectations.
Frustrating, yet part of her was thrilled.
This was how it should be. She was surprised to find herself enjoying it.
A blast echoed from the rear—likely the powder magazine.
He knew the ship's weak points.
This could sink them.
She hurried toward the sound, unlike the panicking marines.
Oddly calm, she almost seemed to relish the chaos, searching for Kiri with a smile.