"Uncle?"
The twelve-year-old boy suffered a heavy blow, his smile stiff:
"Do I really look like an uncle?"
Hina turned around, gave him a once-over, and said:
"Short stature, bloated and obese face, approaching strange girls without reason—not just an uncle, but a creepy one at that."
"Hina dislikes this."
The light pink-haired girl spoke with complete indifference, closing the small notebook in her hands before turning to leave.
An awkward atmosphere filled the deck as passengers with children silently distanced themselves from Dier.
Holding a lunchbox and sandwiches in one hand, Dier pursed his lips in displeasure.
Kids these days have no manners.
After finishing their act on Coron Island earlier, he and Robin had disguised themselves and boarded this red passenger ship.
Now, as evening fell, he had just gone to the second-floor cafeteria to pack dinner.
On his way out, he noticed the pink-haired girl looked somewhat familiar and went over to greet her.
Only to be labeled a creepy uncle.
Fortunately, the girl's speech pattern helped confirm her identity.
"Future Marine Hina, Cage-Cage Fruit Ability User. Is she also from the West Blue?"
Dier rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He only remembered the origins of the Straw Hat crew and some major supporting characters.
Like Robin and Bege from the West Blue, the large group of important characters from the East Blue, Germa and Law from the North Blue.
And from the South Blue... what's-his-name.
As for supporting characters like Hina who only appeared a few times, remembering her name was already impressive.
Wait, isn't she a Marine? Why is she writing news articles?
Was the future Marine Rear Admiral's childhood dream to be a journalist?
This world really is absurd.
Dier leisurely carried the food back to his room, not planning to seek out Hina again.
Having hypnotized Bege during the day and publicly demonstrated his Flame Power control, he was too exhausted to attempt hypnosis again now.
Meanwhile, Hina returned to the suite to face her parents' interrogation.
"What were you doing out there again?"
Dean's slicked-back hair gleamed with oil, his facial features appearing particularly small under the pressure of fat. His expensive tailored suit strained against his large belly, the trousers pulled tight.
He pointed a gold-ringed finger at Hina, his face full of disappointment:
"I don't expect you to take over the family business, but can't you at least learn etiquette, take dance lessons, and find me an excellent son-in-law soon?"
"Father, I'm only fourteen."
"That's right, dear, our daughter is only fourteen this year."
Tilly, dressed in an ornate gown, placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, the carefully crafted gold bracelets clinking against jade with crisp sounds.
"I heard there happens to be a prince your age on the next island. How about we introduce you two as friends?"
"No, Hina doesn't like that."
Tilly's hands tightened, her smile growing brighter:
"So cold, Hina. That prince is the only son of a World Government-affiliated kingdom's king, you know?
If you disappear without a word like last time, Daddy and Mommy will be very angry~"
"Father, Mother, I'm going to my room."
Hina broke free from Tilly's grasp, clutching her small notebook tightly as she walked heavily back to her room.
They had booked a suite, so everyone had their own private space.
Click~
Closing the door, Hina sat silently on the bed, staring blankly at the vast, endless sea outside the window.
This kind of meticulously planned life is truly detestable.
Her family was wealthy.
But money didn't equate to power.
Her father had always hoped she would marry a prince from an allied kingdom, thereby elevating their family to royalty in one swift move.
To that end, Dean had imposed countless rules on her—addressing her parents with honorifics, taking small, delicate bites at meals, sitting with perfect poise...
Each rule was like an invisible chain, wrapping around her layer by layer.
It suffocated her.
Hina had no desire to enter into an arranged marriage with nobility and had long planned to run away from home.
But she didn't know what to do after leaving or what profession to pursue.
Now, she was trying things one by one, determined to find a career she truly loved.
"Cross out writer too—I didn't feel any excitement while writing."
Hina pulled out the small notebook where she had previously drafted articles, flipped to the first page, and drew a line through the words "professional writer."
Besides this, the page was densely packed with other professions: farming, perfume sales, bartender, pirate, marine...
"If all else fails, I'll just join the Marines. Anything but an arranged marriage!"
She stretched lazily, planning to take a bath first, then read in bed before going to sleep.
The setting sun was gradually swallowed by the horizon as the bright moon rose, dotting the sky alongside countless stars.
"What lovely weather. Looks like another calm night ahead."
"Let's have a drink. I got some good stuff from Joeven."
"Then we've got to try it. I'll have the kitchen whip up some snacks."
The sailors dropped anchor and wandered off in small groups, enjoying the peaceful night.
Sailing ships rarely traveled at night. Once darkness fell, they would choose a calm stretch of sea to drop anchor and remain stationary for a while.
The sailors, exhausted from the day's work, would rest, leaving only a few on watch to keep an eye out for pirates or storms.
The night deepened.
Knu, one of the lookouts, couldn't help but yawn as he stared listlessly at the sea.
Was there really any need for a watch tonight?
This wasn't the Grand Line—the weather wasn't so unpredictable. Tonight was breezy and cloudless; no storm could possibly arise.
The chances of a pirate attack were slim too. Under the cover of darkness, neither hunting prey nor chasing targets was convenient.
Knu wrapped his blanket tighter around himself, intending to take a short nap.
He wasn't the only one on watch—surely not everyone would fall asleep.
Before long, the sound of snoring drifted from the crow's nest atop the mast.
Masked by the sound of waves, no one noticed Knu had dozed off.
BEEP! BEEP!
A shrill whistle pierced the air, jolting Knu awake as a desperate shout rang in his ears:
"SEA BEAST!!!"
Sea Beast? What Sea Beast?!
Splash—
A sharp bull's horn broke through the water's surface as an enormous black bull's head slowly rose, its crimson eyes fixed on the passenger ship like it had spotted a mortal enemy.
Seawater sprayed onto Knu's face as the monstrous creature loomed before him.
Frozen in place, Knu suddenly remembered the stories told by the elders in his village.
"Those massive monsters fall into two categories—those with mammalian upper bodies are Sea Beasts, while the rest are Sea Kings."
"Sea Beasts don't behave like ordinary animals. Bulls can't even distinguish the color of a cape—they charge because the fluttering fabric provokes them."
"But bull-headed Sea Beasts are different."
"I saw one when I was young. That creature would charge at the sight of red as if it were its mortal enemy, determined to impale it."
"You ask how I escaped? By throwing the red sailcloth into the sea and rowing back with oars, of course."
Boom!!
The bull-headed Sea Beast rammed into the passenger ship.
With the sound of splintering wood, Knu fell from the lookout tower and lost consciousness.
"Ahhh!!!"
A piercing scream rang out as passengers jolted awake from the violent shaking. Those near the windows had already spotted the enormous bull's head.
"What is that?!"
Hina's face paled with terror. She rushed out of her room, instinctively searching for her parents.
Even if she disliked them, most children would seek their parents' protection in times of danger.
"Father! Mother..."
Staring at the wide-open door of the master bedroom, Hina froze. The empty room showed no sign of anyone.
Did they abandon me?!
She clenched her back teeth, her eyes slightly moistening.
This wasn't the time for tears!
Wiping her eyes, she dashed out of the suite in her pajamas.
The ship lurched again, causing Hina to stumble and fall into the opposite suite.
"Ouch!"
She groaned softly from the pain in the back of her head.
Through her dazed vision, Hina saw a handsome youth pulling a long-haired girl by the hand.
Petals scattered, and in the blink of an eye, the youth transformed into the lecherous middle-aged man she'd encountered that evening.
The man grabbed her wrist and shouted:
"What are you staring at? Run for your life!"