"Run for your lives!"
"Get out of my way!"
"Where are the sailors? Someone drive that monster away!"
Strong men shoved each other, desperate to escape the corridor.
Once-elegant noblewomen screamed hysterically, venting their terror.
Dier had no intention of using the corridor—he kicked through the window instead.
The Sea Cow was rampaging on the left side, leaving the right side they faced relatively safe.
Robin activated her ability, constructing a rope with her arms for the three of them to climb down.
Soon, they reached the deck.
Without hesitation, Dier led the two women to the lifeboats.
To be precise, they were small sail-less canoes.
Neatly arranged at the stern, they served more as psychological comfort for the crew.
Dier also found a megaphone.
"Recording~"
"That Sea Cow only attacks red objects! Lifeboats are here!"
"That Sea Cow only attacks..."
After setting the megaphone to loop, Dier quickly pushed the lifeboat into the sea.
This was all he could do with his limited abilities.
Waiting longer might mean losing even this chance to escape.
As the ship continued rocking violently, he timed his jump perfectly, pulling both women onto the small boat.
Robin activated her ability again, four slender arms rowing the paddles.
Hina looked back and saw two figures leaping onto another lifeboat.
From their silhouettes, they resembled her father and mother.
...
"Seriously, what's the purpose of this species? Just to die en masse and scare people, leaving a mark in history?"
Dier leaned against the boat's edge, knees drawn up, voicing his exhausted complaints.
How could such bizarre creatures exist in this world?!
They had an obsession with red, going berserk to destroy anything crimson.
The passenger ship was red. The Red Line was red too.
Thirty years ago, changing ocean currents altered the migration route of the Black Sea Cows.
They passed by the Red Line and collectively crashed to their deaths there.
The blood-soaked waters floated with cow heads—an event history recorded as "The Red Cow Incident."
"An extinct species reappears, and we just happen to encounter it? Someone's definitely targeting us!"
"Enough complaining. At least we survived."
Robin patted Dier's head reassuringly.
Earlier, she had been the first to identify the Black Sea Cow and proposed their escape plan.
Fortunately, both were accustomed to life on the run—sleeping together, keeping essentials by the bedside.
Otherwise, even if they escaped, they'd likely be lost at sea.
Robin pulled out a nautical chart and compass from her small bundle to determine their current position.
"It's too dark. Need some light."
"Right."
Dier obediently extended his glowing right hand.
This month's acquired ability: bioluminescence.
Could emit full-body or localized glow—soft and non-dazzling, perfect for nighttime reading.
Robin held his hand, periodically checking the compass as she calculated their precise location.
The semi-illiterate Dier, having nothing better to do, turned his gaze to Hina beside him.
The pajama-clad girl sat hugging her knees, shivering, tear stains still visible on her face—a picture of pitiable vulnerability.
"Here, wear this."
Dier handed her a suit jacket, unconsciously activating his hypnosis power:
"Though I don't know what you've been through, how about following me from now on?"
Having saved her on impulse before, he naturally couldn't let her run away now.
"Ouch~ Robin, why are you pinching my hand?"
"Nothing, stop fidgeting."
Robin didn't even look up, continuing to study the nautical chart while holding his hand.
Hina took the offered suit jacket and draped it over herself, avoiding eye contact with Dier.
She buried her head in her knees and asked in a muffled voice:
"I'm grateful for saving me, but... who exactly are you people?"
"Hina is confused."
The lecherous middle-aged man had vaguely transformed into a youth, then back to middle-aged, and now into a youth again.
During her earlier escape attempt, she'd already noticed she could even see the top of Dier's head.
The middle-aged persona was clearly a disguise - this handsome face was his true appearance.
"Don't you check bounty posters when writing articles?
I'm Kali Dier, the accomplice - the one who took hostages and set fire to that restaurant on Coron Island."
So the woman beside him was the Child of the Devil?!
Hearing this, Hina raised her head in astonishment to look at Robin.
She still had some impression of the 79 million Belly bounty on the Child of the Devil.
"Expected some terrifying monster... didn't think she'd be somewhat cute instead."
"Hina is shocked."
Dier: "..."
Wasn't I just introducing myself?
Why is this person looking at Robin instead?
Hina pursed her lips and extended her hand, creating a half-meter long, thumb-thick black spear:
"I'm a Cage-Cage Fruit Ability User. I can create sturdy bars to restrain enemies, or make black spears like this for attacks."
This was a power she'd accidentally gained while experiencing farm life, one that nobody knew about yet.
A princess consort didn't need combat abilities - telling her parents would only make them more demanding.
"I have nowhere to go now. Please let me join you!"
"Hina is nervous."
She wasn't stupid - having seen the faces of two wanted criminals, there was no way she'd leave unscathed.
Better to join outright and secure better treatment.
After all, piracy was a legitimate profession too.
Robin looked up curiously - why was this person staring at me?
"If you want to join, ask Dier. I follow his lead."
"Y-yes!"
Hina turned awkwardly, surprised that the decision-maker wasn't the 79 million Belly criminal but the 1,000 Belly one.
She bowed deeply toward Dier, presenting the black spear with both hands:
"Please let me join!"
"Hina is embarrassed!"
"Announcing it makes it even more embarrassing!"
Dier commented on her verbal tic as he accepted the spear, testing its hardness between his fingers - quite sturdy.
"Welcome aboard, Miss Hina."
"Take a seat quickly before we capsize."
"Yes! Hina obeys!"
The fourteen-year-old recruit became the oldest member of their small crew.
Robin was ten, Dier twelve, and Hina fourteen.
They might be the youngest pirate crew in existence.
"Got it!"
Robin exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a spot on the nautical chart:
"We're here now, and there's an island directly east."
"Great!"
Dier waved grandly: "Set sail!"
Newcomer Hina took up the oars willingly.
Robin periodically checked the compass to ensure they stayed on course.
Dier tied a line to the half-meter black spear and began fishing at random.
About five hours later...
After relentless efforts by Robin and Hina, they finally caught sight of the island.
Their small boat landed on a deserted stretch of gravelly shore, with a dense forest looming not far ahead.
Without delay, the three of them pressed forward into the woods.
Dier was eager—they wanted to hunt some game in the forest.
It was early morning, and lingering mist veiled the trees in a hazy glow.
"Someone's over there," Hina whispered, pointing deeper into the forest.
Following her finger, they could faintly make out two figures arguing about something.
"Robin, listen to what they're saying."
Robin nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as she activated her Devil Fruit powers.
Two small hands materialized in the distance—one with an eye in its palm, the other with an ear.
Through the eye, Robin could see the scene unfolding deeper in the woods.
Beside a fallen black bear, two burly men dressed as hunters were quarreling over the kill.
But their argument left Robin utterly baffled.
"This bear was shot by me, you bald, bearded Dier! Don't start trouble!"
"Don't think I'm scared of you just because you're Hunter Deal! I'm the one who cut this bear down with my blade!"