"No way, this isn't happening!"
On the deck of the Oro Jackson, a blond man with glasses and a long sword at his waist shook his head firmly, rejecting the idea.
"This kid looks barely six years old. You trying to turn the ship into an orphanage, Roger?"
The blond man was none other than Roger's right-hand man, Silvers Rayleigh.
He unbuttoned his collar, crossed his arms, and glared at Roger.
"But Sakura's a ninja!" Roger said, lifting Sakura Haruno by her arms like a kid begging his mom to adopt a stray puppy. "Ninja stuff is super cool, right?"
Rayleigh's face twisted like he was nursing a stomachache, watching his captain's usual antics flare up again.
Heaven knows the chaos that erupted years ago when they found baby Shanks in a pile of treasure, and Roger insisted on keeping him despite everyone's objections. A bunch of single guys who'd never even touched a woman, trying to raise a baby? What a joke.
Yet somehow, Shanks grew into a fine young man, and nobody knew better than Rayleigh how much effort he'd poured into making that happen. Roger just went out fighting, while Rayleigh, the quartermaster, had to deal with all the logistics.
With a heavy sigh, Rayleigh walked over to Sakura, crouching down to her level. His piercing gaze locked onto hers, a glint flashing across his glasses, making his thoughts unreadable.
"Roger, kids don't belong on a ship like ours, let alone a little girl."
"What's wrong with a girl? Girls can—"
Roger started to argue, but Rayleigh raised a hand, shutting him up.
"You're the one who told Roger you wanted to join us, right? Why?" Rayleigh asked, his sharp eyes boring into Sakura.
As Roger's long-time partner, Rayleigh had a knack for sniffing out trouble. As one of the sea's top powerhouses, with the same kingly qualities as Roger, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
His intense stare locked onto Sakura through his glasses. Roger, a legendary pirate, was a target for countless enemies. Sending a kid to assassinate him wasn't unheard of on these seas.
If Sakura showed even a hint of guilt under his Haki's pressure, Rayleigh—vice-captain of this legendary crew and known as the Dark King—would make her regret it.
"B-because… I want to see the vastness of this sea!" Sakura stammered, dazed by the impact of Rayleigh's Haki but voicing her deepest desire.
Why should I be stuck in the background?
In her past life, she was ordinary, mocked in the ninja world, and likely to be swept away by the tides of this sea. In these vibrant, extraordinary worlds, there was no place for someone average.
So she'd fight for one.
The moment she met Roger for the second time, Sakura made up her mind to seize every chance to grow stronger. One day, she'd stand on the world's greatest stage, facing off against the mightiest pirates and ninja.
Joining this legendary pirate crew was her ticket to that dream.
"I want to see the view from the top!" she declared, gritting her teeth, her willpower turning into a weapon.
The young girl swung an invisible blade at the powerhouse before her.
Boom!
Her Haki roared, a surge of pure will. Black lightning crackled around her small frame, her pink hair fluttering in the wind, her emerald eyes blazing with unyielding determination.
Her raw, defiant Conqueror's Haki clashed fiercely with Rayleigh's, dark sparks flying as the sea around them churned. Sea beasts and birds scattered in fear.
Conqueror's Haki!
The Roger Pirates' crew watched, stunned.
Rayleigh intensified his own Haki, his overwhelming presence growing stronger. Sakura began to falter under the pressure.
"Enough! Stop!" Roger's voice boomed, black lightning erupting as his own Conqueror's Haki—forged at the pinnacle of the seas—cut through their clash. His aura, vast as the sky, enveloped them, effortlessly neutralizing their wills.
"Hey, lighten up, Rayleigh," Roger said, stepping between them and ruffling Sakura's hair. "Look at this kid! No way she's an assassin."
"Strictly speaking, ninjas are assassins," Sakura said earnestly, brushing sweat-soaked hair from her forehead.
"I'm trying to vouch for you here, kid! What assassin has this kind of spirit?" Roger shot back, rolling his eyes and playfully messing up her neat hair.
"I just… didn't want to lie to you," Sakura mumbled, lowering her head.
Seeing her rare moment of vulnerability, Roger quickly pulled her over to Rayleigh, using her pitiful look to plead with his stern vice-captain.
"You're always causing trouble, and I'm stuck playing the bad guy!" Rayleigh groaned, rubbing his forehead.
What a headache of a captain. Who knows how much more grief he'd cause?
"Fine. Welcome aboard… uh, what's your name?"
"Sakura Haruno!"
"Sakura it is." Rayleigh's lips curved into a smile as he shook her hand.
"Alright, crew!" Roger shouted, drawing out his words to hype up the team. "To celebrate our new ninja joining us—let's party!"
"Yahoo!"
The Oro Jackson erupted in cheers. The ship's cook opened the reserves, and the pirates took turns challenging Sakura with drinks—only to be outdone by her juice-chugging prowess.
"You idiots! She's drinking juice, not rum!" Roger laughed, slapping his thigh. "Chug it, Sakura! Don't let Uncle Sambel outdrink you!"
The young girl, unable to drink alcohol, held her juice triumphantly.
"Keep talking, kid! Wait till you're old enough to drink!" Sambel, the fishman, downed his wine and collapsed, red-faced.
"Hahaha!" Sakura's laughter rang out, unrestrained for the first time in this world.
As her giggles mixed with the crew's, musician Jackson Banner strummed a lively tune.
Yo-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho!
Yo-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho!
Binks' sake, delivered to you!
Riding the breeze, riding the waves, wherever we please!
The sunset calls, the tides roar!
Birds sing, circling the sky!
Farewell, old port, our woven home!
Sing a song of the sea, a song of adventure!
Swaying to the pirates' rhythm, Sakura looked up as a plate of roasted meat was set before her. A certain blond, tsundere uncle adjusted his glasses.
"You drank all that juice—eat some meat, or you'll get heartburn tonight."
"Oh, Uncle Rayleigh, didn't you know tsundere's out of style?" Sakura teased.
"Shut it!"
She grinned, devouring the meat. The other pirates, seeing her enthusiasm, passed her their portions, treating her like the youngest kid at a family feast.
"This is… amazing," Sakura murmured, a little tipsy despite not touching a drop of alcohol.
[Notification: Achievement Unlocked—Roger Pirates' Apprentice. 40 Achievement Points Earned.]
[Notification: Sufficient Achievement Points Collected. Activate Dimensional Travel Function?]
No!