The icy sea breeze carried the sounds of fists clashing, roars, and the sharp clang of swords meeting…
Lightning streaked through the dark clouds, and raindrops pattered onto the girl's cherry-pink short hair.
Around her lay a circle of defeated pirates, but the girl herself was starting to tire after the long battle.
"Three days already… huh?"
Sakura Haruno wiped the sweat from her brow, her gaze fixed on the chaotic center of the battlefield, where thunder roared.
Roger's hearty laughter mingled with Whitebeard's deep, booming voice. It seemed like their fight was far from over.
Behind her, the air tore apart with a thunderous crack.
A phoenix wreathed in blue flames let out a piercing cry, its wings folding back as it shot toward Sakura like a streak of light, its yellow claws aimed straight at her.
"Don't get… too cocky!"
A rainbow-like glow of Observation Haki filled Sakura's emerald eyes as she clenched her fist for the umpteenth time.
The rocky ground shattered beneath her step, spiderweb cracks spreading chaotically.
Unstoppable force surged through her, her fist unleashing a ring of devastating wind.
"I've been taking this seriously the whole time, you jerk!"
Even without powerful Armament Haki, her overwhelming strength was enough.
The blue flames, like wax under a hot knife, were shattered inch by inch by Sakura's punch.
The undying flames scattered, and Marco let out a scream as he was sent flying, crashing into the earth.
"Is this girl… a monster?"
The surrounding pirates, witnessing the scene, broke out in cold sweat, their faces streaked with rain and seawater, which they wiped away with trembling hands.
The battle raged on, stretching into the fourth day.
Finally, the dark clouds parted, and warm sunlight bathed the Oro Jackson and the Moby Dick once more.
Members of the two pirate crews mingled in small groups, trading supplies, while the main fighters gathered to drink together.
Sakura, her back loaded with bandages and medicinal powder from Uncle Crokus, moved around treating the wounded.
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the entire island, sending massive waves crashing beyond its shores.
"They're here, huh?"
Looking at the fractured sky and atmosphere, Sakura knew—the Kozuki family was about to board.
Sure enough, after bidding farewell to the Whitebeard Pirates, the Oro Jackson gained six new crew members.
"Shanks, Bucky, that guy's on board now. Pay up—two hundred Berries each!"
Sakura smirked, holding out her small hand and wiggling it in front of the two boys.
"Why?!"
Bucky's face twisted in defiance, but a bet was a bet. His trembling hand reached into his pocket for his wallet.
This wasn't just betting money—it felt like his life was on the line!
Unlike the stingy Bucky, Shanks handed over the cash without hesitation.
But after paying, the curious boy asked, "How'd you know they were coming aboard?"
"Observation Haki, duh."
Sakura winked with her left eye and stuck out her tongue, all innocent and pure.
"You cheated! You CHEATED!!!"
Bucky, now two hundred Berries poorer, turned red as a tomato, steam practically pouring from his head.
Patting his shoulder, Sakura flashed a playful grin. "It's called being one step ahead."
"Damn it!" "Hahaha!"
Shanks, doubled over with laughter, dragged the fuming Bucky away.
That night, the ship threw a grand banquet to welcome Oden.
---
After eating and drinking her fill, Sakura sat alone on the mast at the stern of the Oro Jackson, savoring the cool sea breeze.
"There you are!"
Sakura turned toward the voice.
A man with a plate-shaped hairstyle and strange eyeliner painted on his face climbed up.
"Mo, was my oden stew really that bad? I heard from Roger you're quite the eater."
"Nah, it's just… seeing that dish made me a little homesick."
Sakura propped herself up on the mast, her legs dangling and swinging in the air.
It had been almost a year since she arrived in this world, and she suddenly found herself missing the peaceful days in the Ninja World.
Her parents back there were ordinary, but they showered their daughter with love.
That warmth, something Sakura had never experienced in her previous life, was something she deeply cherished.
But Captain Roger's time was running out. To repay his kindness and the care of the Roger Pirates, Sakura stayed on the Oro Jackson, sailing with them.
Maybe… once Roger achieved his goal, it would be time for her to return to the Ninja World.
After all, the Ninja World had its own wonders and techniques that could fuel her growth, right?
"So, you're really…"
Seeing the moonlight reflected in Sakura's green eyes, Kozuki Oden's expression lit up with excitement.
"No, Mr. Oden, I don't know what Roger told you, but I'm not from Wano!"
Sakura raised a hand, firmly cutting off Oden's wild imagination.
"Huh? Really? I thought I'd found a hometown buddy."
Oden's brows shot up, the eyeliner at the corners of his eyes drooping.
After a moment, he perked up and asked, "But since you're a ninja, you take commissions, right?"
"If it's about daimyo or anything tied to Wano's system, I'm gonna have to pass."
Sakura shook her head, her pink hair swaying in the breeze.
"Why? Don't ninjas need a lord to serve?"
Oden leaned forward, hands on his knees, his smile fading as he tilted his head toward Sakura.
In his world, or rather, in his traditional mindset, that's what ninjas were—blades and swords in the hands of daimyo, tools who offered their lives and loyalty. Sakura's refusal caught him off guard.
At that moment, an undeniable aura erupted from the girl, dark lightning crackling in the sky.
Her rampant Conqueror's Haki declared the will of a newborn king.
"Kozuki, Shimotsuki, Amatsuki, Fugetsu… samurai families, passing down power in a closed, backward system."
"You, representing the Kozuki samurai house, asking me for a favor—it's just another way to prop up samurai rule."
"Do you really think I, a free pirate, would lift a finger for something that rotten?"
"And if a ninja must serve a lord—then I am my own king!"
Oden froze, stunned by Sakura's blunt and piercing words, his clasped hands hovering mid-air.
It wasn't just the roaring Conqueror's Haki before him, but the man's keen senses picking up on something else…
Something vast, indescribable, manifesting through the girl in front of him.
A rejection of rule, a critique of decay, and a rebellion against tradition!
—Yes, rebellion!!!
"That's it! That's exactly it!"
Oden shouted with pure, treasure-hunting glee, his face alight with joy.
He scooped Sakura up, spinning her around on the narrow mast.
"What are you doing?! Put me down, this is dangerous!"
Ignoring Sakura's shrieks, Oden leaped off the mast, carrying her toward the banquet on the deck.
"Roger, Roger, I found what I've been looking for!"
Oden rushed to Roger, holding Sakura up in front of him.
Roger, slightly tipsy, squinted at the pink-haired girl with her messy hair and puffed-up cheeks, then said solemnly, "Oden, my man, I know Sakura's cute, but your son probably can't take her in a fight."
"That's not what I meant, you idiot!"
Oden's eyes rolled back, shark-like teeth bared as he slapped Roger's shoulder with a loud smack.
"Hahaha!"
Roger, unfazed, raised his glass, took a big swig, and burst into laughter.
"I'm serious, Roger! This kid can definitely make my dream of opening Wano come true!"
Oden, setting Sakura down, grew urgent, as if the future he longed for was within reach.
But Roger slammed his glass onto the ground, his Haki flaring for the first time in a warning tone.
"Oden, don't try to chain down the kids' futures!"
---