The Twin Goddesses sailed at full speed, its incredible velocity sending the wind howling past everyone's ears.
"Hey... isn't this a little too fast..."
Flare had lived in Loguetown all her life. She'd only gone out to sea a few times before, and never at such a breakneck pace. The sudden acceleration nearly knocked her over—she almost fell flat onto the deck if Yemu hadn't caught her in time.
"We don't have much of a choice. The tides of this era are rising, but they haven't reached their peak yet. We're still in a dangerous position. Whether it's the Marines or the World Government, if they decide to deal with us, it wouldn't be hard for them to send some troublesome people our way. That's why we need to keep moving at full speed—for our safety."
"Our pirate ship, the Twin Goddesses, has a propulsion system beyond belief. Even Marine warships can't keep up. But that's only because they don't understand us yet. If they did, they'd try to surround and intercept us, and we wouldn't hold out for long. Enel, Tiger, and I each have our strengths. I can fly. Enel's fast. Tiger can escape into the sea. Catching us won't be easy. But you and Baby-5... you're still not on our level yet."
"Still, don't be scared. As your captain, it's my job to protect you. Unless I die, I won't let you get caught. Hahahaha!"
As Yemu burst into laughter, Flare found herself surprisingly unbothered by how close the two of them were at that moment.
"Besides, you don't need to worry. The Twin Goddesses isn't just fast—we've got a trump card. The Marines won't find us so easily..."
"A trump card!?"
Yemu's warmth reassured her, but Flare still felt uneasy thinking about the dangers ahead. That "trump card" of his was a major comfort.
"That's right. Our Twin Goddesses can sail through the Calm Belt..."
"Eh? But I heard the Calm Belt is full of Sea Kings... Any ship that enters gets attacked, even Marine warships…"
"Yeah… That's exactly why the Twin Goddesses is special. She's built differently. The manual has all the technical details—you can check it out later. For now, all you need to know is that she can move through the Calm Belt without easily being detected by Sea Kings."
"That's amazing."
No doubt about it—this trump card really eased her mind.
But just then, Yemu raised his voice again. This time, he wasn't just speaking to her—it was meant for everyone aboard.
"Even so, you all saw what happened today. Our future adventures are going to be full of danger and excitement. Flare, even though you're our head chef and not a fighter, and Baby-5 is still young, you both at least need to be able to defend yourselves."
"That's why, during this voyage, I'll be training you and Baby-5 in both martial arts and Devil Fruit abilities."
"But just so you know... my training is very strict."
As he said this, Yemu's expression darkened, sending a chill down Flare's spine.
"Get ready to suffer. You might even die. So—are you going to back out?"
With that, Yemu turned to face Flare and Baby-5.
Flare went pale with fear, but Baby-5 clung tightly to Enel's head and said...
"Baby-5's not afraid. As long as Enel-sama needs me, I'll do whatever he wants..."
Enel's face instantly darkened.
"You little brat, don't say weird stuff like that..."
Flare looked at Enel like he was some kind of creep, then rushed over, yanked Baby-5 away, and held her protectively in her arms.
"From now on, you're sticking with me, got it?"
"Eh? But I'm Enel-sama's personal maid..."
"I don't care. You're not going near that pervert again!"
"Hey! Who are you calling a pervert, you nasty woman?!"
"Whoever responds, that's who it is!"
"Alright, alright, that's enough..."
Seeing things veering off track, Yemu quickly stepped in to steer the conversation back.
"Don't worry. Both of you are Devil Fruit users, and very promising ones at that. As long as you stay focused, you'll improve fast."
"Our ship has access to training in the Rokushiki, Haki, and swordsmanship. Those are extremely rare techniques in the Grand Line."
Tiger chimed in at that moment.
"If you need, Captain, I can also teach them Fish-Man Karate."
"That would be amazing. Fish-Man Karate is an incredible martial art."
"So, as long as you're willing to put in the effort, your strength will definitely reach a whole new level before we enter the New World."
Hearing this, Flare straightened up with determination.
"Don't worry. Don't underestimate me. My cooking skills weren't handed to me—I earned them through hard work and grit. I'm not some weak little girl."
Yemu replied simply.
"I believe in you!"
Flare was momentarily stunned, but her heart swelled with courage.
"Annoying guy..."
She hugged Baby-5 tighter and quickly changed the subject to cover up her emotions.
"By the way, there are only five of us on the ship right now? Are we really heading into the New World like this?"
That got Yemu thinking.
"It is a bit small. We have a captain, a first mate, a navigator, a cook, and a maid... but we're still missing a ship doctor and a shipwright. Unfortunately, I don't think we can find the right people at the moment... Tiger, you've been around a lot—do you know anyone suitable?"
"Well, I don't know much about the human world, and I haven't met many humans. But when it comes to finding a ship doctor, there's a country called Drum Kingdom on the Grand Line. It's a well-known medical nation—maybe we'll find someone there. As for a shipwright, we can ask Tom once we reach Water 7."
"Yeah."
Yemu definitely remembered the Drum Kingdom, though most of the details were fuzzy now.
What stood out most was that Chopper was born there—along with his mentors, Hiluluk and Kureha—and that the kingdom's king had the Baku Baku no Mi.
If Tiger hadn't brought it up, he might've forgotten it entirely. That nation was famously known for its doctors in the original story.
Apparently, the island's medical system declined later due to its king, but for now, it was still early. There might still be a chance to find a good ship doctor there.
Even though Yemu was eager to reach the New World quickly for safety reasons, having a ship doctor and shipwright was absolutely essential—especially with how unpredictable and harsh the New World could be.
"Alright then. Let's add Drum Kingdom to our route..."