"Dr... Chu Feng?"
Looking at Chu Feng walking out of the dissipating mist, Kirito's worry didn't lessen in the slightest—what exactly was the deal with that unidentified girl he was carrying?!
"Ah, don't mind her. She's just a patient."
A patient?
Kirito facepalmed hard.
The person in your arms is the one who almost tore the entire ship apart just now!
That is clearly a "Highly Flammable and Explosive Dangerous Item," okay?!
It is definitely NOT a patient!!
"Eh?" As if reading the doubt in Kirito's eyes, Chu Feng gave him a teasing glance. "Kirito-kun, it seems the number of ships you've torn apart isn't exactly a small number either."
Ugh... struck a nerve?
But it was completely different! That thing just now was a pure berserker rage!
Unfortunately, Chu Feng had no intention of giving him time to argue further.
"No more questions." He lightly kicked off the deck, returning to their small boat with Rei Ayanami in his arms.
"Ah... you really are a handful, Doctor."
Shaking his head as a vent, the Dark Repulser that had appeared out of thin air vanished once more.
"In that case, I'll just have to vent my frustrations on you lot." Turning his head to look at the terrified slave-hunting crew, Kirito's face went completely dark.
"Wait, please let us explain—"
"No, I refuse." With a near-tsundere reply, Kirito pointed his sword at the men nearby. "No more questions!"
Hey, hey, hey! Are you a child?! You got lectured by your elder so you're taking your temper out on us?!!!
"Don't blink."
With a light scoff and a flash of green light, his blindingly fast blade drew a dark green streak across the air. In an instant, everything in the path of that sword light was sliced clean in two.
This was no joke! Zack nearly regretted his life choices until his guts turned blue. These weren't some survivors lost at sea; they were a group of maritime monsters that devoured anyone who dared provoke them!
The battle itself was boring. Facing Kirito, these low-level slavers were no match. The real problem arose after everyone was dealt with.
"So..." Kirito stared blankly at the "soon-to-be-slaves" on the deck who were still panicking despite being rescued. "I didn't think about what to do with them after saving them!"
It was true. This was the Calm Belt. No ships passed through here, and this sea vessel—which could have sailed the Calm Belt—had been rendered unrecognizable by the previous "mishap." Simply put, it was no longer seaworthy.
Furthermore, the slaves kidnapped here weren't all from the same place. Stuck at sea, they wouldn't be able to survive for long.
"So reckless~"
That flippant male voice rang out again. When he reappeared before Kirito, Chu Feng had already changed into a fresh suit.
"Eh? Doctor, you're okay now?"
"Now, now, don't say that. I'm actually very tired." Chu Feng put on a fake weak expression. "After all, I just finished performing emergency treatment on Rei."
"Rei?" Kirito was unknowingly led away from the original topic. "The girl from before?"
"Precisely!"
"You know her?"
"How should I put it..." Chu Feng rested his chin in his hand, thinking for a moment before organizing his words. "If I had to say, she's someone 'just like us'."
"I see..." After a brief silence, Kirito quickly accepted this fact. After all, he had technically gone through two "suspected world-leaps" himself. "So, we're adding another person to our boat?"
"Correct." Chu Feng gave a thumbs up and flashed his trademark smile.
"Ah, right, this isn't the time for that!" Kirito finally snapped back to reality. "What should we do with these people? We can't just leave them here."
"Eh? We can't!?"
"Of course not, you idiot!!!"
"In that case... let's just hunt two Sea Kings and leave the meat for them!"
"That's impossible!" Kirito looked utterly defeated. Does this guy honestly think everyone can travel the world by riding Sea Kings like he does?!
"Um... I know where the nearest island is." A timid voice joined their discussion. Though they had been saved by the duo, the people—who feared Chu Feng and Kirito more than they respected them—immediately made way for the speaker.
"Eh?"
"Um," the girl, who was barely as tall as Chu Feng's waist, looked like she was about to cry. Perhaps she hadn't expected to be the center of attention, or perhaps she was too terrified by their strength.
In a time like this, if I make a request, will I be killed?
But... I can't worry about that anymore!
"I said, I know where the nearest island is!!!!" Using every ounce of her courage, the high-foreheaded girl shouted in front of Chu Feng.
"But! I beg of you, please save my sisters!!!"
"Sisters?"
"Save them?"
I've been questioned! I've been questioned!!! Next he'll fly into a rage, and then...
"WAHHHHH!!!" The girl slumped onto the deck and wailed. "Don't eat me!!!"
"This..." Chu Feng turned away with a headache, looking at Kirito with an innocent expression... no, more accurately, an "it's your fault" expression.
It's my misfortune to have a partner like this. Kirito leaned against a wall with one hand, his entire background turning grey and gloomy.
"Alright, alright!!!" After half a second, Kirito covered his face and walked over to the little girl.
"Um... where are your sisters? I'll go find them."
"Eh!? Really?"
"Yeah... so tell me quickly."
Adjusting the black sword on his back, Kirito looked quite reliable from the side.
"That's the spirit! You go ahead, I'll wait here for the good news~" From a distance, Chu Feng waved his hand as if wishing his comrade a safe journey. "I'm quite interested in the legendary Amazon Lily, after all."
"Eh!? How did you know?"
Indeed, the little girl had no idea where the nearest island was, but she knew exactly where Amazon Lily—the home she had lived in for years—was located. So, she could only lead Chu Feng's group back to the island of women.
"It's fine, it's fine. Think of it as a trip." Looking at the embarrassed child, Chu Feng laughed loudly.
Haha, the future Pirate Empress—that arrogant woman who tilts her head so far back to look down on people that she's looking at the sky—actually had such a young and small phase~
[The "Nightfall" Divider]
As it turned out, Kirito left using the small boat they had arrived in. According to the little girl—Boa Hancock—her two sisters had sneaked off the island with her, only to be caught by slavers. Her two sisters had been taken away first by a ship that arrived earlier.
The goal was simple: chase down that ship and get them back.
"Ah, how exhausting."
As night fell, under the astonished gazes of the refugees, Chu Feng successfully "fished" a massive Sea King out of the ocean. He carved out a staggeringly large piece of meat, roasted it, and devoured it.
After temporarily settling the refugees on the ship, he searched the mangled cabins and found some canned vegetables and fruits intended for long-distance voyages.
He needed these.
After all, Rei doesn't eat meat... well, if one was born in an environment like hers, not eating meat wasn't surprising.
"I'm back."
At the start of the plan, Chu Feng had found a relatively clean room for Rei—it appeared to be the cabin of the leader, Zack.
"Rei must be hungry. Sorry, sorry for taking so long."
Chu Feng placed the tray on the nightstand and naturally felt her forehead. Please don't misunderstand; he wasn't taking liberties. It was simply the responsibility of a physician.
The fever is gone.
"Relax."
He smoothed Rei's short hair. Its blue luster made this ice-cold girl look so pure, yet so silent.
"Where... is this?"
"Ah, that's a bit hard to explain." Chu Feng smiled helplessly and asked a question instead. "Setting that aside, do you have any of your previous memories?"
"Memories... no."
"..."
"I exist to be raised as an EVA pilot, so..." The girl looked up, her red pupils filled with a sense of lost direction. "In this world, I have no meaning for existing."
"That's not true." The corners of his mouth curled slightly. Chu Feng didn't withdraw his hand; instead, he applied a tiny bit of pressure to the girl's head.
"A 'human' is defined by existing in the form of a human," he said slowly, but every word carried a soul-steadying power and an undeniable authority. "Therefore, one does not live for a pre-existing meaning. One lives to find the meaning of their existence. Don't ever get that backward again."
He released his hand, smiling as he locked eyes with this pure girl. In his eyes, the girl saw double the pain, double the despair, and double the loneliness—but within those same eyes, there was an unparalleled thirst for tomorrow.
He had seen every sunrise and sunset in the world. He had endured ten thousand hardships, lived as an Asura, and spread the majesty of gods.
Such a life should be one of despair and nihilism, because nothing in the world could move his heart anymore.
Indeed, the girl could undoubtedly find a "wish for death" in those eyes.
But it wasn't a hypocritical, self-smothering suicide. It was...
An impulse called "Living toward Death!"
"Chu Feng."
"Yes, yes. Is there anything else you need?"
"Chu... Feng." The girl lowered her head and leaned gently against the man's shoulder. At an angle no one could see, she revealed a smile that was destined to be unforgettable.
Next Step: Young Hancock and Rei Ayanami are now both in the picture! Would you like me to translate the next chapter to see Kirito's "Landing Battle" at Amazon Lily, or should we focus on what Chu Feng plans to do with the "soon-to-be Empress"?