Seeing all the pirates rush onto the deck, Lao Cai didn't even wait for his warship to fully stabilize. He leapt forward and charged straight into battle.
"Kill the Happo Navy!!!"
"Charge!!!"
The moment Lao Cai landed on the pirate ship's deck, the pirate captain roared and rushed toward him.
At the same time—
Members of the Happo Navy poured in like a tidal wave, leaping from their ships and launching a fierce assault on the pirates.
When enemies meet on a narrow path, the brave prevail.
Thus began a full-scale clash between the West Blue's official pirate force and an ordinary pirate crew.
Wave after wave of Happo Navy fighters surged forward, quickly overwhelming the pirates on the scattered ships.
Yet despite their disadvantage in numbers, the pirates did not retreat.
On the contrary—
They fought even more fiercely, charging head-on into the overwhelming tide.
For pirates, survival meant risking everything.
For the Happo Navy, victory demanded ruthlessness.
And so—
The battle escalated into a brutal frenzy almost instantly.
Piercing screams echoed endlessly.
Defiant roars rose and fell.
The clash of weapons rang out without pause.
Together, they formed a tragic symphony across the sea.
Soon, the thick fog began to dissipate.
Visibility over the sea gradually cleared.
A few hundred meters away—
The Traveler had come to a stop.
From the moment the fighting began, Arashi had already spotted the Happo Navy insignia through the thinning mist.
No wonder Robin had mistaken the cannon fire for Marine warships.
As an official pirate force under Kano Country, the Happo Navy's ships were far better equipped than ordinary pirate crews. Having cannons onboard was nothing unusual.
"Just a bunch of rookies pecking at each other…"
Sitting on the deck, Arashi yawned lazily as he watched the chaotic battle.
Turning to Robin, he said casually:
"No Marines here. Go cook that ugly fish. And remember—even if we do run into Marines, don't panic. I've said it before—on the Traveler, there are no criminals wanted by the World Government. No 'Devil of Ohara.' Only Nico Robin."
"Understood, Mr. Arashi."
Robin nodded gently, picked up the strange fish, and headed toward the kitchen.
If this were before, she would have been anxious—afraid of being captured by the Marines.
Every sighting of a Marine ship would put her on edge.
Now, however, her worry had shifted.
She was no longer just afraid for herself—
She feared becoming a burden to Arashi.
The kinder he treated her, the more she worried.
After all, in ten years of hiding and running across the West Blue, he was the first person to give her a sense of safety… of warmth.
And precisely because of that—
She feared losing it.
"Arashi, are we just going to watch them fight?"
Watching Robin disappear into the kitchen, Perona swallowed and said eagerly:
"Why don't we go eat the fish first, then come back to watch?"
"Oh, right!"
Arashi blinked, then tilted his head.
"Should we steam it? Or braise it? Maybe deep-fry it?"
"I'll go check!"
Hearing those words, Perona couldn't resist any longer and floated straight into the kitchen.
Meanwhile—
The battle raged on.
With all Happo Navy forces now engaged, the balance tipped completely in their favor.
In less than fifteen minutes—
Victory was firmly in their hands.
"Not bad."
Through a telescope, Arashi observed the entire fight, clearly impressed.
"This Lao Cai… he's only about eighteen or nineteen, right? At that age, shouldn't he look energetic and handsome? Why does he already look like a middle-aged man?"
Through the lens, Lao Cai looked almost identical to his appearance in the original story—
Same old-fashioned demeanor.
Same… uniquely refined ugliness.
"Alright then."
Seeing the battle nearing its end, Arashi lowered the telescope and said casually:
"Was just wondering where to go next. Since we've run into the Happo Navy… how about a trip to Kano Country?"
At the same time—
On the wrecked pirate ships, the victorious Happo Navy erupted into cheers.
Their shouts thundered across the sea, repeatedly chanting Lao Cai's name.
This was clearly a young elite unit—
Lao Cai's personal force.
Basking in the cheers, Lao Cai leapt back onto his flagship, struck a dramatic pose, and raised his guandao high.
Instantly—
The entire fleet fell silent.
"Brothers!"
After scanning his subordinates, Lao Cai stepped forward, his presence commanding.
"This is our 108th victory! Next—"
Before he could finish—
His eyes suddenly widened.
He raised his guandao and pointed toward the distance.
"Th-that ship… when did it appear?! Hey! Do you see that? There's another ship over there!"
"A straggler?"
"Quick! Chase them down—finish them off in one go!"
As the Happo Navy noticed the Traveler, several warships immediately broke formation, speeding toward it from different directions to encircle.
Lao Cai didn't follow immediately.
Instead, he took a telescope from Abu and looked toward the distant ship.
"Traveler…?"
Reading the name on its hull, Lao Cai blinked in confusion.
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