Caelum's raft didn't reach the ship.
The ship found him.
A rough cargo net, soaked in the stench of rotten fish, ripped him away from his logs just as he was regaining consciousness. He was hauled up without care, like defective cargo.
When his body slammed against the metal deck, the sheer solidity of it shook him awake.
—Look what the net dragged in —someone laughed—. A castaway. And one that looks like he lost a fight with the jungle.
Caelum opened his eyes slowly.
The sun blinded him.
But he didn't need to see.
His perception activated.
Metal.
Weapons.
Too close.
Too much noise.
Too much danger.
His body reacted on its own.
Thin streams of vapor leaked from his skin.
From a higher level of the deck, two figures watched.
—He looks pathetic —murmured the purple-haired girl—. But that's not normal.
—No —the redhead replied, tense—. The air feels strange… like it's charged.
At the center of the deck, Caelum forced himself to stand.
His legs trembled.
His breathing was uneven.
But his eyes…
were alert.
A large pirate stepped forward and yanked the spice box from his neck.
—Let's see what we've got here…
The scent spread through the air.
Caelum clenched his jaw.
—Give it back.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't a shout.
It was low.
Cold.
The pirate grinned.
And shoved him.
The contact was the mistake.
A violent discharge surged through his arm.
The man was thrown backward, crashing into metal.
The air erupted into chaos.
Caelum's body lost cohesion.
It became mist.
Vapor.
Dispersed energy.
The deck filled with a dense, hot, blinding cloud.
—Now! —the redhead shouted.
The two girls moved instantly.
They used the chaos.
Cut the ropes of a lifeboat.
Slipped between disoriented pirates.
But then they saw him.
Caelum.
On his knees.
Breathing like he was shutting down.
The mist fading around him.
—He won't get far on his own —said the purple-haired girl—. He's useful.
She didn't wait for an answer.
She grabbed his arm.
—Help me!
The redhead hesitated for half a second.
Then gave in.
Together, they dragged him into the boat.
The ropes gave way.
The boat dropped.
The impact with the sea was brutal.
—Shoot them! —voices roared from above.
Bullets began to rain down.
Water splashed all around them.
Caelum opened his eyes.
Everything was moving.
Too fast.
Too loud.
He looked.
Two strangers rowing.
Gunfire.
Distance—insufficient.
His mind ran the calculation.
He didn't say it out loud.
But he understood.
They weren't going to make it like this.
He crawled toward the back of the boat.
—Stay still —the redhead snapped—. You'll tip us over.
He didn't respond.
He placed his hands on the wood.
Without touching the water.
He focused what little he had left.
And released it.
The air behind the boat burst into vapor.
A violent pressure pushed them forward.
The boat shot across the waves.
The bullets fell behind.
The ship… too.
Minutes later, silence returned.
Only the sound of the sea remained.
Caelum collapsed to the side, completely drained.
The redhead let go of the oars.
The other girl watched him quietly.
Evaluating.
Measuring.
—Interesting… —she murmured.
Caelum looked at them with difficulty.
—My name… is Caelum…
He took a slow breath.
—And that box… is mine.
The purple-haired girl smiled… and pulled it out.
—Now it's negotiable.
The redhead sighed.
—I'm Nami. She's Carina.
A pause.
A direct look.
—And if you want to survive… you better be able to do that again.
Caelum closed his eyes.
Too exhausted to answer.
He was twenty-seven years old.
In the middle of the sea.
With two strangers.
And no idea what kind of world he was in.
But one thing was certain.
This…
had nothing to do with his old life anymore.