"Uh… I think Ain will understand," Kaya said, gently stroking her golden hair as she tried to comfort him.
After all, Arton had already written it plainly in his diary: Ain simply didn't have the three matching attributes needed for Serval's template. That was reality. And Arton had also made it clear he did want to give it to her—he was just forced to find another solution.
With the diary-sensitive parts carefully avoided, Kaya shared her thoughts in a way that wouldn't trigger any backlash from the Diary Copy. And sure enough, Arton visibly relaxed after hearing her.
"That's our ship's doctor for you," Arton said with a grin. "Even when it's a mental health issue, you treat it like a pro."
Kaya shook her head, smiling. "What you had just now doesn't even qualify as a mental health issue, Captain."
"Hehe. Fair point." Arton nodded, then slowly looked Kaya up and down, his tone turning hopeful. "Kaya… could you keep using medical ninjutsu to help me recover my stamina?"
"Of course." Kaya had no reason to refuse. She was about to gather chakra into her hands—when Arton lightly shook his head.
"Kaya, have you ever thought about combining medical ninjutsu with the medicinal bath… more directly?" he asked.
"I am combining it," Kaya replied, glancing at the tub with a puzzled look. "You're soaking, and I'm treating you from the outside."
"Sure, that counts as cooperation," Arton agreed, his smile deepening. "But what about taking it one step further?"
Kaya blinked. "Captain… what do you mean?"
Arton wagged a finger, eyes full of expectation. "I mean: you get into the bath too. And instead of limiting your medical ninjutsu to your hands… you use your whole body~"
He spoke like he was presenting a brilliant medical breakthrough. "If your chakra spreads through the water and reaches me that way, wouldn't it be even more effective?"
Kaya's face turned bright red.
She could see it instantly: Arton wasn't truly concerned about technique efficiency. He just wanted her in the bath with him.
And honestly, from a medical standpoint, his logic was shaky at best. Chakra dispersing into water would naturally dilute and leak away—far less efficient than directly channeling healing chakra into someone's body. Unless you were treating something very specific—like severe poisoning—this bath diffusion method was basically inferior.
But Arton wasn't done.
"Come on," he said, smiling innocently. "It's a good chance to wash your chest too."
Kaya wanted to say she'd already cleaned herself earlier… but with Arton looking at her like that, she couldn't hold the line. In the end, she quietly nodded.
"…Okay. If this is what you want, Captain." Her cheeks were still burning, but her voice was serious. "However, for your body's sake—no unnecessary extra stuff."
"Of course," Arton said immediately, nodding with exaggerated sincerity. "I'm very serious."
Then he added, without missing a beat, "I just want a pillow, that's all. You know I can't sleep well without one. And if I can't sleep, that's bad for recovery—right?"
Arton nodded again, as if he'd just delivered the most airtight medical argument on earth.
How much of that was believable… even Kaya, standing right in front of him, couldn't say.
She let out a small sigh. Then, after removing what she didn't need, she lifted her small foot and slowly reached for the surface of the water.
Chapter 516: Raki in a Hurry
Skypiea. Lookout.
"Ain—are you still thinking about the template?" Tashigi asked, watching Ain suddenly stand up again.
"No," Ain said, shaking her head. "Since I'm not compatible with Serval's template, I'm not going to keep obsessing over that kind of power."
"Then what—wait… is there an enemy?" Tashigi's expression tightened as she followed Ain's gaze out the window and rose as well.
"Some people are coming. I think they're the Skypieans Captain mentioned in his diary," Ain said calmly. "I'll go take a look. Other than Enel, the people on Skypiea shouldn't have much strength. You stay here on standby, Senior Tashigi."
After saying that, Ain jumped straight out of the lookout window.
Tashigi didn't stop her. She'd already felt it—those newcomers didn't give off any pressure at all. Ain going alone was more than enough.
"But… are they arguing among themselves?" Tashigi murmured, peering toward the group quarrelling not far from the Flameblade Pirates' ship. "Why would they be fighting their own people…?"
Then she spotted something familiar in the crowd.
"That woman has a… Diary Copy?" Tashigi's eyes widened. "She's a Diary Copy holder!"
"Is it Conis… or Raki?" Tashigi frowned, then exhaled. "Whatever. Ain will see the Diary Copy at her side too. I'll leave it to her."
The lookout still needed someone on duty. Since Ain had left, Tashigi had to keep watch. Besides, she had no intention of disturbing the other Flameblade Pirates while they were enjoying themselves—especially Arton, who was resting.
…
"Wyper! Everyone—don't go any farther!"
A Diary Copy holder caught up to Wyper and the others and shouted.
From this distance, Raki could already see the Flameblade Pirates' ship. Relief finally poured through her chest.
Thank goodness… Wyper and the others hadn't attacked yet. If they had, things could've turned unbelievably ugly.
"Raki, what the hell are you talking about?" Wyper snapped, frowning at her—then immediately shifting his gaze back to the pirate ship in the distance. "If they're here, then get ready. We're going in."
Just as he was about to kick off on the dial skateboard beneath his feet and surge toward the ship, Raki stepped directly into his path.
"What's this supposed to mean, Raki?" Wyper's brow furrowed even deeper.
"I have a really bad feeling," Raki said, shaking her head. "If we attack them, something really terrible will happen."
She couldn't explain the Diary Copy—so all she had were excuses like this… but that kind of flimsy reasoning was never going to stop someone as hot-blooded as Wyper.
"I don't know what sickness you've come down with," Wyper said coldly, "but I'm not playing along. Move, Raki. I don't want to hurt you."
He tried to slip past her.
Raki shifted with him—blocking him again.
"What are you doing?!" Wyper barked.
"That's what I should be asking you," Raki shot back, voice tight with urgency. "Stop it, Wyper. I don't want to hurt you either."
They were already close enough that the Flameblade Pirates might've noticed them.
If Arton decided they were enemies and struck first… it would be over.
"I never thought you'd say something like that," Wyper sneered. "When this is done, I'm dragging you to a doctor."
He still didn't want to harm her. So instead, he aimed to use speed—activating the skateboard beneath his feet, intending to blaze right past her in an instant.
But the moment he swept by, Raki struck.
Fast. Precise. Ruthless.
She grabbed his wrist.
Wyper's feet lifted clean off the ground—his whole body flung up by his own momentum, nearly flipping into the air at a full one-eighty.
"You—?!" Wyper stared at her, stunned.
He couldn't understand where she'd gotten the strength to stop him—while he was charging at full speed.