Mufasa pedaled his chakra bike with overwhelming force.
Wheels spun wildly as the sea surged around him, rising into towering walls of water.
Mufasa tore across the waves like a silver missile, the tiny fishing boat trailing behind him like a helpless kite tied to a string.
Shun gritted his teeth, clinging to the boat's edge with one hand while grabbing Violet with the other. Violet's grip slipped, but Shun caught her just in time.
Tabby, weakened by seasickness, was flung into the air.
Before Shun could react, Maplehara Manyo moved. Fast.
He reached out, steady as a rock, and snagged Tabby midair.
His other hand never even let go of the boat.
Violet's eyes widened in shock. "He's fast..."
Even as the storm screamed around them, Maplehara Manyo muttered under his breath, "In this treacherous wind and rain, a warrior returns barefoot, blade in hand."
Violet chuckled. "What a strange samurai."
Boom!
Thunder cracked overhead.
Dark clouds, thick as ink, swallowed the sky.
Furious winds whipped the ocean into monstrous waves that chased after them, roaring like a pack of beasts.
Mufasa glanced back.
Everyone was still hanging on.
Good.
"Alright!" he yelled. "Hold tight! I'M GONNA GO EVEN FASTER!"
He shifted gears.
The chakra rope jerked the boat with a wild snap. Violet and Maplehara Manyo tightened their grips as the boat creaked dangerously under the strain.
Mufasa laughed like a madman as wave after wave tried to swallow them.
"As long as I'm fast enough," he roared, "death will always be one step behind me!"
A jagged bolt of lightning struck down—missing Mufasa by inches.
Instead of fear, it just seemed to spur him on.
His silver bike became a blur, carving through the raging darkness.
He left the storm behind, breaking free into the open sea under the vast, wild sky.
Late that night.
Stars barely peeked through the clouds.
They found refuge on a deserted island, the waves crashing far in the distance.
Shun and Manyo gathered driftwood, while Mufasa tended to Violet and Tabby.
A campfire crackled to life.
Mufasa was skewering a massive fish he'd caught (and electrocuted) earlier.
The storm rumbled far away, defeated.
"By the way, Manyo," Mufasa said, rotating the fish, "how'd you know that storm was coming?"
Manyo warmed his hands by the fire and smiled.
"My ears are sharp. I can hear everything—the wind over hills, the clouds stretching, foxes nibbling apples, even crabs bubbling underwater. Nature's sounds guide me. When a storm's coming, it's like all those sounds scream at once. Hard to sleep when the whole world's buzzing in your ears."
Mufasa whistled. "Man, you're something else."
"I'm just a wandering samurai," Manyo replied lightly.
"Yeah, sure," Shun muttered. "A samurai who reads nature like a book."
Tabby smiled faintly. Even seasick, she found herself impressed.
Manyo glanced at the sea. His gaze softened.
"Maybe it's because I've been drifting across the oceans for so long... Even without memories, the sea feels like home."
The fire crackled.
The waves whispered.
It was a peaceful night.
"Captain," Manyo said, wrinkling his nose, "you're grilling that fish wrong."
Mufasa blinked. "You cook too?"
"When you're out at sea, knowing how to make fish edible is basic survival," Manyo said with a chuckle.
Without missing a beat, he took over.
Patiently, he seasoned and grilled the fish, the smell soon making everyone's stomachs growl.
It tasted amazing.
Mufasa gave a big thumbs-up. "Manyo, you're a genius!"
"Seriously, it's so good," Shun added.
Tabby nodded eagerly, mouth full.
Feeling festive, Mufasa pulled out a small fridge scroll and summoned bottles of sake and juice.
They drank and laughed, the ocean breeze wrapping around them like an old friend.
Manyo leaned back, feeling truly at ease for the first time.
He plucked a broad leaf from a nearby bush.
"Would you like to hear a song?" he asked.
"Yeah!"
"For sure!"
"Please!"
He pressed the leaf to his lips.
A soft, haunting melody floated into the air, carried by the sea breeze.
"Go spin the wheel and see where it lands~. Join in the circus, stay for a dance," he sang.
The storm had passed.
The sky, scrubbed clean by rain, glittered with stars.
Moonlight bathed the island.
Their song rose up with it, carried into the vast, mysterious universe.
What a vast world it was.
And so many secrets still waiting beyond the horizon.
The next day.
The journey continued.
Shiro, Manyo, and the others worked together, chopping down trees and tying the logs together to build a rough raft.
Tabby was still recovering from her close call the night before. She almost went down in a blaze of "heroic sacrifice" if Manyo hadn't snagged her just in time.
Meanwhile, Mufasa kept pedaling his chakra-powered bicycle like a madman, dragging their makeshift raft across the shallow waters.
By noon, Maplebara Manyo suddenly stiffened, his sharp ears catching something different in the wind.
"There's a ship coming," he said, pointing off into the mist.
Mufasa squinted into the distance.
Sure enough, a three-masted fishing ship was cutting through the water toward them.
They all started waving their arms and yelling.
The crew onboard noticed and adjusted course.
The boss of the ship, Ganji Hoshigaki, ordered his men to steer closer and haul them aboard.
There were over twenty people on the ship, including the captain and his crew.
All of them had the look of hardened seafarers — dark, bronze skin, rough hands, and the hard, ruthless expressions of men used to battling the ocean.
Ganji Hoshigaki himself was a giant of a man, packed with muscle, a thick beard, and a mat of chest hair poking out from his open shirt.
There were shark-like gill marks under his eyes, and a scar ran down his cheek from the corner of his eye to his mouth, giving him a look that screamed "dangerous."
Mufasa stepped up as the representative of their group.
"Did you come all this way to watch over us in these dangerous seas? If that's the case, then as the leader of Tekkadan, I will owe you big time."
Ganji eyed them all.
Besides Mufasa, who looked strong and tough, the others — Shun, Manyo, Tabby, and Violet — seemed young and soft.
He gave a shark-toothed grin.
"It's nothing. Out at sea, we help each other when we can."
After a little small talk, Ganji asked where they were headed.
When Mufasa mentioned Mist Village, Ganji's eyes narrowed.
"Mist Village? You sure you guys know what you're doing?"
Mist Village had a nasty reputation.
Blood Mist. Isolation.
Outsiders weren't exactly welcome there.
Mufasa just laughed.
"We're Tekkadan Travel Group! Our dream is to visit every hidden village in the world, and Mist's gotta be on the list."
Ganji looked at their casual clothes, their easygoing attitudes, and shrugged.
"Well, good luck. We're just heading back to the Land of Water's coast with a fresh catch, so you can ride with us."
Grateful, Mufasa dug into his pocket and flipped a chunky gold coin to Ganji.
"Thanks, boss. Just a little something to show our appreciation."
Gold — unlike paper money — was universal.
Ganji's eyes gleamed with greed, but he made a show of hesitating before finally accepting it.
"You guys go rest in the cabin. We'll call you when it's time for lunch."
The cabin was small, with barely enough space for one bed.
Manyo sat with his back against the wall, listening carefully.
"Captain," he whispered, "their voices are loud. Their heartbeats are fast. They're definitely planning something."
Shun, Tabby, and Violet tensed.
Violet, who had grown up hearing stories of Mist Village, muttered, "They might be pirates."
On the vast, lawless sea, it was common: fish when you had to, rob when you could.
Manyo added, "Captain, maybe you shouldn't have shown that gold."
Mufasa just smiled calmly.
"If I hadn't, they wouldn't have shown their true faces so quickly."
The team stared at him, puzzled.
Mufasa leaned back, crossing his legs casually.
"Remember — the best hunters often look like prey. Just wait."
"When they make their move, we make ours."
Outside, Ganji and his men were already plotting.
One of Ganji's crew whispered, "Boss, the leader's a bit tough, but the others are just kids. Should be easy."
Ganji nodded thoughtfully.
"Not yet."
"If they hand over everything willingly, we let 'em live. If not... well, we dump 'em in the sea."
They agreed to wait until lunch.
Clearly, this wasn't their first time pulling this stunt.
As the sun started to dip, Ganji threw a "grand feast" on the deck.
Tables were loaded with lobsters, crabs, sea cucumbers, and shellfish. Barrels of good liquor were cracked open, and even pickled delicacies were brought out.
Mufasa, playing his part, rushed forward eagerly, grabbing a lobster.
Just as he was about to bite in —
"Wait!" Ganji barked.
Mufasa blinked innocently. "What? Didn't you invite us to eat?"
Ganji grinned, baring his shark-like teeth.
"Yeah, it's a feast... but you gotta pay."
Mufasa's smile sharpened slightly.
"How much are we talking about?"
Ganji's grin widened, menacing.
"Everything you got. Empty your pockets."
_______________________________
Word count: 1522
New translation out! "Mangaka in Marvel". If anyone's interested in Marvel fanfics with a lottery/gatcha system, then this is your cup of tea.
If you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my p@ tr*on.
p@ tr*on.co m/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.