Buffon's voice trembled slightly, but his words were clear.
"You are a man of true justice. But… I think the Navy's version of justice may not be for me."
Gales looked at the bowing boy, and there was no anger in his eyes, only quiet understanding.
From the moment he stepped in to stop Buffon from slaughtering everyone, he had already sensed this outcome.
He had accepted the boy's resentment. Now, he respected his choice.
If he were in Buffon's place, he was not sure he could have shown the same restraint. The boy was exceptional. Too rational for someone his age.
And perhaps… that was exactly why Gales did not want him in the Navy.
Something about the Navy had changed.
Pressure from outside enemies. Rot from within.
Gales made a silent vow.
He would purge it.
All the Navy needed was a moment to breathe. With the three Admirals and Fleet Admiral Sengoku, they could clean out the corruption in a very short time.
The reason was simple.
Authority.
"I understand," Gales said at last, his tone softening.
"I will arrange for the people of Kacha Island to be relocated to a peaceful, prosperous island. The Navy will ensure proper compensation and resettlement."
He paused, then added,
"This is my personal promise. As Gales of the Black Hawk."
There was no attempt to force Buffon to stay. But everything that came after, he would shoulder himself.
"No need."
Ritter hopped lightly down from the broken wall, the faint blood mist around him fading.
"I've got somewhere for them," he said casually. "No need to trouble a Navy Admiral."
He slung an arm around Buffon's shoulders, grinning.
"Stick with us. Way more interesting than some 'safe island.' And honestly? Safer too."
At that moment, Joy Boy bounced over, full of energy, and slapped Buffon on the back hard enough to nearly plant him into the ground.
"Yeah! Buffon! Wanna join my pirate crew? It's super lively! With you, we'll have four people! We can sail the seas together and go on adventures!"
Buffon blinked, slightly overwhelmed. He scratched his head, looked at Ritter, then at Joy Boy, and started counting on his fingers.
"You, Ritter… the vice captain sister… A-Yang… A-Xing… and me…"
He looked up, confused.
"Big Brother Joy Boy… aren't we six people?"
Joy Boy tilted his rubbery head, a giant question mark practically forming on his face.
"Huh? Really? Me, you, A-Yang, A-Xing… one, two, three, four. That's four!"
Then he smacked his forehead with a loud slap.
"Oh! You mean those two kids!"
He pointed at A-Yang and A-Xing.
"They're interns! They run errands and clean the ship!"
A-Yang and A-Xing fell silent.
Their fists clenched quietly.
They wanted to argue, but did not dare. Still… hearing that Joy Boy had actually thought about roles for them somehow felt oddly touching.
Right then, Ritter's lazy voice cut in.
"Hey, rubber brain. Don't go assigning people like that."
He adjusted the girl in his arms slightly.
Her ice-blue eyes flickered as she listened. When Ritter continued, she lifted her chin just a little, a hint of pride showing.
"Listen up, kid."
Ritter looked at Buffon, smiling.
"I'm the captain of the Bloodmist Pirates. And this one…"
He gestured to the girl.
"…is my only vice captain."
He emphasized the word only.
"Our plan is simple. Just the two of us sailing this sea. No new crew now, none in the future."
Then he pointed toward a battered single-mast sailboat nearby.
The ship looked half-destroyed from the earlier intense battle. It had been tied alongside Joy Boy's vessel, making it seem like part of the same structure all along.
"That ship," Ritter said, glancing meaningfully at Joy Boy, "got caught up because someone got a little too carried away fighting."
Joy Boy puffed his cheeks in protest.
"Hey! You were part of that fight too! And it's not my fault it wasn't sturdy enough!"
Ritter ignored him completely.
"That ship is mine. The Bloodmist Pirates' ship."
He shrugged.
"So the one inviting you is that rubber idiot and his little straw-hat boat."
He smirked.
"We're just neighbors traveling the same route for now."
Buffon's face fell slightly.
The most reliable person here… was not even an option.
Somewhere far away, Tesoro would probably be screaming in disbelief.
Reliable? Ritter? Is the world ending?
The situation suddenly became very clear.
Buffon had two choices.
Join the enthusiastic but slightly questionable Captain Joy Boy and his "Straw Hat" crew, currently consisting of… the captain himself, Buffon, and two "interns."
Or…
Not join Ritter at all.
Buffon stood there, thinking hard.
Then he dropped to his knees.
Then he smacked the ground in frustration.
"Damn it! There's basically no second option!"
He looked at the two completely different groups in front of him, then at the now-calm beasts beside him.
For a moment, he felt lost.
But at the same time, his eyes shone with anticipation.
The vast sea was opening before him in a strange and unexpected way.
Nearby, Gales rubbed his temples again.
These people…
No matter where they went, chaos followed.
He, a Navy Admiral, was now somehow analyzing the structure of not one, but two pirate crews… which together somehow added up to six pirates.
He looked at Buffon and spoke calmly.
"Since you've chosen the path of a pirate…"
His gaze sharpened.
"The next time we meet, I will arrest you."
He paused.
"And if you become truly evil… I will execute you on the spot."
-------------------------------------
Hooked already? Let me know what grabbed you leave a review and fuel the journey forward! and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!
Things are just heating up. Read ahead in Unbound Evolution and stay ahead of the crowd.
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.