"Something's not right."
Issho was the first to stop.
His blind eyes lifted slightly as the cane sword in his hand tapped gently against the deck.
"There's an unfamiliar presence in the ship's interior," he said calmly.
"It's very faint… like someone who's been injured."
Jinbe frowned as well. His Fish-Man senses allowed him to clearly pick up that subtle, irregular breathing coming from deep within the ship.
Subconsciously, he stroked his chin and turned his gaze toward the captain—Shiro—who had just emerged from the direction of the cabins.
Noticing the questioning looks from his crew, Shiro stepped forward quickly and explained in a serious tone:
"It's a woman who was drifting at sea. She collapsed near the ship, barely alive. I checked her—she was poisoned by a rare toxin. She needs rest right now. Don't disturb her for the time being."
The crew exchanged skeptical looks.
After all, a strange woman suddenly appearing aboard a pirate ship was bound to raise eyebrows.
Hachi scratched his head, his eight arms swaying uneasily.
Zeff crossed his arms, his brow tightly furrowed.
Smoothie, standing toward the back of the group, narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze locked on the direction of the cabins—clearly wary of this unexpected guest.
Still, out of respect for their captain's orders, no one pressed further. They returned to their posts, though the unease in their hearts never fully faded.
Over the following days, Shiro practically became a full-time caretaker.
Every day, he personally delivered meals, entering the cabin quietly and carefully.
Beyond that, he spent long stretches of time helping the woman detoxify.
Occasionally, the crew would see Shiro emerge from the cabin looking noticeably exhausted, faint shadows beneath his eyes.
That alone only made them even more curious about the mysterious woman inside.
Before anyone realized it, an entire month slipped by.
One morning, as sunlight streamed through the portholes, the cabin door finally opened.
Doll stepped out openly.
She stood tall, a gentle smile on her face, and nodded politely to the Virtue Pirates working on deck.
"Thank you all for taking care of me during this time."
But as the sea breeze lifted her cloak, revealing the bold kanji for "Justice" on her back—
The atmosphere on the deck froze solid.
Robin instinctively took a step back, fists clenched.
Zeff's expression darkened, his hands pressing unconsciously toward the knives at his waist.
Even Jinbe's eyes sharpened.
"A Marine?!"
Yamato cried out in shock. "Why is there a Marine on our ship?!"
Issho advanced slowly, cane sword in hand. Though blind, the pressure radiating from him intensified.
"That presence… it came from near the captain's quarters. So she was the one?"
Jinbe fell silent, deep in thought, his gaze once again drifting toward Shiro.
Pirates and Marines were sworn enemies. Why would the captain allow a Marine to remain onboard?
As murmurs spread, Hachi suddenly changed expressions entirely—his earlier caution turning into wild excitement.
"Captain! You even managed to win over a female Marine?!
Amazing! Truly worthy of the next generation's strongest king!"
Meanwhile—
Smoothie's expression grew colder by the second.
Her brows knit tightly as she stared at Doll with undisguised hostility. Her fingers whitened around her sword hilt, a chilling aura rolling off her.
Sensing the situation spiraling out of control, Shiro stepped forward and spread his arms, placing himself protectively in front of Doll.
"Everyone, calm down," he said firmly.
"Colonel Doll was poisoned—that's how she ended up on our ship. She's not here to oppose us."
"But Captain," Zeff argued with a frown,
"She's still a Marine. We're natural enemies. What if she approached us on purpose?"
Shiro only smiled confidently.
He turned his head toward Doll, his expression gentle.
"She won't be fighting us anymore. Right, Doll?"
Doll smiled softly and nodded, saying nothing—but her gaze said more than words ever could.
"Why?" Zeff pressed.
Shiro chuckled, wrapped an arm around Doll's waist, and raised his voice for all to hear.
"Because she's already become my woman."
"…WHAT?!"
The shout erupted from nearly every crew member at once.
Hachi's mouth gaped wide enough to swallow several fists.
Zeff stared in disbelief.
Even Issho paused, his cane sword hovering midair.
No one had imagined that in just one month, their captain would end up with a female Marine officer.
Only Patrick Redfield, standing quietly at the back, showed no surprise at all.
With his monstrous Observation Haki, he had already seen through the emotions shared between Shiro and Doll. Arms crossed, he merely watched the chaos with mild amusement.
Nestled in Shiro's embrace, Doll's cheeks flushed red. Leaning against his chest, she spoke softly:
"Darling… it's really inconvenient for me to stay here. I still have matters to handle on the Marine side. I should leave."
Shiro looked down at her, reluctance in his eyes—but he knew she was right.
"Alright," he said gently.
"Go back to your Marine base. Be careful."
Doll nodded, leaned in, and kissed him on the cheek.
Then, light gathered beneath her feet.
Using Moon Walk, one of the Six Powers, she stepped into the air and ran across the sky, quickly shrinking into a distant black dot over the sea.
That intimate farewell was the final spark.
Smoothie snapped.
She drew her sword in one furious motion, cold light flashing from the blade as she prepared to strike toward Doll's retreating figure.
"Smoothie-sister, don't!"
At the critical moment, Robin intervened.
Hands bloomed across the deck, pink arms materializing to firmly restrain Smoothie's sword arm.
Robin hurried to her side, placing a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down, Smoothie. She's already gone. Attacking now won't help—and it'll only make the captain angry."
"Damn it!" Smoothie slammed her sword back into its sheath with a loud clang.
"That Marine woman seduced my future husband—how could I not be angry?!"
Her face burned red with rage, jealousy and resentment swirling in her eyes as her fists clenched tightly.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
Thanks for reading! Be sure to collect and vote for more chapters!