"If you want proof," Zino said calmly, "you can check the mansion yourselves."
The crowd turned their attention back to him.
"There should be a man named Merry—a butler who served Lady Kaya since she was a child. If he's in good condition and defends Kuro, then you have a reason to doubt her. But if he's hurt… or worse… and shows any sign of opposing Kuro, then it proves everything I've said. That Kuro deceived you all."
The villagers glanced at one another, murmuring quietly. After a moment, someone nodded. Then another. One by one, agreement rippled through the crowd.
"You… you make a fair point," one elder finally said.
With that, they all turned as a group and began marching toward the mansion, their earlier outrage now replaced by a storm of unease. Zino followed, carrying Kuro's unconscious body. Kaya walked silently beside him, her fists clenched.
When they arrived at the estate, they found the main gate locked.
"I… I don't have my keys," Kaya admitted, her voice small.
Ussop stepped forward. "I could try to pick it open—"
"Don't," Nami said, placing a hand on his arm. "Not this time. Not like this."
Zino let out a breath, then turned to the gate. "I'll handle it."
He stepped forward and shifted into stance. "Rankyaku."
With a sharp slice of wind from his leg, the gate and front doors snapped open in a clean arc, the metal bending inward as if struck by an invisible blade. Gasps erupted from the villagers as they instinctively took a step back, eyes wide in alarm.
Zino scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah… I guess I got a bit carried away."
Even Kaya gave him a stunned glance, not sure whether to be impressed or scold him. But the moment quickly passed as her attention snapped to the mansion itself.
With urgency, she marched up the steps, calling loudly, "Merry! I'm back! Where are you?!"
The interior of the mansion was eerily quiet. Dust had begun to settle on the furniture. A once-warm home now felt cold and empty.
Kaya pushed deeper inside, her voice echoing down the halls as she searched. "Merry! It's Kaya! Please answer me!"
The villagers followed hesitantly, their expressions tense. Ussop kept close to Kaya's side, while Zino motioned for Nami and Alvida to stay alert.
Suddenly, Kaya stopped at the top of the basement stairs. Her breathing quickened as she stared into the dim corridor below.
"Merry…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
She ran.
Ussop shouted after her, but it was too late—Kaya had already disappeared into the darkness below.
When she reached the basement, she skidded to a halt. Her eyes locked onto a crude iron-barred cell that had been erected in the far corner. And inside—
"No… NO!!"
Her scream echoed through the stone corridor.
Kaya collapsed to her knees before the cell. Inside, lying cold and motionless on the floor, was Merry.
His white afro was unmistakable. His body showed signs of struggle—bruises, dried blood, and a single gunshot wound to the head. His face, even in death, wore a calm, resolute expression.
When the villagers reached the bottom and caught sight of the iron bars and the figure inside, a collective gasp spread through the crowd.
"Ah… it's Merry," one villager murmured in disbelief, stepping closer to the crude cell.
Another villager's voice trembled. "He's… he's dead."
The grim realization settled on them like a weight. For a moment, no one moved. They stared at the lifeless body of the butler who had faithfully served the mansion for years—the man who had always greeted them with kindness, offered tea on visits, and ensured Lady Kaya's well-being.
And now… there he lay. Cold. Motionless. Murdered.
A wave of guilt washed over the villagers.
"I can't believe this… all this time…" one man clenched his fists. "We trusted that bastard Krahadle!"
"Damn it! He was playing innocent the whole time?" another cursed, gritting his teeth.
"I even gave him food this morning!" a woman said bitterly. "He smiled and thanked me… while hiding a monster behind those glasses!"
Their faces turned pale with shame. They had sided with the wrong person—had defended a murderer while casting suspicion on the very girl he tried to kill. The truth was now undeniable, staring them in the face.
Someone kicked the wall in frustration. "And we doubted Lady Kaya… accused her of abandoning us."
"No… we abandoned her," another added, his voice low. "And Merry… we failed him too."
In the center of it all, Kaya remained kneeling by the bars, her hands clutching the cold metal. Her shoulders trembled as silent sobs wracked her frame. She had hoped—even prayed—that Merry would still be alive, that he had held on long enough to see her return.
But those hopes had been crushed the moment she saw him lying there, a single bullet wound marring his head, his lifeless eyes partially open as though he'd died waiting for her.
Ussop knelt beside her but didn't say a word. He simply placed a hand gently on her back, offering his silent support. Zino stood nearby, his expression unreadable.
The villagers exchanged looks, many of them unable to meet Kaya's gaze. The weight of their mistakes was too much. Quiet murmurs passed between them, whispers of regret, apologies that couldn't be voiced aloud.
One by one, they turned and slowly stepped back, giving Kaya space to mourn. No one told her to hurry. No one urged her to move on. This moment belonged to her—and to Merry.
Outside the cell, Nami leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Even she looked solemn, the usual sharpness in her gaze dulled. Alvida stayed silent, watching the villagers leave the basement with their heads hung low.
As the last of them retreated, the basement fell into silence again, broken only by Kaya's quiet sobbing.
...
Six days later.
The morning sun cast a golden hue over the quiet waters of Gecko Island. A soft wind rolled in from the east, rustling the sails of the Silent Orca, which gently rocked at anchor. Onboard, Zino and his crew prepared to depart. Supplies had been restocked, repairs made, and most importantly, they helped Kaya reclaim her mansion.
But now, it was time to move on.
Zino stood at the helm, adjusting his mood, his eyes set on the horizon. "Let's raise anchor," he said, his voice firm. "We've stayed long enough."
"Wait, are we really leaving just like that?" Alvida asked as she leaned on the railing. "Not even a goodbye?"
"Yeah, no farewell for Kaya?" Nami added, frowning slightly. "She's been through a lot. Even if she doesn't want to see us off, we owe her that much."
Zino shook his head. "We're not saying goodbye because it's easier that way. She's been through enough. Saying farewell might only add to her sadness."
Just then, a shout echoed from the distance.
"Wait!"
All eyes turned toward the dock. A small figure was running toward them from the village path. As she came into view, her long blonde hair and frail figure gave her away immediately.
"Kaya?" Nami whispered in surprise.
The girl stumbled slightly as she neared the edge of the dock, coughing into a handkerchief before calling out again with determination, "Please wait! *Koff!* I want to join your crew!"
Zino's brows lifted. "You want to… what?"
"I want to join your ship!" Kaya said, catching her breath. "Please… take me with you!"
Zino jumped off the ship and approached her, concern etched across his face. "Kaya, are you serious? What about your mansion, your inheritance? This is your home."
Kaya looked down. "I know. But the truth is… I don't belong there anymore. My parents are gone. Merry is gone. Even after the truth came out, the villagers still look at me with pity. I feel more alone now than I ever did before."
Her voice cracked at the end. The sadness on her face was clear—an expression of someone who had lost everything familiar and was grasping at a new beginning.
Zino stood in silence, feeling a tightness in his chest. He glanced back at his crew. Nami, too, had gone quiet. She eventually turned to Zino, gently saying, "Zino… she needs this."
He looked back at Kaya, who was doing her best to stand tall despite her trembling shoulders and fragile frame. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, a smile formed on his face.
"Alright," Zino said, extending his hand. "Welcome aboard. You're one of us now—our nakama."
Kaya gasped in disbelief. "Really?"
"Really."
A wide smile broke across her face as she wiped a few tears away. Nami quickly dropped a rope ladder down the side of the ship. "Come on. Climb up before we change our minds."
"Thank you!" Kaya exclaimed, grabbing the ladder with both hands. Despite her weak condition, she climbed with surprising eagerness.
Just as Kaya was halfway up the rope ladder, pulling herself aboard the Silent Orca, a sudden voice pierced the air from the distance.
"Hoooold iiittt!!"
The crew turned toward the direction of the shout. A cloud of dust rose along the path leading from the village, and emerging from it was a familiar, frantic figure.
"Is that...?" Nami squinted.
"Yep," Zoro muttered with a smirk. "That nose is hard to miss."
Ussop came sprinting down the shore, dragging a large, overstuffed travel bag bouncing behind him. He was panting hard, nearly stumbling over his own feet.
"H-Haaah... Wait! Wait a sec! Don't go without me!"
Zino raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"
"I—haah—just—give me a second—" Ussop bent over, hands on his knees, gulping for air. Sweat poured down his face as he finally caught his breath. "I... I want to join your ship!"
That statement caused a few surprised glances.
Zoro blinked. "You? Seriously?"
Then Ussop looked up and caught sight of someone climbing the ladder.
"W-Wait... Kaya?! What are you doing?!"
Kaya paused, glancing down at him. "I'm joining the crew," she said simply, smiling through her exhaustion.
Zoro, resting one arm lazily on the ship rail, added, "She already beat you to it. She's officially part of the crew now."
"W-Whaaaat!?" Ussop's jaw dropped. "She's going to sail? I mean, she already joined? And I didn't even know?!"
Kaya gave a soft laugh and resumed climbing. "Hi, Ussop."
Ussop froze, completely thrown off. "But... how did she get accepted before me?"
Zino crossed his arms and stared down at him. "Are you here to join us or not? If not, we're about to set sail. The wind's already shifting."
Ussop flailed a bit, fumbling with his bag. "Wait, wait! Yes! I'm joining! Don't leave me behind!"
He darted toward the ladder, nearly tripping again. And just like that, Ussop also joined the crews. Zino smiled at the new joining crews. He said, "Welcome aboard, newbie. Let's reintroduce ourselves first before we set sail."
Zino then took it to himself to introduce Alvida, Zoro, and Nami to Kaya and Ussop. "Now that we are already becoming a big group, it's time to name our group."
"Aren't we a pirate?" Asked Ussop.
"Bullshit. We are a pirate hunters." Said Zoro.
Alvida interjected, saying, "Did you forget that Zino is an Ensign rank marine?"
"I hate marine. I hate pirates even more." Said Nami at the side.
"Zino, are we going to become pirates?" Asked Kaya, looking innocently at Zino.
"Er...well, I haven't decided on what our group would be." Said Zino. "However, I don't have much opinion on whether we become pirate, pirate hunter, or even marine. So, why don't you guys make a suggestion on what group are we."
The crews looked at each other, but could not come up with a suggestion. Alvida no longer care whether being a pirates or marines, as long as she could rival that no. 1 beauty of the world. The same applies to Zoro, but in swordsman path.
Nami didn't want to say any suggestion. Kaya wanted to become a doctor, and haven't thought much to which group she was in. Ussop on the other hand want to become a pirate, and turn as famous as his father. However, he was not brave enough to say his ambition.
Zino saw that they could not come up with any suggestion. So, he said, "Let leave our group nature aside. First, let's think of a name for our group."
"Let's just call it Orca. That's the ship name anyway." Suggested Alvida.
"I agree." Zoro nodded.
"Orca sounds good."
Everyone just agreed to that name, making Zino speechless. "You guys are lazy. Come on, let's pick some cool name."
Nami then said, "The wind is blowing. Let's set sail."
"Wait. The name..."
"Let's go!" Ussop was eager to sail, and shouted excitedly. Even Kaya was looking expectant as she looked towards the vast sea. Zoro and Ussop unfurled the sail, then the ship started to pick the pace. Before long the ship was sailing on the open sea.
"Hey Zino, we are hungry. Can you cook something?" Asked Alvida.
However, Zino was crouching on the side murmuring something about his crews were ignoring him.
"Stop sulking. We are hungry."
"Fine fine."
Zino then headed inside the cabin, and started cooking. Before long he served his crews with some foods. They then ate with relishes, while the ship keep sailing on the calm sea.