"Hahaha! I'm alive again!"
When dawn's radiance spilled across the land, that mad laughter echoed wildly.
On the beach, Cavendish sprang to his feet, deftly tearing off the bandages wrapped around him.
A quick adjustment later, the flamboyant and elegant pirate prince once again graced the world with his presence.
"Hmph! Today, I'll go make things clear with Ren!"
Brimming with confidence, Cavendish set off.
Ren, Nojiko, Vivi, and Sas had all spent the night on the weather ship.
Kuma had vanished somewhere, leaving only Cavendish lying alone on the sand.
Well… perhaps it was because he was too handsome—no one dared to get close.
Murmuring to himself, Cavendish patched up his wounded pride, soothing the trauma of having spent the night alone on the beach.
At that moment, a silhouette approached from afar.
A tall, curvaceous woman with green hair and a cold expression, carrying a small prey in her hand.
Today as always, Monet lived her life in her own perfect rhythm.
But for someone else, that meant something entirely different.
"Ah, as expected, I'm the most handsome!"
Cavendish straightened his collar and strode forward with confidence. "Beautiful lady, if you wish to make my acquaintance, there's no need to bring me gifts. Your beauty alone is enough for us to share a meal together."
Monet walked straight past him without a word.
She briefly turned her head, casting a look of absolute indifference before continuing toward the campfire.
It was like she had merely heard a dog barking—turned her head because of the noise, then ignored it and walked away.
Moments later, the fire crackled to life, the aroma of cooking rising… leaving Cavendish frozen like a statue where he stood.
"Hmph!"
He spun on his heel, storming toward the weather ship with a dark expression.
That woman had no taste. He decided to instead seek out those two dazzling ladies from last night.
Soon, he boarded the weather ship smoothly.
Sas, hair disheveled and eyes half-open, was fiddling with the ship's instruments.
When he noticed Cavendish, surprise flashed across his face.
"You've recovered already?"
"Of course! I'm Cavendish, the Pirate Prince!"
"Oh."
Oh? That's it? Give me something! Cavendish's face darkened. Even as a pirate worth hundreds of millions, he couldn't get any respect on this ship!
Fine. Better to go charm the ladies and repair their impression of him from last night.
If possible, he'd love to see Ren's expression when that happened.
Every crew I've ever met—no matter their internal hierarchy—once I show up, I always steal the spotlight. All eyes, all hearts, turn to me. Ren, I'll outshine you completely this time!
Like a triumphant rooster, Cavendish strode into the corridor.
It seemed to be wake-up time; two graceful figures emerged simultaneously.
Nojiko and Vivi.
Both stunning women, and somehow, they looked even more striking than yesterday.
Wait… don't tell me they peeked at me last night?
Cavendish froze for a moment—then noticed disappointment flicker in one woman's eyes.
Huh? Disappointment?
That one should be Vivi, right?
Why would she look disappointed upon seeing me, the great Cavendish!?
Still, the other one's eyes seemed… expectant?
Encouraged, Cavendish cleared his throat softly.
"Good morning, beautiful ladies. Might I have the honor of sharing breakfast with you?"
"You're out of your mind, aren't you? We're on a deserted island."
Nojiko's voice was cold as she pointed to their surroundings.
"Uh—I can hunt! I'm quite capable, you know."
"I'm the crew's combatant. You trying to steal my job?"
Unexpectedly, Vivi joined in, glaring at Cavendish with open hostility.
He blinked. Wait—so that earlier "expectation" was… a misread!?
No way! He wasn't some bandaged mummy anymore—he was back in perfect form, the epitome of beauty!
Creak—
Another door opened down the hall.
Ren stepped out, yawning, glancing at the crowded hallway in confusion.
"What's all this noise so early in the morning?"
"We were waiting for you. What's for breakfast?"
"Anything's fine. Are there bears on this island?"
"I think so. I noticed some tracks yesterday," Vivi quickly replied, seizing the moment to join in.
"Then let's have bear paws."
"Got it. I'll prepare everything. Vivi, you handle the hunt."
"Understood."
And just like that, the three settled their plans and left together.
Cavendish stood frozen once more, his handsome face blank with disbelief.
He realized then—the spark in Nojiko's eyes earlier hadn't been for him at all.
It had been for Ren.
That bastard again!
With his naturally sharp intuition, Cavendish pieced it together instantly—Vivi's disappointment wasn't for him either. She'd simply been waiting for someone else to appear!
Thus, the "revived and confident Cavendish" turned to stone yet again.
Was it him who was out of sync, or were these women blind to perfection!?
He wasn't the bandaged freak anymore!
"You seem to have recovered well," Ren finally said, glancing his way. "Planning to start today?"
"…You're despicable, Ren!"
"?"
After breakfast—
Following the noble sacrifice of a bear—the group finally ate their fill.
"I'm stuffed," Ren said, glancing awkwardly to either side.
Something about breakfast today felt off.
First, Vivi had sat beside him, offering him cuts of meat, insisting he hadn't eaten enough.
Under normal circumstances, he would've firmly declined. He was full.
But Vivi's outfit today… was distracting. One glance and his eyes nearly sank into the soft, pale "meat" she was offering.
Then Nojiko sat down on his left, holding out a massive rib and nudging it toward his mouth—deliberately leaning forward as she did.
Ren broke out in a cold sweat, sensing he'd somehow stumbled into a battlefield of affection.
But hold on—he hadn't done anything last night!
Nojiko had locked her door tight!
And as for Princess Vivi—he'd never even set foot in her room!
He hadn't eaten the meat, so why was he about to get roasted!?
Ren sat stiff as a board, feeling like he was sitting on needles.
How amusing, Kuma thought, watching the scene. Belo Betty's teasing might not have been so meaningless after all. This Ren certainly isn't short on admirers.
Still, the massive Warlord quietly ate his own meal, minding his business.
Meanwhile, Cavendish had come to a sudden revelation.
So that's how it is!
No wonder no one paid him any attention!
If that's the case… then that Monet woman must also be one of Ren's!
Damn it! That made Cavendish want to kill the man even more!
The Pirate Prince had no shortage of women—he just couldn't stand being ignored while his so-called benefactor was surrounded by beauties!
With resentment burning in his chest, he abruptly turned to Kuma.
"Hey! Does what you said yesterday still count?"
"It does. Do you want to start now?"
"Of course! I've long wanted to test myself against a Warlord of the Sea!"
"Ren, any objections?"
"He's not part of my crew. Do as you please. I'll just count you in."
Ren seized the excuse, grabbed two chunks of meat, and stood up—thankfully ending the breakfast battlefield.
And so—
The breakfast spot swiftly turned into an impromptu arena.
"Three, two, one—go!"
The moment the countdown ended, a sharp whistle sliced through the air.
Cavendish blurred into motion, his sword Durandal flashing like a streak of icy light.
But Kuma simply extended one calm hand, releasing a paw-shaped bubble of compressed air.
It shot forward faster than even a Sharingan could track—
BOOM!
A violent shockwave erupted an instant later.
Cavendish's body was launched like a comet, soaring straight into the sea—gone in a blink.
Unbelievable. Not even my Sharingan could follow that. Looks like against enemies of this caliber, I'll need another upgrade, Ren thought, slightly rattled—grateful Kuma wasn't his enemy.
"Now then," Kuma said gently, lowering his hand. "Shall we talk?"
Ren sat cross-legged on the sand. "Sure. I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Bonney is now in the hands of the Revolutionary Army. That means you're free of your burdens, right? If it were you, no one could stop you from protecting a single girl. With the Paw-Paw Fruit's mobility, even the strongest forces couldn't capture you two.
In such a vast world, isn't there room enough for just the two of you?"
Ren's tone was serious, his gaze steady.
"You're right," Kuma replied quietly. "If it were only me and Bonney, there'd be no issue."
His expression darkened. "But I know them too well. They are sin, malice, and deceit itself. They hold the world's most terrifying power.
To them, twisting truth and falsehood is as easy as giving an order.
If they ever decided to replicate what happened to me upon the Sorbet Kingdom…
Then countless people would die for it.
You understand what that 'past' means, don't you?
Sacrifice or offering—it doesn't matter.
As long as Bonney can live happily… and no one else suffers because of me…
Even if I must walk toward my own end, I'll have no regrets."
Ren fell silent, fingers tapping absently on his knee.
Until last night, he hadn't known about Kuma's past.
But now—
After glimpsing fragments of fate with his borrowed luck, he finally understood the story between Kuma and Bonney…
And the hidden truth tied to the God Valley Incident.
(End of Chapter)