The pirate ship creaked and groaned under my feet as I steered it toward the shimmering horizon. My hands were still buzzing — a side effect of the Kirin energy I'd unleashed back there. The taste of victory was sweet, but it came with a sharper hunger now.
I needed a crew.
A real one.
I wasn't arrogant enough to think I could survive the Grand Line alone forever. Strong or not, this was a world where titans roamed the seas. I needed allies. Comrades.
Maybe even friends.
As if answering my thoughts, the Log Pose's needle twitched violently and pulled hard east. I adjusted the sails, wrestling with the lines, until the ship veered toward a smudge on the distant waterline.
An island.
Small, craggy, with cliffs jutting up like the teeth of some ancient monster. As I drew closer, I saw the beach — rocky and rough, with a few battered rowboats pulled ashore.
And smoke.
Faint tendrils of it curling up from inland.
Trouble?
Probably.
Perfect.
I dropped anchor just offshore and rowed in using a half-busted skiff. My boots crunched against gravel as I hauled myself onto the beach.
Voices echoed from deeper inland. Shouts. The clash of metal.
I followed the noise, heart hammering, Kirin energy sparking faintly under my skin.
Through a narrow gorge, I found the source.
A group of rough-looking pirates — at least ten of them — circled around a lone figure.
A young man, tall and lean, clad in a dark sleeveless coat with twin swords gleaming at his hips. His hair was messy and black, tied back carelessly. His face was sharp, his eyes even sharper — a hunter's gaze.
I watched as he moved.
Fast.
Blades flashed in his hands — not sloppy, not showy, but precise. He ducked a swing, sidestepped another, and with two smooth strikes dropped two pirates in the blink of an eye.
The others hesitated now, snarling but wary.
I couldn't help but grin.
Now that's someone I could use.
But before I could step in, the swordsman spotted me.
For a moment, our eyes locked.
Challenge sparked between us — pure and undeniable.
He pointed one sword at me. "Friend or foe?"
I shrugged. "Depends. Are you going to attack me too?"
He smirked. "Guess I'll find out."
The pirates saw the distraction and charged.
Bad move.
The swordsman spun, slicing through the nearest with a clean slash. I moved too, letting lightning crackle along my fists. I slammed my palm into the ground — a burst of electricity arced into their ranks, sending several sprawling.
In moments, only one pirate was left, trembling.
The swordsman flicked his blade forward lazily. "Run."
The man didn't need telling twice.
The beach fell quiet again, just the sound of waves and gull cries in the distance.
The swordsman sheathed his left-hand blade, but kept the other loose at his side.
"I'm Riku," he said, voice calm but coiled like a spring.
I straightened. "Name's Kaien." (It was the name I'd decided on here — my old world name felt too heavy now.)
He tilted his head. "You're strong."
"Same to you."
He hesitated, then said, "I was about to leave this miserable rock. But if you're looking for trouble — or looking to make something bigger — maybe we've got reason to fight."
I blinked. "Fight?"
He grinned — sharp and wild. "You want me to join you, right? Gotta earn it."
I laughed, the excitement burning in my chest.
"Alright then," I said, stepping forward. "Let's see what you've got."
We faced off on the rocky beach, no words needed now.
Riku moved first — fast, blades gleaming as he charged.
I ducked the first swing, feeling the air hum as his sword passed inches from my ear.
He followed with a spinning slash — a dance of twin blades, precise and deadly.
I dodged left, letting a surge of electricity boost my reflexes. I countered with a sharp jab — not a full lightning blast, just enough to spark against his sword.
His eyes lit up — impressed.
He came again, footwork flawless, forcing me to stay on the defensive. Each slash was a test, a probe, pushing at my defenses.
I shifted tactics.
Letting a ripple of Kirin energy flow through me, I enhanced my speed, my senses. I could almost see the trajectory of his next strike before he moved.
When he lunged, I sidestepped and slammed a palm into his side — a controlled shock, enough to knock the wind out of him without frying him.
He staggered but recovered instantly, blades spinning defensively.
This guy was tough.
But I wasn't just a Devil Fruit rookie anymore.
I crouched low, feeling my hooves flicker in and out of existence, lightning crackling along the ground.
Riku charged again — but this time, I met him head-on.
Fist against blade.
Electricity against steel.
The clash sent a shockwave through the beach, kicking up dust and pebbles.
I gritted my teeth and pushed — lightning surging up my arm.
His swords rattled.
With a final shove, I knocked him back, disarming his left-hand sword.
He skidded to a halt, panting.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
Dropped his remaining sword.
And bowed, slightly.
"I yield."
I grinned back, heart pounding, feeling more alive than I had since waking up in this world.
"Join me," I said, extending a hand.
Riku hesitated — then clasped my forearm in a warrior's handshake.
"Captain," he said, voice steady. "Where you go, I follow."
A rush of pride filled me.
I had my first crewmate.
That night, we sat around a crackling campfire on the beach, roasting stolen fish over open flames. The stars wheeled overhead, endless and bright.
"So," Riku said, chewing thoughtfully. "What's the plan?"
I leaned back, staring up at the sky.
"First," I said, "we need a real crew. Then... we find the lost Twelve Beast Islands."
Riku raised an eyebrow. "Twelve Beasts?"
I grinned.
"Legend says that ancient Zoan fruits came from places long forgotten — islands that hold powers beyond anything this world has seen."
Riku's grin mirrored mine now — sharp, eager.
"Well then, Captain," he said, raising a stolen bottle of rum, "let's find 'em all."
We toasted under the stars.
Tomorrow, the real journey would begin.