The sea danced with rolling waves, the small sloop rising and falling in rhythm with the ocean's undulations. As Carina watched in awe, the pirates and their vessels were devoured by ferocious flames in an instant. She stood there, her mouth agape, unable to close it for a long while. Her face registered shock, and beads of sweat formed on her brow. She was rendered utterly speechless.
"Whoosh!"
However, amid her incredulous gaze, Ren's colossal beastly form began to diminish. He transformed into his human form and landed gracefully on the deck.
"Eh?" Carina exclaimed as she looked at the tall, handsome man before her. Her voice quivered with astonishment. "You... you're a human?"
Her eyes bore a mixture of curiosity and wariness, and she instinctively took a few steps back, maintaining a safe distance.
"I'm not a human being; can't you tell?" Ren crossed his arms and chuckled. He regarded the black-felt-hat-wearing, purple-haired, elegantly dressed woman with a proud figure before him. He had already identified her.
She was Phantom Thief Carina—an intelligent and skilled thief with beauty and wit matching those of the famed Nami, the "Little Thief Cat." Born in East Blue, Carina was a crafty female thief who had roamed the seas since a young age, specializing in plundering pirates, nobles, and wealthy merchants.
Ren had a plan in mind. He intended to recruit this clever and unconventional thief into his crew. After all, he needed an exceptional navigator for his adventures. Sailing alone wouldn't suffice if he aimed to become the ruler of these seas.
"Are you... a Devil Fruit user?" Carina wasn't one to be easily deceived. She quickly surmised that Ren possessed some kind of unique Devil Fruit power. Her sense of familiarity with him grew stronger with each passing moment.
Ren nodded, acknowledging her perception. "Devil Fruits are divided into three categories: Logia, Paramecia, and Zoan. While Logia fruits are often considered the most potent, Zoan fruits are by no means inferior. They include rare ancient species and even phantom beast species that are deemed rarer than Logia."
"Ancient species? Phantom beast species?" Carina blinked, her eyes filled with surprise. She had been unaware of the intricacies of Zoan abilities.
"As the names suggest, ancient species are animals from ancient times," Ren explained with a smile. "Phantom beast species, on the other hand, are more complex. They encompass creatures or figures that exist solely in myths or legends, created by people's imaginations."
Having identified Carina and her skills, Ren was eager to bring her into his fold. His primary motive was securing a capable navigator, a crucial role on any pirate crew.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Coppers Ren, originally from East Blue but born in South Blue," Ren said politely, his smile unwavering. "I possess the Zoan-type Devil Fruit known as the Niu Niu Fruit, Phantom Beast Species, in the form of a Kirin."
"South Blue?" Carina was taken aback by the mention of her home sea. "You're from East Blue too?"
Ren clarified, "To be precise, I spent part of my childhood in East Blue, but my birthplace is South Blue."
Carina felt a sudden rush of warmth toward him upon learning that they shared a connection to East Blue. It seemed like fate had brought them together.
"Wait, Coppers Ren... I remember..." Carina tilted her head as if a memory had just resurfaced. She retrieved a stack of wanted posters from her pocket and began sifting through them. Finally, she pulled out one reward sheet with a picture that matched the person before her.
"You're the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, 'Blood Prison' Coppers Ren, with a bounty of 200 million beli?"
Her eyes widened in astonishment. She gazed at Ren in disbelief, comparing his appearance to the recently issued wanted poster.
Ren chuckled, his gaze nostalgic. "That's a chapter from the past. Just a few days ago, I left the Straw Hat Pirates."
He recounted how he had become the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates in a bet with Zoro and Sanji. The duel had taken place in front of Captain Luffy, and Ren's victory had been indisputable. However, he now saw his affiliation with the Straw Hat Pirates as a bygone era.
"My bounty recently increased to 200 million beli," Ren continued, "because of an incident involving the Golden Merry, our ship. We landed on the G-8 Marine base, and I stirred up quite a commotion, leading to significant losses for the Marines. That's one of the reasons I parted ways with the crew."
Carina was astonished by the turn of events. She couldn't have imagined encountering the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates.
"The vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates?" She stared at him, her eyes locked on the reward poster in her hands. "You've had quite the journey."
Ren nodded and shared a glimpse into the reasons behind his departure. "It was time for a change. I have certain scores to settle with the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, their controllers. I've always been on the opposite side of the World Government, and they're our eternal enemies. But before I can pursue my goals, I need to build a formidable crew."
He concluded, "That's why I left the Straw Hat Pirates."
Carina absorbed his words, her eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and curiosity. The revelation that Ren was the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates had left her both surprised and intrigued.