[2400 Words]
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"Oh... has the sun already risen?"
Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the paper house, dancing over Mikita's face as she lay beside Ren. It was the first time in a long while that she felt peace and mental comfort, as if everything she had been through had faded into the background, like a fleeting memory. Despite the harshness she showed to others, she found in Ren a refuge that restored a bit of hope within her.
She gazed into his eyes, contemplating his beautiful stillness, and took a deep breath, as if gathering all her courage to reveal something she had buried deep within her heart for too long.
"R-Ren... I have something to say, or rather, a selfish desire," she began in a soft voice, filled with tension. The words echoed in her throat, as if acknowledging her past could reopen old wounds.
Ren heard her voice and looked at her kindly, gently stroking her beautiful face with his hand. "Speak your heart; I'm all ears."
Warmth spread through Mikita's heart, and she took a deep breath as if preparing for a journey through time. "Once upon a time, I was an ordinary girl... living in a simple coastal village on a humble island in the West Blue. We were a small family living off fishing and manual labor. My father and mother did everything they could for us to live in peace, and the village was my entire world. Kyaahaha... I didn't even know there was another sea besides ours."
She paused for a moment, as if reflecting on her memories, reliving those simple moments. Ren did not interrupt; he continued to listen intently. He used his Observation Haki to capture the feelings of sadness, fear, and hatred emanating from her, echoes of a painful past.
"But everything changed in an instant," she said, her voice trembling, her eyes glistening with hidden pain. "On a sunny day, like any other peaceful day, the Marines appeared in our village, and they were not just an ordinary naval ship; they carried Akainu, the Vice Admiral. He decided that our village had become a haven for pirates, without evidence or justification. He sent his fleet to destroy everything in the name of justice. They came at night, burned down homes, and killed anyone who got in their way. My father tried to defend our village; he only wanted to protect his family, but Akainu showed him no mercy. He executed him before our eyes."
Tears gathered in her eyes, but she would not let them fall. The feelings of repressed anger surged within her. She continued with determination in her voice: "After that night, I lost everything. My mother couldn't bear it, and she collapsed... then she left. She left me alone to face this world... without family, without refuge."
"Fortunately... fortunately, before my father died, he told me that in the cellar of our house, there was a legendary fruit that could help me escape... I ate that fruit, then fled, barely surviving."
She didn't wait for Ren to react before speaking again: "The next day, the newspaper reported on our village in a hidden and small section, mentioning no details! They only said that the village was harboring a dangerous pirate who was captured by the heroic Vice Admiral Akainu!!"
Mikita's features darkened, and Ren felt a significant amount of hatred from her words. 'That's why she looked at Akainu strangely during the Summit War... My Observation Haki wasn't enough at the time to understand her feelings... Now everything is clear; Akainu, I'm not surprised he did this.'
Ren thought, but he was pulled back to reality by Mikita's pained voice.
"At that moment, I found myself alone... living without purpose, without heart. I wandered, lived on the margins, grew up by myself; I was twelve years old when I lost everything... then I was invited by Mr. Zero to his organization when he noticed me."
Then she raised her head to look directly at him and said in a steady voice, filled with the bitterness of the past: "That's why I joined Baroque Works... and that's why I'm here now. I don't want to live aimlessly anymore, Ren. I will continue until I make the Marines pay the price, even if I have to take down Akainu himself. My love, will you blame me for this? Do you think I am selfish?"
Ren placed his hand on her shoulder and replied in a calm voice, filled with determination: "Of course not, Mikita. Even if those who wronged you are the Celestials Dragons themselves, they will get what they deserve. Akainu and the Marines... if this is the justice they believe in, we'll show them our justice!"
"I love you!" Mikita hugged him, tears streaming down her face, staining his bare chest. Ren gently patted her, trying to soothe her, then replied softly, "I love you too, Mikita."
[Loyalty of Mikita: 100%]
Ren looked at the system notification showing Mikita's status, especially her loyalty, then turned his gaze back to the blonde girl and said, "Mikita, there's a chance to revive your family, as you know."
Mikita raised her head and looked at him with a sweet smile mixed with her tears, then said, "There's no need for that, my love."
Ren was shocked by Mikita's rejection, but she quickly continued: "Their death is the fuel that drives me to seek revenge for them. Previously, this desire for vengeance was too weak due to my own weakness... but now... with you, my love, I am sure I will achieve it~"
"So... let them rest from this world."
...
[After several hours.]
The makeshift paper house had vanished, along with the two people. Ren and Mikita returned to their dimension, under the curious gazes of the girls. Mikita went to take a shower, but she wasn't alone; Ren accompanied her. They enjoyed their time in the bath, sharing some heated moments before emerging together.
None of the girls mentioned the event; Ren's shower with Mikita was clear evidence of their relationship, and it logically explained their disappearance throughout the night.
[Dining Room.]
"Captain, what's our next destination?" Nami asked, glancing at Ren, who was quietly enjoying his breakfast. Her gaze then shifted to Mikita, who somehow looked more beautiful, her skin glowing as if bathed in a special light.
'Did they did it...?' Nami thought to herself, unfazed. She wasn't jealous like she had been before; she realized that Ren had did it with Nojiko and Kaya too, so what was the point of feeling jealous now? She didn't want to lose him, so she decided to accept this " Harem" with an open heart, especially since Mikita was not just an ordinary girl but a close friend.
As Ren savored a delicious meal of nourishing sea beast meat, he found himself lost in thought. Ever since his power had been continuously increasing, his hunger and need for meat had multiplied. Not just any meat, but that of sea kings; the bigger and stronger the sea king, the better the meat quality. Fortunately, Nami had caught some sea kings foolish enough to attack her and had stored their meat on the ship.
Mikita and Nojiko teamed up with Nami to prepare the food, and Ren considered the necessity of finding a chef for the crew, as a few names crossed his mind.
These thoughts lasted mere seconds, and Ren didn't keep Nami waiting long, declaring firmly, "We're heading to Fish-Man Island, located ten thousand meters beneath the sea surface."
As soon as he spoke those words, the expressions of the girls, who had been eating breakfast quietly, shifted, and the atmosphere became charged with excitement.
"Fish-Man Island? I wonder what kind of places await us there..." Kaya spoke up, her enthusiasm reflecting her passion for adventure, as she had always dreamed of exploring.
"It'll be an interesting experience, but we're not going just for sightseeing, right, Captain?" Robin smiled as she sipped from a nearby wine glass.
'Is my brother after Poseidon?' Leila Thought quietly, then looked deeply at Ren, surrounded by questions.
"Fish-Man Island…" Nojiko muttered, reminiscing about Nami's painful past with Arlong.
"I'm here, Nojiko, so there's no need to be anxious~" Bell-mere patted her shoulder with a bright smile, using her Devil Fruit ability to soothe the turmoil in Nojiko's heart.
Sure enough, Nojiko felt an external force trying to influence her emotions, but she didn't resist, knowing it came from Bell-mere.
"So, when are we leaving, Captain Ren?" Kalifa asked, the blonde who was expertly wiping her mouth after finishing breakfast, appearing excited for her first voyage with the new crew.
Ren looked at all the eager crew members before speaking once they calmed down: "We'll leave today, and that's true, Robin; there are some exciting things there, including a Poneglyph."
"Poneglyph?!" Kalifa exclaimed sharply, still getting used to the crew's nature, muttering with concern.
"A Poneglyph… I can't wait to see what it contains!" Robin was not as shocked as she was excited about reading the Poneglyph on Fish-Man Island, which made her look forward to the trip even more.
"Alright, I'll leave you to prepare. Nami, steer the ship toward the Sabaody Archipelago... Make sure we're flying at a height that won't let us be seen."
Ren rose from his seat and directed his instructions to Nami, who quickly replied, "Aye, Captain!"
He smiled at her and looked at the crew present: Nojiko, Nami, Mikita, Kaya, Zala, Kalifa, and Leila. But Vivi stayed in Alabasta.
Ren stepped out of the dimension and opened the cabin door, then gazed at the ship soaring swiftly through the sky. They were at an altitude where they could see the clouds below, and fortunately, Elsama was equipped with a light barrier to protect the ship from wind pressure.
He took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, inputting a specific number he had previously given to someone, then made the call.
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
"Hello, sir." A flat voice came from the other end, mimicking the expression of the person whose eyes appeared vacant.
"Koby, what's the situation?" Ren asked calmly.
"There are no significant movements from the Navy, sir. The headquarters is still busy compensating for the damage from the previous war—both human and material losses," the empty voice relayed without pause, detailing all it knew.
Ren knew that Koby wasn't currently in a high enough position to be aware of the Navy's critical movements, but his plan had always been long-term from the outset.
"Alright, keep training and let me know as soon as anything important happens," Ren said as he prepared to end the call.
"Understood, sir."
*Ka-tcha~!*
After that, Ren dialed another number and made a call.
*Purururu*
*Purururu*
"Hello, Captain~!" a cheerful voice came from the den den mushi, mimicking the face of a beautiful woman.
"How are you, Tashigi?" Unlike his cold tone with Koby, Ren spoke gently with Tashigi.
"I'm fine, Captain~! But there's something I need to tell you." Tashigi's voice was sweet, but it quickly turned serious.
"Oh? What is it? I'm all ears." Ren's curiosity piqued; was there something happening in the Navy?
"Well, it actually concerns Vice Admiral Garp... You see, Captain, I'm under the supervision of Rear Admiral Hina-san. Recently, she has become close to Vice Admiral Garp and boarded his ship. I don't know the reason, but I was with her, and I overheard a rumor about someone rumored to be the grandson of Vice Admiral Garp!"
'Luffy? Strange... hasn't Garp taken him to Foosha Village yet? Is he planning something with him?'Ren recalled the main character of this world, Luffy, who he had beaten and killed his crew.
In truth, if it weren't for the immense risks, Ren wouldn't have hesitated to kill Luffy back then. At that time, he was far too weak compared to Garp, Shanks, and Dragon, not to mention the forces under those figures.
As of now, he was still weaker than them, but the gap had narrowed, at least in terms of personal power. However, Ren still lacked a strong and large fleet like the Revolutionary Army that Dragon commanded.
But was Ren worried that Luffy would seek revenge on him? No, he wasn't, at least not for now.
To become as strong as his version that defeated Kaido, Luffy would need two years. This was an incredibly rapid development, which could be described as terrifying or ridiculous, and it was something that an ordinary person could hardly accept. But Luffy, as the protagonist of this world, must possess something called "plot armor" and the world's favor, allowing him to achieve this feat.
Yet despite this insane speed, he was still vastly inferior compared to the speed of the system! The system had made him stronger than Yonko commanders in just about three months, and the future held many more surprises.
These thoughts flooded Ren's mind, but he quickly organized them and refocused on Tashigi, who continued speaking: "Captain, based on your reaction, you must be aware of this, right? I didn't expect the grandson of Vice Admiral Garp to be the Straw Hat Luffy, whom you captured with Ace during the Alabasta incident... Anyway, do you have any orders regarding this matter, Captain?"
Ren thought for a few seconds before responding, "Try to find out Hina's intentions regarding Garp, and if you can, determine Garp's destination and let me know. But remember, the most important thing is not to get caught, understood?"
"Understood, Captain!" Tashigi replied firmly before ending the call.
*Ka-tcha~!*
Ren put the Den Den mushi back in its storage, then gazed at the clouds rushing by beneath them and sank into his thoughts in silence. The impact of that news weighed heavily on him, stirring various emotions; concern, doubt, and even a bit of tension.
"Luffy... I know you will regain your determination and likely form a new goal, perhaps... to seek revenge on me. But... do you really think I'll allow you to grow stronger only to come and slap me later? Rehahahahahaha!"
Ren's cold laughter echoed across the vast sky, fading among the clouds as the Elsama continued its journey toward the Sabaody Archipelago, the place where a new adventure would begin, accompanied by many Things waiting to be uncovered.
He also realized that everything was changing quickly and that time was passing relentlessly, making him feel the need to prepare for any challenges that might arise ahead.
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To be continued...