A few hours after the Sea King incident—more of an incident for the Sea King, honestly—the crew spotted the familiar island on the horizon. This was once White Crow's base, now just another piece of land waiting to be explored. Koby navigated the ship close to the coastline, and they anchored it carefully.
As the group disembarked, the island's dense forest loomed ahead, still carrying remnants of the pirates who had once called it home. The salty sea breeze mixed with the earthy scent of the island.
"Let's find a good clearing," Koby suggested. "We'll settle this duel once and for all."
Lila smirked, already stretching her arms as if preparing for the showdown. "Better find a nice spot, Ronin. I don't want any excuses when I beat you."
Ronin, unbothered by her taunt, grinned lazily, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Oh, don't worry. I'll find the perfect place to remind you why I'm the second mate."
The group marched into the dense foliage, with Te occasionally glancing back at the obedient Sea King swimming alongside their anchored ship, just waiting for its next command.
After a few minutes of walking, they found a great spot for the fight to happen.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Te called out, raising his voice theatrically. "In the left corner, we have the empty-headed, no-sense-of-logic, weighing a hundred pounds soaking wet… RONIN!"
"Hey!" Ronin protested, but Te didn't miss a beat.
"And in the right corner, we have just… Lila." He waved his hand lazily, as if her introduction required no effort.
"Hey!" Lila chimed in, equally offended by the lack of fanfare.
Koby, standing off to the side, couldn't help but chuckle. His brother's antics were as predictable as they were entertaining.
"All right, Ronin, you ready?" Te asked, adopting a more serious tone, but barely keeping the grin off his face.
Ronin twirled his sword with a smirk. "Ready."
Te turned to Lila. "Lila, you ready?"
Lila gave a confident nod. "More than."
Te raised his arm dramatically. "Then… BEGIN!"
And just like that, the clearing erupted into action.
As soon as Te's shout echoed through the clearing, Lila and Ronin sprang into action.
Ronin unsheathed his sword in a fluid motion, eyes locked on Lila. "Let's make this quick. I've got a nap to get back to."
Lila twirled her spear, smirking. "Don't worry, it will be quick—for you."
With a burst of speed, Lila lunged forward, her spear aimed at Ronin's midsection. Ronin sidestepped with a smirk, swinging his sword in a quick arc to counter, but Lila spun gracefully, deflecting his strike mid-motion.
Te leaned against a tree, doing his best announcer impression. "In the red corner, we have Lila, the spear-wielding perfectionist. And in the blue corner, Ronin, master of naps and bad comebacks."
Koby chuckled beside him, arms crossed. "Ten beri says Lila gets the first hit."
"I'll take that bet," Te replied. "Ronin's got better timing."
Back in the clearing, the duel intensified. Lila moved like a whirlwind, each strike from her spear precise and fluid, while Ronin parried her attacks with calculated ease, never rushing, always waiting.
"You're fast," Ronin commented, ducking under a high strike. "But predictable."
Lila's eyes narrowed. "Let's see you predict this!" She thrust her spear low, aiming for his legs. But Ronin was ready, jumping just as the spear grazed past his shins. In the air, he swung his sword toward her, aiming to catch her off-guard, but she was quicker, rolling out of reach and back on her feet in one swift motion.
"Nice try," she taunted.
Ronin gave her a lazy grin, spinning his sword casually. "I'm just warming up."
Te shook his head, amused. "They're both showing off now."
Koby watched intently. "They're testing each other. Ronin's waiting for her to get tired. But Lila's too aggressive—she's pushing him too hard."
Ronin, sensing Lila's increasing intensity, suddenly shifted his stance. He parried her next strike but instead of backing away, he closed the gap between them. His sword clashed with her spear in rapid succession, the two exchanging blows in a heated back-and-forth.
"Not bad, Lila," Ronin said, deflecting another strike. "But you're wearing yourself out."
Lila's frustration showed for a split second, and that was all Ronin needed. He saw the small opening and moved in, sweeping his sword low to knock her off balance. Lila stumbled but used her spear to catch herself, flipping back onto her feet with a determined glare.
"You're too confident," she growled, charging again, this time with renewed ferocity.
Ronin grinned. "And you're too reckless."
Their weapons collided with a loud clash. Lila was pushing harder, trying to break through Ronin's defense, but he remained calm, parrying her strikes with precision.
Te watched with an amused smile. "They're gonna wear each other out at this rate."
Koby chuckled. "Which is good. Less work for us."
The duel raged on, neither willing to back down, both determined to claim victory. As the sweat dripped and their movements grew more intense, it was clear that this battle would end with one of them on the ground—though not without a fight.
Te straightened up from his relaxed position. "Alright, who's going to win this? My beri's still on Ronin."
Koby smirked. "Lila's got more fight in her. She's not backing down."
"Looks like we'll find out soon," Te replied, eyes locked on the clashing pair.
In the clearing, Lila and Ronin circled each other, both breathing heavily, but neither willing to show weakness. The tension between them crackled in the air as they prepared for their final moves.
Ronin and Lila stared each other down, both breathing heavily, their previous exchanges leaving the air thick with tension. Their eyes locked, and in unison, they both muttered:
"Are you ready to end this?"
Ronin grinned, gripping his sword tighter, the blade gleaming under the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. "Let's do it."
Lila smirked, twirling her spear in a fluid motion, her stance solid and determined. "You're going down."
They both charged, their weapons raised. Ronin's sword began to glow with a fierce aura as he prepared his strongest attack. With a powerful swing, he unleashed a massive slash that tore through the air with a loud whoosh, the force creating a visible arc of energy heading straight for Lila.
At the same moment, Lila thrust her spear forward, the point gleaming with deadly precision. Her thrust generated a powerful, spear-shaped projectile that shot through the air with a sharp crack, cutting a path directly toward Ronin's attack.
The two forces collided in midair with an explosive BOOM that echoed through the forest, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground. A blinding light flashed, and the sheer impact of their combined attacks sent both Ronin and Lila flying backward, crashing hard into the dirt, leaves swirling violently in the aftermath.
For a long moment, everything was still, the clearing filled with a tense silence.
Then, from the dust and debris, Ronin's form stirred. He struggled to his feet, shaky and clearly spent, but he raised his sword triumphantly. "I... I win!" he declared, breathing heavily, barely managing a grin.
And just as the words left his mouth, Ronin's legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Te clapped slowly, shaking his head with a smirk. "Well... that lasted long."
Koby stood over Ronin's unconscious form, nodding in mock admiration. "Congrats, Second Mate," he muttered with a chuckle. "For about five seconds."
Te leaned in, whispering smugly, "Looks like I won the bet and am now the captain."
Koby rolled his eyes. "Whatever. As long as you don't get us killed, I don't care."
"Said the loser," Te teased, nudging him with his elbow.
"Go to hell."
Te laughed, but his tone softened. "But seriously, we should be Co-Captains. We balance each other out. I just wanted to prove I'm better, that's all."
Koby raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that was almost sweet."
"Don't get used to it," Te grinned. "Now, let's haul these two back to the recovery pods before they wake up whining. Then, we can sail to an island with actual people."
Koby nodded, smirking. "You're reading my mind."
Later that night, the crew partied hard, celebrating their newfound camaraderie as the sun dipped below the horizon, only to rise again with their laughter echoing across the water. Lila, still a little sore about her earlier loss, quickly turned her frown upside down by dominating Ronin in a series of party games.
"Ha! I told you I could beat you at this!" she laughed, throwing her hands up in triumph after winning yet another round of arm wrestling.
Ronin rubbed his arm, feigning injury. "You've got some sneaky techniques there, Lila. I demand a rematch when I'm not half-asleep!"
The night rolled on smoothly, with music, dancing, and plenty of food, each moment solidifying their bond as a pirate crew. As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, they sailed toward their next adventure, hearts full and spirits high, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them on the open sea.