Underground, the Hunter Pirates were moving rapidly, the dim glow of Te's Nen illuminating the tunnel as he manipulated the earth around them. Rocks shifted and compacted, creating a safe passage as fast as he could manage. Each rumble of the ground echoed ominously in the narrow space.
"We're so screwed," Ronin gasped, his breaths coming in short, panicked bursts. "This is only our second island, and we've already faced one of the Five Elders and now an Admiral? This is ridiculous!"
Lila, clutching her spear tightly, added with a frustrated sigh, "Yeah, guys, I didn't sign up for a death wish. Traveling with you is starting to feel like a non-stop suicide mission."
"There's no need to worry," Te said, his tone oddly calm as the ground shifted effortlessly under his control. "If we get caught, Koby and I can handle the situation. But we'd prefer to avoid a confrontation with an Admiral—that would only bring us more problems in the long run."
Koby, walking beside him, nodded in agreement. "Te's right. If we fight Kizaru and manage to win—or even just escape—the government will view us as a major threat. They'll start sending everything they have to wipe us out before we can grow any stronger."
"So, what's the plan now?" Ronin asked, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "Are we gonna become mole people and live underground forever?"
"Stop over-exaggerating," Koby shot back, his voice steady but firm. "We'll have to split up. Our situation has become too dangerous for you two."
Lila's eyes widened in shock, and she stopped in her tracks. "Split up?" she repeated, her voice shaking slightly. "You promised we'd travel the world together!"
"I did," Koby said, his tone softer now, though his resolve was clear. "But you and Ronin are too weak to keep up if this journey continues like this. The enemies we're facing now are leagues above what you're ready for."
"Fuck how dangerous the journey is," Ronin snapped, his voice rising with anger. "We're not abandoning you two!"
"Yeah!" Lila added fiercely. "We're a crew! We stick together!"
Te chuckled, though his focus didn't waver from the path he was creating. "Koby, they're right. Besides, leaving them on their own isn't exactly a great plan. They're a little slow when it comes to survival."
"Fuck you!" Ronin and Lila shouted in unison, glaring daggers at Te.
"I'm joking… sort of," Te said with a smirk. "Look, we just need to get off this island. Once we're out of Kizaru's range, the government won't keep wasting resources on us. They're not going to send an Admiral after every rookie crew causing trouble."
Koby sighed, glancing at his brother. "Te, we can't keep underestimating the government's reach. If they decide we're worth the effort, they'll make our lives hell."
"And that's why we'll be smarter," Te replied confidently. "We'll keep a low profile after this—at least until Ronin and Lila catch up a bit."
"I swear, if you keep implying we're dead weight, I'm going to stab you," Lila muttered, holding up her spear threateningly.
"Noted," Te said, his grin widening. "But seriously, let's focus on escaping first. We'll figure out the rest once we're safely out at sea."
Ronin let out a long breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Fine. But if we're sticking together, we all need to be ready to fight. No more running."
"Agreed," Koby said. "Now let's move. Kizaru's probably already trying to track us, and we don't have time to waste."