It had been a week since their battle against the Warp Pirates, and in that time, the Leviathan had sailed without encountering another pirate crew or a single Marine ship.
But that didn't mean the journey had been peaceful.
Twice, they had been caught in raging storms that threatened to tear the sails apart. Reon had cursed the weather gods while clinging to the mast, barking orders at Bepo to adjust the sails while Kisame and Hancock helped stabilize the ship.
And then there were the sea kings.
The first attack had come on the third day. A monstrous serpent had lunged at the ship, its maw large enough to swallow half the deck whole. Kisame had leapt into action, cutting through its thick hide with a single brutal strike.
"Too easy," he had muttered, flicking the blood off his blade.
The second attack had come the next day. A massive, armor-plated beast had risen from the depths, roaring as it tried to capsize the Leviathan. Before it could, Yuji had unleashed a torrent of flames, incinerating the beast mid-air. The crew had eaten well that night.
And now, after a week of rough sailing, patience was wearing thin.
Reon stomped across the deck, his hammer resting on his shoulder, a scowl plastered on his face. "Oi, Bepo! How long till we reach the next island?"
Bepo, who had been checking the ship's log pose, flinched. "Uhmm… I think… maybe… one or two days?"
Reon groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "One or two days?! Damn it, I'm sick of the damn ocean! I need land! A bar! A proper drink!"
Kisame smirked. "Getting seasick, shipwright?"
Reon shot him a glare. "Shut it, fish-bastard!"
Law, lounging near the mast, sighed. "I don't know why you're complaining, Reon. You're the one always bragging about how great this ship is. Shouldn't you enjoy being on it?"
Reon pointed at him. "Shut up, Ope-Ope bastard!"
Law smirked but didn't argue.
As the crew continued their usual banter, Kisame turned his gaze toward Yuji. "Captain," he called, "those flames of yours… are they from a Devil Fruit?"
At his words, the others quieted, turning their attention to Yuji.
Yuji remained still for a moment before slowly igniting the flames on his back. The orange glow flickered against the darkening sky, casting long shadows across the deck.
"No," Yuji said finally. "It's not a Devil Fruit power."
Reon raised a brow. "Then what the hell is it?"
Yuji smirked slightly. "It's a trait of my race. I'm a halfling—half Lunarian, half human."
A beat of silence followed.
Then—
Bepo tilted his head. "Lunarian? What kind of race is that?"
Yuji exhaled, his flames flickering before vanishing. "A race that used to live on the Red Line… long before the World Government wiped them out."
That caught everyone's attention.
"The government wiped them out?" Reon repeated.
Yuji nodded. "The Lunarians were once known as a race of gods. Their flames gave them incredible endurance, and their bodies were almost indestructible. They could survive in any environment on land, in the sea, even in the sky. Because of that, they were feared."
Law's eyes narrowed. "Feared enough that the government exterminated them?"
"Yes long time ago as far as I know before the world goverment is established my race is living on top of the grandline, but then when the world goverment begin to build their foundation in this world, they bare their fang towards the Lunarians"
"Hmp they just don't want someone living on the same place"
"Well they have a superiority complex right? those celestial dragon" Rein said.
Yuji's gaze darkened. "They offer 100 million berries to anyone with information about a living Lunarian."
Bepo paled. "A hundred million… just for information?"
Hancock scoffed. "Typical of the World Government. They destroy what they cannot control."
Yuji nodded. "As far as I know, there's only one pure-blooded Lunarian still alive. And he's powerful world renowned."
Law sat up slightly. "Who is he?"
Yuji smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
Reon huffed. "Tch. That's cryptic as hell."
Yuji chuckled. "Let's just say… you'd rather have him as an ally than an enemy."
The conversation lingered in the air, heavy with the weight of the revelation.
Then Bepo hesitated before asking, "Captain… if pure Lunarians have black wings… does that mean…?"
Yuji nodded. "I don't have them because I'm only half. But that doesn't mean my flames or durability are weaker." His eyes burned with quiet confidence.
Kisame grinned. "Now *that's* something I wanna see."
Reon smirked, crossing his arms. "Heh. Well, long as you're still our captain, I don't care if you're part of any kind of race"
Yuji chuckled. "Good to know."
The tension eased slightly, but the weight of Yuji's words remained.
'Maybe I should always lit the flame so that even I face a sudden attack I can just ignore it?'
A rare race. A survivor of a genocide. A target of the World Government.
Their captain was many things.
And soon, the world would know exactly what he was capable of.
To be continued…