After a prolonged exchange of cannon fire, the naval battleship finally drew close to the Spade Pirates' ship. A few grappling hooks flew over from the battleship, indicating that the marine intended to board.
The members of the Spade Pirates readied their weapons, but they didn't seem too concerned, and laughter continued to ripple through the crew.
"Fire Fist Ace, surrender!" a determined female naval officer called out as she leaped aboard, sword in hand, her expression fierce.
Shin observed her with his heightened senses and quickly concluded, 'Not much of a threat.'
'To start with, she isn't using any Haki, nor does she have any Seastone weaponry. What does she plan to do—shackle a Devil Fruit user with those cuffs on her waist?'
Ace scratched his head. "Sorry, but I can't let myself get caught until I've surpassed a certain someone."
"Hmph! Enough excuses! This time, I'm bringing you to Impel Down for sure!" the officer shouted as she charged toward him.
She made her move and was promptly defeated.
'With that skill level, are you really committed to this fight?' Shin thought with amusement. 'Miss, you're quite courageous.'
Luckily, Ace wasn't a pirate known for cruelty; otherwise, this encounter could have ended much darker for her.
After exchanging a few words, Ace let the female marine officer, Iska, return unharmed to her ship.
Shin, who had kept to himself during the skirmish, noticed the crew's inaction. 'There's definitely some history here,' he mused. 'Seems like there's even a hint of… sentiment.'
As Iska was sent back, she shot Ace a fierce look. "Don't get too comfortable, Fire Fist Ace! Next time, a real Vice Admiral will be coming after you!"
Shin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. 'Is she trying to arrest a pirate, or is she here to leak classified information?'
Considering the odd tension between Iska and Ace, Shin refrained from pointing out the obvious.
'Well, letting pirates off with a warning seems to be a common practice in the marines nowadays. Why start objecting now?'
However, the prospect of a Vice Admiral coming after them gave him pause. At that rank, the difference between branch and headquarters nearly vanishes. Branch Vice Admirals command local bases and are almost as strong as their headquarters counterparts.
In the Grand Line, both branch and headquarters marine personnel are elite, with the highest rank in the four seas being a colonel.
Additionally, most Vice Admirals have mastered both types of Haki, which spells trouble for a Logia-type like Ace. With Armament Haki, any battle could change drastically.
'Looks like I'll be seeing action sooner than I thought,' Shin thought with a sigh. He wasn't worried about Ace losing. Until he met Whitebeard, Ace was a force to be reckoned with. But the rest of the Spade Pirates might suffer—while they were competent, they didn't quite match up to elite Vice Admiral officers.
'I'll have to step up as the Spade Pirates' second-in-command in the fight.'
As they approached a jungle-covered island, Shin noticed its distinct architecture. "Is this a jungle island? The buildings look a bit like a Mayan city," he murmured.
Their route diverged from the Straw Hats', meaning each island they visited had its own unique atmosphere. With its warm climate and dense rainforest, this one felt lively and mysterious.
Ace addressed the crew, "Alright, everyone, we'll rest here for a few days. Meet back at the dock in a week."
"Mihar, you're on ship duty. If anything happens, send word. Everyone else, feel free to explore." The crew cheered at the chance to stretch their legs.
Life at sea sounded romantic, but in reality, it could be monotonous. Most pirates looked forward to exploring new islands, which offered a refreshing change of pace. Even in the original story, the sea journeys were brief, with most of the action happening on land.
It was no surprise that after nearly a month on board, the crew was thrilled to disembark.
As for Mihar, he was the ultimate shut-in. Shin had only seen him once, and that was when he first joined the crew. The man was nowhere to be found at any other time. Being left on watch suited Mihar perfectly, as he preferred solitude.
Shin thought about reminding Ace of the Vice Admiral's ship pursuing them, especially now with the crew about to scatter. The Spade Pirates could be in trouble if the Vice Admiral showed up. But he decided against it. After all, everyone except Ace and himself would be in for a beating either way. Once Ace handled the Vice Admiral, they could quickly be rescued.
'Besides, now that we're docked, I can go about my own business,' Shin mused. 'Seven days should be plenty of time to procure those jutsu scrolls from the black market.'
Yes, Shin planned to return to the ninja world's black market. With the funds he'd amassed, he could afford to buy a selection of jutsu scrolls, particularly some B-rank ones that were widely available.
Though the black market only supplied up to B-rank jutsus, it still held a decent variety. High-level techniques or secret jutsu wouldn't be there, but standard jutsu like Water Dragon Bullet, Earth Dragon Bullet, and Water Wall were well within reach.
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Mass Release: [4/5]
For every power stones milestone: 50,100, 200, 300,400,500 I will release a bonus chapter.
I will also release a bonus chapter for every two reviews until it reaches ten reviews.
Review status: [3/10]