The villagers' initial caution toward the red-haired pirates began to fade over time as the crew proved themselves to be respectful and harmless. For Satoru, however, life took a peculiar turn when his entourage of one mischievous child became two. The new addition was Uta, a fiery little girl with a strikingly unique look: her hair split into two stark halves—one bright red, the other pure white.
Uta, as Satoru quickly learned, was Shanks' daughter. Despite her youth, Uta carried herself with confidence and a penchant for mischief, rivaling that of Luffy. In fact, the two often ended up bickering or sparring, with Uta emerging victorious more often than not—a point she didn't hesitate to remind Luffy of at every opportunity.
"Damn it! I've been training so hard! Why can't I beat you, even once?!" Luffy groaned, sprawled out on the ground after yet another defeat, his voice tinged with frustration.
Uta, standing triumphantly over him, smirked. "Hah! Keep dreaming, Luffy. It'll take at least another hundred years before you can match me!"
Her confidence, however, wasn't unfounded. Despite being a child herself, Uta had years of secondhand exposure to pirate life, picking up tips and tricks from watching her father and his crew. Even without direct combat experience, her instincts and creativity far outmatched Luffy's raw strength.
"You're nothing but talk!" Luffy protested, his eyes welling up with unshed tears, though his resolve remained firm. "One day, I'll beat you!"
As Uta basked in her victory, her sharp gaze shifted to Satoru. "Hey, you! Fight me next! I'll show you what a *real* pirate can do!"
"Hah!" Luffy immediately sprang up, now more animated than ever. "There's no way you can beat Satoru! You couldn't even scratch him if you trained for a million years!"
Uta turned to glare at Luffy, cheeks puffing in indignation. "Oh, shut up, you sore loser! Just sit down and watch while I knock your idol off his pedestal."
Satoru chuckled lightly, already anticipating the outcome. "Alright, Uta. Show me what you've got."
With that, Uta lunged forward, her small fists aimed straight for Satoru's face. Despite her enthusiasm, Satoru's honed reflexes—enhanced further by his observational skills—allowed him to easily intercept her attack, catching her fist mid-air.
"Not bad," Satoru said with a faint grin, noting the strength behind her punch. "No wonder you keep Luffy on the ground. You've got some power there."
Uta's face lit up with determination. Using Satoru's grip to her advantage, she vaulted herself onto his shoulders, locking her legs around his neck. The move was surprisingly agile, and it briefly caught Luffy's attention.
"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed, wide-eyed. "That's so cool! I'm definitely gonna try that next time!"
But Uta's triumph was short-lived. Satoru's calm demeanor hadn't wavered once. Gripping her ankle gently but firmly, he pulled her off with ease, flipping her through the air before placing her back on the ground. The movement was so smooth that Uta barely realized what had happened until she found herself lying flat on the dirt.
"Wha—?!" Uta sputtered, her confusion evident. "What just happened?!"
Satoru crouched beside her, a small, amused smile playing on his lips. "You're good, Uta, but there's still a lot for you to learn. Keep at it, though—you've got potential."
Luffy, meanwhile, burst out laughing, pointing at Uta with a mix of relief and glee. "I told you! Satoru's unbeatable! Even you couldn't do it, Uta!"
"Shut up, Luffy!" Uta snapped, her cheeks reddening in frustration. "I wasn't ready, that's all!"
Despite her indignation, it was clear Uta wasn't too discouraged. In fact, the loss only fueled her determination to train harder. Meanwhile, Satoru silently reflected on Uta's fiery spirit, her tenacity reminding him of Luffy's.
The dynamic between the three became a daily spectacle for the villagers. While Luffy and Uta's playful rivalry blossomed into an unusual camaraderie, Satoru found himself in the role of an unlikely mentor—guiding, teasing, and subtly protecting the two troublemakers who followed him everywhere.
It wasn't long before the red-haired pirates earned the trust of the village, blending into the community while they resupplied. But for Satoru, his days grew brighter and noisier with Uta and Luffy's endless antics, their bond growing stronger with every sparring match and mischievous adventure.