In the blink of an eye, another week had passed.
Ryuunosuke's energy swept across the training field, releasing a wave of icy cold that blanketed the area. The surrounding temperature plummeted, frost forming along the edges of the trees.
Even Akame and Kuina felt the chill slow their movements.
"Brother Ryuunosuke, you're cheating!" Akame pouted, backing away with visible frustration. "This isn't normal swordsmanship!"
"I agree," Kuina added with a grin. "You're using tricks, not technique!"
Across the field, Najenda and the others watched the sparring session unfold with growing curiosity.
"…Something's changed between those three," Leone said, narrowing her eyes.
"You noticed too?" she added, arms folded, eyes glinting.
Before, Kuina and Akame often trained together—sometimes clashing fiercely, sometimes helping each other improve. But Ryuunosuke rarely joined in. He was simply too strong; sparring with him disrupted the balance.
But now, he was right there with them. Not overpowering, not distant—but engaged. Playful.
"They're definitely together now," Najenda said without hesitation. "And I mean together-together. Like Tatsumi and Mine."
At that, Tatsumi and Mine—quietly observing from the shade—immediately stiffened.
"W-We haven't—" Tatsumi began to protest.
"Oh, please," Leone interrupted, pulling him into a side-hug. "You're a couple. Everyone knows."
Tatsumi blushed, utterly defeated.
Despite the teasing, the crew was genuinely happy. Their captain, once emotionally distant, had finally opened up—and that change brought warmth to the entire ship.
After the short training episode, the Dragon Hunter Pirates arrived at their next destination: Foosha Village. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ noᴠelfire.net
Ryuunosuke hadn't been back in years.
The place was almost frozen in time. The windmill spun gently on the hill. The same narrow dirt roads crisscrossed through the village. The same wooden buildings stood tall in humble defiance against the passing of years.
This was a place untouched by the chaos of the outside world—a pure land.
A familiar voice called out before they even made it into the village proper.
"You brat. You've been gone so long and you still remember how to come home?"
It was Makino, unloading crates from a cart near the bar. She walked over, hands on her hips, smiling but clearly annoyed.
There was no formal greeting. No stiff body language. No change in her tone despite his title.
She saw Ryuunosuke not as the feared pirate captain—but as the kid she used to scold for spilling drinks behind the counter.
"Sister Makino, I had… things to take care of."
"I'm not blaming you," she said, waving him off. "You're back now. That's enough. Come to the bar. I made food."
She turned back to the workers and barked orders, then led the way with no room for argument.
"Captain, we'll give you some space," Najenda said as the rest of the crew dispersed, giving their captain room to reconnect with his roots.
Ryuunosuke brought Akame and Kuina along with him to Makino's bar.
"This… is where the captain lived when he was young?" Kuina asked, glancing around the modest interior.
"Sister Makino, I heard he used to work here?" Akame added.
The small bar didn't look like the kind of place where someone like Ryuunosuke would be raised. There were no training posts or weapon racks—just wooden stools, bottles, and the faint scent of old oak and citrus.
"Yes," Makino nodded. "This boy was a handful. Always sneaking out with that rascal Luffy, but he never crossed the line. And he was a great help around the bar."
"After he left, it took me a while to get used to the silence."
"Sister Makino," Akame said softly, her tone far warmer than usual, "can you tell us more about his childhood?"
Makino smiled again but didn't immediately dive into stories.
Instead, her eyes narrowed curiously. "Wait a second. You two… are you?"
"Sister Makino, Akame and Kuina are my girlfriends," Ryuunosuke replied without flinching.
He may have stumbled through emotions before, but now, he was clear.
Makino raised an eyebrow, then smirked.
"Alright, sisters. Come sit over here with me."
She pulled the girls aside for some food and a long chat—leaving Ryuunosuke standing awkwardly at the center of the bar, completely ignored.
"…What are you just standing there for?"
Makino glanced over her shoulder. "You're back now. That means you're working. Today's service is yours."
"Yes, Sister Makino…"
Ryuunosuke scratched his head and sighed, then moved behind the counter and began prepping drinks and snacks like he never left.
Imagine that: the Captain of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, the man whose name echoed through the New World, acting as a waiter in a sleepy village bar.
If word got out, the seas would never stop laughing.
Meanwhile, Akame and Kuina were quietly grilled by Makino about everything Ryuunosuke had done while at sea—his battles, his losses, his victories. She took it all in with pride and a glint of nostalgia.
As the sun dipped low and stars began to pepper the night sky, the crew began exploring the village, curious about their captain's past.
Eventually, Najenda found something strange—a cave, hidden near the cliffs.
Inside, she found… a Sea King.
Chained. Dormant. Still alive.
Its size was enormous, though signs of age were evident in the rusting chains and the faded scent of blood. It had clearly been here for years.
No villager could have done this.
She had spoken briefly to the Dadan family, and while they had some strength, this? This was far beyond them.
This… was the work of someone powerful.
"You're the First Division Captain of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, aren't you?"
A voice echoed from the shadows.
Najenda turned sharply.
She recognized the man instantly. A member of the Red-Haired Pirates.
Ryuunosuke had mentioned that crew long ago. Apparently, he'd crossed paths with them during his early days—and Foosha Village, it seemed, was a shared connection.
"This is my territory," Carlos said coldly. "You've seen too much."
His eyes narrowed. His smile was twisted.
"You'll die here. I can't have anyone leaking what's hidden in this place."
A surge of violent Haki erupted from his body—sick, unstable, deranged.
Najenda didn't flinch.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said flatly. "But it sounds like you want a fight."
She took a step forward, lips curling into a smile of her own.
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