On a certain sea within the Grand Line, a small boat drifted slowly. It was a tiny vessel, barely big enough for two or three people. Sitting atop it was a boy around fourteen years old.
The boy had delicate features and an innocent, harmless look.
Vast sea, tiny boat, lone boy—the scene was small against the endless ocean. The only striking element was the red, dragon-like creature coiled around the boy's neck.
This boy was none other than Ye Chen.
After learning that Lisa had been kidnapped, Ye Chen had set off for Sabaody Archipelago the very next day, riding Osiris.
Having made the trip a couple of times before, Osiris was already familiar with the route to Sabaody Archipelago. But since this was a rescue mission, Ye Chen didn't want to attract too much attention, so he had Osiris stop just a distance away from the archipelago.
Ye Chen gazed at the vast ocean, fatigue washing over him.
"Let me know if anything happens. I'm going to catch some sleep," he said before lying down on the boat and closing his eyes.
Osiris extended his head, scanning the surroundings.
The little boat glided slowly, appearing minuscule amidst the boundless sea.
Time flowed like sand through fingers. Before long, a Marine Headquarters battleship gradually approached from the distance.
"Teacher Zephyr, we've spotted a small boat up ahead," a Marine soldier reported to the purple-haired man standing nearby.
Zephyr—former Marine Admiral and current instructor at the Marine Academy—wore dark sunglasses and had spiky purple hair.
Zephyr furrowed his brows. "Anything on board?"
"Too far to tell, we can only make out a blurry silhouette."
Thinking for a moment, Zephyr ordered, "Approach the boat. If it's someone in distress, we'll give him a ride."
"Yes, sir!"
Under Zephyr's command, the battleship moved full speed toward Ye Chen's boat.
Before long, the battleship was less than three hundred meters away from Ye Chen.
"Teacher Zephyr, we can see clearly now. It's just a kid," the Marine soldier reported.
"A kid, huh? Bring him aboard," Zephyr instructed.
...
"Grrr..." Osiris, sensing the incoming battleship, growled softly near Ye Chen's ear.
As the battleship got closer and Ye Chen remained asleep, Osiris grew anxious and was about to break his dormant form.
Just then, Ye Chen opened his eyes.
Rubbing them, he asked, "What's going on?"
Osiris pointed with his claw at the approaching Marine battleship.
It was now just about a hundred meters away.
"A Marine ship, huh," Ye Chen muttered, a slight smile curving on his lips.
He had gone out of his way to avoid being noticed, yet had randomly bumped into the Marine Headquarters at sea. What were the odds...
"You there, boy! Come aboard, we'll give you a ride to Sabaody Archipelago!" a Marine soldier called from the deck.
Ye Chen's expression turned a little strange. Just half a month ago, he had become a wanted man by Marine Headquarters. And now, here they were, kindly offering him a lift.
Seriously...
He couldn't help but laugh at the irony.
"You sure you want to bring me aboard?" Ye Chen asked, struggling to keep a straight face.
The Marine soldier frowned, not quite understanding the boy's words.
"What's going on?" Zephyr asked as he walked over.
"Teacher Zephyr, the kid asked if we're sure about taking him aboard."
"Tell him we're sure. Get him up here," Zephyr replied.
"Yes, sir."
...
"Come on up," the Marine soldier called again.
Ye Chen chuckled and shook his head. He hadn't expected Marine Headquarters to invite him aboard themselves.
But since they insisted—why not?
"Let's go, Osiris. Time to board," Ye Chen said, pointing at the battleship.
At his command, Osiris began glowing with red light. His body swelled rapidly in size and, carrying Ye Chen, launched toward the battleship.
"What the...?" The Marine soldier's jaw dropped in disbelief.
With Osiris's dramatic transformation, every Marine on the ship stood stunned.
Before they could react, Ye Chen had already landed on the deck.
The moment Zephyr laid eyes on Osiris, his body tensed. Armament Haki instantly coated his fists. In the blink of an eye, he crossed a dozen meters and threw a punch at Ye Chen.
Bang!
The punch was caught by Osiris's claw. A muffled boom rang out, and a shockwave rippled around them.
"You invited me aboard, and now you're attacking me? Is this your idea of a welcome? Or is this what you Marines call justice?" Ye Chen narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly.
"Pirates are never welcome on a Marine ship," Zephyr responded.
"And Marine justice... is to eliminate all pirates."
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