Chapter 4

Hancock was about to speak when her expression suddenly changed. She sharply turned to look toward the cabin behind her.

She reached out and shielded her two younger sisters behind her, shouting sternly, "Who's there? Come out!"

But her heart pounded. Could enemies have already snuck aboard?

Just then, footsteps sounded from inside the cabin, followed by a voice.

"Don't be nervous. We're not here to cause trouble. We just wandered in by accident."

"May I ask where this is?"

As the voice faded, two figures, one tall and one small, emerged from the cabin.

A young man and a young woman.

They were Xunjing and Uchiha Chisato.

They had not expected their first spatial teleportation to drop them directly onto this ship.

Xunjing recognized the ship from the two giant snakes at its bow—it was a warship from Kuja Island.

Then, seeing the three girls before him, he quickly guessed their identities: the Hancock sisters.

In other words, at this point in time, the Hancock sisters had not yet been captured and made into slaves?

That was an unexpectedly good piece of news.

"So pretty!"

The three sisters blurted out the moment they saw Uchiha Chisato.

Not only was the woman beautiful, but she also carried a gentle, mature aura that made people unconsciously want to look at her a little longer.

Still, they only marveled for a moment. Their vigilance did not lessen in the slightest.

Hancock stared at Uchiha Chisato and Xunjing, her tone still wary. "Who are you? What exactly are you doing here?"

Uchiha Chisato saw their unease and glanced around at the battle. She smiled softly and said gently, "Don't be afraid. My name is Uchiha Chisato, and this is my son, Uchiha Xunjing. We came seeking medical treatment. Appearing here was an accident."

"You're being attacked, aren't you? I can help you win this battle. In return, tell me where this place is afterward, then take us to Drum Island. Is that acceptable?"

"Hm?"

Hancock froze, frowning. "Medical treatment? Drum Island? You really have a way?"

Before Uchiha Chisato could answer, a piercing laugh exploded in the distance.

"Zehahahaha—"

Everyone turned to look.

A vicious, ugly pirate more than two meters tall strode over with a sinister grin. His gaze swept back and forth over them before finally settling on Uchiha Xunjing, and he bared his teeth recklessly.

"Well, aren't I lucky! Three little girls, one big **, and one sickly pretty boy—quite delicate-looking, too. What a pity. Looking half-dead like that, you probably won't last many days. Otherwise, you might've fetched a decent price."

Uchiha Xunjing said nothing, but coldness simmered in his eyes.

If he had actually been strong enough to fight right now, he would have chopped that foul-mouthed bastard to pieces already.

The pirate did not take them seriously at all. With one hand on his hip, he arrogantly waved the weapon in his other hand. "Surrender obediently if you know what's good for you, and I'll let you suffer a little less. If you don't listen—heh heh..."

Before he could finish, Uchiha Chisato did not even look at him. She turned to Hancock and said calmly, "Wait a moment. I'll deal with this trash first."

"**!"

The pirate's expression changed instantly, and he raised his hand to swing his blade.

The next instant, Uchiha Chisato turned her head and looked at him.

The pupil in her left eye spun sharply. Her Sharingan activated in an instant, transforming into an intricate pattern.

Genjutsu: Sharingan.

The pirate froze in place, unable even to move his eyes.

"Pfft—"

Uchiha Chisato's figure flashed. She had already swept past him and charged toward the pirates still ** behind him.

A line of blood burst across the pirate's neck. His head rolled to the ground, his eyes still wide open in death.

Then flames exploded.

Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Claw Red!

Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!

Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!

A barrage of ninjutsu crashed down one after another. The pirates had no time to react before they were blasted away, burned through, and sliced in half.

In the blink of an eye, the battlefield became Uchiha Chisato's personal performance.

The women of the Kuja Pirates were all dumbstruck, their eyes wide and mouths agape, their minds filled with dazzling flames and wind blades.

It was too fast.

Once the leaders fell, the remaining pirates were frightened out of their wits. They threw down their weapons and fled back the way they had come.

In less than a few minutes, the battle was completely over.

Other than around a dozen people who escaped by sheer luck, the remaining hundred or so pirates were all sprawled across the ground.

The Hancock sisters watched the entire thing in stunned silence.

When Uchiha Chisato finished and returned, Hancock's eyes shone as she turned to Uchiha Xunjing. "Your mother... she's incredible, isn't she?"

Uchiha Xunjing could not help smiling, the corner of his lips curling up slightly. "Of course she is."

What a joke. That was Uchiha Chisato.

Hancock took a deep breath and looked solemnly at Uchiha Chisato. "Thank you for saving us. May I ask how we should address you?"

The leader of the Kuja Pirates dragged herself over to Uchiha Chisato despite her injuries, asking with gratitude and confusion written across her face.

"It was just something I happened to come across. Don't think too much of it."

Uchiha Chisato smiled and waved her hand, walking toward Xunjing and the others.

Then she turned to Hancock and said, "All right, I've done what I promised. Now I'll have to trouble you to take us to Drum Island first. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"Uh..."

Hancock blinked, an awkward expression appearing on her face as she turned toward the leader. "Captain, what do you think?"

She felt rather helpless too. Uchiha Chisato had acted on her own before they had even agreed.

Yet she could not deny the favor they owed her.

If Uchiha Chisato had not intervened, their entire pirate crew might have perished here.

But clearly, this was not something Hancock could decide on her own.

She was not yet the majestic Pirate Empress she would become in the future.

Seeing the situation, the leader roughly understood what had happened and immediately said to Uchiha Chisato, "Drum Island? The Drum Island in the Drum Kingdom? I heard its medical skills are famous. Are you planning to seek treatment there?"

As she spoke, she glanced at the sickly Uchiha Xunjing beside her.

"That's right."

Uchiha Chisato nodded firmly. "Is that possible?"

"Of course."

The leader's tone was resolute. "The Kuja Pirates will remember this life-saving favor. We are not the sort of people who do not know gratitude."

"We agree to it."

"But that alone is far from enough to repay the debt we owe you. Do you have any other requests? Please, say whatever you wish. As long as we can do it, we will do our best to satisfy you."

"Also, many of us have suffered serious injuries, and we already sent a request for help to our former captain. So we need to go to the Sabaody Archipelago first to recover."

"Once we're done recovering, we'll take you to Drum Island. How does that sound?"

"During that time, you can also consider what kind of reward you would like."

The leader's plan was to report this matter to their former captain, Shakuyaku, first. It would be more appropriate for her to decide on the reward.

She was afraid she did not have anything worthwhile to offer herself.

"I see..."

Uchiha Chisato did not answer immediately. She turned to Uchiha Xunjing. "Xunjing, what do you think?"

"Fine."

Uchiha Xunjing naturally had no objections. If anything, this was even better.

It would be a good opportunity to meet Shakuyaku and Rayleigh.

"Then it's settled."

Hearing that, Uchiha Chisato smiled in satisfaction and said to the leader, "We'll do as you suggested."

"Thank you."

The leader breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that.

She immediately sent Hancock to arrange a room for Xunjing and the others to rest in.

Only then did she begin directing the crew to clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and repair the damage to the ship.

Hancock led them to the door of a spacious, elegant room and casually asked, "Will this room do for you two? If it's inconvenient, I can have someone prepare another one."

"No need. One room is enough."