Minion Island Under the Moonlight

When Doflamingo discovered that his ship had been sunk into the sea, he boldly tried to seize a warship rather than be captured.

His fierce will to escape put considerable pressure on Tsuru.

Fortunately, with Cuckoo and the others assisting her, Tsuru ultimately captured Doflamingo and had him brought aboard the warship under guard.

After sending Diamante and the others into the warship's prison, Cuckoo walked onto the deck alone and silently watched Minion Island beneath the moonlight.

Less than two hours had passed since they landed on the island, yet Cuckoo felt as though it had been an exceptionally long time.

She had experienced battles far harsher and bloodier than the one on Minion Island, but the feeling this island gave her was completely different from any battle she had fought before.

Was it because of Kane?

The thought that suddenly surfaced in her mind startled Cuckoo, and she instinctively searched for Kane.

Then she remembered that, before the battle had ended, Kane had said he would return to Hina's warship later. After that, he had vanished somewhere, and she still had not seen him.

And when she thought of Kane, every little moment they had spent acting together on the island surfaced in Cuckoo's mind, leaving her emotions strangely complicated.

"What are you thinking about?"

Swift's voice sounded beside Cuckoo. Somehow, she had already come to stand at Cuckoo's side.

Cuckoo remembered Swift bumping into her earlier and shot her a glare. "Nothing."

Swift smiled sweetly, resting her arms on the railing and propping up her chin with one hand as her almond-shaped eyes glanced at Cuckoo.

"Tell me~ if Kane hadn't been there, would we still have managed to capture Doflamingo?"

Cuckoo fell silent for a moment as if seriously considering it, then shook her head.

"Such a reliable guy, we really ought to get to know him better." Swift paused, then sighed regretfully. "Ah, but unfortunately..."

Swift had caught Cuckoo's attention. She waited for what came next, but after a while, Swift still said nothing more, making her frown.

"Unfortunately what?"

Swift smiled lazily, her gaze at Cuckoo carrying a hint of teasing.

"Unfortunately, Officer Tsuru is taking us to deal with the aftermath of Doflamingo's capture. We leave at daybreak.

"So, we may not see him again for a very long time."

Cuckoo's expression suddenly stiffened. Her hands unconsciously clenched, and an inexplicable urgency appeared in her eyes as she stared at Minion Island, as though searching for something.

A faint smile played across Swift's lips as she deliberately said in a troubled tone:

"Oh, right. Officer Tsuru said there were some things she wanted me to tell Kane and Hina, but I twisted my ankle just now. Cuckoo, you..."

"Is that so? You really are helpless. I'll go in your place!" As if afraid Swift would change her mind, Cuckoo turned and headed toward Hina's warship.

"Hey, I haven't even told you what it is yet!" Swift called after Cuckoo with a hand over her mouth, laughing softly.

Cuckoo's pretty face flushed red. "Hurry up and tell me what it is!"

Swift smilingly explained everything, then leaned close to Cuckoo's ear and whispered, "What I'm about to say next was specially meant for you by Officer Tsuru.

"You're Cuckoo. What kind of sight is it for you to be timid and overly cautious? If you don't even dare draw your sword, what kind of swordswoman are you?"

After saying that, Swift leaned against the railing and watched Cuckoo with a charming smile.

Cuckoo's eyes flickered as she looked at Swift twice. In the end, she avoided Swift's gaze and silently walked off the warship.

"Officer Tsuru never said those things."

Grey Pigeon walked over. Her exceptional Observation Haki had allowed her to hear every word the two women had exchanged.

Swift had mixed a great deal of lies into a small amount of truth, making Grey Pigeon frown repeatedly as she listened.

"Is that so? But maybe Cuckoo likes hearing them?"

Swift chuckled, taking the small-cannon-like sniper rifle from Grey Pigeon's shoulder.

"Let me borrow this."

With that, she aimed the sniper rifle at the departing Cuckoo and crouched behind the scope with an amused smile.

Meanwhile, Kane wandered around until he found where baby-5 was hiding. He brushed aside the snow nest and came face-to-face with a pair of watery eyes.

When baby-5 saw Kane appear before her, she excitedly leaped up and jumped into his arms.

"Kane, Kane! I never came out! And I didn't let anyone find me!"

"Good, good. You did great."

Kane sat baby-5 on his shoulders, rubbing her icy little hands between his palms as he asked curiously:

"How high did you count?"

"186!"

Baby-5's voice was brimming with delight, but Kane froze for a moment.

He had been gone for nearly an hour, yet baby-5 had not even finished counting to two hundred. Clearly, she had been afraid Kane would not return by the time she reached ten thousand, so she had deliberately counted slowly.

"Kane, what do you need me to do now?"

"I need you to help me find something to eat. Can you do that?"

"Of course!"

[baby-, Affection: 31]

Riding on Kane's shoulders, baby-5 reached out and plucked a large pinecone from a nearby branch.

She skillfully picked the pine nuts from the cone, cracked them open with her teeth, and fed the kernels into Kane's mouth.

The fresh pine nuts carried a distinctive pine fragrance. They crumbled apart with a light bite, filling Kane's mouth with flavor.

Seeing Kane enjoy the food, baby-5 was overjoyed. One hand clutched Kane's hair while the other reached out to pick pinecones, the bow on her head bouncing happily along with Kane's steps.

Wisely, Kane did not mention Doflamingo. As long as baby-5 did not ask, he had no intention of bringing him up himself. Letting time and happiness fade those memories was the best approach.

As they walked, Kane arrived at the cellar where Hina had been guarding Doflamingo's group.

At this point, no one remained here besides Hina. They had clearly all been sent to Tsuru's ship.

When Hina saw him, she first curiously glanced at baby-5 sitting on his shoulders, then said with a complicated expression, "Hina was careless. That child and the injured man suddenly disappeared."

"It wasn't your fault." Kane patted her shoulder. "Thinking back, they were most likely Devil Fruit users."

"Hina feels that you aren't surprised." Hina studied Kane.

"Am I? Haha, that must be your imagination."

Kane laughed it off and pointed at baby-5 as he introduced her:

"Meet my new family member. Her name is very cute, baby-5."

Kane's introduction raised baby-5's affection for him a little more, while Hina raised an eyebrow.

"Baby-5? Hina remembers..."

"You remembered wrong. She's just a pitiful child."

Kane winked at Hina. "I'll speak to Officer Tsuru. She'll agree."

Hina fell silent for a moment, then put her hands on her hips and shrugged. "Hina understands."

The two returned to the warship together, where Cuckoo, who had been waiting for them, stepped forward.

"The operation was a great success. At daybreak, we will secretly escort Doflamingo's group to Impel Down.

"Officer Tsuru has already submitted a report to Marine Headquarters, clearly documenting your contributions to this operation. Vice Admiral Zephyr will surely be pleased.

"Your mission has ended. At daybreak, you may return to Marine Headquarters..."

After relaying everything Swift had told her, Cuckoo paused and glanced at Hina as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Then, as if making up her mind, she faced Kane's eyes despite her wildly pounding heart and said hesitantly:

"My sword was left behind on the island. Kane, do you remember..."

Kane immediately understood. Handing baby-5 to her, he said, "Help me settle her in. Cuckoo and I will go look for it on the island."

Hina gave Cuckoo a puzzled look. Seeing that the longsword Cuckoo always carried at her side was indeed not on her, she took baby-5 and nodded.

"Leave her to Hina. Go ahead."

Cuckoo felt as if she had been granted a reprieve. She jumped off the ship as though fleeing, and Kane followed closely behind as they set foot on Minion Island once more.

The snow on Minion Island had stopped by then, but the thick white blanket on the ground still glimmered crystal-clear beneath the moonlight.

Cuckoo wandered aimlessly, seemingly not looking for her sword at all.

Kane did not remind her, merely following step by step behind her.

[Cuckoo, Affection: 85]

Kane scratched his head, feeling that something must have happened to make Cuckoo's affection for him rise so quickly.

As they ventured deeper and deeper, the roar of the sea disappeared, and the surroundings became unnaturally quiet.

Thump, thump...

Kane suddenly heard a violent heartbeat. Following the sound, he discovered it was coming from Cuckoo.

The heartbeat was fast and loud, as though her heart were desperately trying to leap from her chest.

And under the moonlight, Kane noticed that Cuckoo's swan-like neck was tinged with an adorable pink, trembling ever so slightly.

"Cuckoo?"

"Hmm? What did you say?"

Kane's call seemed to startle Cuckoo. Her entire body froze in place, and her fair profile turned completely pink.