Keeping Watch

In the woods, a tall figure stood silently.

His fists were clenched tight. The astonishing heat radiating from his body stirred up rolling waves of hot air, even warping the air around him.

"Arrogant bastard, daring to provoke me..."

He ground out the words through clenched teeth. Flames suddenly burst from his eyes, as though he could no longer suppress the rage in his heart.

"Oven, calm down. We still haven't figured out his strength, hula."

A large, pure-white, sticky hand pressed down on Oven's shoulder. Its owner was a tall, fat man.

His body was covered in pure-white cream, and cream even kept seeping out from beneath his clothes, clinging stickily to him.

He looked at Oven with some concern, afraid that he would charge out in anger, and hurriedly persuaded him in a low voice.

"They say that of the three people Kaido sent, only one returned. Hanafusa and Sasaki were both killed by him, hula."

"Take your hand off me, Opera."

Oven shot him a warning glance. Opera immediately withdrew his hand, and Oven said unhappily,

"I really don't understand. Why does Perospero want us to rescue Doflamingo?

"What value is there in taking such a risk to save a pirate crew that only operates in the North Blue from the Marines?"

"I don't know either."

Opera shook his head. His long beard, covered in cream, trembled lightly, and several drops of cream fell onto the grass. The green weeds were instantly scorched yellow.

"Perospero only said that Big Mom needs Doflamingo. I don't need to know anything else.

"You're closer to him than I am. Maybe he'll tell you if you ask."

Oven frowned and thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Forget it. I know him. He always has too many ideas of his own. He definitely made this decision behind Big Mom's back.

"But he is absolutely loyal to Big Mom. If he says Big Mom needs Doflamingo, then she definitely needs him.

"I just hope this mission won't take too long. We still haven't gathered all the desserts for Big Mom. I don't want this to delay her tea party."

Opera seemed to remember something at those words and suddenly shuddered. He reassured himself,

"It won't, it won't. It definitely won't delay the tea party..."

Oven had completely calmed down and asked again,

"Where are Counter and the other three? Haven't they arrived yet?"

"They're surfacing from Fish-Man Island, but they should come over after landing at the Sabaody Archipelago."

"So they should appear ahead of us?"

Oven narrowed his eyes at the Marine convoy outside the forest and said through gritted teeth with anticipation,

"Tell them to move faster. I'm going to roast that guy and put him in my castle as decoration."

On the road outside the forest, Kane had kept up his brazen provocation without receiving an attack. As soon as ten minutes were up, he decisively ordered everyone to move out.

This time, all the Marines had raised their vigilance. They gripped the rifles slung over their backs tightly in their hands and warily scanned every person they passed.

One Marine even vaguely aimed his gun at a dog by the roadside, seemingly worried that it might be a Devil Fruit user.

Their battle-ready attitude quickly paid off. A group of pirates disguised as passersby was exposed before they could even get close and was pinned down on the spot.

After some interrogation, it turned out they were merely a group that did not dare dive through Fish-Man Island to reach the New World, and had instead taken a chance on sneaking across the Red Line.

They tied them up and left them there for the local officers to handle before setting off again. The Marines' morale had clearly risen.

Hans even stole glances at Kane from time to time, clearly hoping to receive his approval.

There were no more mishaps on the road ahead.

After they successfully set up camp in the evening, the Marines went straight into their tents to rest after dinner. Traveling while remaining on high alert for so long had left them exhausted.

Only Hans was not allowed to rest. He was exhausted too, but Kane had punished him by assigning him night watch, so he could only patrol the camp despite his fatigue.

He did not dare stop, afraid that the moment he did, he would fall asleep.

By the campfire in the center of the camp, Hina held a lollipop in her mouth and stood with her arms crossed as she watched Kane poke at the fire.

"We agreed Hina would keep watch tonight."

"Right. I'll rest in a while. The night is yours."

"Then what's going on with Hans?"

"That's punishment, not an assignment."

"Hina understands."

Hina nodded in satisfaction and sat down by the campfire, only to see that Kane still showed no sign of getting up.

She was just about to urge Kane to go rest when the words reached her lips and, for some inexplicable reason, she swallowed them back down.

She secretly glanced around the camp. Aside from Hans pacing around, there was no one else besides her and Kane.

Hina suddenly felt that it was actually quite nice for Kane not to return to his tent to rest.

Just like that, her wish for Kane to rest quickly faded and turned into resistance toward his leaving.

But she could not bring herself to ask Kane to stay a little longer. Tangled up in anxiety, every second became a little agonizing.

Instinctively, she took out a lollipop and put it in her mouth. The peach flavor spread from the tip of her tongue down her throat, but Hina raised her brows slightly.

Why wasn't it watermelon flavored?

She searched through her pockets for a while, but among the pile of peach-flavored lollipops, she only found three watermelon ones.

How could that be?

There should have been plenty...

Hina blinked blankly, picked out the three watermelon lollipops, and put them separately into her jacket pocket. She subconsciously looked at Kane, only to see him suddenly rise and head toward the tent.

Huh?

He was leaving?

Of course. He was the one who needed rest most...

But Hina had not said good night yet...

A mess of thoughts flashed through Hina's mind, but not a single word left her lips.

Watching Kane disappear into the tent, Hina pursed her lips in disappointment and lowered her head to search the ground for the branch Kane had been using to poke the fire.

But after looking for a while, she could not find it. Kane seemed to have tossed the branch into the fire.

A trace of dejection rose in Hina's heart, but then a familiar voice suddenly came from above her.

"What are you looking for?"

Hina looked up in surprise and saw Kane's puzzled face, bathed in the warm glow cast by the dancing fire.

In his hand, he held a branch trailing wisps of smoke. It was the very branch Hina had been looking for.

"...N-Nothing."

Hina felt she must have been sitting too close to the fire. Otherwise, her cheeks would not have felt so hot.

She unconsciously turned her gaze aside, only to see Kane's face again. He had sat down beside her.

Hina suddenly felt her heart begin to beat happily, though she tried hard to keep a serious expression on her face.

"Why did you come back? We agreed Hina would keep watch..."

Hina regretted speaking the moment the words came out. She clearly had no intention of chasing Kane away, but her nervousness and inner conflict made her unable to control her mouth. She lowered her head in annoyance.

"Do you hate me? Why do you keep trying to chase me away?"

"That's not what Hina meant..."

Hina hurriedly tried to explain, but when she looked up, she saw Kane's teasing smile. Her pretty face immediately turned red.

Before she could say anything else, Kane stuffed a box of lollipops into her hands. The packaging had a plump, juicy watermelon printed on it.

"I told you to ask me when you were running low. Don't tell me you want to smoke again?"

"...Hina doesn't."

Hina clutched the lollipop box. Unable to control her mouth, she decided to speak less. The less she said, the fewer mistakes she would make. If she said nothing, she could make no mistakes.

The campfire fell quiet again. Kane occasionally poked at the flames, making them crackle.

Hina's heart gradually settled as well. She watched the firelight cast her shadow and Kane's into swaying shapes that occasionally brushed against each other, and she gradually found herself unable to look away.

Suddenly, a steaming cup of coffee was placed in her hands.

"It's a little cold at night. You've got a hard night ahead of you."

"...Mm."

Hina held the coffee. Warmth flowed from the cup through her arms and into her chest before spreading through her whole body.

Kane poured another cup of coffee and walked straight toward Hans, who was patrolling the camp.

Hans was about to snap to attention when Kane stopped him in a low voice.

"Idiot. Do you want to wake everyone else up?"

"S-Sorry, Commander Kane, I..."

"Drink it."

Kane held the coffee out to Hans. The rich scent of coffee drifted into Hans's nose along with the rising steam, instantly driving away some of his drowsiness.

Watching Hans excitedly drain the coffee in one gulp, Kane placed a hand on his shoulder and said,

"I don't like cursing people, so don't give me another chance to curse you.

"And I order you to go to the campfire and drink a cup of hot coffee every hour. Understood?"

Hans puffed out his chest. Though he wanted to answer loudly, he simply nodded hard, his eyes bright and resolute.

Kane gave Hans's shoulder a satisfied, firm pat, then turned and returned to the campfire.

"Hina is starting to understand why Instructor Zephyr insisted on having you manage G5 Base."

Kane merely smiled without speaking and handed the branch in his hand to Hina.

Hina casually accepted it and held the spot Kane had gripped. The lingering warmth there warmed her palm.

She subconsciously tightened her hold, feeling that if she did, the warmth would remain forever.

"I'm going to sleep. Good night."

"Mm, good night."

Hina watched Kane enter the tent, poked at the campfire once, then unwrapped a lollipop and put it in her mouth.

The next second, the sweetness of watermelon spread through her mouth, making the corners of Hina's lovely lips curl upward slightly.