Keeping Watch

In the woods, a tall figure stood silently.

His fists were clenched tight. The astonishing heat radiating from his body stirred 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 fury in his heart.

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

A huge, sticky white 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 through his clothes, hanging from him in thick, sticky clumps.

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

"It's said that of the three people Kaido sent, only one returned. Hanafusa and Sasaki were both killed by him, fura."

"Take your hand off me, Opera."

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

"I really don't understand why Perospero wants us to rescue Doflamingo.

"What value is there in taking the risk of saving some pirate crew operating 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 instantly withered yellow from the heat.

"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 if you ask him, he'll tell you."

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. This was definitely a decision he made behind Big Mom's back.

"But he is absolutely loyal to Big Mom. Since he said 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 recall something upon hearing that. He suddenly shuddered and comforted himself.

"No, no. 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 on the Sabaody Archipelago."

"So they should appear up ahead?"

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

"Tell them to hurry up. I'm going to roast that guy and use him as a decoration in my castle."

On the road outside the forest, Kane, who had been brazenly provoking them, never received an attack. Once ten minutes had passed, he decisively ordered everyone to set out.

This time, all the Marines raised their guard. They gripped the guns slung across their backs tightly in their hands and vigilantly scanned every person they passed.

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

Their battle-ready attitude quickly proved effective. A group of pirates disguised as passersby was exposed before they could even get close and was subdued 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, so they had taken a chance and chosen to smuggle themselves across the Red Line.

They tied them up and left them there for the local authorities to handle before setting off once more. The Marines' morale had visibly risen.

Hans even occasionally stole glances at Kane, clearly hoping to earn his approval.

There were no more mishaps on the road ahead.

After successfully setting up camp in the evening, the Marines crawled into their tents to rest as soon as they had finished dinner. Maintaining their vigilance for so long during the journey had exhausted them.

Only Hans could not rest. He was exhausted too, but Kane had punished him with night watch, so he could only patrol the camp while fighting off his fatigue.

He did not dare stop. He feared that the moment he stopped walking, he would fall asleep.

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

"Didn't we agree that Hina would keep watch tonight?"

"Yes. 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 had no intention of getting up.

She wanted to urge Kane to go rest, but when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them for no apparent reason.

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

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

Just like that, her wish for Kane to go rest quickly faded, turning into reluctance to see him leave.

But she could not bring herself to ask Kane to stay a little longer. She fell into a tangle of anxiety and hesitation, and every second became somewhat torturous.

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, and Hina raised her brows slightly.

Why wasn't it watermelon-flavored?

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

How could that be?

There should have been plenty...

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

Huh?

He was leaving?

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

But Hina hadn't said good night yet...

A mess of thoughts flashed through Hina's mind, but not a single word came out.

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 used to poke the fire.

But after looking for a while, she could not find it. Kane seemed to have thrown it into the campfire.

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, illuminated by the warm glow of the flickering campfire.

In his hand was a branch trailing wisps of smoke—the very one Hina had been looking for.

"...N-Nothing."

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

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

Hina felt her heart suddenly begin to beat happily, while she tried her best to maintain a serious expression.

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

The moment Hina spoke, she regretted it. She clearly had no intention of driving 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 flushed red.

Before she could say anything else, Kane stuffed a box of lollipops into her hands. The package was printed with a fresh, juicy watermelon.

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

"...Hina didn't."

Hina clutched the box of lollipops. Unable to control her mouth, she decided to speak less. Say less, make fewer mistakes. Say nothing, make no mistakes.

The campfire fell silent again. Kane occasionally poked at the flames, making them crackle and pop.

Hina's heart gradually settled down. She saw the firelight cast her shadow and Kane's in swaying shapes that occasionally brushed against each other, and before long, she could no longer look away.

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

"It's a little cold at night. Thanks for your hard work tonight."

"...Mm."

Hina held the coffee. Warmth spread from the cup into her hands, flowed up her arms into her chest, then spread throughout her body.

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

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

"Idiot, are you trying to wake everyone else up?"

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

"Drink it."

Kane held the coffee out before Hans. The aroma of coffee wafted into Hans's nose with the rising steam, instantly dispelling some of his drowsiness.

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

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

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

Wanting badly to answer loudly, Hans straightened his chest and nodded heavily, his eyes bright and determined.

Satisfied, Kane gave Hans's shoulder a firm pat before turning and returning 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 took it naturally, gripping the place Kane had held. The lingering warmth there warmed her palm.

She unconsciously tightened her grip, feeling that as long as she did so, that warmth would remain forever.

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

"Mm, good night."

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

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