"You..."
The closer they came to the Holy Land, the more uneasy Conis felt. She had begun to regret her decision and blame herself for it, so she was surprised when Ye Chen showed concern for her.
"You should go back. Thank you for doing so much for us."
Ye Chen smiled and thanked Conis again. His voice was sincere, without a trace of pretense.
Nami came over with a smile. "We're the ones being selfish. Sorry for causing you trouble."
"You... all of you..."
Conis's eyes reddened. She nearly burst into tears.
If Ye Chen and the others had been harsher or colder, she could have gone through with it. But she could feel how much they cared about her. Though they had only just met, they treated her like a true friend.
"Actually... actually..."
The more Conis thought about it, the guiltier she felt. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She could bear it no longer and was about to tell them the truth when Ye Chen grabbed her and leaped aside.
"Huh?"
Conis had finally made up her mind, only to find herself in a Pirate's arms. She froze, unable to grasp what had happened.
Then, behind her, boom! A bolt of lightning tore down from the sky with a deafening crash. It blasted a huge crater into the ground, and the Sky Island residents nearby were caught in it.
Conis turned and saw the crater. Terrified, she finally understood that Ye Chen had saved her.
"Captain, if you're going to dodge, at least warn me."
Stone hauled himself off the ground with a disgruntled look. The lightning had struck him, leaving him charred and crackling with sparks. Smoke rose from his clothes, and even his mouth was blackened.
"Sorry. You're my partner, and I trust your strength.