Yudox Jin gazed at the billowing smoke bursting in the sky, grinned, and roared with laughter.
"Heh heh heh! You're finished, brat! Who do you think you're up against? I'm Yudox Jin, captain of the Gray Fin Pirates, with a bounty of five million Beli!"
The pirates beside him joined in, jeering loudly.
"Wahaha! Where did this brat come from? She actually thinks she can stand up to Captain Yudox Jin!"
The smoke slowly cleared.
The smiles on every pirate's face froze.
Amina hovered in midair, reached out with her little hand, and lightly brushed some nonexistent ash off her wings.
"Sorry, I got a little dust on me. What a nuisance."
"She's a monster!" one pirate cried out involuntarily.
Yudox Jin glared furiously at the pirate who had fired the cannon and barked, "Keep firing! Blast her!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several cannonballs shot out in succession, streaking toward Amina amid flashes of fire.
Amina smiled faintly.
"You really never learn."
She turned lightly, three pitch-black wing feathers appearing in her palm, then raised her hand and sent them shooting out.
The cannonballs struck the incoming black feathers in midair and exploded.
"No, that's impossible!" Yudox Jin staggered backward, disbelief written all over his face.
But Amina gave him no chance to catch his breath. She suddenly swooped down and planted her foot hard on his neck.
"Oh dear, mister, five million Beli isn't much at all. It wouldn't even buy me a lavish meal."
Yudox Jin gripped Amina's calf with both hands, desperately trying to pull her off him, but no matter how hard he strained, she did not budge.
"You'd better stop struggling, mister. Careful, or I might put a little more weight on you and break your neck."
Yudox Jin opened his mouth wide, trying to speak, but her foot pressed down so hard that he could not form a complete sound.
"What are you trying to say? Oh, sorry, mister. I forgot you can't talk right now."
A pirate nearby hurriedly raised his gun, aiming the muzzle at Amina in midair.
Bang!
The gun fired, and a bullet whistled out. Amina merely tilted her head slightly, and the bullet buried itself deep in the mast beside her.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You didn't actually think you could hit me, did you?"
Amina plucked a black feather from her wing and flicked her wrist, sending it shooting out. The pirate holding the gun fell to the deck.
Charlos walked slowly to the railing and said calmly, "Amina, stop playing."
Amina turned to look at Charlos.
"All right, Charlos."
She turned back to Yudox Jin beneath her foot.
"Sorry, but your lives end here. Charlos will be upset if I keep playing."
"Goodbye, mister."
There was a crack.
Amina stomped down hard, then leaped back onto their luxurious ship.
"All done, Charlos."
Amira spread her pure white wings, took flight, and hovered in midair. She held out her hand to gauge the distance between the two ships, then plunged downward.
Her white wings wrapped around her petite figure as she slammed into the pirate ship's hull like a dazzling streak of white light.
Boom!
A tremendous crash erupted. Everyone aboard the pirate ship staggered, unable to keep their footing. Under the force of the blow, the entire ship slowly tilted and capsized into the sea.
The Gray Fin Pirates' large ship lay on its side on the water, slowly sinking into the depths.
The pirates in the water and those clinging to broken planks screamed in panic, their cries and pleas for mercy rising one after another.
"Help! We don't want to die!"
"We were wrong! Spare us!"
A jumble of wails, curses, and pleas echoed across the sea.
Amira folded her white wings and landed lightly atop their ship's mast, quietly looking down at the scene.
Amina licked her fingertip and tapped her lower lip, a casually playful look in her eyes. "You really are gentle, sis."
Amira glanced sideways at her, her voice gentle but carrying a note of warning. "You mustn't play for so long next time, little sister."
"I know, I know," Amina replied offhandedly, not taking it to heart at all.
Charlos raised his hand and gently shook the Eternal Pose he held.
"Hmm, we're almost at Reverse Mountain. Once we pass it, we'll officially be heading for the West Blue."
Amina immediately leaned closer, curious.
"Reverse Mountain? What kind of mountain is that?"
Amira walked over slowly and explained softly.
"They say the currents on that mountain flow uphill, completely unlike the normal sea."
"Wow, that's amazing! You know so much, sis!"
Charlos reached out and gently pinched Amina's cheek.
"Learn more from your sister, understand? Stop fooling around all day and getting up to nonsense."
"All right, Charlos."
Amina blinked and deliberately teased him. "But I get the feeling you really like me this way."
Charlos froze for a moment. "Nonsense. Since when do I like that?"
"But you hold me so tight every time you sleep."
Charlos's cheeks warmed, and he raised his fist in a show of menace.
"Shut your mouth!"
Amina covered her mouth and giggled.
"Oh my, someone's embarrassed and angry!"
The wooden door to the office at Marine Headquarters slowly opened.
Sengoku looked up from the paperwork on his desk at the masked figure dressed in white standing in the doorway.
"CP0? What do you want?"
The masked figure in white nodded slightly, speaking in a cold, formal tone.
"Shalria of the Rosy Family will soon be joining the Marines. Please arrange a position for her."
Sengoku's expression darkened, and his reply was blunt and firm.
"A position? Hmph. There isn't one."
"Then I shall report this to the Five Elders," the CP0 agent said flatly.
Unconcerned, Sengoku waved a hand.
"Suit yourself."
Garp, who was lounging on the sofa nearby and munching on rice crackers, immediately burst into laughter.
"Bwahaha! Never thought I'd see you in this position, Sengoku!"
A girl's clear, imperious voice suddenly rang out.
Shalria walked slowly into the office and looked up at Sengoku behind his desk, her tone both overbearing and puzzled.
"Hey, old man with the beard. Why won't the Marines take me?"
Sengoku adjusted his glasses helplessly, his gaze settling on Shalria's still-childish face.
"Hey, brat. Why do you want to join the Marines?"
Garp spoke indistinctly around a mouthful of rice crackers, watching the girl with interest.
Shalria lifted her chin, her voice arrogant and sulky, full of childish indignation.
"Why? Hmph! A bunch of pirates actually dared to humiliate me!"
She clenched her little fists and shouted with complete confidence, "I want to join the Marines! Give me a warship! I'm going to sail out myself and beat every last one of those pirates who don't know their place!"
Garp stood up at that and looked at the little girl before him.
"Oh, catching pirates? You've got some ambition, brat. But fighting pirates isn't a game of make-believe."
Shalria glared at him, utterly unconvinced.
"Make-believe? Who do you think you're looking down on? Old man, I'll beat you up!"
Bonk!
The words had barely left her mouth when Garp raised his fist and brought it down hard on the top of Shalria's head.
A large, swollen lump instantly rose on her head.
The CP0 agent's pupils contracted sharply, and they instantly assumed a guarded fighting stance. The atmosphere abruptly grew tense.
Sengoku slammed his palm down on his desk and snapped, "Garp! Have you had enough?"
Garp remained unfazed and muttered casually.
"Brat, don't you know you should show your elders some respect?"