Blue-and-White Striped Panties

The dreadlocked captain gripped the cabin doorway and staggered out, battered and disheveled, gritting his teeth and growling through the pain.

"I'm in so much pain! Damn it!"

"Oh, you can still crawl out."

Charlos watched the battered captain, his tone casual.

"I wonder if your ship can even make it to the next destination?"

The captain's pupils shrank, his face turning wary.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll know soon enough."

Charlos raised his right hand and clenched his five fingers into a fist. Dense Armament Haki instantly wrapped around his entire arm in layer upon layer.

"With so many of you sinking to the bottom of the sea, how many do you think will leave safely?"

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"

Before he could finish speaking, Charlos suddenly leaped into the air and smashed down with his charged fist.

The force of his punch pierced through layer after layer of decking, striking straight into the pirate ship's central keel!

Crack—

A sharp, crisp breaking sound suddenly rang out as the hull's keel snapped.

The enormous pirate ship instantly began rocking violently, trembling without pause.

Seeing this, Amina immediately spread her black wings. Her figure flashed as she shot into the sky, hovering above the sea.

She looked down at the tottering pirate ship and scolded helplessly.

"Honestly, you could have warned me first! That's too much."

The sea churned as Charlos surfaced, running a hand through his hair.

"Hey, Amina, get me out of here!"

On the ruined deck, the dreadlocked captain roared furiously.

"Damn brat! Open fire! Open fire! Beat them to a pulp!"

The surviving pirates hurriedly raised their guns and pulled their triggers one after another.

But the entire ship was rocking violently, leaving everyone unable to stand steadily. Every bullet veered off course and missed.

Charlos looked at the disheveled pirates and spoke blandly.

"Where are you aiming? Over there? No, over there—you missed again."

A pirate shouted in panic.

"Captain, we can't! The ship's shaking too badly! We can't aim at all!"

The captain roared in exasperation.

"Then go fix it!"

A pirate turned deathly pale and shouted in alarm.

"This is bad, Captain! The keel has snapped completely! The ship's sinking!"

"What?"

"Honestly." Amina looked at Charlos in the sea.

Amina swiftly spread her wings and swept toward Charlos on the surface of the sea.

Charlos reacted with lightning speed. The instant Amina glided in front of him, he reached up and grabbed her ankle.

Amina beat her black wings with all her strength, lifting Charlos out of the water and carrying him away from the sinking pirate ship.

"All right, Amina. Let me get on first, and we'll fly back."

"Hmph, what are you thinking? We'll fly back like this."

Charlos instinctively looked up. His gaze swept over her before he hurriedly lowered his head and reminded her in a small voice,

"But you're flashing everything like this. I saw it."

Amina's tone was stiff and defiant.

"That's still better than having you ride on me."

"Hey, don't be like that. You're still a girl."

"Shut up! Do you believe I'll kick you off right now?"

"Don't, Amina. Swimming back would be exhausting, and the waves are huge."

"Then don't make so many demands."

Colonel Doka led the Marines, escorting Amira and Rukia as they hurried toward the luxurious ship by the shore.

After hearing about everything the two had gone through, Colonel Doka could not help shaking his head and sighing.

"After hearing the whole story, I've confirmed it now. Your father really is a piece of work!"

The moment he finished speaking, Rukia finally broke down. With a "Waaah," she began crying even harder.

Colonel Doka froze slightly, at a loss for what to do.

"Huh? Is this child really that fragile?"

Amira immediately shot Colonel Doka a cold glare.

Meanwhile, on the distant shore, the Velocia Kingdom's honor guard had already assembled in front of the luxurious ship.

Duke Ain stood behind the old king and reported in a low voice,

"Your Majesty, that is the Celestial Dragons' ship."

The old king stared somberly at the giant vessel.

"Oh, I see. When they come down later, we must be extremely careful."

On the road not far away, Amira looked at the imposing honor guard, puzzled.

"Ah, what are they doing over there?"

Rukia wiped the tears from her face and shook her head.

"I don't know. I've never seen this before."

Colonel Doka took a careful look at the orderly ranks and royal honor guard before speaking.

"Judging by the look of it, they should be the Velocia Kingdom's honor guard."

Inside a village home, an elderly woman held a wanted poster and squinted at it carefully.

"Seventy-nine million Beli. As long as we hand her over to the Marines, we'll be rich beyond our wildest dreams."

A family member beside her hesitated before speaking.

"Old woman, is this really appropriate?"

The elderly woman wore a greedy expression and did not care in the slightest.

"What isn't appropriate about it? Hurry, go report her to the Marines. I'll stall her here."

"Sure thing!"

In the shadows just inside the door, a dark-skinned little girl silently listened to the conversation outside.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she held her breath. She quietly lifted her eyes and looked toward the window.

The elderly woman clutched the wanted poster and glanced at the tightly closed door, greed filling her eyes.

"Hehe, we're rich."

Just then, a faint rustling suddenly came from behind the door.

"What was that?"

The elderly woman's heart tightened. She immediately hurried over and pushed open the door.

The room was empty. Not a single person could be seen.

"Where is she? Where did she go?"

She abruptly looked toward the window. A breeze drifted in through it, making the curtain flutter gently.

The elderly woman rushed to the window and looked outside, but the view was already completely empty.

"Damn it, she actually got away!"

She furiously flung the wanted poster from her hand. The paper fluttered through the air before landing on the floor.

The words on it were clear and unmistakable—

The Devil Child, Nico Robin. Bounty: seventy-nine million Beli.

Amina flapped her black wings, carrying Charlos closer and closer to the luxurious ship.

Looking at the countless figures packed across the deck, Amina asked in confusion, "Hey, why are there so many people standing over by the ship?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"

"Then are we still going back to the ship?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"

"Hmph~"

Clinging to Amina's ankle, Charlos said, "Don't be angry. I won't ride on you anymore."

"Tell me. What did you see?"

"I didn't see anything."

"Then why did you say I was flashing?"

"I wasn't flashing, all right?"

"Was it white or pink?"

"Blue and white stripes."

Amina froze. "Didn't you say you hadn't seen anything?"

Charlos craned his neck and looked around, hurriedly defending himself. "I was talking about the flag! The blue-and-white-striped flag!"

"That's a load of nonsense! Do you believe I'll kick you into the sea right now?" Amina's wings suddenly beat hard.

"Don't, don't! I don't want to fall into the sea."

"Then will you look again in the future?"

"No, I won't."

"What? You don't want to look anymore?"

"Then I will look."

"You still want to look?"

"Then... should I look or not?"

Amina laughed angrily. "You actually came to ask me?"

On the shore, the old king, who had been waiting for a long time, raised a handkerchief and repeatedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his expression anxious and uneasy.

He turned his head toward Duke Ain and asked in a low voice,

"Duke Ain, tell me—are the Celestial Dragons really on this ship?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Our spies have reported repeatedly that the Celestial Dragons are indeed on this ship."

The old king's brows knitted tightly, his heart full of confusion.

"Then why hasn't he come out yet?"

"I am also unclear about the reason, Your Majesty."

Just then, a squad of Marines hurried forward and directly parted the neatly arranged royal honor guard on both sides.

Colonel Doka looked at the old king. "Your Majesty, what are you doing?"

After recognizing who had arrived, his tone softened. "Ah, it's Colonel Doka. We are waiting here to welcome the Celestial Dragons."

Colonel Doka's gaze fell on Amira beside him, and his tone became respectful.

"Then, Lady Amira, could I trouble you to go and invite Saint Charlos?"

Amira looked around and surveyed the area before gently nodding in agreement.

She then took Rukia's small hand and walked toward the luxurious ship ahead.