The Opening on Melbourne Island

On Melbourne Island, Auntie Adona was frantic, shoving Amira, Amina, and the others toward the house.

"Get inside! Get inside! Hurry up and hide!"

The little boy hurried inside too, locking the wooden door behind him with a click to keep everyone safe indoors.

Nico Robin raised an eyebrow helplessly at how nervous everyone looked.

Panting, the little boy explained earnestly, "Don't take this lightly! Those are the Red Crocodile Pirates! Their captain has a bounty of twelve million Beli!"

Amina parted her lips slightly, feigning surprise. "Wow, what a huge bounty."

But her eyes were full of disdain. She didn't think anything of such a paltry sum.

The little boy picked up on her expression immediately and bristled. "Hey! What's that look supposed to mean? Why are you acting like he's worth nothing?"

Amina chuckled, took the exquisite necklace from around her neck, and casually held it out to the little boy.

"Try comparing it to this."

The boy froze, staring blankly at the necklace. "Huh? What's this?"

"Charlos gave it to me on a whim. Apparently, it's worth eighty million Beli."

The boy was completely dumbfounded, tilting his head in confusion. "Who's Charlos? And... how could this little thing possibly be worth eighty million Beli? You're lying!"

Meanwhile, aboard the Red Crocodile Pirates' ship, Charlos sat casually in the middle of the deck, looking bewildered at the pirates bracing themselves as though facing a formidable enemy.

"Hey, what were you running for earlier?"

The captain of the Red Crocodile Pirates hastily plastered on a fawning smile, rubbing his hands together with the utmost deference.

"Well! I never imagined you were so powerful, young hero! You can take down a Sea King barehanded! Absolutely incredible!"

Charlos glanced over the side of the ship. The eel-like Sea King that had carried him earlier was now floating belly-up on the sea, foaming at the mouth and utterly motionless.

He scratched his head and pressed on. "I asked why you ran when you saw me."

The captain hurriedly explained with an ingratiating smile, "Well, seeing how brave and imposing you were, young hero, we were awestruck and instinctively moved aside!"

"Really?"

"Of course! Every word is true!"

Charlos looked puzzled. "But I'm just an ordinary person. Why run when you saw me? Weren't you worried I'd exhaust myself and die at sea?"

The captain quickly waved his hands, piling on the flattery. "With your incredible strength, young hero, how could anything happen to you?"

His mouth parched, Charlos waved a hand. "Fine. Got any water? Give me a drink."

The pirates hastily responded, "Yes! Of course! Hurry, hurry, bring some water!"

One pirate stepped forward awkwardly and whispered, "Captain, we're out of fresh water. There's only booze left. How about... asking the young hero to make do with that?"

Charlos took the bottle, brought it to his nose, and sniffed. He frowned and muttered, "Why does it smell so strange?"

The captain quickly smoothed things over. "Please make do with it. Supplies are scarce out at sea. We really have no choice."

Just then, a pirate sidled up behind the captain and whispered a suggestion. "Captain, this kid is terrifyingly dangerous. Keeping him around will only bring trouble. Should we take this chance to..."

Before he could finish, the Red Crocodile captain kicked him hard, knocking him to the deck without another word.

He turned back to Charlos with a broad smile and hastily explained, "He's talking nonsense! Raving like a lunatic! Please don't take it to heart, young hero!"

Charlos leaned in to sniff the liquor again, then tossed the bottle aside in disgust.

"If there's no water, fine. You must have some fruit, right?"

A pirate hurried over, carrying two shriveled plums in his hands.

Charlos took them and looked down, his brows instantly knitting together. The plums had already begun to grow fuzzy with mold.

The pirate gave him a fawning smile. "Hehe, we really don't have any fresh water or other fruit aboard. This is all that's left. Please make do and have a taste."

Charlos closed his eyes and held a plum to his mouth, hesitating for a long time. In the end, he couldn't stand it and shook his head sharply.

"No. That's disgusting. I really can't."

He casually flung the plums away, then turned and asked seriously, "Tell me, how much longer until the next island?"

The pirates hurried to answer, "Not long! Not long at all! We'll definitely be there within an hour!"

"Good. I'll ask for some water when we get there."

The captain of the Red Crocodile Pirates stepped briskly forward, looking warm and earnest.

"Young hero, where's the fun in just asking for water? With strength like yours, that would be a waste of your talents!"

He seized the moment to make his offer. "How about this? I'll make an exception and appoint you vice-captain of the Red Crocodile Pirates! Together, we'll rule these waters! Forget water—you can drink all the cherry wine Melbourne Island is famous for! Its flavor is renowned the world over. Every time I think about it, I can practically taste it again!"

Charlos looked up at the captain, who kept talking without pause, with a helpless expression.

"What makes you think I'd listen to you?"

Unfazed, the captain waved a hand and smiled. "Oh, you've got it wrong! I'm not asking you to obey me! I'm showing you a better path!"

He continued his animated pitch. "Think about it. As my second-in-command, we'd sail together and eventually make our names known throughout the West Blue, living in glory! Wouldn't that be a hundred times better than drifting alone at sea?"

"No, thanks. Just take me to Melbourne Island."

The dim-witted pirate from earlier sidled up to the Red Crocodile captain again and muttered under his breath.

"Captain, he's showing you no respect at all. Why don't we just kill him now?"

Hearing that, the captain kicked him hard to the deck again.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

He turned to Charlos with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. He's not very bright. I'll have someone drag him away."

Charlos shrugged indifferently.

Melbourne Island.

Amina vaulted straight out the window. The little boy shouted anxiously, "Don't go out! If you run into the Red Crocodile Pirates, they'll catch you and sell you!"

Watching Amina jump outside, Auntie Adona cried out anxiously, "Come back! It's really dangerous out there!"

Amira stood by the window, her expression calm. "It's all right. Just trust her."

Just then, a villager's panicked cries rang out in the distance. "Bad news! Bad news! The Red Crocodile Pirates are almost here! They're getting ready to land!"

The villagers sprang into action, hastily gathering supplies from the roadside and scrambling to hide indoors. One villager even scooped up the village mutt and shoved it inside a house.

The Red Crocodile Pirates' ship docked steadily, and its gangplank slammed onto the beach.

Howling, the pirates jumped down onto the sand one after another, looking fierce and menacing.

Gripping a long blade that gleamed coldly, the Red Crocodile captain threw back his head and laughed. "Haha! Get ready to charge, boys! Loot the whole island!"

As his words fell, a nimble figure leaped from the pirate ship, landing firmly with a thud and stirring up a little dust.

It was Charlos.

The captain turned to the boy beside him, still unwilling to give up, and pressed his pitch. "Young hero, join us for one raid and you'll understand! Once we take this island, we'll rampage across the seas and live above everyone else!"

But the moment he finished speaking, the air at the village entrance turned abruptly cold.

A slender figure descended from above, jet-black wings spreading in the sunlight. She planted herself squarely at the village entrance, blocking every pirate's path.

It was Amina.

A low-ranking pirate's eyes instantly lit up. Pointing at Amina, he shouted excitedly, "Hey! Captain! Look at that little girl with the black wings! Nobles would fight over someone unusual with wings like those! That little brat must be worth a fortune!"

The pirates immediately stirred, staring greedily at Amina at the village entrance and rubbing their hands in anticipation.