Uta

"But the Kuja Pirates really have no dignity at all right now. Any stray dog or cat that comes across them dares to take a bite." Lu Ge looked at the pirate ship in the distance, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. He could truly understand now why Hancock would join the Shichibukai in the future.

"Damn it! Those bastards actually dared to attack first! Lord Lu Ge, should we strike back?" Sanya looked to Lu Ge with an angry expression, seeking his opinion.

Lu Ge did not answer. Instead, he leaped onto the prow and watched the cannonballs flying toward them once more. He decisively swung his sword, splitting every cannonball in two before they exploded in midair.

He swung again. Terrifying sword energy became a streak of rainbow light. With a sharp hiss, it instantly cleaved the pirate ship in half. The remaining sword energy even cut a massive trench across the sea. As the trench closed, towering waves surged up like a deep-sea beast, swallowing the vessel whole in a single bite.

By the time the waves calmed, only half of the once magnificent pirate ship remained, slowly sinking into the depths. A few people still floundered on the surface, having survived by sheer luck.

Seeing them, Lu Ge decisively gave the order, "Shoot them all!"

Kikyo and the others nodded with solemn expressions. Since the enemy had attacked first, they showed no mercy. They drew their bows and loosed their arrows. After a barrage of arrows, not a single person remained alive on the sea.

Just as Lu Ge thought this was merely a minor interruption and prepared to leave, the sound of a child crying caught his attention. He immediately looked toward the half of the ship slowly sinking beneath the sea. "There's someone else on the ship?"

Bolan said, "It sounds like a child. What should we do, Lord Lu Ge? Should we save them?"

Lu Ge pondered for a moment, then casually opened a door before him. He stepped through it and appeared directly atop the broken half of the ship. Following the crying, he picked up a treasure chest and passed through the door again, returning to the Kuja Pirate Ship.

"Waaah! Waaah! Waaah~~~"

The crying from inside the treasure chest grew louder.

Lu Ge casually opened it, and a strange-looking little girl immediately appeared before everyone. She was unusual because of her peculiar hair color—half red and half white.

As Lu Ge opened the chest, the little girl immediately stopped crying. Her big, bright eyes curiously studied Lu Ge and the others. Then a happy smile appeared on her face. She stretched both arms toward Lu Ge and babbled, asking to be held.

But when Lu Ge saw the little girl, he froze. "That appearance... it looks familiar! And that energy inside her... the power in my body actually has an urge to devour it. Does that mean this little girl is a Devil Fruit user?"

At that moment, Kama suddenly cried out beside him in delight, "Wow~ She's so cute!"

The instant Kikyo and the others saw the little girl, they were all charmed by her. Bolan could not help reaching out and scooping her up, then planted a kiss on her cheek. "Lord Lu Ge, can we raise her?"

Before Lu Ge could answer, Sanya had already refused in a deep voice. "No. If she's related to one of those pirates, then we have a blood feud with her! How can we keep her?"

"This..."

Looking at the little girl's distinctive hair, Lu Ge had already confirmed her identity. He immediately said seriously, "Probably not. Who would throw their own child into a treasure chest? I think those pirates kidnapped this little girl."

Mana immediately said resentfully, "What? Human traffickers again? What use could they possibly have for kidnapping a child?"

Lu Ge said, "Probably because of her ability."

Sanya asked, "Ability? She's a Devil Fruit user?"

Lu Ge said, "Yes. They only abducted her because she's an ability user. Otherwise, there would be no reason to kidnap such a small child."

Kikyo asked curiously, "What ability does she have?"

Lu Ge said, "The Sing-Sing Fruit."

That was right. This little girl was Uta, Red-Haired Shanks's adopted daughter in the original story. But because of Lu Ge's appearance, the butterfly effect had taken place. By a twist of fate, Mihawk had intercepted Shanks and his crew, causing them to temporarily halt their voyage. As a result, Lu Ge encountered the pirate crew that had abducted Uta before they did.

Bolan's eyes immediately lit up. "The Sing-Sing Fruit? Does that have something to do with singing?"

Lu Ge nodded silently.

Bolan was instantly overjoyed. "Wow! Doesn't that make her a natural musician? That's wonderful! I've decided, Lord Lu Ge! I want to adopt her. Is that okay?"

"Waaah! Waaah! Waaah~~~" Little Uta seemed to understand what Bolan had said. She stretched her arms toward Lu Ge, struggling and crying out as though asking him to save her.

Mana said, "Bolan, she doesn't seem to like you very much. She seems to prefer Lord Lu Ge."

Lu Ge reached out and held Little Uta. She immediately showed a relieved and happy smile, rubbing her little head against him over and over, her affection impossible to put into words.

Kama said, "Wow~ She really seems to like Lord Lu Ge!"

Mana's motherly instincts were overflowing. "Poor thing. She was kidnapped by pirates at such a young age. We don't even know who her family is. They must be so worried right now! Lord Lu Ge, how about we help her find them?"

But Lu Ge sighed at her words. "After falling into the hands of those pirates, what good ending could her family possibly have had?"

Lu Ge knew very well that, according to the story, Little Uta's parents—and perhaps even her entire village—had likely already fallen victim to those pirates.

Bolan said, "In that case, why don't we adopt her?"

Lu Ge said, "I have no objections. If you're willing, then let her stay."

"Really? That's wonderful!" Bolan was immediately overjoyed. She reached out and playfully teased Little Uta. "Little one, tell your big sister, what's your name?"

"Uwah~ Uwah~" Little Uta clearly did not understand what Bolan was saying.

Seeing that, Bolan immediately fell into thought. "Then, Lord Lu Ge, how about we give her a name?"

Lu Ge said, "Call her Uta."

"Uta... Uta..." Bolan repeated it a few times, then said happily, "Great! Did you hear that, little one? From now on, your name is Uta~ Uta, Uta, Little Uta..."

"Giggle, giggle, giggle~~~ Hee hee hee~~~" Little Uta was immediately amused by Bolan and burst into laughter.

Seeing everyone gathered around and beginning to play with Little Uta, Lu Ge felt deeply moved. He had never expected that he would encounter Uta before Shanks did.

At the same time, his brows furrowed slightly. The Sing-Sing Fruit carried a considerable hidden danger: Tot Musica. Although they were far from Elegia, Music Island, the unseen pull between them was bound to happen.