Chapter 046
Hearing Dragon's words, Rin was momentarily stunned.
Then came a confident laugh, followed by a smile full of self-assurance.
Because in his opinion, the Pandora Pirates would naturally become one of the strongest crews on the sea in the future. So he wasn't awed by what Dragon said but responded instead with calm confidence.
Then he said, "So, I wonder what purpose Mr. Dragon has in proposing an alliance with us?"
"There's no hidden agenda—mutual benefit," Dragon replied plainly. "No matter how strong the Revolutionary Army becomes, we won't surpass the World Government anytime soon. That's the simple truth. So we need allies individuals and forces strong enough to either support us when needed or help stall the Navy and the World Government."
"Of course, when our allies require assistance, the Revolutionary Army will return the favor. How does that sound?"
Hearing this, Rin nodded and fell into quiet thought.
This question required careful consideration.
Although Dragon's tone was calm and his proposal sounded simple, one must remember the nature of the Revolutionary Army. Their work challenging the World Government's authority and liberating nations inevitably involved frequent conflict. Rin didn't want his crew constantly pulled into those situations. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "Fine but we won't offer support unless it's necessary."
"Agreed," Dragon nodded, signaling understanding.
"In that case, we'll be allies from this day forward," Dragon declared.
"Naturally," Rin nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Dragon studied Rin for a moment, then turned to the towering man beside him Bartholomew Kuma and gave a small signal.
Kuma immediately stepped forward, gently guiding the young girl hiding behind him toward Rin.
"Mr. Dragon, what's the meaning of this?" Rin asked, raising a brow in confusion.
He recognized the girl instantly Klara. Though young and shy now, she would later become one of the Revolutionary Army's most reliable combat instructors and an adept user of Fish-Man Karate. But for now, she was just a timid child.
Dragon explained, "This girl's name is Klara. She joined us recently. Given our current mission involves considerable danger, we'd prefer not to bring her along. I'd like to ask Mr. Rin to look after her for the time being."
"Oh?" Rin looked at Dragon with amused interest. "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I could be the next big villain?"
"I trust you," Dragon answered without hesitation. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be here."
"Fair enough," Rin nodded. Watching the Revolutionary Army's leader make such a decisive move only further confirmed his own judgment of Dragon's character. Besides, it was just a little girl taking her along wasn't a problem. Even if they ended up in danger, Rin was confident they could protect her.
"Much appreciated," Dragon said sincerely.
"It's just a small favor," Rin replied, gesturing dismissively.
Then Dragon said, "That concludes our business. We'll part ways for now. We should meet again in about a month."
"Until next time," Rin nodded.
With a final glance, Dragon turned. Kuma and the others followed as they returned to their ship, and soon the Revolutionary Army vessel vanished across the sea.
As they left, Casa exhaled and muttered, "I didn't expect the Revolutionary Army would actually form an alliance with us."
"They came because they saw our potential," Rin said casually with a slight smirk.
If not for the frightening growth potential of the Pandora Pirates, the Revolutionary Army probably wouldn't have reached out.
Rin turned and looked at Klara.
At this moment, Klara stood quietly, visibly nervous and a little overwhelmed. She was shy and clutched the fabric of her sleeves tightly, her small fingers twisting the cloth as she looked around uneasily.
Seeing this, Rin smiled softly and approached. He crouched down to her level. "Your name is Klara, right?"
"Uh-huh… yes," Klara nodded timidly, her big eyes filled with caution.
Rin smiled again, reaching out to gently hold her small hand. "Don't be scared. You're welcome to stay with us. Come on, let me introduce you to everyone."
Rin led Klara by the hand, pointing at Casa and the others as he introduced each crew member.
Klara was still shy.
But after seeing Rin's warm and gentle smile, her heart settled a little.
At least this big brother didn't seem scary.
Over the next few days, Rin and the others finally navigated out of the Calm Belt.
Several mornings later…
The Pandora Pirates were gathered in the ship's mess hall for breakfast. Klara, now more comfortable with everyone, sat with the crew wearing a bright, cheerful smile.
She had clearly warmed up to Rin and the others, no longer afraid of strangers.
As Rin took a bite of his sandwich, he turned toward Casa and asked, "Casa, where are we now?"
Hearing this, Casa took a sip of milk and replied, "We're near Water 7. If all goes well, we should arrive at the island within two days."
"Hmm."
Just then, Anilu—munching on a green apple—suddenly frowned and said with a strange expression, "Something's up. I think we're about to have a visitor."
"What do you mean?" Rin asked, glancing at him.
"Someone's headed our way," Anilu said, tapping his ear with a subtle smirk.
"Who?"
"A man riding a bicycle—on the sea."
Hearing that, Rin's eyes widened in surprise as a very familiar silhouette formed in his mind.
"Admiral Aokiji… Kuzan of the Marine Headquarters."
Casa's expression darkened immediately, understanding the implications.
"An Admiral?" Artoria, who'd only recently learned about the Marine hierarchy, looked startled. Even she knew what that meant. "Their strength is equal to a monster…"
Everyone including Rin stood up in unison, their expressions serious.
Klara didn't understand what "Admiral" meant, but she looked up at Rin with concern. "Big Brother Rin, what's wrong? Are you full already?"
"Yeah, I'm full," Rin replied, patting her head. "Klara, finish your breakfast and then head to your room. Don't come out, okay?"
"Okay." Klara nodded obediently. She didn't know why, but she could tell from the atmosphere that something was about to happen—and Brother Rin had important things to deal with.
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