Chapter 389 – Partner, Gaino!
Hearing Ryuunosuke's words, Nojiko raised her head to look at him.
At that moment, a little elf-like creature appeared on his shoulder.
Round and chubby, with a face almost resembling Ryuunosuke's own, it looked both cute and mischievous.
"Gaino, this is Nojiko," Ryuunosuke introduced with a smile. "You've been watching her for a while, haven't you? She's our ship's navigator. I think you'll be more than satisfied with this partner."
"Mm!"
Gaino nodded, clearly recognizing Nojiko.
"A ship spirit… that can talk?!"
Nojiko's eyes widened in shock.
As a navigator, she knew of ship spirits. They were rare, but not unheard of—phantom presences that sometimes appeared when a vessel was in dire need. Yet they were usually intangible, their voices incomprehensible to human ears.
But this little being before her was real. Tangible. And speaking plainly.
"Nojiko, I'll be leaving Gaino in your care," Ryuunosuke said warmly. "He can directly control the Ship of the Gods, so you don't have to sit here guarding the helm all day. As a pirate, you should spend more time out on deck, enjoying the sea."
"So… this was what you meant, Captain…" Nojiko murmured, her expression tinged with faint disappointment.
"Otherwise… what did you think I was going to say?" Ryuunosuke asked, genuinely puzzled. To him, handing her control over Gaino was already a grand gift for a navigator.
"No, I… I thought so too!" Nojiko quickly recovered. "Alright then, let me talk with Gaino first."
She gently cradled Gaino in her palm and began interacting with him.
Ryuunosuke found the sight a little odd, but as a straightforward man, he didn't dwell on it. Leaving the control room, he let the two of them bond.
It didn't take long for Nojiko to realize that Gaino was more than just a ship spirit.
The Ship of the Gods wasn't merely a vessel—it carried astonishing hidden functions, most of them powerful combat systems. Until now, the Dragon Hunter Pirates had always relied on their own strength in battle, rarely calling upon the ship itself.
---
Out on the deck, Ryuunosuke found Bullet sparring with the crew. By now, Bullet had grown accustomed to life among the Dragon Hunter Pirates. Not only did he fight alongside them, but he also took time to guide Kobayashi and others in their training.
"Beru… Beru…"
Just then, Ryuunosuke's Den Den Mushi rang.
"Captain Ryuunosuke, are you heading to Navy Headquarters?" Morgans' excited voice came through the line.
"Yes," Ryuunosuke replied casually. "Why? What's wrong?"
He hadn't gone out of his way to announce it. He wasn't headed there to cause trouble, after all. How Morgans learned of his movements was a mystery—but nothing to hide.
"Captain, I've just received word—the World Government is also moving toward Navy Headquarters. At your current speed, you'll likely cross paths with them. Should you avoid them… or fight?" Morgans' tone brimmed with anticipation, almost more eager than if he were the one heading into battle.
"I haven't decided," Ryuunosuke said calmly. "But avoiding them isn't an option. Since we're bound to meet… give me their location. And arrange for the news birds."
"Understood!" Morgans answered quickly, his excitement evident, before hanging up.
Ryuunosuke shook his head with a sigh.
This guy…
Though their partnership had often left Morgans at a disadvantage, over time he had grown used to it—until it became the new normal. Whether Morgans liked it or not, he was less a partner now and more like Ryuunosuke's little brother.
---
"Najenda, pass the word—prepare for battle," Ryuunosuke ordered. "The news bird will deliver coordinates shortly. Nojiko will take the helm. We're going after them."
"Got it, Captain!"
"The World Government again?!" a crewmember roared with excitement.
"We didn't get enough fun last time!"
"This time, leave it all to me! I'll smash them with my fists!"
The crew's morale surged instantly.
Meanwhile, Nojiko received the chart and coordinates.
"Gaino, let's show everyone your true strength! The chart's been entered, weather is steady in the area. Activate Swift Mode!"
"Bzzz!"
The Ship of the Gods trembled. Its shape shifted as vibrations coursed through its frame, the sensation carrying across the deck.
"The ship's… changing!"
"What's going on, Captain?"
"Oh my god… it can transform?!"
The crew's shock grew, Bullet included.
His own ship had once changed form, but that was through his ability. This was different. This was the ship itself revealing its own power.
Before their eyes, the Ship of the Gods streamlined into a shuttle-like form. In the next instant, a tremendous burst of inertia pressed everyone backward. The ship vanished in a flash, leaving only the ripples of displacement behind.
---
"Lord Escanor! Captain and the others—they're gone!"
On another ship nearby, Escanor was calmly polishing glasses when a pirate came rushing over.
"Gone?" Escanor asked, still wiping the cup. "The captain and the crew aren't in danger. There wasn't any sign of an attack."
"No, Master Escanor… they weren't attacked. The ship just… disappeared! Vanished before our eyes!"
"What nonsense are you babbling about?" Escanor muttered, frowning as he stepped outside.
But sure enough, the Ship of the Gods was gone.
He released his Observation Haki, sweeping the area, yet found nothing. Not even the faintest trace remained.
Even for a ship running at full speed… this was impossible.
"When exactly did they vanish?" Escanor asked.
"Just three minutes ago," the pirate replied, still breathless. "It was so fast I only caught a blur before it was gone. The ship wasn't attacked—it just ran away on its own!"
Others who had witnessed it all nodded vigorously.
Escanor's brows furrowed. "...I'll call the leader."
And sure enough, the report came back the same. The ship had truly slipped away.
Even now, they were all left stunned.
That ship… was just like a hacker breaking through the world itself.
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🔥 New Release – Naruto: Aizen Sōsuke 🔥
Three souls. One destiny.
A genius from modern Earth, the original Aizen from Bleach, and an Aizen born in the Naruto world — three minds merge into a single, transcendent being.
With unmatched intellect, godlike power, and the calm of a man who's already seen the truth of every world… he begins his quiet domination of the Shinobi era.
In a world bound by chakra and deception, Aizen stands above all — the perfect strategist in a land ruled by war.
✨ When knowledge meets ambition, even the gods must kneel. ✨
Read Naruto: Aizen Sōsuke now and witness the birth of the ultimate mind.
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