Kuzan noticed that Law hadn't followed, but didn't bother calling him again.
When he reached the Sunny, he vaulted onto the deck with his bicycle in hand. Finding no one there, he propped the bike to the side, strolled over to a deck chair, stretched out, pulled an eye mask from his pocket, and promptly went to sleep.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of what was happening outside, the Straw Hats were gathered in the dining hall, enjoying a hearty lunch.
No one brought up the issue of the Blood Pirates. It wasn't so much that they were avoiding the topic—it was more that none of them took the crew seriously.
The only exception was Robin.
Her brows were knitted in thought. Among the Straw Hats, perhaps only old Bones Brook had lived through as much as she had. She was a woman hardened by the cruelties of the world, with a sharp mind. Without that, she could never have mastered the ancient texts—or even survived to this day.
The Blood Pirates weren't exactly obscure, but they'd never done anything earth-shattering either. What made them noteworthy was their ability to slip between all the great powers without being crushed.
But that in itself was suspicious. How could a crew without real strength possibly maneuver between such factions? The contradiction gnawed at her.
"Ah, so you're all here."
The kitchen door swung open, and Law entered, his face damp with cold sweat.
"Ah, you eaten yet?" Luffy mumbled around a mouthful of food when he saw who it was.
"Heh, just say the word and I'll whip something up for you!" Sanji added with effortless charm, rising to his feet. With his crew, he could act however he pleased—but with guests, a true gentleman had to show proper courtesy.
"…Then I'll take a grilled steak—" Law answered reflexively, before snapping back to his senses and shouting:
"Now's not the time to be eating! There's an intruder on your ship—don't you know that?!"
Gulp.
Luffy swallowed the food in his mouth and asked curiously, "Who's the intruder?"
Everyone else set their utensils down and turned to Law with serious expressions.
"The former Marine admiral… Aokiji."
Law spoke the name slowly, expecting it to shock them all. To him, revealing that someone of that caliber was here should have rattled every last one of them. After all, Kuzan was once a top figure in the Marines—an enemy of pirates by definition.
But to his shock, the Straw Hats' tension melted away instantly, replaced by casual ease.
"…Guess I'll have to cook one more portion then," Sanji sighed after a pause. He turned to Luffy. "He's your family's, so go invite him in for lunch."
"What the heck! Fine, but I want another helping of meat after." Luffy stood, clearly reluctant, and headed for the door.
"'Your family's'…? What the hell does that mean?" Law froze in place, utterly baffled. He watched Luffy leave while the rest of the crew kept eating as though nothing were wrong.
Exasperated, he pressed, "That man outside is a former Marine admiral. Aren't you even the least bit concerned?"
"Concerned?"
"Ahahahaha!"
The dining hall erupted in laughter as if he'd told a joke.
Seeing his confusion, Robin finally spoke, her tone calm and teasing:
"Kuzan isn't a Marine anymore. These days, he works under Luffy's father. So yes, you could say he's family."
She winked playfully, covering her mouth as she laughed at Law's dumbfounded face.
"…NANI?!"
After a long stunned silence, Law nearly shouted. The revelation hit like a thunderbolt.
A former Marine admiral, now working under Luffy's father—that meant… had Kuzan also joined that nation?
Hsshh! The thought sent a chill racing down his spine.
"Heh… didn't expect to arrive right at mealtime. Guess I'll intrude, then."
The door opened again. Kuzan ducked inside, his tall frame bending through the doorway. He gave a casual greeting before sitting down at an empty spot.
Glancing at Robin, who was smiling brightly, he said, "You seem pretty happy these days."
"Hehe, I suppose so," Robin answered. Though they had long since buried the hatchet, even counted as being on the same side now, the shadows of her past weren't so easily erased.
With Kuzan at the table, the conversation drifted back to the Blood Pirates.
When he learned the Straw Hats intended to fight them, a flicker of surprise crossed Kuzan's eyes. He soon spoke up:
"I think it'd be wiser for you to leave this island as soon as possible. If I'm right, the ones backing your so-called Blood Pirates are actually the Bloodsail Pirates.
"And that crew… isn't one you can handle."
"You're not a Marine anymore, though, are you?" Robin asked curiously.
"Yeah, not a Marine," Kuzan admitted, setting down his knife and calmly wiping his hands. "But I'm still working for someone. This sea route you're on right now—it's part of our supply line.
"Sabo asked me to investigate the Bloodsail Pirates personally, to ensure the safety of this corridor."
He frowned. "The crew is new, but they're wrapped in mystery. Their captain's identity is still unknown… but from the intel I've dug up, he may be a relic from a very old era.
"That's why I'm saying—it'd be best if you kept out of it."
"No."
Before the Straw Hats could answer, Law shot to his feet, his voice sharp. "Whatever the case, I have my own reasons for staying."
"Reasons?" Luffy tilted his head.
"Bepo and the others are missing."
Law's expression hardened as he relayed what he had discovered aboard his ship earlier.
When the crew heard that the fluffy white bear had disappeared, their faces tightened with concern. Luffy slammed down his food and said firmly:
"Then that settles it. Not only am I gonna beat up that guy, I'll help you get Bepo back too."
The others nodded knowingly. Of course Luffy would say that.
"Well, suit yourselves," Kuzan muttered as he stood, strolling to the door. Pausing at the threshold, he added, "But don't forget—it's dangerous this time. If you find anything, let me know. For now, I'm going to get some sleep."
With that, he left them to their meal.
The crew exchanged glances. Then Luffy stood, thrusting his fist into the air.
"Alright! We're full now. Let's go beat that guy up!"
The others quickly gathered their gear, leaving behind the messy remains of lunch.
Law's missing crew was most likely tied to the man who had brewed that strange liquid. As far as Luffy was concerned, the solution was simple:
Beat him down—and he'd have no choice but to talk.
Out on deck, they called out a quick goodbye to the napping Kuzan, then leapt from the Sunny toward the towering vine they had seen before.
Last time, it was an adventure.
This time, it was a fight.
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at