The sea changed before anyone said a word.
Not the weather—Nami would have felt that—but the pressure. The kind that crawled up the spine and settled behind the eyes. The Thousand Sunny surged forward under full sail, yet it felt like something unseen was keeping pace just beyond sight.
Ren stood at the bow, eyes narrowed, senses stretched thin.
"It's still there," he said quietly.
Usopp swallowed. "The creepy snail thing?"
"No," Ren replied. "Something worse."
Franky slammed a panel shut. "Hull's clean. No trackers. No signals I can detect."
Robin's eyes darkened slightly. "Then whatever is following us isn't attached to the ship."
That was not comforting.
The first sign came as a shadow.
It passed beneath the Sunny—too fast, too large, distorting the water as if the sea itself recoiled. The ship rocked violently, sending Usopp tumbling and knocking Sanji into the rail.
"SEA KING?!" Usopp shrieked.
"No," Nami snapped, gripping the wheel hard. "Too controlled."
The water ahead exploded.
A sleek black vessel tore through the waves, rising unnaturally fast—no flag, no markings, its hull segmented like armor plates grown rather than forged. It didn't sail so much as cut the ocean apart.
Zoro stood, hand on his swords. "That's not a Marine ship."
"It's not meant to be seen," Robin said softly.
The vessel shifted course effortlessly, matching the Sunny's speed.
"Oi!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arms. "You guys again?!"
The black ship didn't respond.
Instead, panels along its sides opened.
Figures leapt.
Not masked this time.
Clad in dark combat coats, faces uncovered, eyes cold and focused. They landed on the water itself, boots skimming the surface for a split second before launching again—straight for the Sunny.
"CONTACT!" Nami yelled.
The deck erupted into motion.
Sanji vanished in a blur of flame and fury, colliding midair with one of the attackers. Zoro intercepted another, steel screaming as blades met. Robin's arms bloomed outward, dragging two figures off course and into the sea.
Ren moved without thinking.
An attacker slipped past the others—too fast, too precise—heading straight for the helm.
Nami.
Ren took the hit meant for her.
The impact was brutal. Pain flared across his ribs as they crashed into the deck, rolling hard. Ren twisted, blade flashing, forcing the attacker back—but not before something cold and sharp pressed briefly against his chest.
A click.
The attacker smiled.
Then jumped—retreating cleanly back toward the black ship.
"What did he do?" Nami demanded, already checking Ren.
Ren's hand came away from his coat—
Red.
Not blood.
A symbol.
Burned faintly into the fabric over his heart.
The System screamed.
Not with pain.
With urgency.
Target designation confirmed.
Ren's breath caught.
The black ship began to pull away—slowly, deliberately.
As if it had already won something.
Luffy stepped forward, eyes shadowed beneath his hat. "Hey," he growled. "You don't just hit my crew and leave."
The sea answered him.
The water between the ships churned violently as something massive rose beneath the surface, its silhouette dwarfing both vessels.
Not one shadow.
Many.
Nami stared, horror creeping into her voice.
"…Those aren't Sea Kings."
The ocean split.
End of Chapter Thirteen
The Thousand Sunny sailed straight toward a wall of rising darkness, enemies ahead and hunters behind.
And burned into Ren D. Vale's chest, unseen but undeniable, was a mark the world had finally decided to claim.
Author's Note:
Daily updates continue. Every chapter from here on ends with a cliffhanger — no exceptions. If you want tomorrow's chapter without delay, drop a comment and send some Power Stones. The chase has officially begun.