Chapter 2
Hearing Usopp's story, Zoro got excited. "Split a mountain? Is he a master swordsman?"
Nami flinched and couldn't help stealing a few more glances at Bai Yu. "What mountain? How big was it? Is this actually true…?"
But as the words left her mouth, a brutal figure flashed through her mind—Arlong. Her eyes dimmed, and she muttered, "No… it doesn't matter what mountain. Those monsters aren't something humans can beat."
Zoro stood up. Luffy shouted in excitement.
At that exact moment…
Dozens of meters away, Bai Yu suddenly halted. He turned to the curious Kaya and said, "If we're setting sail, aren't we short one navigator?"
"Ah? Yeah, you're right."
Kaya nodded, already wondering if they could just hire someone with money.
"Kaya, listen carefully."
"Since you've chosen to sail with me, understand this: It's not just the Marines. Every pirate out there is our enemy too. Some forms of kindness are unnecessary."
"We're leaving soon. Finding a qualified navigator the normal way takes too long."
"If we don't have one… then we take one!"
Bai Yu spoke calmly as he slowly drew his sword.
While Kaya stared in shock, a terrifying, oppressive aura erupted from Bai Yu's body.
In an instant, the world lost color!
An invisible force exploded outward from him, sweeping forward like a tidal wave. The air itself howled in protest.
Intermediate Conqueror's Haki swept across the coast in a flash.
Thud… Thud…
Villagers dropped like flies. Usopp's eyes rolled back as he collapsed.
The sight was chilling!
"Usopp!"
Luffy and Zoro cried out.
"This… how is this possible?"
Nami covered her mouth in horror, staring at the fallen people around her in disbelief.
"The two of them didn't faint… must be because they have Conqueror's Haki potential."
Nami hadn't passed out because Bai Yu deliberately controlled the Haki's direction. But Luffy and Zoro resisting it made Bai Yu sigh inwardly.
Conqueror's Haki potential can't be suppressed?
BOOM!!
Suddenly, Bai Yu's aura surged several times stronger—leaping straight from Intermediate to Advanced.
The sky erupted in violent storms. The ground cracked and splintered under the horrifying pressure.
Crack! Crack!
The earth split in rapid succession. Luffy and Zoro's minds went completely blank.
The explosive jump to Advanced Conqueror's Haki was beyond Bai Yu's precise control of range and focus.
Thump… Thump…
Nami and Kaya collapsed one after the other.
The bigger one's heart—ambition—the stronger their Conqueror's Haki!
As the only Haki that couldn't be trained through repetition alone, it had surged the instant Bai Yu decided to strike at the protagonists and claim the entire world for himself.
One year to reach Intermediate.
Now: Advanced Conqueror's Haki!
"Fight? I won't give you time to power up or get your dramatic comeback…"
Bai Yu charged, sword drawn.
"The navigator belongs to me!"
"Damn it! I'll send you flying!"
Seeing Bai Yu rush in, Luffy snapped awake. Furious, he threw a punch.
Zoro drew his swords at the same instant.
"Too late!"
Bai Yu's gaze sharpened. His speed exploded as he swung.
Cross Slash!
Shrrk!
A cross-shaped gash appeared on Luffy's chest. The force carried through, blasting both Luffy and the Zoro behind him into the air.
Bai Yu stomped the ground. Afterimages trailed as he pursued without pause.
He flipped the blade.
Bang! Bang!
The moment they hit the ground, Bai Yu struck with the flat of his sword—slamming it viciously against their heads in succession.
Both passed out instantly.
Bai Yu looked down at the unconscious pair with utter calm, no ripple in his heart. He bent down and picked up Zoro's three swords.
"Wado Ichimonji, huh?"
"This one's mine now."
Schlick! Schlick!
The other two blades were driven into the ground right above their heads.
Bai Yu turned to leave.
The only reason he spared their lives: Nami.
Right now, Nami hadn't truly committed to the Straw Hats. She was only pretending to join, even plotting to steal Kaya's gifted ship—Arlong still loomed over her. But these people were, in her eyes, friends.
Between strangers and friends, Nami would choose friends.
But that would change.
Halfway there, Bai Yu turned back.
"Better make sure."
He really couldn't risk it—the protagonist crew was ridiculously good at clutch power-ups, and they practically had infinite health regen.
He didn't want to set sail with Kaya only for these two to wake up roaring and chase them down, wasting more time.
This easy knockout only happened because he'd caught them completely off guard.
In a proper fight right now, Bai Yu wasn't confident he could beat both at once.
Stab! Stab!
No hesitation.
With a placid face, Bai Yu delivered several more deep cuts. Blood pooled across the ground, soaking it crimson.
Once certain they wouldn't fight for days, Bai Yu left satisfied.
"Kaya, wake up."
"Go say goodbye to Merry. Pack your things—we sail soon."
Bai Yu roused Kaya without further explanation. Taking her to sea had been decided long ago.
Kaya glanced into the distance and whispered, "Luffy and the others…"
"They're all unconscious."
"Mm. Then let's go to sea."
Kaya asked no more. Compared to the Straw Hats she'd known for less than half a day, Bai Yu was family.
The mention of sailing lit her up. "We're going to sea!"
Watching Kaya bounce happily as she ran home to bid farewell to butler Merry, Bai Yu smiled.
This girl—frail and sickly since childhood—had always longed for the world outside.
Bai Yu had nothing to pack.
He turned, lifted the unconscious Nami into his arms, and leaped aboard the ship.
The Straw Hats' ship?
None of his concern!
…
One hour later.
Villagers slowly woke. Usopp, shaking like a leaf, dragged the still-unconscious Luffy and Zoro far away from the coast—far from Bai Yu.
"Bai Yu, you better take good care of Miss Kaya. If anything happens to her, I swear I'll… hmph!"
Butler Merry glared at Bai Yu with gritted teeth, finding him utterly detestable.
Even knowing Kaya was leaving, Merry couldn't accept it—the sea was too dangerous.
Bai Yu waved dismissively. "I'm taking Kaya with me."
"You…!"
Merry fumed. In his view, Kaya had been tricked and essentially kidnapped by Bai Yu.
Kaya quickly soothed him. "Mr. Merry, Big Brother Bai Yu is just teasing."
Merry could only sigh.
As the two spoke—and Bai Yu prepared to address Nami, who was huddled in the corner trembling—the system's voice interrupted, freezing him mid-motion.
Ding! Host has forcibly recruited Kaya as crew member/subordinate. Congratulations—you have earned one Myriad Worlds Lottery draw. Draw now?
"This counts too?"
Bai Yu was genuinely surprised.
He'd only said "I took Kaya" as a casual test—after all, Kaya had joined of her own free will.
That shouldn't have triggered the lottery.
But… it worked?
Was it because Merry truly believed Bai Yu had "stolen" her?
Whatever. It didn't matter.
The system was just dumb code—it never answered questions.
"Start the draw."
Ding! Myriad Worlds Lottery commencing!