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Night had fallen, and the sea was as black as ink—like the gaping mouth of some endless abyss.
In the distance, a large Navy warship cut steadily across the dark waters.
On deck—
"Hahahaha! We finally wiped out the Silver Wolf Pirates this time! The branch's gonna get another big medal for this!" one sailor laughed proudly.
"Yeah, once HQ hears about this, they'll definitely reward us," another replied.
After all, their target, Silver Wolf—the captain of the Silver Wolf Pirates—was a wanted man with a bounty of over two hundred million berries, a ruthless murderer who looted, burned, and killed wherever he went.
Plenty of Navy troops had died trying to catch him before. The losses were heavy, and the man's infamy was well-earned.
"Catching some lowlife like Silver Wolf's enough to make you this proud?!"
A sharp, commanding voice came from behind them. The sailors immediately turned to see a woman approaching, her Justice cloak fluttering in the sea breeze.
Their laughter vanished in an instant.
The woman had short, dark hair, striking blue eyes that seemed to cut right through you, and a pair of large golden hoop earrings.
But what really drew attention was the black choker around her neck, lined with sharp metallic spikes.
"Vice Admiral Doll!"
"Vice Admiral Doll!"
The sailors straightened up, saluting seriously.
Doll gave a small nod as she approached, her voice softening slightly. "Good job on this mission. You worked well together. Once we're back at the branch, I'll make sure your efforts are recognized."
The men smiled, excitement flickering across their faces.
"But," she continued, her tone hardening, "don't get too full of yourselves. The Silver Wolf Pirates aren't the only enemies out there."
"Yes, ma'am!" they all responded quickly.
After all, the woman before them was Vice Admiral Doll, the commanding officer of the G-14 Marine Branch—their direct superior.
"How long until we reach the branch?" she asked casually, staring out at the pitch-black sea.
"At our current speed, about two hours, ma'am," the helmsman replied.
Doll nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
—Meanwhile—
Following the signal on his virtual map, Logan had arrived in the region where the Lantern Fish was said to roam.
The glowing red dot on the screen showed its general movement—darting around restlessly beneath the waves, like something that hadn't slept in days.
"Captain, this is where that thing's supposed to be?" Robin asked, glancing around at the endless darkness.
"Logan, I don't see a damn thing. You sure you're in the right spot?" Nami asked, activating her Observation Haki but finding nothing.
"No need to search," Logan said confidently. "That thing's hiding deep below. Everyone, move to the edge of the deck. I'm gonna bait it out."
Though confused, the women obeyed, stepping aside to clear the center of the deck.
A moment later, Logan raised his hand—and in an instant, a flood of gold covered the deck.
The glittering light was so intense that under the night sky, it almost hurt to look at.
Nami's eyes literally turned into gold coins. If Tashigi hadn't grabbed her in time, she'd have dove right in.
Logan focused on his map, Observation Haki flaring to full power.
He knew the Lantern Fish loved shiny things—it had once swallowed an entire island because it was drawn to the glow of pure gold.
This time, it wasn't pure gold, but there was enough of it to light up half the ocean.
No way that insomniac fish could resist taking a peek.
While Logan focused entirely on the hunt, Vice Admiral Doll's sharp senses picked up the anomaly first.
"What is that?" she muttered, frowning.
She'd kept her Observation Haki active as a precaution, but the image was too fuzzy from this distance.
"Ma'am, something's off!" one of the soldiers shouted, staring where she was looking. Far ahead, a small but distinct light shimmered against the dark sea—tiny, but so out of place it couldn't be ignored.
"Head that way," Doll ordered immediately, curiosity getting the better of her.
The helmsman turned the wheel, steering the warship toward the mysterious glow.
Back on Logan's deck, time ticked by.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five.
The red dot on his map suddenly brightened and began moving in a straight line—fast—racing straight toward the surface.
"Finally," Logan murmured, excitement flashing in his eyes.
The pure gold that could grant eternal youth and slow aging was within his reach. Even he couldn't contain the thrill rising inside him.
"Everyone, stay sharp!" Nami warned, her eyes narrowing. "Something huge is heading our way!"
The others tensed as the sea beneath them began to churn.
Then—
The once-still surface erupted violently, waves surging in all directions as if something massive was about to burst free.
"It's coming out!" Robin shouted, her tone taut with anticipation.
And then it appeared—
A low, guttural roar echoed as the Lantern Fish broke through the water, revealing only the top of its colossal form, but even that was enough to leave everyone speechless.
"It's... enormous!"
"What the hell does this thing eat?!"
"Captain, this is what you were after?!"
They couldn't even wrap their heads around its size. Compared to it, whole islands would look small.
"Finally," Logan breathed out, grinning. "You took your time."
He wasn't afraid of its size—he was just glad it showed up.
The fish roared again, eyes locked on the mountain of gold piled on the deck.
So shiny.
So beautiful.
It had to have it.
With another thunderous cry, the creature lunged forward, its massive jaws gaping open as it surged toward the flying ship like a predator pouncing on prey.
One bite, and all that glittering treasure would be his.
As the Lantern Fish rose higher, the golden lamp dangling from its forehead shone even brighter—so bright it turned night into day, outshining even the gold on the ship.
On the Navy warship, Doll stared in disbelief. Even after all she'd seen in her career, she'd never witnessed anything that bright.
Brighter than gold itself.
And right next to it... a flying ship?!
Her mind scrambled to process it all.
"Full speed! Get us closer!" she barked, voice urgent.
The helmsman gunned the engines, sending the warship surging forward.
At that same moment, the Lantern Fish lunged—its jaws slammed shut around the flying ship.
Crunch!
...Huh?
Nothing.
It blinked its small eyes in confusion.
It had bitten air.
The joy of catching its glittering prize evaporated instantly, replaced by fury. It thrashed and roared, shaking the ocean itself.
Just as it started sinking back beneath the surface—
"Leave the lantern behind."
Logan's calm, mocking voice came from above. In a flash, he appeared beside the creature, Wado Ichimonji gleaming in his grip.
"Slash Wave!"
With a sharp exhale, he unleashed his power.
A blinding arc of energy ripped through the night, slicing through the sea itself as if the ocean were paper.
The massive wave of force tore a path a hundred meters long, splitting the waters cleanly in two—towering walls of seawater rising dozens of meters high.
Countless sea kings caught in the blast were instantly cut apart, their blood dyeing the ocean red.
On the warship, Vice Admiral Doll's throat went dry as she swallowed hard.
He... he split the sea with a single slash?!
Just how terrifying was this man's strength?!
And when she finally saw his face clearly, a chill ran straight up her spine.
Her heart dropped.
"...Logan."
The helmsman beside her froze as she hissed, "Turn us around. Now."
Sweat poured down the man's face as he hurried to obey, steering the warship away as fast as he could.
Below, the Lantern Fish screamed in agony as the connection to its glowing lantern was severed.
Its massive body thrashed violently, shaking the sea with its pain.
The golden lantern plummeted toward the waves—
But before it could fall into the water, Logan appeared again, grabbing it midair and storing it safely in his system inventory.
The Lantern Fish sank back into the depths, disappearing into the dark below, its muffled groans echoing faintly.
"You all go back to the ship first," Logan said calmly, turning to his crew. "I'll be right behind you."
As his figure vanished again, the Navy warship roared to life, speeding away across the waves.
Vice Admiral Doll's chest rose and fell rapidly. She still couldn't believe what she'd just seen.
That man—Logan—the one who'd killed a Warlord of the Sea... the one with a five hundred million berry bounty...
He was here.
Of all the people to run into tonight, it had to be him.
And for the first time in a long while, Vice Admiral Doll truly felt fear.
Even someone as strong as Rear Admiral Doll knew she didn't stand a chance against a pirate like Logan — the kind of man who could take down a Warlord of the Sea in seconds.
In this situation, running was the smartest choice she could make.
"What the hell was that thing?!" Still shaken but thinking she was safe for now, Doll replayed the scene in her mind. Logan had clearly been after that glowing lantern.
She couldn't figure it out, but there wasn't time to dwell on it.
The top priority was to get back to the G–14 branch and report everything to HQ so Fleet Admiral Sengoku could decide what to do.
Once the Admirals got involved, catching Logan would be a piece of cake…
Or so she wished. Reality, as always, was a lot less kind.
"Watched me for so long, and now you're thinking of leaving?"
The teasing voice drifted into her ear out of nowhere.
Doll's pupils shrank in shock as her whole body froze.
The navy soldiers on deck all jumped too — Logan had appeared out of thin air.
"Logan! What do you think you're doing?!" Doll snapped out of it fast, haki flaring to its fullest. Her Observation Haki locked onto him, and Armament Haki coated her body as she raised her guard to the max.
The soldiers followed suit, muskets aimed squarely at the pirate.
"Well, what do you know — Vice Admiral Doll actually knows who I am." Logan's tone was amused as his eyes swept over the short-haired, dangerously attractive woman in front of him.
He'd only come here for the Pure Gold, but it looked like he'd found a little bonus.
After all, Doll was one of the "beauties of the plot" he'd had his eye on for a while.
And now that she was here… he wasn't leaving without her.
A lucky day, two birds with one stone.
When Logan called her name so casually, Doll felt her heart skip a beat. A chill crept down her spine.
Being targeted by a pirate was bad news — being targeted by this pirate, the one known for recruiting only beautiful women, was even worse.
"You're no match for me," Logan said calmly. "Come with me."
"Bastard! I'm the commander of the G–14 Navy Branch! I'll never bow to a pirate!"
Her voice was cold, but the fire of justice in her chest burned bright enough to drive away her fear.
She knew she couldn't beat him — but surrendering was never an option.
"All units! Attack!"
"Soru!"
In a blur, Doll vanished from sight.
At the same time, her well-trained men opened fire.
Bang bang bang!
Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt!
A rain of bullets tore through the air, but Logan's expression barely changed.
"Annoying."
Lightning flickered across his body, and in an instant, thick bolts of thunder shot out, striking down dozens of marines with terrifying precision.
They didn't even have time to scream before collapsing to the deck, unconscious.
And in that flash of light, Doll appeared behind him, her fist coated in hard black haki as she swung with everything she had.
"Come on, Vice Admiral. Don't make me hurt you," Logan said casually, catching her fist mid-swing.
Doll's eyes widened. She tried to pull her arm back, but his grip was like iron.
That crushing sense of powerlessness washed over her, but she only gritted her teeth and glared at him with all the pride she had left.
The gap between them was just too wide.
"Logan, just kill me! Get it over with!" she shouted, eyes burning with defiance.
As a vice admiral of the Navy, she had her pride — and even in death, she'd never side with a pirate.
Logan chuckled. "Kill you? I don't kill beautiful women."
He tightened his grip and added with a smirk, "Let's go. We'll talk on my ship."
Ignoring her furious protests, he teleported them both away.
—
The bright lights of the ship's grand hall made Doll feel strangely exposed.
Mostly because a dozen beautiful women were staring right at her.
"W–what are you all looking at?!" she stammered.
"Captain, she's from that navy ship we saw earlier, right?" Nami asked, giving Doll a quick once-over. She'd already noticed the ship during their flight but hadn't thought much of it.
"Yep," Logan said without hesitation.
"Logan, are you planning to make this lady join the crew too?" another girl asked innocently, her big eyes wandering to Doll's… rather generous curves.
Wow. No wonder Logan liked her.
"Hey," Robin said, tilting her head curiously. "That collar on your neck… some kind of special hobby?"
Is she an M? she wondered silently.
Doll's face flushed scarlet, but she quickly masked it with a cold glare.
"Captain," Nojiko said with a small sigh, "this one doesn't look like the obedient type."
It was true — unlike Tashigi, this woman was sharp, confident, and definitely not easy to fool.
"You filthy pirates! I'll never surrender to you!" Doll roared, her voice trembling between anger and humiliation.
"Don't speak too soon," Logan replied, grinning as he stepped toward her. "You might end up eating those words."
A while back, that might've been a problem.
But now? He had a little trick — a special "slave mark" that worked wonders on stubborn women like her.
No better time to use it.
"Logan… what are you doing?!" Doll's voice cracked as he closed the distance.
She didn't know what he planned — but for the first time, real panic filled her eyes.
"....."