The morning after the training grounds chaos dawned bright and peaceful over the Pirate School. The sea sparkled like a million scattered sapphires, and a gentle breeze carried the faint scent of salt and distant cooking fires from the kitchens below. For the first time since arriving, the "No Name" crew felt something close to normal — or at least as normal as a group of wanted pirates with a 93-million-coin captain could feel.
Ato woke up first, as usual, bouncing out of his bunk like a human spring. His hair was a wild mess, his shirt was inside out, and his eyes were already gleaming with pure, unfiltered chaos.
"GUYS! WAKE UP! TODAY IS THE DAY!"
Kojo, who had been meditating in the corner with his three swords balanced on his knees, cracked one eye open. "If this is about food again, I'm throwing you into the ocean."
"It's better than food!" Ato declared, throwing his arms wide. "It's about the legendary Giant Melon Festival! I overheard some students talking about it last night. They say there's a melon the size of a warship! We have to see it!"
Manjo, still half-asleep in her bunk across the room, groaned and pulled her pillow over her head. "Ato… it's barely dawn. Let me sleep."
Faramis sat up, adjusting his goggles with a yawn. "A giant melon? That sounds scientifically interesting. Maybe it has unique properties. I could study it."
Lemon rolled over, mumbling into his map. "As long as it doesn't involve gravity calculations before breakfast, I'm in."
Poison, ever the quiet one, simply smiled from his corner. "Melons again. I still don't understand the obsession, but I will follow the captain."
Kojo sighed, sheathing his swords with a resigned click. "Fine. But if this turns into another disaster, I'm blaming you."
The crew quickly got ready and headed out into the school grounds. The paths were lined with ancient stone lanterns and statues of legendary captains, and the air was filled with the chatter of students heading to morning classes. But today, the buzz was different — everyone was talking about the Giant Melon Festival, an annual event where the school celebrated the island's famous oversized produce.
Ato led the way like an excited puppy, practically vibrating with energy. "Come on! The festival grounds are near the eastern cliffs! They say the melon is so big you can climb it!"
Manjo walked beside him, her lightning occasionally sparking harmlessly around her fingers as she tried to keep up. "You're going to eat it, aren't you?"
"Only a little piece!" Ato protested, then grinned. "Okay, maybe the whole thing."
Kojo trailed behind, arms crossed, looking every bit the grumpy bodyguard. "If you get us banned from the kitchens again, I'm making you cook for a month."
Faramis was already scribbling notes in his little book. "If it's truly giant, it might have unique cellular structure. I could extract samples for later experiments."
Lemon floated a small navigation compass in his palm, guiding them with precise gravity adjustments. "According to the map, the festival is just ahead. Try not to cause an international incident before lunch."
Poison walked silently at the back, his long black hair swaying in the breeze. He seemed amused by the group's energy, occasionally offering a small, polite smile when Ato glanced back at him.
They reached the festival grounds — a wide, open field near the cliffs decorated with colorful banners, food stalls, and a massive wooden stage. In the center stood the star attraction: the Giant Melon. It was enormous, easily the size of a small house, with a smooth green rind that gleamed in the sunlight. Students and teachers alike were gathered around it, taking pictures, climbing on it, and laughing as they tried to carve pieces off with practice swords.
Ato's eyes turned into literal stars. "It's… beautiful."
He sprinted forward without waiting for the others, leaping onto the melon's surface and hugging it like a long-lost friend. "Hello, my precious! You're even bigger than I dreamed!"
Manjo facepalmed. "He's going to embarrass us again."
Kojo sighed. "He already is."
A teacher nearby, an older woman with a clipboard, spotted Ato and frowned. "Young man! That melon is for the festival display only! No climbing!"
Ato waved cheerfully from the top. "But it's so round and perfect! Can I have a slice? Just one?"
The teacher's face turned red. "Absolutely not! This is a ceremonial melon! It represents the bounty of the Drowned World!"
Ato's face fell for half a second, then brightened again. "Then… can I hug it longer?"
The teacher threw her hands up in defeat and walked away muttering about "reckless pirates."
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew explored the stalls. Manjo stopped at a spice booth, her eyes lighting up as she sampled exotic herbs. "These would make amazing glazes! I could create a new recipe tonight."
Faramis was at a gadget stall, bargaining with a vendor over a set of floating measuring spoons. "These are perfect for zero-gravity cooking experiments!"
Lemon stood at a map booth, carefully studying a detailed chart of the surrounding seas. "This is better than my mother's old map. The currents are marked with gravity anomalies — fascinating."
Kojo, ever the stoic one, found a quiet corner and sat down to sharpen his swords, though he couldn't help glancing at the giant melon with a tiny, reluctant smile. "At least it's not trying to kill us."
Poison wandered over to a fruit-carving demonstration, watching with quiet fascination as an artist turned a regular melon into a detailed sculpture of a pirate ship. "The precision… it's almost like sword work."
Ato, still perched on the giant melon, suddenly had an idea. "Hey, everyone! Group photo on the melon! It'll be our first crew memory at the school!"
The crew groaned but eventually gave in. They climbed up (with Kojo grumbling the whole way) and posed together — Ato in the center with his arms around everyone, Manjo laughing, Lemon looking slightly embarrassed, Faramis adjusting his goggles, Kojo pretending to be annoyed, and Poison offering a small, genuine smile.
A passing student snapped the picture with a small crystal camera. "You guys look like trouble," the student said with a grin. "Good luck surviving the school."
Ato laughed. "We're the No Name crew! Trouble is our middle name!"
As the sun climbed higher, the festival continued with games, food tastings, and silly competitions. Ato entered the "Melon Rolling Race" and somehow won by accidentally turning it into a rampage that knocked over three stalls. Manjo joined a cooking demo and impressed everyone with her lightning-seared skewers. Lemon used his gravity powers to win a "Floating Fruit Balance" game, much to the jealousy of other students. Faramis accidentally invented a self-peeling fruit gadget that went viral among the younger kids. Kojo refused to participate in anything but ended up judging a sword-sharpening contest with surprising fairness. Poison quietly won a calligraphy contest with elegant, flowing script that left the judges speechless.
By late afternoon, the crew gathered back at their favorite spot near the cliffs, stomachs full and faces sticky with melon juice. Ato lay on the grass, staring up at the sky.
"This is nice," he said softly. "No fighting, no Navy, no Void. Just… us."
Manjo sat beside him, her lightning idly sparking around her fingers. "Yeah. I never thought I'd leave the restaurant. But being here with you guys… it feels right."
Kojo leaned against a rock, his swords resting beside him. "Don't get too comfortable. Trouble always finds us."
Faramis nodded, tinkering with his new floating spoon. "Statistically, yes. But for today… we earned this."
Lemon floated a small melon slice over to Ato with his gravity powers. "Here. Don't say I never did anything for you."
Poison smiled quietly, watching the group. "I don't remember much… but this feels like belonging."
Ato sat up, grinning. "Then let's make a promise. No matter what happens — EDEN, bounties, giant melons, or whatever comes next — we stick together. We sail the world, eat all the food, and become the best crew ever."
The crew raised their hands (and melon slices) in agreement.
"Deal!"
As the sun began to set, painting the sea in brilliant oranges and pinks, the crew laughed and talked late into the evening. For a brief, perfect moment, the Drowned World felt small and kind.
But far on the horizon, a single EDEN scout ship watched silently, its lanterns dimmed.
The peace wouldn't last forever.
For now, though, the No Name crew had melons, friends, and a future worth sailing toward.