The power of the Soul-Soul Fruit was fully unleashed, pink light swirled out like ripples, contacting and merging with the violent magma energy below.
The boiling magma seemed to receive a summons, starting to churn violently as the center slowly bulged, a large amount of magma gathering and taking shape... The light gradually receded, and a brand-new life appeared before them. It was dark red all over, with a unique texture formed by cooling magma on its surface, shaped like a chubby starfish; on one tentacle, two large eyes were blinking innocently.
It was exactly the magma Homie envisioned by Charlotte Linlin—Red Star!
"Success!" A joyful smile appeared on Gölz's tired face as she reached out to Red Star, who was floating on the magma. "Come to Mama, Red Star!"
"Wait a minute!"
Ripley stepped forward with a stride, blocking Gölz. With her hands on her hips, she pointed at herself and loudly announced to the newly born and somewhat confused Red Star:
"I am your Mama! Quick, call me Mama!"
Gölz was stunned, then protested in dissatisfaction, "Ripley! What are you doing? Red Star was created using my ability! Of course he should call me Mama!"
"I don't care!" Ripley said righteously, her face practically screaming 'I want it'.
"Gloriosa has Yellow Sponge calling her Mama! You also have Aranui calling you Mama! I want a Homie of my own that calls me Mama too! I don't care, this Red Star must be mine!"
She became more excited as she spoke, clearly a long-suppressed "jealousy" had finally erupted. Seeing her companions surrounded by "children," she had been envious for a long time. Her main purpose for coming along this time was to secure this newborn Homie no matter what!
"But... I'm the one who created it!" Gölz argued, looking at the child she had worked hard to create, reluctant to let go.
"Without my guidance and protection as your teacher along the way, could you have grown smoothly to this point and successfully created a Homie?"
Ripley began to pull rank, bringing up her status as Gölz's swordsmanship mentor.
"As the witness and guide of your growth, isn't it perfectly reasonable for me to have the 'right of use' for this new partner? Let it call me Mama, and that's final!"
The two argued incessantly at the scorching crater, while the newborn Red Star floated there, its innocent eyes looking at Gölz one moment and Ripley the next, seemingly trying to understand this complex situation.
In the end, perhaps Ripley's "persistence" (or rather, her shameless pestering) worked, or perhaps out of consideration for their bond and Ripley's pride as a teacher, Gölz finally compromised:
"Fine, fine... It's yours."
Hearing this, a victorious smile instantly bloomed on Ripley's face. She couldn't wait to open her arms to Red Star: "Great! Quick, Red Star, come to Mama!"
Red Star blinked its huge single eye, seemingly receiving the final instruction. It clumsily stepped on the magma, walking toward Ripley step by step.
"Ma-ma~ Ma-ma~" It let out a slurred cry and rubbed against Ripley's cheek.
"Hahaha! I have one too!" Ripley held the warm Red Star triumphantly. The previous heat and hard work seemed worth it.
Gölz watched this scene and sighed helplessly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
Forget it, as long as the new partner could increase the crew's strength, who acted as "Mama" seemed... not unacceptable. Besides, there were still two more unique Homies Linlin had envisioned! Next time, she definitely wouldn't bring anyone else along! Except Linlin!
The two of them, with the new member Red Star, rode Zeus, who was waiting on the periphery, and quickly left the scorching volcano to return to the Saint Freya.
With the return of the two, the Heavenly Calamity Pirates, having finished up their business, set sail and left Punk Hazard.
After all, there was a Naval Base here. Who knew if they would immediately contact Marineford? Charlotte Linlin wouldn't stake her safety on others' gratitude.
Besides, there might be that troublesome pursuer Zephyr behind her. She was in no mood to deal with him right now.
The Saint Freya set sail, towing the captured Liji Pirate ship as it slowly left the port of Punk Hazard.
The Marines and residents remaining at the port were stunned to find a pile of treasure neatly stacked in the open space of the pier, shimmering with an enticing glow in the setting sun.
"Is... is that our money?" a resident spoke up hesitantly, his voice full of uncertainty.
"Did they... forget to take it?"
"Should we remind them?"
At this moment, Captain Scott, his wounds bandaged, stepped forward. Though his voice was weak, it carried clearly across the pier: "No need. This is... what they specifically left for you."
He withdrew his complex gaze from the receding white sail and turned to the confused and hopeful civilians: "Go on, take back what belongs to you."
"Really?!" The little girl's mother covered her mouth in disbelief, tears instantly filling her eyes.
In the previous disaster, the meager savings she had worked so hard to accumulate and relied on for survival had been snatched away by pirates, and she had long since lost all hope.
A single mother who had lost word of her husband and normally relied on selling fruit to barely make a living; the recovery of this money was no less than a rebirth for her.
"It's true, go on." Captain Scott nodded affirmatively.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, Captain!"
"They... they must be angels sent from heaven!"
The woman sobbed uncontrollably, bowing deeply in the direction where the Saint Freya had disappeared.
Captain Scott watched the grateful crowd and couldn't help but remark, "They... really don't seem like the pirates we know at all."
The Bearded Lieutenant walked to his side and asked in a low voice, "Captain Scott, what kind of person... do you think counts as a pirate?"
"I... can't say for sure either." Captain Scott shook his head, his gaze distant. "Perhaps the term 'pirate' itself covers too broad a range."
"Then... how should we report this incident to Marineford?" the Bearded Lieutenant said, sounding somewhat hesitant.
"Report it truthfully!" Captain Scott said decisively, then lowered his voice and added,
"However, the treasure of our base was ransacked by the 'Demon' Liji Pirate Crew, understand?"
"Understood!" The Bearded Lieutenant immediately grasped the captain's intention and nodded solemnly.
Captain Scott looked toward the distant horizon again and said softly, "I hope this bit of 'concealment' can be of some help to them. Although... with the strength they've shown, they probably don't need it at all."
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