Someone was coming?
Drake blinked in surprise, but he didn't doubt Bell's words for a second. He figured his earlier display of power had been a bit too loud, likely drawing the attention of the Neptune Army or local authorities.
"Let's move," Drake said, waving his hand to the others. He looked back at the three mermaid ladies and added, "If the King of the Palace shows up, tell him that my little brother will be visiting in two years. Ask him to look after the kid for me!"
In a flash, Drake's group vanished from the streets of Fish-Man Island, officially beginning their ascent toward the New World.
The three slender mermaids looked at each other in confusion. Just then, a breeze drifted through the underwater currents, carrying a stray piece of newspaper—the report on the Legendary Four Brothers.
This...
The shock in their eyes was undeniable. They immediately resolved to report this encounter to the Ryugu Palace.
Deep beneath the sea, the Magic Protector began its steady climb. Bell finally took the time to explain his situation in detail.
It turned out that both he and his sister were part of an underground organization in the New World called the Dark Clan. His sister was a high-ranking executive, holding a position essentially second only to the leader. She was the one who kept the wheels turning.
However, the leader of the Dark Clan had recently begun treating them with a suspicious, predatory interest. Bell deduced that the leader wanted to claim his sister as a personal possession, but she wouldn't even look at the man. By the time Bell realized how dangerous the situation had become, his sister had vanished, and his own life in the Clan had become a series of narrow escapes.
He knew his individual strength was limited; rescuing her alone was a pipe dream. But the intuition he had awakened as a child told him that his only hope lay in the world above. Go out, and you will find a way to survive.
Drake and Kenshin listened in silence, waiting for him to continue.
"I got confirmation from Bath Scheit that my sister is safe for now," Bell added. "Scheit—the guy Drake-san took down—was a Clan officer who used to work under my sister. But in reality, he was a mole planted by the leader to watch her."
Mentioning Scheit left a bitter taste in Bell's mouth. "Anyway, I really can't thank you two enough."
"Bell, don't waste your breath on thanks. You've already paid us back with that meal," Drake said with a wave of his hand. Kenshin's lips also curved into a rare, faint smile.
"Mmm!" Bell nodded vigorously, his admiration for Drake growing by the second.
There was something he hadn't mentioned. When he had questioned Scheit, the man was prepared to die before speaking, looking at Bell with utter contempt. But then Scheit saw the newspaper nearby. His attitude did a total 360-degree flip instantly. He spilled everything—right down to the color of the underwear he was wearing that day.
Curious, Bell had read the paper himself, and the contents nearly gave him a heart attack. He had actually run into one of the Legendary Four Brothers! Seeing the photo of Drake clashing with Admiral Akainu gave him a level of confidence he had never felt before.
"Bell, are you affiliated with any other power?" Drake asked, looking up.
"Uhh... I grew up in the Dark Clan, but I don't really consider myself one of them."
"Then do you want to join our ship?" Drake asked, his eyes full of hope.
"I... can I really?" Bell was stunned. His excitement quickly dimmed as he looked at Drake and Kenshin. Compared to their monstrous strength, he felt like a burden. Surely, someone as powerful and famous as Drake wouldn't want a "dragalong" for a comrade?
"Of course!" Drake said without a moment's hesitation. "Once we rescue your sister, you're officially one of us. I've already thought of a name for our crew: The Dragon Flag Pirates!"
"With you, we've got three people. That's enough to make it official!"
Kenshin facepalmed. Only Drake could declare a three-person crew "official" with such a straight face. Still, the prospect of an actual crew piqued Kenshin's interest. This would be their home—their face to the world. And a pirate crew needed a flag.
"Since we're stuck under the sea for a while, let's make the flag now."
"Great idea!"
Drake pulled out the materials but immediately hit a wall: the art department. He looked at Kenshin and Bell expectantly.
"Uh... don't tell me you can't draw?" Kenshin asked tentatively.
Drake shook his head naturally. When it came to art and design, his talent was exactly zero.
"Don't look at me," Kenshin sighed, gesturing to himself. "I'm a swordsman, not an artist."
Both pairs of eyes landed on a dazed Bell.
"I... I can draw a little bit," Bell said shyly once he snapped out of it.
"REALLY!?" Drake and Kenshin practically glowed.
After several rounds of sketches and brainstorming, they finally settled on a design. It featured a traditional Jolly Roger skull, but with a magnificent set of wings. However, these weren't ordinary wings—they were two intricate dragon totems, their heads facing outward as if guarding the four directions. It looked like a dragon ascending to the heavens—fierce, noble, and overbearingly cool.
"Perfect! That's the one!" Drake couldn't stop grinning at the freshly painted flag.
Kenshin and Bell shared his smile; they were clearly satisfied. Bell's grin was particularly bright. The fact that Drake trusted him with such a vital task filled him with a profound sense of belonging.
This—the Dragon Flag Pirates—is my sanctuary.
"Come! Let's have a toast to our new crew and our new flag!"
Drake produced a bottle of fine sake he had "borrowed" (sneaked) from the Moby Dick. He even poured a glass of fruit juice for the underage Bell.
"CHEERS!"
Three laughs, three smiles, and three cups clinking together...
The Dragon Flag Pirates were officially born!
What will they bring to these turbulent seas? What role will they play in this era of legends? No one knew. They were setting sail with nothing but their dreams, seeking their own path as pirates.
As the Magic Protector broke the surface, the sunlight of the New World poured across the deck and through the view-screens, illuminating their faces. They still looked young, perhaps even a bit naive—but when they truly descend upon these seas, the world will have no choice but to remember their names!
The Dragon Flag Pirates have officially set sail! Now that you've formed your crew, what is your next destination in the New World to save Bell's sister?
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