"Hey, Sakura-nee, can you teach me your medical tricks?"
Aboard the Leviathan, Law was perched on the cabin roof, watching Sakura throw punch after punch on deck.
"You little brat! You still owe me the doctor bill, and now you want free lessons? What's next, room and board?"
Sakura cracked up, flicked a lazy fist his way.
A ripple of chakra tugged every water molecule in the air. The shockwave flipped Law four full somersaults.
"What the heck did you just DO?!"
Rubbing the red mark on his cheek, Law slid down the mast and stared at her fist like it was alien tech.
"Nothing fancy. Just smacked the moisture in the air."
She'd only been messing around at first, but once she started training for real? Piece of cake.
Turns out all those years shaping water-nature chakra had been perfect prep. Fish-Man Karate felt like slipping into an old glove.
A couple more days and she'd have it locked down. Water to canal—smooth sailing.
"Teach me THAT too!"
"Greedy gremlin. Your only job right now is NOT DYING."
She flicked his forehead. Law yelped and landed on his butt like a startled fawn.
Waves slapped the hull. Leviathan cut east across the North Blue.
"Rankyaku!"
A battle-cry roared. A razor-sharp blue arc sliced the sky, split the ocean, and screamed straight for Sakura's boat.
"Hm?"
Haki flashed in her pupils. She tilted her head, spotted the wind-blade, and spun a swirling heat-ring into a massive sword. One casual parry—poof. Gone. Like swatting a mosquito.
"Listen up, kid. You're not going anywhere today. Come quietly back to Impel Down."
Across the water, a steel-clad warship smashed through the waves, cannon muzzles glowing. Legendary Marine Admiral Zephyr had crossed half the sea—for her.
That deep, familiar voice hit her ears. Sakura froze for half a heartbeat… then broke into the biggest grin.
"Long time no see, Jiraiya-sensei! Looking real admiral-y these days!"
The mood on the warship shattered. Every Marine's eyes ping-ponged between Zephyr and the pink-haired pirate.
Wait—since when does Admiral Z teach pirates?!
"Who the hell is Jiraiya?! Stop making up relatives!"
The purple-suited, purple-haired, gold-rimmed glasses guy roared.
While he was busy yelling, Leviathan's coating snapped shut. Boat and crew vanished under the waves.
The Marines blinked. Zephyr threw his head back and laughed.
"Ha! No wonder you slipped Karp. But… Hina! Smoker!"
Two young officers vaulted off the deck.
"White Bind!"
Cigar clenched in his teeth, Smoker flung a spiraling smoke pillar, snagging Hina and slingshotting her toward the fleeing sub.
"Black Spear Array!"
Hina crossed her arms. Iron bars exploded from her sleeves—black javelins raining down like judgment.
"Seriously? You guys don't quit!"
Underwater, Sakura watched the spear-rain and scratched her head.
She shoved one hand past the coating, gritted her teeth against the sea's drain, and flash-froze the surface solid.
In a blink, the ocean turned into a giant ice cage.
"So that's Kuzan's trick, huh?"
Dress shoes clacked across the frozen deck. Zephyr shrugged off his Marine coat, rolled his shoulders. His right arm went pitch-black with Armament Haki. He launched sky-high, then dropped like a meteor.
"Starbreaker—Short Burst!"
One punch.
Pure, violent Haki shattered the ice shelf. Shockwaves rippled outward, spider-webbing cracks for miles.
Behind him, the warship revved full-throttle, iron ram slicing icebergs, closing the gap.
Below, Sakura's Observation Haki painted the scene. She clicked her tongue.
"Tch. They even modded the ship for me? I'm flattered."
Death on her tail, yet her heart was doing cartwheels.
A pirate life without a Marine admiral hunting you? Incomplete.
Cheeks flushed, she sucked in a giddy breath.
"Sakura-nee, you okay up there?"
Law peeked from the helm, worried.
"Okay? This is the most ALIVE I've felt in months!"
Law's jaw hit the floor.
Sakura ignored him, dashed to the bridge, and poured Heat Fruit energy into the engines.
"Law, drop the sails!"
"Aye-aye!"
Canvas snapped tight. Leviathan reared up, breached the surface, and surfed a wave right in front of the Marines.
"...?"
Zephyr adjusted his glasses, confused.
These pirates… surrendering?
Then he saw her—pink hair whipping in the wind—climb to the highest point of the speedboat.
"HEY, MARINES!!!"
Her voice rang like mountain spring water, impossible to ignore.
Sakura raised both fists, bumped them together like handcuffs, and flashed a feral grin.
Zephyr's smile turned wild.
Facing enemies out for her head, she plants herself center-stage and throws the gauntlet?
That's the spirit of a true sea legend!
Too bad…
He glanced at the young Marines bristling with rage and sighed. "My kids are still green."
To fight a pirate like her, you need every ounce of conviction. Fight for fame or paycheck and her fire will swallow you whole—especially these rookies still figuring out what "justice" even means.
"Spiky little hedgehog. Pain-in-the-neck witch!"
Zephyr threw his chest out. Raw, tidal-wave belief rolled off him, yanking every gaze back from Sakura.
"Listen up, brats! Don't let her rile you—this is the fight of your lives! Burn your justice bright and BRING HER IN!"
His roar lit a fire under them. Eyes hardened. Fists clenched. One united glare locked on the girl across the water.
Sakura felt the shift and laughed louder.
"Ha! Nothing beats having a veteran skipper, huh? Love it!"
Alright, Marines—
Bring it on!