Noah slowly opened his eyes. The sunlight spilled softly through the window. he looked to his left and realized Emma was sitting in a chair next to his bed, leaning slightly forward.
She hasn't moved in two days, someone whispered nearby.
"Who are you?" Noah asked groggily.
"I'm the royal doctor," the woman replied calmly.
Noah blinked, sitting up slowly. "Wait… does this mean Luffy beat Crocodile?"
"He sure did," the doctor said, pointing toward the bed beside Noah.
Noah turned his head to the right. Luffy was lying there, sleeping peacefully, looking almost like a child.
"It was nice of you to help us even though you don't know us," the doctor added.
"Well… I hate seeing cute girls cry," Noah muttered, thinking of Vivi.
"Our princess is cute," the doctor said lightly.
Emma stirred slowly, her eyes fluttering open.
"Noah," she whispered.
He reached over and patted her on the head. "I'm okay, Emma."
The door opened, and the rest of Luffy's crew stepped in.
"Oh! Let me introduce them to you," Emma said quickly. "The cute girl is Nami, the long-nose one is Usopp, the raccoon is Chopper, the green-haired one is Zoro — that pirate we saw back at Whiskey Peak — and the one with yellow hair is Sanji."
"I know," Noah said flatly.
"Meat!" Luffy mumbled in his sleep.
Vivi entered the room quietly. "I hope you guys are alright."
"I am," Noah replied.
One of the palace guards brought in a tray of food. The aroma hit Luffy, and his eyes snapped open immediately.
MEANWHILE.
Far from the palace, at a Marine port, a large ship rocked gently in the water. Smoker paced the deck, cigar clenched in his teeth, while Tashigi stood beside him with papers and reports in hand.
"The Straw Hats beat Crocodile," Smoker said.
Tashigi handed him a folder. "Captain, there's more. A pirate named Noah fought alongside them. Reports say he defeated Captain Bounce and took down over 500 rebels and Baroque Works agents. There's also a girl with him—Emma."
I fought them myself," Smoker said, exhaling smoke slowly. "they're not ordinary. They took me by surprise. The girl uses duel blades and she's fast,precise. The boy… his power, it's unlike anything I've seen.
Smoker exhaled smoke slowly again. "Over 500 enemies… and still alive? That's no ordinary pirate."
Tashigi held up the newest bounty sheets, her eyes scanning the numbers.
"These just came in. Noah—100 million berries. Emma—50 million.
For comparison, the Straw Hats: Luffy—100 million, Zoro—60 million."
Smoker tapped the railing with his finger, smoke curling around his hand. "So the Straw Hats are big now, but these two… they're on another level."
They could become major players if we're not careful."
Tashigi nodded. "We should track them carefully, Captain. Every battle, every move."
Smoker's eyes narrowed as he stared toward the city. "Keep watch. If Noah and Emma appear again, report everything. They're dangerous."
Tashigi's hair whipped in the wind as the ship rocked over the waves. "Understood, Captain."