On the distant sea level, a navy warship surged toward them at high speed.
A hot-pink-haired beauty with a cigarette dangling from her lips leaned over the bow of the approaching ship, her eyes fixed on the Noire Pirates' vessel near Graf Island. A sly smile curved her face. As expected, Siegel had chosen this path. Orphan Route.
"Hmph. Tina is thrilled… truly an idiot, that Siegel."
Tina muttered under her breath. Below, the navy crews readied their cannons.
Kiana, oblivious for the moment, raised her guns and aimed at the kneeling pirates. "Dare to harm my friends, did you? You must be desperate."
"N-No… we surrender! We surrender!"
The pirates collapsed to their knees, begging, their will to survive overwhelming any shred of pride.
Kiana frowned at the ease of the situation. It was… almost too simple. But then, a distant sight caught her attention: the navy warship bearing down on them. Relief surged. No longer would she need to rely on these pirates.
"Oh ho ho ho… the heavens will not abandon me!"
Kiana dashed to the bow, waving toward the oncoming ship. Eliza and the others gaped, a mixture of fear and awe in their eyes. Humans they had never met, wielding overwhelming power… yet still, their trust in Kiana remained. They hoped some good still existed in the world—but no one approached as innocently as Siegel had.
"Kiana… let's move and keep our distance for now."
"Okay!"
Kiana hesitated briefly, recognizing the navy from afar—but not all of them could be trusted. What if they had… unsavory intentions toward Eliza and the young mermaids?
"I'll… will you come back to see us?" Ilya asked weakly, tears brimming in her eyes.
"If nothing else, I should. I'm… looking for something," Kiana replied. She hadn't revealed her true quest over the past year, nor her past life as a man. That revelation was far too embarrassing.
"Then… will you recognize us when you return?" Eliza asked, confused.
"…Yes… but you might not recognize me then," Kiana murmured.
Eliza blinked in puzzlement. "How could that be? You're so beautiful—we'd recognize you instantly."
"…Then please, remember me as handsome," Kiana muttered under her breath. Explaining this properly would be impossible.
"Remember us," Elis added, leaping into the sea. Eliza followed, while Ilya clung to Kiana.
"I'll miss you, Kiana," she sobbed, her eyes swollen from tears. She had known this day would come, yet hadn't expected it so soon. Only yesterday, they had been laughing and eating together… barbecue, even.
"I'll miss you too… now go, or they'll find you."
Ilya nodded, diving into the water and disappearing from sight. Kiana watched until she was gone, then refocused on the navy warship. The kneeling pirates were frozen, staring at the approaching fleet. The question loomed in their minds: why had the navy come?
Some desperate pirates attempted to leap off toward Graf Island, but Kiana didn't hesitate.
Bang!
A single shot, precise and merciless. Blood spattered across the deck.
"If anyone dares escape, they die."
The pirates understood. No running. Kiana had removed that hope completely. The navy would arrive soon, and survival now depended on surrender. They knelt obediently, helpless against the inevitable.
"Humph." Kiana snorted and lowered her gun. She would leave these pirates for the navy. Their knowledge of her two character models—herself and Mei—was a complication, but she couldn't risk leaving loose ends. One or two hiding on Graf Island would be too dangerous. It was better to control them all now.
Soon, the navy ships had closed to about 800 meters—a distance within conventional artillery range. Experienced pirates knew the danger. Kiana, however, stood excitedly on the bow, waiting.
Bang! Bang!
Cannonballs streaked toward the pirate ship, exploding nearby, splinters flying, gunpowder stinging the air. Several pirates fell, blown apart instantly. Kiana froze, aghast at their recklessness. "Do you have to be so direct? Check the situation first, Second Battalion Commander! Allies here!"
"Fire!" Tina commanded from her ship, ensuring the pirate vessel couldn't escape.
Bang!
More cannonballs tore through the air, killing any who hadn't found cover. Death loomed.
Kiana switched to Crimson Armor instantly, gripping the pulse sword, activating a weapon skill. Six ice swords materialized around her, each locking onto a target before flying outward.
Explosions thundered as incoming shells detonated nearly 300 meters from the pirate ship.
"Cease fire! This is friendly forces! Second Battalion Commander!" Kiana shouted, emphasizing the warning.
Even from afar, Tina noticed the girl's strength. Furrowing her brows, she realized this wasn't a standard Black Horn Pirate—it was something else entirely.
"It's rare to see you push so hard, Tina. Fire!"
Bang! Six more cannonballs whistled toward Kiana.
"Nima! I said we're friendly, Second Battalion Commander—don't shoot!" Kiana cursed, deploying her weapon skill again to intercept the shells.
"…Something's wrong. Artillery won't stop her now… Tina is furious," a navy officer muttered.
Tina crushed her cigarette and activated the Black Gun Formation.
"Black Guns!"
"Understood!"
The navy responded instantly, launching the famous black iron rods with deadly precision.
"This… is it?" Kiana's mind flashed to her One Piece memories. Colonel Tina, now a Major Admiral two years after the top war, had deployed this formation before—thrusting Luffy into helpless chaos. The Royal Sister was alive, real, and now targeting her.
"Amaterasu!"
Without hesitation, Kiana unleashed Crimson Armor's ultimate, a fiery pulse shaking toward the flying iron rods. Heat radiated as molten iron began dripping from the bars—her upgraded Amaterasu branch skill at work.
The rods splashed harmlessly into the sea, steam rising briefly before vanishing. Even Tina's expression shifted, taking the battle seriously.
"Couldn't you have just admitted you were wrong instead of forcing this?" Tina muttered, leaping effortlessly, air exploding beneath her feet—her signature Moon Step. Soon, she landed lightly atop the Black Horn Pirate Ship, gazing down at Kiana.
Seeing her face clearly, Tina was momentarily struck silent. Beautiful… almost shamefully so. Then she shook it off. "Tina apologizes. A woman this beautiful shouldn't have to be a pirate."
At the bottom, Kiana rolled her eyes. Two-dimensional is always better.
"I'm not a pirate. I'm… a bounty hunter. Kiana," she explained quickly, wary of any misunderstanding that might spark another attack.
"A bounty hunter?" Tina's eyes widened, scanning the surrounding scene. Seeing Siegel dead, she understood. No wonder the Black Horn captain was missing—this girl had handled it.
"So… did Tina make a mistake?"
"You tell me!" Kiana snapped.
Tina landed, lighting her cigarette. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry," she said, with her trademark frankness.
"It's fine. You were just trying to catch pirates. I understand," Kiana replied, choosing forgiveness.
"But I haven't heard of any West Sea bounty hunters as strong as you. Your strength… it's remarkable."
"Oh, I just debuted. Naturally, you wouldn't know me yet."
"Tina understands," she said, finally offering a small smile.