"That fight was really satisfying."
Yunan cracked his neck and exhaled a long breath.
After using several ninjutsu techniques consecutively, a considerable portion of his chakra had been consumed.
[System Notification: Ding! Congratulations, Host. Hidden Task Complete: Defeat one Nature-type Ability User.]
[Reward: +500 Chakra Experience, +300 Ninjutsu Experience, +300 Taijutsu Experience.]
The mechanical voice of the system rang in Yunan's mind.
"Huh… I didn't expect that casually sparring with Ace would actually complete a hidden task."
Yunan felt a surge of satisfaction.
"So, Ace, aren't you done for yet?"
He walked over to where Ace lay sprawled on the ground in a star shape and smiled faintly.
"Cough… cough… Not dead yet," Ace's weak voice rasped from the ground.
"Quite a resilient one," Yunan said lightly, preparing to leave.
"Wait! You really can't tell me where Blackbeard is?!"
Ace struggled to sit up, frustration and disbelief written across his face.
Yunan paused mid-step, turning back just slightly. His voice was calm and detached:
"I don't know Blackbeard's whereabouts. Believe it or not, it's your choice."
"Here's a piece of advice—don't try to find him. You wouldn't be able to handle the consequences."
"Why would you say that? How could you possibly know the outcome?"
Ace frowned, confused by Yunan's cryptic words.
"That's all I can tell you. How you choose to act is entirely up to you. It has nothing to do with me."
With that, Yunan turned toward the sea. In one fluid motion, he leapt onto Ace's small boat.
"What are you doing?!"
Ace's heart sank—something about this felt terribly wrong.
"I'm leaving this place, and it just so happens I needed a boat," Yunan said casually.
"So, sorry—not sorry. Your boat is now commandeered."
"I hope we meet again someday."
Yunan chuckled and immediately set the boat in motion, leaving the deserted island behind.
"You bastard!!"
Ace scrambled to the shoreline, yelling furiously.
He had already been beaten senseless by this stranger, and now even his only boat was stolen!
As a Nature-type Ability User and Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace had never felt so humiliated.
"Unbelievably powerful taijutsu… bizarre techniques with terrifying destructive force… who the hell is this guy?"
"This is another formidable figure on the seas now."
After his anger, Ace couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.
Luckily, Yunan hadn't shown any murderous intent. Otherwise, given his strength, Ace wouldn't have stood a chance.
...
Having left the island, Yunan drifted aimlessly across the ocean.
"Now I'm technically a pirate. Guess I need a pirate flag."
Looking at the ship's empty mast, he felt something was missing.
Without hesitation, Yunan dove into the ship's storage cabin and rummaged around until he found suitable materials.
After a bit of crafting, a brand-new pirate flag was completed.
Like most typical pirate flags, it featured a pale skull.
But Yunan's was unique—the skull's eyes weren't hollow black voids.
Instead, they were a crimson six-pointed Sharingan, just like his own!
"Not bad. Not bad at all. The Mangekyō Pirates are officially formed—though it's just me for now."
With that, Yunan hoisted the flag atop the mast and admired it alone.
"Whoosh!"
At that moment, the calm sea suddenly churned violently.
A massive sea beast shot up from the water, waves towering dozens of meters high.
"Roar!"
The creature bellowed, baring knife-sharp teeth as it charged at Yunan.
"Ah… you must know I'm hungry and decided to deliver lunch, huh? How thoughtful," Yunan smirked.
He leapt into the air and landed in front of the sea beast, driving a punch straight into its abdomen.
"Boom!"
Surrounded by his chakra, Yunan's punch struck directly, sending the creature into a shrieking frenzy.
The force of his blow shifted the sea beast's internal organs as if they had been violently rearranged.
Just as Yunan readied the final, decisive strike, something black was expelled from the beast's mouth, hurtling rapidly toward him.
"Ah!!!"
A piercing scream echoed across the sky.
Yunan finally saw what the shadow was—
Short, pale green hair, ending in a pinkish fish tail.
"Camie?"
Yunan's eyes narrowed slightly; he immediately recognized her.
As she plummeted toward him, Yunan leapt into the air and caught Camie gently, landing back on the boat.
"Wow… that was close! I thought I was a goner!"
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Camie patted her chest, looking as though she had narrowly escaped death, then repeatedly bowed in gratitude toward Yunan.