As Torrent Fortunas Laika navigates her path, she must confront her past, forge her own legacy, and learn that even in the darkest times, love can be found in the most unlikely of places ... on the tides.
"So, do you always look this brooding or is...
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IT had been just over a month since Laika's birthday, making it almost eleven months since she had joined the crew, and the Heart Pirates were making a name for themselves in every port. They had raided merchant ships, faced off against rival pirates, and continued their rigorous training. The crew had each been honing their unique skills, pushing themselves harder than ever. Law and Laika, however, had been working together on something more advanced—Haki training. Their long, intense sessions had proven fruitful, with both making significant progress in mastering Kenbunshoku and Busoshoku Haki.
Law felt a growing sense of certainty in their readiness for the New World. His plans were evolving rapidly, and the completion of his mission was finally within sight. The time in Paradise had been fruitful, but it was nearly time to move on to bigger things. The leads he had been following had led him across every corner of these seas, and now it was time to consider his next steps.
He had been turning an idea over in his mind, one that could solve his problem of gathering the remaining fifty hearts he needed. If they played their cards right, if the upcoming mission unfolded as he envisioned, it could set them on the path to enter the New World much sooner than anticipated.
Currently, Law had gathered the crew in the control room.
They were buzzing with anticipation, unsure of what their Captain had in store for them. The room, with its cold steel walls and glowing monitors, felt tense as they waited for Law to speak. Laika leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching him with curious eyes. Law, as always, kept his thoughts tightly guarded, but whatever this announcement was, she knew it would be important.
When Law stepped forward, the crew instantly quieted down, their attention fully on him.
"Listen up," Law began, his tone cool and authoritative. His grey eyes swept across the room, making sure he had everyone's focus. "We're approaching an island in the next few days. It's home to a Marine Research Base, and we're going to infiltrate and raid it."
A chorus of surprised murmurs ran through the room. The crew exchanged uneasy glances. While they had faced Marines countless times before—sinking their ships, fighting them off in waves—raiding an actual base was something different. It was bold. Risky.
Penguin scratched the back of his head, glancing at his Captain, then at the rest of the crew. "What for, Captain?" he asked, voicing the question that was on everyone's mind.
Law's eyes flicked to Penguin before sweeping across the room again. "Scientific equipment and materials. Since it's a research lab, I'm certain they'll have what I need," he replied, his voice steady.
Laika narrowed her eyes from across the room. She had gotten better at reading him over the last few months, and something about his answer didn't sit right with her. Laika also knew he was the kind of captain that didn't go searching for trouble, he preferred avoiding confrontation of any kind, the safety of his crew his top priority. There had to be more to it than just materials for research.
