New Shining Star |『 Male Reader 』• One Piece

Page 46: Secrets of the Basement

"The time is the Great Pirate Era!"

"Countless pirates fight desperately for the One Piece, the great treasure left behind by Gold Roger, the Pirate King."

"Y/n L/n, a young man whose body can transform into a buffalo after eating the Ox Ox Fruit Model Water Buffalo, also takes the sea to become the Pirate King."

"As Y/n and his friends overcome numerous adventures, the World Government is less and less able to ignore their existence."

"The crew, on its way to the New World, will speed along the Grand Line again today!"

The air inside the Shimmering Enclave was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint hum of machinery and the occasional creak of metal. Shadows clung to the walls like a living thing, and every step felt heavier as Souta and Fuyuto crept through the dimly lit corridors.

Their mission weighed heavily on their minds: find Toshiro, get him out, and avoid raising alarms. Easier said than done in a fortress like this, especially when navigating this endless labyrinth-like facility.

The sterile, cold environment was unsettling. Steel doors lined the halls, and the walls were laced with complicated machinery and control panels. Fuyuto glanced at the ceiling's dull lights, the flickering giving off a sense that this place was barely holding itself together.

"You would think with all the fancy tech here, they would have figured out decent lighting," Fuyuto muttered under his breath, his ears perked for any sign of movement. Souta furrowed his brow in concentration before holding a finger to his lips. "Shh. Listen," he whispered, stopping in his tracks as Fuyuto halted next to him.

*Tap*

*Tap*

The faint sound of footsteps made both of them freeze in place, muscles tensing instinctively. They pressed their backs against the cool stone wall, their bodies merging with the shadows as the echo of voices grew louder.

A group of scientists, garbed in pristine white lab coats, rounded the corner, their conversation hushed but audible as they passed by. "...made more progress with Subject 12, but there's still resistance to the cellular grafts. If we don't stabilise it soon, it could lead to another incident like last time," one said.

"What about the latest trial?" he asked, making the scientist nod. "The results were promising, though the subjects...well, it's still unpredictable. The higher-ups are pushing for progress, but we need more time-" replied the scientist. Their words trailed off as the group moved further down the hallway, disappearing into another corridor.

Souta and Fuyuto exchanged a quick glance as a group of scientists clad in white coats strode past them, their voices fading as they turned a corner. Once the coast was clear, the two pirates eased away from the wall.