New Shining Star |『 Male Reader 』• One Piece

Page 71: Ascent of the Zodiacs

"All pirates searching for the treasure One Piece must brave the second half of the Grand Line. These wild and dangerous seas are known as the New World."

"Gold Roger and his crew were the only men to chart these waters and learn all the secrets they held."

"For the rest of the pirates in the world, this has proven to be the end of the road. A graveyard of dreams."

"Now, Y/n L/n, a young man who ate the Ox Ox Fruit Model: Water Buffalo, set sail into the New World with his faithful crew."

'I'm gonna become the King of the Pirates!'

The wind coursed over the Knock Up Basin like a breath held by the island itself. The waters below the rocky edge shimmered with volcanic warmth, casting flickers of steam into the air.

At the center of it all, the Bludgeon Pirates stood reunited, their steps slowing as they joined one another on the basin's upper ridge. They weren't alone. Around them stood members of the G-88 Marine Division, Esther, Orion, Kujaku, Koby, Helmeppo, Elric, Hibari, Grus, and Calypso forming a half-circle around the gathered pirates.

Yet none drew their weapons. The moment held a strange weight. Neither hostile, nor exactly peaceful. Just... curious. Then, Masaru puffed a slow drag from his cigarette, the glowing embers briefly flaring in the shade. Then, with a deliberate clearing of his throat, he exhaled.

"Alright," he said, voice like gravel stirred by rum. "Now that you lot are all here, and those two nerds over there are playing with scrap metal..." Masaru lingered, making Toshiro turn toward him.

"Oi, this isn't scrap metal!" he shouted from the side, hunched beside a bizarre, shell-shaped monitor tethered by cables to the ground. Elric, crouched next to him, didn't even glance up. "Don't talk to him," he muttered, focused on tightening a screw. "He enjoys it if you acknowledge him," added Elric.

Masaru ignored them both, instead glancing at the rest of the pirates with a steady look. "I bet you're wondering why walking into a Marine base hasn't landed you all in sea-prism cuffs," he said bluntly.

Most of the crew didn't flinch. Y/n was already grinning. Fuyune's eyes narrowed. Souta crossed his arms. Inoko stretched a leg casually. Rindo blinked once, confused. Shachi, however, raised an eyebrow and stepped forward with her hands on her hips.

"So what, you're not going to chase us?" she asked, voice light but measured. Masaru's lips curved into a crooked smirk. "You never know, kiddo. Keep testing me, and maybe I just might," he replied, making his daughter roll her eyes. "Of course you would say that," she said.

Kana let out a short, amused laugh. "Come now, Masaru. You've been watching them fight for over an hour. If your intimidation tactics were going to work, they would've by now," she reminded him, making Masaru let out a grunt, shaking his head as smoke curled from his mouth.

But then his gaze shifted. It landed first on Inoko, who blinked and tilted her head like a curious animal. Then to Y/n, who met his stare evenly. The captain's grin remained sharp, but his eyes flicked to the side to Inoko before returning to Masaru.