Sabo stopped for a moment, turning his head. His face grew serious—the kind of serious it only got in those rare moments when he felt real danger in the air.
"Alright, you're right," he muttered and started walking down the narrow gangway toward the hold. "If something's off here… better find out now before it's too late."
While he went below, I was running around the deck, checking barrels and compartments, until I heard a loud crash from the hold.
I rushed down, flung the door open, and stormed inside.
Gin was already standing by the wall, arms crossed. Sabo had his pipe raised, in a battle stance but not attacking. And in front of them—a girl with violet hair, wearing a torn cloak, holding a slender staff.
What the hell is going on? ran through my mind.
"Hey! What are you doing on our ship?!" Sabo stared at her without blinking.
She slowly turned her head toward us.
"Don't hit me. I'm not your enemy," she said shortly, lowering the staff to the floor in front of her like surrendering a weapon.
The room went tense. Sabo remained on guard. Gin's hands hovered near his tonfas.
I stepped forward.
"Then what are you doing on our ship?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
She looked up. Her eyes were tired… but stubborn.
"I need help."
"And why would you think we can—or want—to help you?" Gin scoffed. "You broke into our ship. Not exactly the peaceful way to ask for a favor."
"Wait," I said, raising a hand. I studied her more closely. Her features… that look… something about her felt too familiar.
"What's your name?"
She froze for a second, as if weighing whether to tell the truth.
"Karina," she said at last, carefully, almost in a whisper.
Something clicked inside me.
Karina… I thought, straightening slowly. I remember her. She was tied up in that whole mess with Gild Tesoro.
"We'll help you," I said. Sabo and Gin turned their heads in surprise.
"But under one condition. You join my crew."
She blinked, stepping back slightly like she couldn't believe what she heard.
"What?.. But you haven't even asked why I need help, or why I came to you—"
"Then go on. Tell us what this is all about," I said, crossing my arms.
Karina glanced around quickly, still clearly assessing escape options. Or maybe just thinking. She carefully avoided the crew offer—and I noticed. Her eyes darted nervously.
Alright, she has almost no choice. Or she's just very good at lying, I thought.
"So… you're the captain of this... skiff," she said, sitting down against a crate of ropes. Her voice was almost devoid of sarcasm—but my gut told me she was testing boundaries.
"I saw the blond guy," she nodded toward Sabo, "take down the bandits chasing me. That's why I came. I figured he was strong. But if you're the captain… then you must be stronger?"
"Don't dodge the question," I said, locking eyes with her.
Karina fell silent for a beat, then suddenly started speaking faster—like she was afraid she'd be cut off.
"They took me and my sister… Nami. Bandits. They're asking for money. I already gave them everything I had, but it's not enough. They said they'll kill her by sundown if I don't bring more. I have nothing. Not a coin."
Nami? Nami never had a sister named Karina. The thought sparked instantly. I knew it. She was weaving lies into truth, hoping emotion would cloud our judgment.
"We could split the loot if we beat them. They've got gold... a lot of it," she added, her eyes locking onto mine. "Please."
I stayed silent. Sabo exchanged a look with me. Then he stepped closer, leaned near my ear, and whispered:
"Bellamy, I think she's trouble. This smells like a trap. She's trying to pull us into something."
I gave a slight nod. But inside, I had already made up my mind.
"Let's see what this is about," I said aloud. "Show us the way."
Karina blinked again, genuinely surprised. For a second, she seemed lost—like she didn't expect us to agree so easily. Then she jumped to her feet.
"T-thank you… really. I won't let you down."
"You better not," Gin muttered, gripping his tonfa tighter.
"But we need to go back to the island first," Karina said, glancing toward the shore.
"Good thing we didn't get far," Sabo nodded, checking the sun's position on deck. "Ten minutes—we'll be there."
"Captain! Why are you bringing her into the crew? We don't even know her!" Gin called after me.
"I can tell who fits in this crew and who doesn't!" I answered firmly.
From behind, Sabo's calm voice chimed in:
"Hey, Gin. Don't question the captain's decision."
"I'm not!" Gin folded his arms, clearly annoyed.
We turned and made our way back. The skiff gently touched the sandy shore, and we stepped once more onto the rocky ground of Draumor.
Karina leapt out and led us through narrow streets, past the market square, then down an overgrown alley between two warehouses. Further and further—away from the noise and people.
"Hey, are we even going the right way?" Gin grumbled, eyeing the scorched fields and distant hills suspiciously.
"Patience," Karina tossed over her shoulder. "We're almost there."
The town fell behind. The road turned rocky, at times sheer. We climbed higher—toward the cliffs on the island's western edge. The wind was stronger here, carrying salt and iron on its breath.
"They're holding Nami in a cave. Over there," Karina said, pointing to a dark gap in the cliffside where the bushes had thinned out to reveal a shadowy passage.
I squinted, trying to make out shapes. There was movement—two figures in black vests, weapons at their sides.
"Nami… is she that girl they're leading somewhere now?" I asked, tilting my head and keeping my eyes on the shapes.
Karina spun toward me, confusion flashing in her eyes.
"What?"
I didn't repeat myself. Instead, I just studied her face. She was clearly hiding something—but now wasn't the time for interrogation.
"The sun's setting," Gin reminded us, glancing at the red streaks of dusk across the sky. "It'll be dark soon."
"Perfect," I said, getting up and dusting my hands. "At least we know how many there are. And open ground means more room to move."
Sabo checked his belt and gave a silent nod. His face was focused—already calculating options.
"Let's go," I said, and we moved along the higher path. After about twenty minutes, we ended up on a sandy beach.
"Can you listen to me now?" Karina said.
"What is it you want?" I asked.
"We distract them. That way, Nami can escape," she said, pointing to where Nami was digging in the sand.
I looked closer. The girl's clothes were torn, hands in the dirt, her gaze focused—like she was searching for something important.
"What's she doing?" Sabo asked, squinting.
"We stashed part of the loot there, back when we were with Tesoro… before I ran," Karina said with a heavy breath.
Then she suddenly stepped out of cover and yelled at the top of her lungs, voice full of cocky defiance:
"Hey, idiots! You've all been played! You just got robbed by Karina herself!"
"Yeah, remember that name—if you've got the brains to!" she shouted again as the bandits turned.
I froze for a second, stunned.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Gin shouted from behind a rock, pressed low.
"Getting their attention," Karina said coolly over her shoulder. "Isn't that the plan?"
In the distance—shouts, movement, chaos.
"They're coming! Fast!" Sabo barked, peeking from the shadows.
I jumped up.
"Retreat! This cliff's too unstable for a fight—it could collapse!"
Gin turned, face tense. He pointed at a tall man with dreadlocks, whose arm launched a crackling chain through the air—snaking toward the rocks.
"Hey! You didn't say he ate a Devil Fruit! That's a pretty big damn detail!" Gin yelled, backing up, tonfa raised.
Karina looked back with a grim smirk.
"And if I'd told you everything… would you have come? Would you have helped?" She was breathing hard, but her eyes were serious. No hint of deception now.
I paused, glancing over my shoulder.
"Why not?" I replied with a small grin.
The landscape around us was changing—so...
"Good. Now's the time," I thought, gauging the distance to the bandits.
I looked at everyone and said firmly:
"Gin. Sabo. Karina. I'll take their captain."
Sabo raised an eyebrow—already guessing what I had in mind.
Gin nodded, drawing his tonfas.
Karina just looked at me.
"And you handle the rest."