At the shores of Heduka Island...
A figure clad in a armor, pointing a naginata at two startled pirates.
"Give back my Papa, you filthy pirates!" shouted a young voice.
It was a child, no more than ten.
"Just a brat from the island, huh?" one of the pirates sneered.
"Maybe we should toss you into the labor pits, kid," the other said with a smirk.
"I'm not a kid!" she yelled.
"I'm Medaka!"
Then, without warning, she kicked one of them in the shin.
"And I hate pirates!"
She lunged with her naginata. The pirates flinched, barely dodging the wild thrust.
"Why you... !"
"Damned kid!"
She spun and bolted, the pirates run after her.
"Get back here!"
"Stop running!"
Suddenly, a boat docked with a sea monster in tow.
Medaka and the two pirates skidded to a stop, eyes wide.
The Plesiosaur let out a growl.
The three brothers leapt off the ship in unison.
"What the hell are you doing chasing a kid?!" Branso shouted.
"We might not be trained fighters…" Branzo said, cracking his knuckles.
"But we can take on the likes of you!" Branxo added.
With a burst of courage, the brothers charged the two pirates.
From the boat, Ling stood watching, arms crossed, a faint grin playing on his lips.
He released a faint wave of Haki.
He turned to the Plesiosaur and gave a calm command.
"Stay here. Don't move unless I commanded you."
The beast let out a low rumble and sank partially into the shallows, watching.
Ling's eyes shifted to the island.
Since the three brothers had spent two years at sea, they were more than capable of handling no-name pirates.
But when it came to anyone with a bounty over a million berries… they'd clearly be outmatched.
Medaka's eyes lit up as she recognized the three figures who had come to her rescue.
"Branzo! Branso! Branxo!" she called out, her voice full of surprise and joy.
She had been only eight years old when the brothers left Heduka Island.
Branso and Branzo squared off against one pirate, while Branxo kept the other distracted.
"Not bad…" Ling muttered from the side, arms folded as he observed.
"These three have good chemistry."
Branso charged in first. As expected, the pirate sidestepped to dodge...
But Branzo was already waiting. He swung a clean punch straight into the pirate's face.
Staggering, the pirate barely had time to react before Branso followed up with a crushing blow to the gut, sending him collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
"One more!" the two shouted in unison.
"Branxo!"
Branzo winked.
Branxo snapped to attention, immediately realizing what they meant.
As the second pirate lunged to grab him in a bear hug, Branxo ducked low and sprang upward, his head slamming into the pirate's groin.
The pirate doubled over in pain, groaning. In perfect sync, Branzo and Branso jumped forward and delivered a flying double kick to his back.
The pirate hit the dirt face-first, out cold.
"I can see why they're called the Hyena Three," Ling said, watching with amusement.
"They gang up on their enemies so effectively, it's impossible to tell who's going to strike next."
He leapt off the sea beast, followed by Golass.
On the shore, Medaka ran straight toward the three brothers.
"Branzo! Branso! Branxo!"
The trio blinked, then their eyes widened in recognition.
"Medaka!" Branzo exclaimed.
"What are you doing out here? It's dangerous!" Branso scolded gently.
"They took Papa..." she whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.
"Don't worry," Branxo said, patting her helmeted head.
"We'll save the village. Just wait a little longer."
After a heartfelt reunion, Medaka led them through the island to her home.
Inside a battered house, the three brothers knelt before an old man resting on a worn futon.
"Father!" they cried, tears streaming down their cheeks.
"These three unfilial sons of yours left you behind for so long." Branxo said, trying to smile through the tears.
"We've found someone strong, someone who's willing to help us free the island from Ganzack's tyranny."
They looked at Ling.
Bran nodded with soft smiles.
Then Bran turned to Medaka.
She immediately lowered her head.
"Medaka! How many times have I told you not to do dangerous things like that?" he scolded.
"When we arrived… we didn't see a single villager," Branso recalled, a worried frown forming.
"Did something happen to everyone?" Branzo asked.
Bran sighed heavily.
"A week ago, Ganzack sent his men to take even the elderly and the women. Now, only the children remain."
"I wasn't taken for labor because I was assigned to watch over them."
He pointed out the window toward a tall, ominous structure in the distance.
"They're all being forced to work on that tower, they call it devil's tower."
Ling and Golass listened silently.
"That's the tower Ganzack started building right after you three escaped," Bran continued.
"Maybe he lost patience. Because it's been too long, and now he's using everyone to finish it."
Ling's expression didn't change.
"That explains the test firing earlier," he said, arms crossed.
"It must be close to completion."
He stepped forward.
"I'm Ling, a pirate and this is Golass, part of my crew," he camly introduced.
"Pirates?" Medaka's eyes widened, and then narrowed. She glared at Ling and Golass.
"Medaka?" Branxo said, concerned.
"You brought pirates here?!" she yelled, her voice breaking.
"I hate pirates!"
She turned and ran from the house.
"Medaka..." Bran murmured, his voice full of sorrow.
"I should've known this would happen…" Branzo added with a sigh.
"Ling, don't take it personally," Branso said gently.
Ling shook his head.
"It's alright. Pirates are scum. I know."
"No, Ling. You're different," Branso said firmly.
Bran nodded.
"She used to admire pirates once. She even dreamed of becoming one when she grew up."
The three brothers fell silent. Though they knew the story, it always hit hard.
Ling crossed his arms, and listened.
"Her mother was a pirate named Sayori," Bran explained.
"About ten years ago, she washed up on our shores, unconscious. Herring, Medaka's father found her and nursed her back to health. As they grew close, Sayori left her pirate life behind and married him."
"Later, Medaka was born. Sayori would tell her daughter stories of her adventures, and Medaka came to idolize her."
"But when Medaka turned seven, her mother's old crew returned. Despite Sayori giving them supplies, it wasn't enough. They turned on her, attacking our village."
"Then they planned to kidnap Sayori, but she fought back. She lured them onto their ship and blew it up, sacrificing herself to protect Medaka and the village."
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"As if that wasn't enough, just a year later, Ganzack invaded. He enslaved everyone, including Herring."
Bran's shook his head in sadness.
"And from then on, Medaka's hatred for pirates only grew."
After hearing everything, Ling suddenly rushed outside.
Golass trailed close behind.
"Ling!" Branso called after him.
"We've got to go! Medaka went into the tower!" Ling shouted.
In front of the tower...
"I'm going to save Papa!" Medaka cried, charging forward.
The same two pirates from the beach spotted her and quickly grabbed her by the arm.
"Well, look who it is," one of them sneered.
"So we meet again," the other added with a grin.
Nearby, a man hunched under the weight of a large package froze. That voice, it was too familiar.
He turned, eyes wide.
"Medaka!" he gasped, panic rising in his voice.
It was her father, Herring.
"Papa!" Medaka called out, struggling against the pirates.
"Stop!" Herring shouted desperately.
"Let go of my daughter!"
Before he could reach her, another pirate grabbed him from behind, wrapping an arm around his neck in a tight chokehold.
"Stay quiet, old man," the pirate growled.
"Papa!" Medaka cried, eyes filled with tears.
"What are you doing to Papa?!"
"Shut your mouth, brat!" the pirate holding her snapped, tightening his grip.
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I want to finish reading 'Ace Story - novel'. Im on second volume so maybe in a few hours, there will be another chapter. If not, maybe in a day.