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"Rayleigh-san? Why did you come here with Uncle Neil?"
After seeing who it was, Kyoma felt surprised.
He momentarily forgot about Kagura and Klee, who had already disappeared from sight, and hurried to welcome the two guests inside.
"Didn't I mention that I've had dealings with the shipwrights of Island No. 53 at the casino?" Rayleigh smiled as he looked around and took in the house.
Unlike Rayleigh, who was visiting for the first time, Uncle Neil seemed completely familiar with the place.
He didn't need Kyoma's guidance at all, heading straight to the refrigerator and kitchen with the ingredients he brought.
"I ran into Rayleigh today and discovered that you know this old gambler too," Uncle Neil said from the kitchen.
"Actually, it was Rayleigh-san who recommended I come here to build a ship," Kyoma explained.
"At the time, I wanted to find a place for Kagura and me to stay first, then visit the shipyard the next day. I never expected Uncle Neil to suddenly appear and take us in."
Kyoma retrieved three wine glasses and took the bottles from Rayleigh's hands, pouring a glass for each of them.
"Rayleigh-san, shouldn't you be coating Luffy's ship right now? How do you have time to visit me?"
Kyoma handed them their glasses and asked with genuine curiosity.
"The coating was completed today, but while the ship is ready, it seems the ship's owner will take quite some time to return."
Rayleigh took a sip of wine, a touch of reminiscence appearing in his deep eyes.
Two days ago, Rayleigh had rescued the Straw Hat Pirates from Kizaru.
Just as he had been fighting the Admiral, an unexpected individual had suddenly appeared.
Warlord of the Sea Bartholomew Kuma.
After a brief exchange, he reached an agreement with Rayleigh: Rayleigh would keep Kizaru occupied while Kuma used his Devil Fruit power to send Luffy and his companions to safe islands.
'If you were to go on a trip, where would you like to go?'
Kuma had removed his gloves, and under Kizaru's increasingly displeased expression, he slapped each member of the Straw Hat Pirates away one by one.
After that, Kizaru had lost interest in fighting Rayleigh.
He transformed into light and went away.
Along the way, he accidentally discovered Drake, who'd collapsed from blood loss.
He secretly took Drake away and hid him somewhere to recover.
The next day, after learning that Kyoma and Kagura were still in the Sabaody Archipelago, a bold idea had formed in his mind…
Meanwhile, after Rayleigh had separated from Kuma, he followed through on his agreement with the Straw Hat Pirates.
He moved their ship to Island No. 53 and secretly completed the coating.
Once finished, he remembered that Kyoma and the others were also on the island, so he decided to visit them.
"I see." After hearing what Rayleigh had experienced over the past two days, Kyoma finally understood why Kizaru had thrown Drake into his home.
The War of the Best was approaching.
As one of the highest combat forces in the Marines, Kizaru couldn't remain in the Sabaody Archipelago.
The Marines stationed on the island would be transferred back to the headquarters, so he assigned the task of looking after Drake to Kyoma and Kagura.
What puzzled Kyoma was why Kizaru, who'd only met him a few times, trusted him and Kagura so much.
Wasn't he afraid that Kyoma would announce that Drake was a Marine undercover agent?
Seeing Kyoma's somewhat conflicted expression, Rayleigh mistook it for worry about Luffy and the others.
While thinking that young people truly valued friendship, he offered reassurance:
"Kyoma, don't worry too much. I believe that with the bond between Luffy and his crew, they'll definitely be able to reunite and set sail again."
'I'm not worried about them at all,' Kyoma thought.
'What is there to worry about with the protagonists of this world?'
Kyoma felt confused.
Rayleigh's words were full of appreciation for the Straw Hat Pirates.
He didn't know whether it was because of the straw hat itself or because of Shanks.
Still, he nodded in agreement.
"Yes, I believe in them too."
****
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island.
Kagura had rushed out the door with Klee, as if avoiding pursuit.
They ran for more than ten streets in one breath before finally stopping.
"Huff... huff... Kagura... Kagura-nee, although Klee really wants to go blow up fish, there's no need to run so fast, right?"
Klee was panting from exhaustion, surprise evident in her eyes as she looked at Kagura.
Her physical strength was already beyond that of ordinary people.
At least in Mondstadt, the knights of Favonius rarely caught her after she caused trouble.
Unexpectedly, this new friend, who looked ordinary, could run even faster, and she wasn't even breathing hard afterward.
It showed just how incredible her physical fitness was.
"You're still too young, Klee. How could that guy let the two of us go out to play so easily? He must be regretting it right about now and chasing after us."
Seeing no one pursuing them, Kagura breathed a sigh of relief, though she also felt slightly disappointed.
Then, as if struck by an idea, her expression changed.
She suddenly raised her hand and patted Klee's head, imitating how Kyoma usually patted hers.
'Wow, so patting the head of someone shorter than me feels this good!'
Kagura finally understood Kyoma's happiness.
She reached out and stroked Klee's head, unable to suppress the hum of satisfaction at the corner of her mouth.
Klee didn't reject her new friend's actions, thinking this was simply how friends showed affection.
"Then, should we keep running? We can completely avoid Kyoma-ni and go to the beach to blow up fish together." She raised her head and waved her small fist eagerly.
Kagura snapped out of her thoughts and looked down.
Her eyes trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but draw in a breath.
'This is illegally cute!'
Sweet voice, pointed ears, a slightly flushed delicate face, with questioning crimson pupils.
'No wonder Kyo-chan pulled me up so anxiously early this morning. It was for such an adorable companion.'
'Damn it! I was actually bribed by a single lollipop…I was robbed.'
What made Kagura most uncomfortable was realizing that the angle from which she was looking down at the girl before her, was exactly the angle from which Kyoma looked at her every day.
'So that's the kind of life he lives every day…'
Kagura grew more annoyed the more she thought about it.
She turned her head to look back, only to discover that after all this time, Kyoma still hadn't caught up with them.
She couldn't help but feel confused.
Based on her understanding of Kyoma, he should have come out to catch them by now.
'Could someone have stopped him when he went out?'
"Why aren't you talking, Kagura-nee? Or should we wait for Kyoma-ni to play together?"
Seeing Kagura's prolonged silence, Klee tugged at the corner of Kagura's clothes and asked with her head tilted.
"Hmph, I don't want to wait here for him. Let's go on our own."
Kagura said indignantly.
She grabbed Klee's hand and ran toward the seaside.
****
At the harbor.
"Get out of the way! This cargo belongs to the great Celestial Dragons. You bastards dare to block our path?"
A slave ship bearing the Celestial Dragons' flag sailed into the harbor.
Relying on the noble status of the Celestial Dragons, those aboard acted like tyrants, running rampant and ramming aside any ships that blocked their way.
What they didn't know was that after docking, they would be greeted by two young girls working together to blow up fish.