296-300

Chapter 296: The Dimensional Pirate Crew, Established! 

That’s right. 

Just a moment ago, Uchiha Hikari had popped back to the Naruto world and brought Naruto along from the Hidden Leaf Village. 

It was Naruto’s first time in another world—heck, his first time even leaving the village—so while he was a bit nervous, his eyes sparkled with curiosity. 

That same curiosity was mirrored in Tanjiro and the others. 

The iron-headed kid immediately dragged his sister over to Naruto, introducing himself with a booming voice: 

“Hey! You must be Mr. Ever-Bringing-His-Sister’s son, right? Nice to meet you! I’m Tanjiro Kamado, and this is my sister, Nezuko!” 

“Uh, h-hi…” Naruto stammered, a bit overwhelmed. 

“Remember me, little Naruto? It’s been, what, half a year since we last saw each other?” Bulma chimed in, her tone warm but composed. 

“…Big Sis Bulma! Hey!” Naruto grinned. 

Compared to Bulma’s relatively calm greeting, Yamato was a whirlwind of excitement. She scooped Naruto up into a bear hug, rubbing her cheek against his spiky blonde hair. “Whoa! I finally get to meet Minato’s kid! You’re so cute! Just call me Yamato Namikaze!” 

“Urk… Hikari-nee, save me! I can’t breathe…” Naruto flailed, his face practically buried in the valley of Yamato’s chest. 

Seeing the little blonde whirlwind struggling for air, Hikari sighed, stepped in, and gently pried him free while calming Yamato’s overzealous energy. 

Funnily enough, in the original One Piece story, Yamato had pulled a similar stunt once—with Momonosuke. Back then, she’d been so obsessed with being “Kozuki Oden” that she treated Momo like her own son. By comparison, this face-in-chest assault on Naruto was downright restrained. 

“…Alright, looks like everyone’s pretty much here,” Hikari said, once the initial excitement settled down. 

She glanced around at the group gathered on the deck, then gave Bulma a nod. “Time to get started, Captain Bulma.” She put a playful emphasis on “Captain.” 

“…Ahem, hearing you call me that actually feels kinda embarrassing,” Bulma said, her cheeks flushing slightly. Still, she stuck to the plan, activating the [Group Live Stream] and drawing her sword, raising it high. “Alright, everyone! As of this moment, today, the ‘Dimensional Pirate Crew’ is officially formed! …Set sail!” 

A flag bearing the emblem of the Dimensional Pirate Crew was slowly hoisted. 

The anchor was raised. 

With a gentle sway of the deck, the retrofitted destroyer began gliding out to sea. 

As the cool, salty sea breeze brushed past, everyone—Hikari included—wore expressions of wonder. Tanjiro and Nezuko, being the youngest, dragged Naruto to the edge of the deck, leaning over the railing to gawk at the ocean, chattering excitedly. 

“Hey, you kids, be careful! Don’t fall overboard,” Hikari called out from behind. 

If this were just a normal sea, falling in wouldn’t be a big deal. But this was the One Piece world, home to Sea Kings and all sorts of massive sea monsters. Tanjiro had grown a lot stronger since his Dragon Ball training, but against those beasts? It was hard to say who’d come out on top. And with Nezuko and Naruto—two little ones—by his side, Hikari had no interest in diving into a sea monster’s stomach to fish them out. 

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Yotsuya Miko volunteered. “I don’t have much else to do, and if anything happens, I’ll let you know right away, Miss Hikari.” 

“Sounds good,” Hikari said with a smile. 

She stretched her neck, then waved to Esdeath and a few others nearby. “C’mon, Esdeath. Let’s check out the gravity training room. Eri, you coming? What about you, Akame, Leone?” 

“Count me in!” Esdeath replied eagerly. 

The gravity training room on the Blue Planet was something Hikari had tried out on her last visit.  

How to describe it… It was spacious, for one. And fully equipped with all kinds of training gear: dumbbells, punching bags, parallel bars, treadmills, rowing machines, and even a small swimming pool. 

The gravity itself was adjustable, ranging from 2x to a whopping 100x. To prevent accidents, anything above 5x required a specific voice command and password. 

At first, Hikari worried that Eri and the others might struggle to adapt. So she started them off at the lowest setting—2x gravity—to gauge their reactions before deciding whether to crank it up. 

To her surprise, 2x gravity was a breeze for them. They barely seemed fazed. 

Well, it made sense. Eri was a royal-class hybrid, Akame had been trained as an assassin for the Empire since childhood, and even Leone, the weakest of the group, wielded the Lionelle Teigu, giving her an exceptional physique. As for Esdeath? Hikari figured she could handle at least 10x gravity without breaking a sweat. 2x was basically nothing to her. 

“Hm… There’s a cabinet over there with weighted sandbags for training, ranging from 200 kilos to 10 tons. Feel free to use them if you want,” Hikari said. “But don’t overdo it. If you tear a muscle, I don’t have enough Senzu Beans to fix everyone.” 

Time slipped by. 

Before they knew it, two or three hours had passed, and the clock on the wall showed noon. The intense training session left Hikari and the others drenched in sweat—even Esdeath, with her top-tier physique, was no exception. 

“Let’s hit the showers and change before heading back out. I remember there’s a bathroom around here,” Hikari said. 

She’d used the bathroom once before, but that time she was alone, and the training session was short, so she’d only done a quick rinse. This time, though… 

“Oh? Only two showerheads in here?” Esdeath remarked, eyeing the small bathroom. 

“Yeah, this one’s just for quick rinses. There’s a bigger communal bath near the living quarters,” Hikari explained. 

“I see,” Esdeath said with a nod. Her gaze subtly flicked to Hikari’s sweat-dampened face and the delicate collarbones peeking out from her collar. A sly smile curved her lips. “Guess we’ll have to go in pairs to shower… We’re all pretty sweaty. Need a hand scrubbing your back, Hikari?” 

“Uh…” Hikari hesitated for a moment. 

By then, Esdeath had already undone the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing a glimpse of her impressive curves. “I could use someone to scrub my back, too. Mind helping me out?” 

“…Sure,” Hikari said with a nod. 

Chapter 297: Who Do You Think I Am? Pull the Ship Closer! 

In the bathroom... 

The sound of running water filled the air. 

Uchiha Hikari sat under the shower, catching a glimpse of her side through the tile’s reflection. 

From this angle, she could clearly see Esdeath’s tall, fair figure, half-hidden in the steamy mist, her skin glowing like polished jade—unforgettable at a glance. 

“Hm? All set?” Esdeath noticed her gaze and turned her head. 

The movement revealed her front, accentuating her curves even more. 

“Come on, sit down. I’ll scrub your back first, then you can do mine.” 

“...Alright.” 

Hikari obediently sat on the stool, facing away from Esdeath, her movements almost too compliant. 

It wasn’t like they hadn’t bathed together before, but those times were just that—bathing. They’d soaked in the same pool, like in a modern bathhouse, each minding their own business. 

But now... 

Helping each other scrub backs felt far more intimate, a first for Hikari. 

Especially when... 

As Esdeath leaned down, Hikari felt a warm touch on her shoulders and back, making her flinch instinctively, her spine arching like a drawn bow. 

“Phew...” 

Esdeath placed her towel-free hand on Hikari’s shoulder, exhaling softly near her ear, tickling her. “Relax, Lady Hikari. This isn’t a battlefield... Though, you being this nervous is kinda rare. Compared to your usual self, you’re almost... cuter.” 

“...Cute? What am I, a kid?” Hikari muttered, carefully easing her body to relax. 

Her goal was to avoid too much physical contact. 

But Esdeath seemed to lean forward on purpose, the soft sensation making Hikari’s newly relaxed body tense up again, her heartbeat picking up a few extra beats. 

Then... 

Esdeath’s voice came from close by. “Looks like they’re not that big, huh? Almost like a boy’s.” 

“?” 

Hikari glanced back, following Esdeath’s gaze to her own chest, her mouth twitching slightly. “If they’re too big, they’d just get in the way of moving... But on someone else, I guess it’s fine.” 

Bigger ones could look nice. Like Esdeath’s. 

She paused. 

Then, almost as if possessed, Hikari blurted out, “If I were a boy, would you like that better, Esdeath?” 

“Hm?” 

Esdeath blinked, caught off guard, then smiled. “Maybe. But... for me right now, a girl works just fine too.” 

“?!” 

Hikari’s eyes widened in surprise as she turned to face Esdeath. 

Their gazes locked. 

The room fell silent, the sound of running water seeming to stop. In the small, enclosed space, their breathing and heartbeats grew louder, a delicate, almost romantic atmosphere brewing, as if the air had taken on a soft cherry-blossom hue. 

After a long moment... 

Hikari snapped out of it, coughing awkwardly. “Uh... the water’s getting cold. My turn to scrub your back.” 

“...Sure.” 

Esdeath nodded, her gaze lingering on Hikari’s face for a few seconds before handing over the towel. “Thanks, Lady Hikari.” 

... 

Hikari and Esdeath’s bath took a bit longer than planned. 

When they finally dried off and stepped out, Akame and Leone took their turn, finishing in about ten minutes each. 

Then came Eri’s turn. She bathed alone but got so caught up playing with her rubber duck under the shower—trying to create a puddle to float it in—that Hikari had to barge in after forty minutes to drag her out. Without intervention, Eri probably would’ve kept at it for another hour. 

Once everyone had cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes... 

Hikari and the others left the gravity training room and returned to the deck to catch some fresh air. 

By then, Kikyo and Yotsuya had set up tables and chairs on the deck, laying out juices, snacks, and desserts for everyone to enjoy. 

Not all the food came from Bulma. 

Some of it was brought by Yotsuya and the others from their respective worlds, so even Hikari hadn’t tried everything. It was quite the eye-opener. 

Meanwhile... 

The Blue Planet sailed steadily toward a distant point in the vast sea. 

... 

“Report, Lord Jack! There’s an unfamiliar ship ahead, flying a flag we’ve never seen. It must belong to another pirate crew!” 

On the open sea... 

Aboard a massive wooden sailing ship... 

The burly man called “Jack” lifted his eyelids, glancing at the crewmember delivering the report. 

He was imposing, standing over eight meters tall—a giant even among the Beasts Pirates, where the average height was three meters. His muscular frame, paired with the lifelike ivory tusks adorning his shoulders, made him look like a colossal mammoth, intimidating at first glance. 

At that moment... 

Jack frowned. 

“We’re already near Wano. How could there be an unknown pirate crew here...? Did you see who’s on that ship?” 

“...There are quite a few people on their deck, seems like they’re having an open-air meal. Most of them are women and kids.” 

The crewmember’s tone was puzzled. 

It was rare to spot other ships in these waters, but it happened occasionally. Those who made it this far into the Grand Line were usually well-known pirate crews or, at the very least, promising newcomers—like when Moonlight Moria challenged Yonko Kaido years ago. 

A ship crewed mostly by women was unheard of. 

“Lord Jack, should we steer clear of them?” 

“That ship feels... off. Lord Kaido ordered us to return to Wano as soon as possible. It’s probably best to avoid trouble...” 

The crewmember asked cautiously. 

“Steer clear?” 

Jack snorted, then roared, “Who do you think I am? Pull the ship closer!” 

Chapter 298: The Defeat of the "Ship-Sinking King" 

Jack’s arrival didn’t go unnoticed by Uchiha Hikari and the others. 

To be precise, it didn’t slip past the radar system installed on the Blue Planet. 

The detection system, transplanted by Bulma from the Kami’s spaceship, was originally designed to spot unidentified objects in space, making it far more sensitive than your average radar. When Jack’s ship was still dozens of kilometers away, Bulma had already picked up the signal and relayed the info to the group chat. 

[Bulma: [Photo][Photo]] 

[Bulma: We’ve been out at sea for a while, and this is the first time I’ve seen a ship native to this world! Looks like it belongs to some other pirates. It’s moving pretty slowly, and the materials don’t seem all that great.] 

[Bulma: Huh, it’s heading our way. Are they targeting us? Kinda feels like they’re up to no good…] 

[Nameless: …This ship looks kinda familiar. Yamato, any ideas?] 

[Demon Princess: It’s Jack!] 

[Demon Princess: I know that ship—it’s Jack’s Mammoth!] 

“Hm?”  

On the deck, Hikari, who had been lazily fishing with a sea rod by the ship’s railing, looked up, her mind stirring. 

Others might not know Jack, but she sure did. He was the fourth-in-command of the Beast Pirates, the infamous “Ship-Sinking King” of the One Piece world. The guy had the guts to challenge heavyweights like Fujitora, Sengoku, and Tsuru all by himself and even managed to injure Zunesha, the giant elephant. That kind of track record was so wild, even Kaido would probably call him “big bro.” 

And now… 

“No wonder we didn’t see him back on Onigashima. He was out here,” Hikari mused. “Looks like he’s spotted us.” 

Meanwhile, Yamato jumped into the group chat, filling Bulma and the others in on Jack’s identity. When Bulma learned he was one of Kaido’s men, she let out a sigh of relief. 

[Bulma: Oh, so it’s someone we know! I thought it was an enemy. If Yamato steps in to explain, it should be fine… right?] 

[Demon Princess: Uh…] 

[Demon Princess: Actually, Jack and I aren’t exactly on great terms…] 

[Bulma: Wait, not on great terms? Like, you had a falling out or something?] 

Seeing Yamato fumble for words, Hikari sighed and chimed in. 

[Nameless: Ahem, even though Kaido technically allowed Yamato to leave the Beast Pirates, to others, it might look like betrayal. They’re not likely to be understanding about it. Plus, Jack’s got a hot temper—he probably won’t even listen to us.] 

At that point, Bulma started to catch on. She’d assumed Kaido had sent Yamato off with a friendly wave, but clearly, things weren’t that simple. 

[Bulma: Hmm… Should I activate the ship’s missile defense system to scare Jack off? Their ship isn’t moving that fast. I’m confident I can just nick the edges without sinking them.] 

[Bulma: Since he’s Yamato’s acquaintance, going all-out feels a bit much. Plus, Devil Fruit users drown if they fall into the sea, right?] 

[Brand: Um, if it’s tricky for you or Miss Hikari, how about leaving it to me, Akame, and the others? We’ve gotten a bit stronger lately. If Jack’s weaker than Yamato, we should be able to take him down.] 

[Nameless: Sounds good.] 

Hikari had initially planned to let Esdeath handle it—one massive ice meteor from the sky would’ve sent Jack packing. The guy had Fishman blood, so he wouldn’t drown even if he fell into the sea. But since Brand was eager to step up, that made things easier. 

Hikari handed her fishing rod to Naruto, who was standing nearby, and walked to the bow of the ship. 

By now, the silhouette of the Mammoth was faintly visible on the horizon, a few kilometers away.  

Though it wasn’t crystal clear, Jack’s massive eight-meter-tall frame stood out like a sore thumb. Esdeath and the others tensed, their expressions wary. 

In theory, size didn’t always equal strength—plenty of big guys in the Akame ga Kill world were all show and no substance. But those guys topped out at maybe two meters. Jack? He was a walking mountain, nearly four times that height, exuding an intimidating presence from afar. 

“Enemy?” Esdeath asked, glancing at Hikari. 

“Sort of,” Hikari replied. “But you don’t need to step in. Let Brand and the others handle it.” She paused, then added, “Though, before the fight starts, we might need a little help from you.” 

“?”  

Esdeath, despite having been an enemy to Brand and the others back in their world, had set aside old grudges. Still, there was a bit of lingering tension. Since Hikari was calling the shots, though, she didn’t object. She stepped to the bow, clasped her hands together, and unleashed her power. 

“Ice Purgatory!” 

The power of the Demon’s Extract surged. 

In an instant, a frigid gust of air erupted from the Blue Planet’s deck, sweeping across the sea and sky for kilometers around. Amid the howling wind, snowflakes swirled, and the churning waves began to freeze. White ice spread across the water’s surface, rapidly forming jagged cliffs that extended both above and below the sea. Schools of fish were frozen solid, their scales glinting with a dark silver sheen in the fading evening light. 

In just over ten seconds, a massive iceberg—hundreds of meters tall and stretching several kilometers—had formed. The Blue Planet sat at its starting point, while the Mammoth was trapped at the far end, encased in towering walls of ice and snow, completely immobilized. 

“…Done,” Esdeath said, releasing her hand seal and glancing back at Brand. 

Brand let out a complicated sigh. “General Esdeath’s power… it’s gotten even stronger.” 

“But…” He grinned. “Haunted by the Demon!!” 

With a low shout, Brand activated his armor fusion state. In theory, the Incursio’s upper limit wasn’t far behind Esdeath’s Demon’s Extract. Hikari could also sense that Brand’s aura was noticeably stronger than it had been during the martial arts tournament. His claim of getting stronger wasn’t just talk. With a bit of guidance from the Cat Sage or Kami, he might improve even further. 

Leone, meanwhile, shifted into her Lionelle beastman form. As for Akame, she didn’t draw Murasame this time, opting instead for another long sword before charging out alongside her comrades. 

On the other side, Jack, after a moment of shock, let out a furious roar and leaped onto the iceberg. He sprinted to its peak, clashing with Brand and the others in a chaotic brawl. 

The rest of the Mammoth’s crew, meanwhile, stood frozen in uncertainty, staring at the massive iceberg before them. 

“That ice-making power… Could it be Aokiji on that ship?!” 

“Alright, place your bets, place your bets!”  

Back on the Blue Planet, Hikari dragged a table over and set up an impromptu betting pool. “How long will it take Brand and the others to win?” 

Unfortunately, most of the group—Kikyo and the others—were too wholesome to get into gambling, so the response was lukewarm. Only Esdeath and Naruto stepped up. Esdeath tossed two gold ingots onto the table, while Naruto dug through his frog wallet and laid out nine crumpled bills to join in.  

Later, Yuji Itadori and Yotsuya Miko wandered over, tossing a few thousand-yen notes onto the pile. 

—Yes, Japanese yen.  

The betting pool was a chaotic mix of currencies, hardly official, but Hikari was just doing it for fun, not to make a profit. She collected everyone’s bets with mock seriousness, tallying their predicted times and setting the odds. 

“…Hikari-nee, is this, like, illegal gambling?” Naruto asked, a bit nervous. “That white-haired old guy said gambling’s bad and can make you lose everything…” 

“Huh?” Hikari blinked. “You mean Jiraiya?” 

The idea of that peeping-tom pervert preaching about the evils of gambling was almost laughable. 

“Nah, a little betting’s fine for fun,” she said, ruffling Naruto’s blonde hair. “Just don’t get hooked, and you’re good.”  

Then she remembered something. “Oh, by the way, where’s my fishing rod?” 

“Over there,” Naruto said, pointing sheepishly. “Nezuko wanted to try it, so I let her use it… Sorry, I didn’t ask you first.” 

Sure enough, Hikari glanced over to see Nezuko grinning at her, clutching the rod tightly. It looked like she’d hooked something big and was locked in a tug-of-war with it. Esdeath’s ice had only frozen the sea in front of the ship, leaving the water at the stern untouched, teeming with fish. Nezuko had snagged a rare big one, but even with her demon strength, she was struggling to reel it in. 

No need to worry, though—Tanjiro was right beside her, keeping an eye on his sister while occasionally glancing at the battle unfolding on the iceberg. He was multitasking like a pro. 

The stalemate didn’t last long. 

A few minutes later, Nezuko gave a mighty tug, hauling a massive, bluish-gray fish—several meters long—onto the deck. It flopped around, its tail slapping the metal with loud thunks. 

Not long after, the battle on the iceberg started to wrap up, with Brand and the others gaining the upper hand. 

Chapter 299: Bulma: Wait, I’m Gonna Be the Pirate King? 

To be fair, Jack’s strength wasn’t half bad. 

In a one-on-one fight, neither Brand nor Akame could easily take him down. 

But three against one? That’s a different story. 

Brand and his team were already powerhouses in their own right, and after their experience at the Dragon Ball World’s Tournament of Power, their strength was only slightly below Jack’s. Their teamwork was seamless: one tanking hits as a shield, another leading the frontal assault, and the third flanking for sneak attacks. Even when Jack activated his Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Ancient Zoan: Mammoth Form, he was pushed back, struggling to keep up. 

Normally, Jack’s stamina was his strong suit—he could theoretically last a whole day. 

But... 

The blade in Akame’s hand seemed like a toned-down version of Murasame. It didn’t have the one-cut-kill effect, but it was laced with potent neurotoxins. As the poison built up over time, half of Jack’s body went numb, and Brand’s final overhead slash sent him crashing into a crevice in the iceberg, unable to move. 

CRASH! 

The massive force rippled outward. 

From the center of their battle, rocks big and small shattered and tumbled down the cliff. Some landed on the frozen sea below, while others smashed onto the Mammoth, leaving deep dents and gouges in its deck. 

This made the crew aboard the Mammoth even more nervous. 

Meanwhile... 

Hikari let out a soft breath. “...It’s over.” 

“Time to send our guests off, Esdeath.” 

“Got it.” 

At Hikari’s words, Esdeath nodded and stretched out her hand, pressing her palm against the icy cliff beyond the ship’s railing. 

“Phew...” 

An invisible aura pulsed from her palm. 

After about ten seconds of silence, a faint crack echoed as the first tiny fracture appeared inside the iceberg. 

Then a second, a third... 

Countless cracks formed in moments, spreading rapidly in all directions like a spiderweb being woven. As they grew, the massive iceberg began to collapse, with chunks far larger than before tumbling down alongside scattering ice shards in every direction! 

BOOM! 

As the iceberg disintegrated, Jack, who had been trapped inside, plummeted deeper into the cracks, vanishing into the icy sea below. 

More ice chunks followed, churning the sea for kilometers around and whipping up towering waves. 

Hikari timely raised her Blood Jade Barrier, keeping the waves at bay. 

But the crew on the Mammoth had no such protection. Several masts snapped under the falling ice, and the rising waves swept the massive ship like a leaf in a storm. Many crew members were flung into the sea. 

In the chaos... 

A large number of fish were swept up by the waves, landing frozen solid on the Blue Planet’s deck. 

Talk about door-to-door delivery—pre-chilled, no less. 

Bulma, grinning ear to ear, gathered the frozen fish with Tanjiro and Naruto, stashing them in the ship’s storage for a future fish stew. 

Meanwhile, Hikari looked up, her gaze cutting through the swirling snow to a spot several kilometers away. 

There, what had been an icy cliff now held a single white seagull, taking flight and shrinking into a black dot against the blue sky. 

“What’s up, Hikari? Something catch your eye?” Esdeath noticed her movement, glancing at her before following her gaze to the sky, her eyes narrowing. “Is that bird trouble? Want me to chase it down and take it out?” 

“...No need.” 

Hikari shook her head, a faint smile appearing. “Just had a thought, that’s all.” 

What she thought of was a unique creature in the One Piece world— 

A News Coo. 

That’s right. 

Hikari suspected that white seagull wasn’t just any bird but an employee of the World Economy News Paper. 

If she remembered correctly, these birds didn’t just deliver newspapers across the world’s islands—they doubled as “war correspondents.” Many of the One Piece world’s biggest headlines, like Jack’s death or Luffy and Law’s alliance, were reported by them the very next day. 

So... 

“If that’s really a News Coo, then... does our fight with Jack make the front page?” 

“And if the Navy puts a bounty on the Dimension Pirates...” 

How much would she, Bulma, and the others be worth? 

Hikari was curious. 

But curiosity aside... 

She had another question to address first. 

WHOOSH! 

With a gust of wind, Hikari used her Flying Thunder God technique to soar into the air, passing through the crumbling iceberg to hover above the Mammoth, about a mile away. 

To be precise, the Mammoth was on the verge of sinking. 

Its wooden structure was far less durable than Bulma’s retrofitted warship. Even though Esdeath hadn’t intended to sink it, the shockwaves from the iceberg’s collapse were more than it could handle. 

Still, most of the crew weren’t Devil Fruit users. 

They were bobbing in the water, some clinging to the tilted deck, staring up at Hikari in terror as she spoke calmly. 

“Hey, you lot.” 

“Quick question: what year is it in the Sea Calendar?” 

“...Huh?” 

Faced with Hikari’s question, Jack’s crew exchanged confused looks, unsure how to respond. 

“What, a bunch of illiterate pirates who don’t know the calendar? Fine, different question: where’s the Whitebeard Pirates’ last known location?” 

The Blue Planet had set sail from an unnamed island near Wano that morning, with no set destination yet. But meeting Whitebeard was a must—Yamato was still worried about Ace’s fate. 

The New World was vast, and unlike Kaido or Big Mom, Whitebeard didn’t have a fixed territory. He preferred roaming with his “sons” on his ship, so asking locals for directions was the best bet. 

“Whitebeard... How would we know where he is? Isn’t that something you Navy folks would track?” a burly crewmember replied. 

“...Navy?” 

Hikari blinked. 

The crewmember froze too. “Wait, the one who made that iceberg wasn’t Admiral Aokiji? I don’t know what kind of plot you’re pulling, pretending to be a pirate crew, but since we’re in your hands, do what you want—kill us or whatever!” 

“...” 

Alright. 

Esdeath’s abilities did resemble Aokiji’s. 

From the perspective of One Piece natives, it was hard to imagine someone controlling ice and snow without a Devil Fruit. 

Mistaking Esdeath for Aokiji, especially without seeing her face, was reasonable enough. 

But... 

“Forget Aokiji or Akainu. Get it straight: the ones who beat you are none other than Captain Bulma of the Dimension Pirates!” 

“She’s the woman who’ll conquer these seas and become the Pirate King!” 

After setting the record straight for her “captain”... 

Hikari glanced at the nearly sunken Mammoth, thought for a moment, and pulled out a universal capsule, tossing it casually. 

POP! 

Smoke cleared, revealing a sleek motorboat on the water. 

“Here, take this boat as compensation for sinking yours. And when you get back, spread the word about our crew—exaggerate as much as you like.” 

Reputation grows through hype. Killing everyone here might be Akame’s assassin style, but it didn’t fit the pirate vibe. 

“Oh, one more thing I almost forgot.” 

“We just came from Onigashima and left your boss Kaido half-dead. If you don’t believe me, go check. If Kaido wants revenge, the Dimension Pirates are ready anytime.” 

Hikari added nonchalantly. 

With that, she tapped her foot lightly and flew back, leaving the Mammoth’s crew staring at each other in shock. 

“Lord Kaido, beaten by that little girl?” 

“No way, absolutely impossible. She’s gotta be bluffing to scare us...” 

“But if they’re really Navy, and even Admiral Aokiji showed up, doesn’t that mean the others are top Navy brass too? Is this the World Government launching a Buster Call to wipe out the Beasts Pirates?!” 

“...Enough theorizing! We need to save Lord Jack first!” 

After some debate, two crew members dove into the freezing water to retrieve Jack from the seabed. 

The others stared at the motorboat, lost in thought. 

“This thing... is it a boat? How do you even drive it?” 

... 

“Big news! This is huge!” 

At the World Economy News Paper headquarters... 

Morgans, sporting his albatross form, danced with excitement as he listened to his seagull subordinate’s report. 

“‘Drought Jack’ ambushed! Admiral Aokiji suspected to be working with a pirate crew... This is world-shaking news!” 

“Where did you see them fighting? Can we still get there to snap some photos?” 

Chapter 300: Interested in Starting Another Revolution? 

Compared to the excitement of Morgans, the president of the News Coo, the other employees at the “Economic News” agency were voicing some concerns. 

“President, if the people on that pirate ship really include Admiral Aokiji, he’s probably on some secret mission, right? If we publish this news without thinking it through, won’t it mess with the Navy’s plans?” 

“Also, the ability to control ice and snow isn’t necessarily exclusive to Aokiji. Could there be another Devil Fruit like the Ice-Ice Fruit out there?” 

“This ‘Dimensional Pirate Crew’ came out of nowhere. Before today, we’d never even heard of them. We know nothing about their captain or crew—like they just popped up from the ocean floor. Shouldn’t we investigate further before reporting on them?” 

“…You guys have a point,” Morgans admitted. 

As the “News King” of the One Piece world, Morgans was well aware of these issues. But holding back on such a juicy scoop? That was practically torture for him. 

“Photo King, head out to where that battle took place and track down any trace of the Dimensional Pirate Crew,” he ordered, rubbing his bird beak as a thought sparked in his mind. “The rest of you, start sorting through the intel we have and draft a report. As soon as we get photos, we’re publishing this story!” 

Deep down, he had a gut feeling. “…I’ve got a hunch this crew might just become a rising star on these seas.” 

Unbeknownst to Hikari, Morgans was racking his brain over how to spin their story. 

Right now, she and Bulma’s crew were sailing across the ocean, following the map they’d acquired earlier. 

It had been a few days since the Jack incident. In that time, the Blue Planet had passed by four islands of varying sizes, stopping briefly at three of them. They’d also run into a few groups of pirates and bandits along the way. 

How to put it… While the One Piece world did have some honorable pirates—and groups like Roger’s crew, who were more “adventurers” than typical pirates—most who chose the pirate life weren’t exactly saints. Burning, killing, looting, and worse were just another day at the office for them. 

The Beast Pirates had done plenty of that in Wano, but out of consideration for Yamato, and because much of the mess there stemmed from Kozuki Oden’s own mistakes, Hikari had chosen not to meddle further after defeating Kaido’s crew. She’d even let Jack off the hook. 

Now, though, with Bulma and the others around, Hikari had planned to ignore the riffraff pirates they encountered. But that plan went out the window when they witnessed a gang of vicious-looking pirates torching a village, then casually sailing off with stolen goods and kidnapped women in tow. 

Scenes like this weren’t unfamiliar in the One Piece manga—Arlong’s crew had pulled similar stunts. But seeing it in a comic and witnessing it in real life? The impact was worlds apart. 

As the pirates prepared to leave, they spotted the Blue Planet and, whistling and shouting crude remarks, turned their ship toward it, clearly looking to score another haul. 

“…Are all pirates this brazen?” Bulma asked, frowning, clearly unsettled by the scene. 

Hikari let out a soft sigh. “Yup. Why do you think they’re called ‘pirates’?”  

She turned to Akame, giving her a quick nod. “Take care of them. All of them. Don’t leave a single one.” 

“…” 

Killing and saving people? That was Night Raid’s bread and butter. No hesitation, no moral hang-ups—just business as usual. 

Akame made quick work of the pirates, slicing through them with precision. Esdeath followed up, freezing their bodies and blood into solid blocks before tossing them into the sea to feed the fish. In mere moments, they’d handled everything from execution to “burial” in one seamless operation. 

The women who’d been kidnapped by the pirates collapsed to the ground, too shaken to even breathe loudly. It wasn’t until Kikyo and Tanjiro stepped in, offering kind words and returning their stolen belongings, that they shakily stood up, thanking the group profusely before leaving. 

On the other side of the deck, Leone watched the women go, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “Y’know, it’s starting to feel like the people in this world aren’t that different from the ones back in the Empire. Could there be someone like Minister Honest running things here, too?” 

Hearing the blonde’s musing, Hikari thought for a moment before responding casually. “Well, you could ask Brand—he’d probably know more. But if I had to say… this world might have a whole bunch of Minister Honests, except they’ve also got the traits of the Little Emperor. In theory, everyone in this world is their servant or plaything.” 

She paused, then added with a half-joking tone, “So, what do you think? Wanna spark another revolution here? You guys have experience now—maybe you’d do even better than last time.” 

“…Huh?” Leone’s eyes widened, stunned. 

The Celestial Dragons in the One Piece world were indeed a lot like Minister Honest. But the system here was completely different from the Akame ga Kill world, and explaining it in a few words was no easy task. 

Leone hesitated, clearly mulling over how to respond. 

Hikari had only thrown the idea out there casually. She flashed a grin. “Alright, let’s drop that for now. We’ve finally come across a decent-sized island. Let’s head into the town and check it out.” 

With that, she left a shadow clone behind to guard the Blue Planet while she and the others—Bulma, Esdeath, Eri, and Naruto—made their way through the docks to the bustling island. 

The crowd here was noticeably denser. Traveling in a group of over a dozen people was a bit unwieldy, so at Bulma’s suggestion, they split into two or three smaller groups, agreeing to meet up by the windmill in the town center at dusk. 

Hikari stuck with Esdeath, Bulma, Eri, and Naruto as they wandered into the town together.