We had to leave this place as soon as possible — to an island with a port, where we could prepare for the next stage of our journey.
I unfolded the map and quickly ran my eyes over the familiar contours, looking for the nearest spot we could reach without much trouble.
"What do we have here on the map?.." I muttered under my breath.
My fingers stopped on a small island, very close to us. "Goat Island…" I said aloud. "Barely an hour's sail from here."
I looked around. This place where we were now — it was hard to even call it an island — more like a lone rock sticking out of the sea. No shelter, no supplies, no chance for a proper rest.
"Staying here is definitely not an option," I said with more confidence in my voice.
I got up from the floor where I'd been sitting across from Sabo and declared with a bit of resolve:"Time to get to work!"
Sabo slightly raised his head, still deep in thought, but already ready to listen.I looked him straight in the eyes:"We're heading to Goat Island."
There was no point in submerging the boat — it would only create unnecessary resistance. Above the surface, we'd move much faster.
I approached the edge and opened a small compartment built into the hull.
I lowered my hand into the compartment, and it immediately turned into a spring. The steel compressed, ready to launch.
"Well then… let's go."
The push was soft but firm — the hull obeyed, sliding across the water, gaining speed. We sliced through the waves like an arrow shot from a taut bowstring.
Sabo sat nearby, watching every move I made with interest — how the boat responded to the underwater thrust, how the water was split. The curiosity in his gaze grew with every minute.
"And this thing…" he tapped on the side of the boat, "you sure it won't explode?"
"Don't worry, it's tougher than it looks," I smirked.
Sabo smirked back, but his eyes quickly lit up again — now with a thirst to know more.
We talked about everything: ships I'd seen; life beyond the Goa Kingdom; the islands.
His eyes literally sparkled when I told him about pirates, naval battles, incredible storms, and strange creatures hiding in the depths.
Time flew by unnoticed.
After just half an hour, a silhouette of land appeared in the distance. Goat Island shimmered in the haze, like a mirage — unreal, but enticing.
"There it is," said Sabo, who couldn't resist and got up from the bunk. He walked over, barely but confidently, grabbed the edge of the boat and stretched his hand forward. "Goat Island."
I was surprised by his sense of direction — he seemed to understand where we were even better than I did. I don't know how, but Sabo felt the sea as if it was a part of him.
He glanced at the map and matched our direction with the horizon so quickly, I couldn't help but feel this was something natural for him.
"Only…" he squinted, straining his eyes, "why is it burning?"
I immediately looked ahead. And sure enough — smoke was rising over the island, and closer to the shore the sky glowed crimson. Something was clearly wrong.
"Looks like we're in for a hot welcome…" I muttered, frowning.
The boat was still speeding forward, and the smell of burning was becoming stronger in the air.
Something bad was beginning.
The shore was approaching fast. When we got close enough to make out figures on land, it became clear: Goat Island was in chaos.
People were running along the beach, some screaming, others fleeing toward the hills. Gunshots echoed in the distance, explosions boomed.
One of the coastal warehouses was already partially destroyed — black smoke billowed from it, and someone nearby was waving a sword.
"Pirates…" I said quietly, clenching my teeth. "Looks like they raided the place."
I squinted and spotted a flag flying above one of their boats. On the black cloth was a symbol: a flaming torch piercing a skull, like a red-hot spear.
"And now what?" Sabo turned to me. "We just wait while everything burns?"
I smirked, slipping on my glove.
"No. I'm going in. And you're still too weak to fight," I said firmly, not letting Sabo argue. "You need to recover. Don't play hero too early."
He clenched his jaw but stayed silent, realizing I was right.
I straightened sharply, stepped to the edge of the boat, and without wasting a second, activated the power of the fruit.
My legs shimmered with metallic shine and immediately transformed into springs. With one powerful push, I launched myself into the sky.
The air whistled past my ears as I soared upward. The jump was strong — fifty meters at least.I hovered for a split second at that height, and the view of almost the entire Goat Island opened up before me.
Now I could see everything clearly. The port was ablaze. Several houses on the outskirts were already on fire.
People were running toward the hills. Figures with weapons roamed the streets — pirates, no doubt. The skull with the flaming torch flew from the flags.
I noticed one of their boats docked at the pier — probably their main way of escape. That would need to be destroyed first.
Nearby, beside an old warehouse, someone was barking out orders — most likely the captain himself.
He stood taller than the others, wearing a white cloak that looked far too clean for the ash-covered chaos around him.
I began to fall — accelerating, compressing my body into springs, preparing for another launch straight from the ground. But even before I touched the surface, I already knew where I was headed.
This island will not be their trophy.
I clenched my fists. Time to act.
As soon as I hit the ground, my legs compressed into new springs, and I launched forward like from a catapult. I soared low over the earth, almost scraping dust from the road — straight toward the port.
The wind whipped at my face, but I stayed focused.
As I rushed toward the center of the island, the sounds grew louder: screams, the clash of metal, gunfire. A burning house collapsed nearby, lighting up the street with fire.
In this hell, people were trying to survive — some pulling children by the hand, some dragging the wounded, others just standing frozen in shock.
The first pirates didn't even see me coming. I burst out of an alley like a cannonball and, without slowing down, slammed one of them in the chest.
His body flew into a wall with a dull thud and slumped to the ground.
The second one got a spring-powered kick — it hit so hard he was flung across the street.
A quick punch — and the third one dropped.
I smirked.
But then another group burst from the alley — five of them. One with an axe, one with a musket, three with sabers.
The one with the axe charged first —
Bane Bane no Mi — Spring Whip.
My leg, stretched into a spring, swept all five into the wall in a single motion.
Better find the captain — that'll speed things up, I thought, leaping again.My legs, turned into coiled steel spirals, launched me upward with a sharp snap, and I soared above the rooftops.
From up here, everything was clearer — plumes of smoke, shattered buildings, and a mass of shouting throats gathered in a square.
"There he is…" I muttered, spotting a man running with a sack.
Thought it'd be more of a challenge, I thought while swatting aside pirates as I moved toward him. They can't even slow me down.
I stepped off the roof — down, landing right in front of them.
It was a soft landing, and my legs instantly compressed into springs again.
Without waiting for them to attack, I moved first.
One pirate lunged forward, swinging a flail. I ducked low and shot upward — my leg stretched:
Bane Bane no Mi: Spring Strike!
The hit landed in his chest — a crunch, and he flew, flipping through the air.
Another tried to flank me from the left, but I pushed off the ground and struck his temple with a spinning fist like a piston. He dropped instantly.
"You shouldn't have come here," I said, turning my eyes to the last pirate.
"So what, some brat took out a bunch of weaklings?" he scoffed. "You think you can take me on? I've got a bounty — four million Beli. I'm the captain of the Grimm Pirates…"
Apparently, critical thinking had abandoned him completely.
I looked at him like he was an idiot when he pulled a massive rifle from behind his back.
Boom!
The bullet flew with a deafening whistle — but my body reacted before he even pulled the trigger.I jerked sideways, a spring uncoiling in my leg — a dash to the side.
The bullet only tore through the air where I'd stood a fraction of a second ago.
Not wasting time on this guy, I thought.
The next instant, I was right in front of him, fists clenched. Grimm didn't even register how I crossed the distance.
He barely raised the gun when I surged forward — a spring-loaded burst from my left leg — and disappeared from his view.
A second later, I was behind him.
Bane Bane no Mi: Spring Strike!
My arm stretched, compressed into a powerful steel coil, and launched like a shockwave into his back.
The hit landed precisely — between his shoulder blades, right at the center of gravity.
Grimm was sent flying forward like a sack of bricks, losing his rifle mid-air.
He crashed into the warehouse wall and slumped.
The wooden stock of his weapon hit the ground nearby with a dull thump.
I didn't even slow down.
Walked up to him slowly, stopped just a step away.
"Four million bounty?" I smirked, looking down at his crumpled body. "Maybe for robbing chickens."
He was still twitching, but he couldn't fight back anymore.
One eye flickered, he tried to breathe — but the air came out in short, rasping gasps.
"Hey. Come out," I said, looking toward the tree...