Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

As for Matsumoto Rangiku, with a flick of her wrist, the Snow Clearing Longsword returned to its sheath. Amidst the crisp sound of the sheaths clashing, she touched the ground with her toes, her figure like a graceful swallow, closely following Bai Yu.

She was equally fast, while Nicole Robin followed at a leisurely pace. Her hands swept lightly across her sides, and dozens of arms suddenly burst forth from the ground beneath the dock, like agile tentacles, violently slamming the naval soldiers who tried to stop her to the ground.

"A Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom: Wrist Whip!"

Robin gave a soft shout, and his arm suddenly stretched out like a flexible whip, lashing hard at the side of a small naval vessel that was trying to approach.

With a sharp crack, the gunwale of the small boat was torn open, and seawater rushed in instantly, causing the naval soldiers on board to fall into the sea.

Connor, with her short legs, followed at the very back, her face flushed with excitement, and she would occasionally turn back to make a face at the pursuing naval soldiers.

Several naval soldiers tried to surround the seemingly harmless little girl, but were tripped up by Nico Robin.

Uchiha Hakuba was the first to leap onto the ship's side. He placed his palm on the rudder, then twisted his wrist sharply, causing the rudder to creak heavily. The ship instantly changed direction, its bow pointing straight out to the sea.

"Raise the sails!"

Uchiha Hakuba's voice was incredibly penetrating.

Rangiku leaped onto the mast, her hands flying swiftly across the sail ropes. The ropes, which had been loose, tightened automatically under the pull, as if the massive sails were being tugged by an invisible hand.

It unfolded completely in a flash.

The sea breeze howled and rushed into the sails, the ship shuddered violently, and shot off into the depths of the sea like an arrow.

Robin also brought Connor aboard the ship. Her gaze fell on the pursuing naval fleet behind them, and her brows furrowed slightly.

Although more than ten warships were caught off guard by Uchiha Hakuba's Lightning Release, a large ship is still a large ship, and the damage to one ship does not affect the overall function of the ship.

As the navy recovered, they turned their cannons around, and the muzzles of the naval warships were flashing with fire as shells, trailing long plumes of black smoke, hurtled toward their speedboats like meteors.

"Bai Yu, their artillery fire is too intense!"

Robin's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

A smile crept onto Bai Yu's lips as his Sharingan stared intently at the incoming projectiles. Lightning Release chakra surged wildly in his palm, blue lightning crackling like dragons.

"Thousand Birds - Thousand Bones!"

Bai Yu suddenly raised his hand, and the lightning in his hand suddenly surged. In an instant, the Thousand Birds transformed into thin strands of senbon, piercing through all the cannonballs and causing them to explode in mid-air.

"Now's the time! Speed ​​up!"

Uchiha Hakuba twisted his wrist again, turning the rudder to its limit. The speedboat lurched to one side, darting through the turbulent waves like a fish swimming nimbly.

The naval fleet behind them was immediately thrown into chaos. On the lead warship, a rear admiral watched Bai Yu and his group disappear into the distance, his face turning ashen with rage. He drew his sword and roared, "Chase them! Keep them pinned down! Don't let these scum of the sea get away!"

Then, more than ten warships accelerated immediately, like a dark swarm of sharks, stirring up huge waves on the sea, and chasing after them relentlessly.

Bai Yu stood at the helm, his sharp gaze fixed on the sea ahead.

"Mana Acceleration! Start!"

"Boom..."

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept past the ship's hull. The purple arc of light had long since faded; the mana thrusters had ceased operation, and the ship carrying Uchiha Shiraha and his companions had entered low-power cruising mode.

At this moment, the sea was dyed a warm orange-red by the setting sun.

A grand feast had already been laid out on the deck. Sizzling pieces of meat on the grill dripped golden fat onto the charcoal fire, sending up wisps of smoke. The fragrant heat, mixed with the sea breeze, permeated the entire ship. Uchiha Shiraha's puppets were working diligently.

As the cork of the barrel was pried open with a bang, the amber liquid gushed into the ceramic cup, making a crisp sound, and the foam slowly slid down the side of the cup.

Rangiku started accepting the doll's services again and became the queen of slacking off.

Connor hugged a roasted leg that was bigger than his head, took a bite, his cheeks bulging, oil smeared all over his face, and even the stray hairs on his forehead were covered with bits of meat.

After finishing her meal, she squatted down next to the barbecue grill, watching the sizzling, oily skewers of meat grilled by the dolls, while keeping a wary eye on Matsumoto Rangiku.

She already knew that this woman was very evil and would steal snacks from children.

Connor clutched the skewer in his little hand, mumbling incoherently, "I got this one first! Don't you dare take it!"

Rangiku held the other end of the skewer between her fingertips, a playful smile on her lips. She deliberately gave it a light tug, watching Connor stumble and almost fall into the skewers, before reaching out to steady her by the back of her collar: "Little one, you're so weak, how dare you try to take it from me?"

As she said this, she still handed the freshly grilled skewer to Connor's mouth, and watched the little guy take a big bite and devour half a skewer, her smile widening.

She casually picked up the wine jug beside her, tilted her head back and took a big gulp, the cool wine sliding down her throat.

"Ah~! That feels so good."

Robin sat on the side of the boat, a soft blanket beneath her, her skirt draped over her shoulders, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the water met the sky, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Sauro, I’ve found a partner I can trust.”

On the plate beside her were several neatly cut pieces of fruit. Occasionally, she would pick up a piece, take a slow and deliberate bite, and let the sweet juice spread across her tongue.

Her gaze occasionally swept over the two people playing around on the deck, and a hint of tenderness would appear in her eyes.

This is wonderful; this is a scene that she and her friends should protect together.

Chapter 52 Fifty Berries

Bai Yu leaned against the mast, looking down at the scene on the deck. He caught the sounds of Connor's shouts and Rangiku's laughter. At his feet was a wine jar, its mouth open, from which wisps of rich wine aroma wafted out.

Just then, a clear bird song pierced the sky, and a newsbird carrying newspapers circled down, accurately dropping several newspapers next to Robin. After paying 500 Berries, it flew away.

"After such a major incident, given the situation of the World Government and the Navy, the bounty should have been issued."

Nico Robin removed the newspaper from Albatross's leg, gently smoothing the creases with her fingertips. Her gaze swept over the front-page bounty list, and her previously calm eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Oh? Let me see."

Rangiku snatched the newspaper and put down her wine glass. Connor also dropped her barbecue, tiptoed over, and squeezed her little head under Rangiku's arm. Her greasy little hands left a few shallow marks on the newspaper, which made Rangiku slap her forehead: "You're so dirty, you little glutton, don't you wash your hands?"

On the front page of the bounty list, Uchiha Hakuba's image was prominently displayed. In the photo, he had a cold and stern expression, and his eyes radiated a terrifying red. He held the Kusanagi sword in his hand, and the bounty amount below was so eye-catching that it hurt one's eyes: "Lightning Fire Sword Uchiha Hakuba, bounty 150 million Berries."

"One hundred and fifty million..."

Rangiku raised an eyebrow, whistled, turned to look at Shiraha, and pointed to the portrait on the newspaper with her fingertip. "Not bad. This amount is almost comparable to those supernovas that appear once every two years. It seems that the incident in Balewood has really angered the World Government."

"Thunderfire Sword?"

Although Uchiha Hakuba admitted that he had indeed used these abilities, the nickname still reminded him of some strange images.

Bai Yu then glanced at his picture in the newspaper. The photo was taken by the Navy from a surveillance camera, and the angle was tricky, making his cold expression even more pronounced.

Bai Yu gently stroked his chin with his fingers, a smile curving his lips: "Making a ruckus in Hollywood, killing CP, and severely damaging the West Sea's naval fleet—this bounty is about right."

Then a faint flame ignited at his fingertips: "Next time, I'll have to give them a different title."

Rangiku's gaze then moved downwards, and the next name made her burst out laughing: the blonde demon Matsumoto Rangiku, with a bounty of 80 million Berries. In the photo, she held a long sword, her short golden hair was messy from the wind, and her eyes held a lazy sharpness, which was surprisingly imposing.

At least in terms of nicknames, it sounds better than Bai Yu.

Eighty million?

Matsumoto Rangiku raised her chin, slapped the newspaper against her chest, and said with a smug tone, "It seems that we've made a name for ourselves in the West Sea. But when were these photos taken, and when were our names exposed?"

She picked up a glass of wine, tilted her head back, and gulped it down. The wine slid down her chin, soaking her collar and outlining the delicate lines of her collarbone.

She wiped the wine stains from the corner of her mouth, raised an eyebrow at Bai Yu, and said, "Next time we encounter those unreasonable marines, we'll make them taste what an 80 million Berry sword feels like."

"Don't forget, there's a registration process for entering the capital, so knowing our names isn't difficult."

Robin's gaze then fell on her own name: Nico Robin, the Devil's Child, with a bounty of 120 million Berries.

Compared to the previous amount, this increase is enormous.

In the photo, she stands calmly in front of the ruins of Balleywood, as if the surrounding chaos has nothing to do with her.

Robin simply smiled, tapped his finger on his bounty, and said softly, "It seems they still value me quite a bit."

Behind this increase in the bounty is the world government's fear of her ability to decipher historical texts, something she knows better than anyone.

Just as everyone was discussing the bounty, Connor suddenly spoke up.

"What's wrong, little one?"

Rangiku lowered her head and reached out to ruffle her hair.

Connor pointed to the very end of the bounty list, where a tiny portrait was squeezed in. It showed her hiding behind Bai Yu; the photo was crooked and obviously a candid shot.

The bounty amount below is even more laughable: the white-haired little girl Connor has a bounty of fifty Berries.

"Fifty...fifty pesos..."

Connor asked curiously, "Why do I have so few? I also have dodgeball! I'm pretty good at dodgeball too."

There was a moment of silence on the deck, followed by a deafening burst of laughter.

Rangiku laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, clutching her stomach and squatting on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes: "Fifty Berries... Hahahaha... This is the most outrageous bounty I've ever seen."

She laughed so hard she forgot to drink her wine, and seeing Connor's dazed expression, her shoulders shook with laughter.

Robin couldn't help but chuckle. She put down her newspaper, reached out and ruffled Connor's hair, gently comforting him, "It's okay. Maybe the Navy just thinks you're a little guy who needs to be protected."

She gently wiped the bits of flesh from Connor's mouth with her fingertips, her eyes tender.

"Moreover, fifty Berries is quite special. In the entire West Blue, you are probably the only one with such a valuable bounty."

Looking at Connor, Bai Yu's smile softened slightly.

He walked over, picked up Connor, and pointed to his bounty on the newspaper: "It's alright, things have come to this, let's eat first."

Connor's eyes lit up instantly. She looked down at her fifty Berries, then at Bai Yu's one hundred and fifty million, and then hugged Bai Yu's neck and cheered, "Yay! Bai Yu is the best! I want to eat ten roasted chicken legs! And twenty skewers of roasted squid!" She excitedly wriggled in Bai Yu's arms, her greasy little hands leaving a few dirty handprints on Bai Yu's clothes. Bai Yu just shook his head helplessly, letting her do as she pleased.

As the sun gradually sank below the horizon, its afterglow spilled onto the deck, casting long shadows on everyone.

The aroma of roasted meat mingled with the scent of wine, and laughter echoed across the sea, startling a flock of seabirds.

Bai Yu raised his hand and poured the fine wine from the wine jar into three ceramic cups, handing one to Rangiku and one to Robin.

The three raised their glasses, the ceramic cups clinking together with a crisp sound.

"To the end of these ordinary days, and to the day when we were forced to become a pirate crew."

Bai Yu's voice was deep, with a hint of amusement.

"A toast to 80 million!"

Ranju tilted her head back and drank it all, a look of pleasure gleaming in her eyes.

Connor, meanwhile, was happily munching on the roasted chicken leg that Bai Yu had handed him, muttering under his breath, "Toast to the roasted chicken leg! Toast to the roasted squid!"

The newspaper with the bounties for the four men was blown up by the wind and eventually landed on the sea at the stern of the ship, drifting away into the distance with the rise and fall of the waves.