The waves rocked the small fishing boat gently under the fading light of dusk. A hush had fallen between Karl and Robin, one heavy with unspoken questions.
Robin sat cross-legged at the bow, her precious book clutched tight. Her eyes weren't on the pages, though—they were watching Karl.
He was quiet as ever, adjusting the sail and checking their supplies. The wind combed through his hair, his expression unreadable, but alert.
They'd escaped the island.
For now.
Robin broke the silence first. "They won't stop coming."
Karl gave a single nod. "No. They won't."
"You didn't even ask who I am," she muttered.
"I don't need to." He looked at her, his voice calm. "People hunting you wear the same look. I've seen it before."
She studied him. "You speak like you've been hunted too."
"Maybe I have."
That answer made her quiet again.
By nightfall, clouds covered the stars. The air was thick, too still. Karl noticed it first—the silence of the ocean, unnatural and deep.
He stood at the bow now, eyes narrowing.
"Something's wrong," he murmured.
Robin stiffened. "What?"
Then they both saw it: a shadow on the water.
Not a ship.
A thing.
Rising from below.
The sea lurched, and the fishing boat tipped sharply. Robin screamed as a colossal serpent-like creature exploded from the depths—scales black as tar, eyes glowing with eerie crimson light.
Karl moved in a blur, grabbing her before she fell overboard.
The beast loomed over them, roaring with a voice that shook the wind itself.
Sea King.
Karl's eyes narrowed. He set Robin down and stepped forward.
The creature lunged.
Karl didn't hesitate.
His right arm darkened with Haki, shimmering faintly with an inner energy only he could sense. He crouched low, then leapt straight into the air, right at the creature's face.
His punch landed like thunder.
The Sea King reeled, its jaw snapping to the side as Karl landed back on the boat. The impact rocked them, but the vessel held.
Robin stared in awe. "How—?"
Karl didn't answer. He turned his back to her, raising his fists again as the Sea King coiled to strike once more.
This time, it hissed… and began to retreat, slowly slipping back beneath the water.
Karl stood firm until it was gone.
Then, only the waves remained.
Robin sat down heavily. "You're insane."
Karl chuckled softly. "Maybe."
Later, under the cloudy moonlight, Robin finally spoke again. "Why are you helping me?"
He glanced over. "You needed help."
"That's not a real answer."
Karl didn't reply immediately.
"I've done a lot of things," he finally said. "Not all of them are good. This… this feels like something I should do."
Robin looked at him for a long time, then quietly muttered, "Thank you."
The next morning, they approached a mist-covered island on the horizon—small, crescent-shaped, with jagged cliffs and forested ridges.
A place not on most maps.
A safe place, for now.
Karl steered them toward a hidden cove.
Robin squinted at the mist. "You've been here before?"
"No. But it feels like the right kind of nowhere."
They disembarked, their feet crunching on wet sand. The air was heavy with salt and silence.
Karl's eyes scanned the cliffs. He could feel it again—that subtle pull in his chest. The system. The ticking silence before something important.
And then—
Mission Update: Investigate the Island's SignalObjective: Explore the abandoned research facility inlandReward: 1 Rare Ticket | Bonus: 1 Legendary Ticket (if no detection)
Karl's eye twitched.
A facility?
He glanced at Robin. "We'll camp here first. Then move inland."
She nodded, still watching him with careful eyes.
They followed a moss-covered trail through dense foliage. Vines hung like curtains, and birds scattered at their steps.
After two hours, they found it: a cracked concrete wall hidden behind the brush. Beyond it, a metal door, rusted but intact.
Robin touched it, frowning. "What is this place?"
Karl didn't answer. He pushed the door.
It screeched open.
Inside lay darkness, dust, and something far older than pirates or marines.