Chapter 3: Those Tears Are Tears of Pain

Kapu kicked the door open, carrying a pot of soup that looked like it had been made from who-knows-what. Luffy followed closely behind him.

His forceful entrance felt more like he was storming into an enemy's house rather than his own. Noticing Kaito Sakamoto waking up, he saw the boy's gaze fixed on him and Luffy.

"Hmm!"

"So, you're awake."

"Good that you're awake; just don't die in my house. I'm not saying this lightly, but your body is way too weak. You fell from the sky and ended up with broken limbs and ribs, especially your legs. You'll need to be in a wheelchair for a while; you really need to work on your strength."

Kaito's childhood friend, who had once tumbled down a staircase and met his end, felt offended by that comment.

Hearing Kapu's words, Kaito almost broke into a cold sweat. How could he compare himself to those "monsters"? Besides, with his frail body and "unbelievable" weakness, he felt lucky just to be alive.

With great effort, he sat up and noticed that his upper body was wrapped in bandages, looking like a mummy. Other than his head, every part of him was covered.

"Did you save me?"

"I really appreciate it."

"If not for you, I think I might have died out there, eaten by wild beasts."

Kaito replied, thinking it best not to mention that he recognized them, even if it was just a one-sided acknowledgment.

"Hmm?"

"You're just lucky, landing right on top of me."

Kapu looked confused at first, thinking it was strange that Kaito didn't recognize him, especially since he was a vice admiral with some fame. Was it because he wasn't wearing his navy uniform? But then he brushed it off; he wasn't the type to care much about reputation.

"Hi, I'm Monkey D. Luffy."

"Why did you fall from the sky? But honestly, you seem a bit weak; I've fallen off cliffs before and came out fine."

Luffy was a little polite but not overly so. At this time, seven-year-old Luffy had already been training under Kapu for some time. Falling off a cliff didn't pose any real danger to him.

"My name is Kaito Sakamoto."

"As for the rest..."

"I forgot. Right now, all I remember is that my name is Kaito Sakamoto. Where I used to live or who I was? I can't recall."

Kaito thought for a moment and found that claiming amnesia was an easy excuse; otherwise, he would have to concoct a fake identity.

"Don't remember?"

"But you didn't hit your head, right?"

"You're just lucky; a news bird cushioned your fall. When you landed, you hit a crooked tree that took away some of the impact, which is why you fell on me."

"Otherwise, with your body, you might not have made it."

Praise the crooked tree!

As Kapu scooped a bowl of soup and handed it to Kaito, he continued explaining. Kaito took the bowl and said thank you, recalling how he had "fallen" from the sky. After that, the system he had relied on vanished. He realized he had indeed smashed into something on his way down, and it turned out to be a news bird.

"Thank you, my feathered friend. If it weren't for you, I might not be here. I'll never forget your great kindness."

He silently thanked the news bird, and then a thought struck him.

So, what happened to that bird?

"What about that news bird?" Kaito asked while drinking the soup.

Luffy, holding his bowl up, tilted his head back and drank without responding.

Kapu paused with the bowl near his mouth, saying, "Well, it's in the pot, in the bowl, and in your mouth."

"Uh! Cough, cough, cough!!!"

Kapu's reply made Kaito's eyes widen, nearly choking him.

"Cough! What… what? This soup is made from that news bird?!"

"Ah, of course! It fell from the sky. Why waste it? Boiling it into soup is a good way to nourish your body. You need to drink more with your condition."

Kapu replied, handing Kaito a cloth, then proceeded to drink his soup.

Kaito took the cloth to wipe his mouth, glancing at the bowl. The surface of the soup seemed to reflect the image of the bird.

"I'm sorry, dear bird, but this soup is really delicious."

...

"Burp!"

"Thank you for the treat."

By the time Kaito finished the bowl of soup that his "savior" bird had made, Luffy had already emptied the pot, putting down his bowl and expressing his gratitude to Kapu and Luffy.

"Hmm."

"Luffy, go wash the dishes."

Kapu nodded and immediately called Luffy to wash up.

"Okay."

Luffy didn't refuse; he placed his bowl in the pot and left the room.

Kapu's smile instantly vanished, replaced by a serious expression as he looked at Kaito, folding his arms and letting his presence weigh heavily on Kaito.

The atmosphere grew tense in an instant, making Kaito uneasy. What did he do wrong? Vice Admiral Kapu!

"Kaito?"

"Kid, you were lying just now, weren't you?"

"You don't really remember everything, right?"

Kapu asked, his tone flat.

Ah, so he was found out. That's not good.

Not good at all!

"Uh, um…"

Kaito stuttered, as Kapu's "death stare" was fixed on him.

A brainstorming session began in Kaito's mind. Drawing from his nine years of education, he started crafting a fake identity for himself.

"Seems like I can't fool you, Vice Admiral Kapu."

"Actually, I'm a mercenary, just scraping by with my team in Rogge Town."

"Yesterday, we received a job escorting a merchant ship, but along the way, we encountered a group of powerful pirates, and everyone… everyone was sacrificed."

As Kaito spoke, tears began to flow down his cheeks. His acting skills deserved an award, but it wasn't just the acting; under the blanket, he pressed hard on his thigh, cursing himself for the real pain!

Those tears were tears of pain.