11

"Captain, the enemy ship seems ready for battle," one of the enemy pirate crew members said. "Zazaza, kill them and take their treasures!" their captain ordered, met with enthusiastic cheers from his crew. On the other side, Utakata observed the approaching enemy ship calmly, his eyes fixed on their Jolly Roger – a skull with two axes crossing between the right and left sides. "Looks like they're newcomers to the sea," he commented.

As the two ships drew closer, the cannons roared, BOOM, BOOM, echoing across the sea as they exchanged fire. "Board their ship and defeat them!" Utakata shouted to his crew, who eagerly rushed the enemy vessel as the two ships neared each other. Meanwhile, Utakata remained on his own ship, calmly observing the battle that was unfolding.

Clashing swords and cannonfire filled the air, reverberating throughout the surrounding sea. Despite their smaller numbers, thanks to Kenny's leadership, the Kirigakure pirate crew managed to exert strong pressure on the enemy. Kenny's extraordinary abilities allowed him to defeat enemy crew members with ease, although there were casualties on the Kirigakure side.

Captain Leo, witnessing these events, grew furious and decided to confront Kenny directly. "You're strong; become my subordinate!" Captain Leo demanded, attempting to defeat Kenny. However, Kenny firmly refused, "You're weak; you're not worthy of being my captain!" Enraged by Kenny's words, Captain Leo grabbed a large axe from his side and launched a fierce attack against Kenny.

Yet, with remarkable agility, Kenny evaded Captain Leo's strikes, swiftly moving behind him. With a single shot, Kenny managed to hit Captain Leo squarely in the head, ending his life. Seeing their captain fall, Captain Leo's crew members surrendered, marking the end of their first naval battle.

Amidst the wreckage and defeated enemies, Utakata and his crew stood victorious. Their Jolly Roger, featuring a skull with six bubbles as its tail, waved proudly. Utakata approached Kenny, admiration gleaming in his eyes, "You're an incredible fighter, Kenny. You've proven your worth today."

Kenny nodded, "Thank you, Captain. We're all here to pursue our dreams, and I'm proud to be part of this crew."

Utakata turned to his crew members who had bravely fought, "This is just the beginning of our journey on the sea. We'll face more challenges and rivals, but as long as we stand together, we'll overcome them all."

Former crew members of Captain Leo were given a choice: join the Kirigakure pirates or become fish food. They chose to become Utakata's subordinates. Now, he had over 80 loyal crew members.

With a strengthened resolve, the Kirigakure Pirates continued their voyage across the vast and treacherous seas, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them on their journey to chase their dreams.