Puppeteer Meister: Lumin!

Yuma wandered through the lively streets of the island town, trying to shake off the lingering weight of the Golden King's demise. The sun had fully risen now, casting a warm glow over the bustling market stalls and stone streets. People moved around him, oblivious to the storm of emotions beneath his calm exterior.

As he strolled, Yuma kept his gaze low, hands in his pockets, taking in the sights without much interest. The weight of his thoughts kept pulling him back to the loss of their ship, the sense of moving forward but not knowing where to go. He was barely paying attention to the street vendors calling out deals or the children running past, laughing.

Suddenly, a strong presence appears behind Yuma.

Yuma stopped mid-step, eyes narrowing. It was faint, like a light pressure on his limbs, as if his body was being pulled in directions he hadn't intended. His right arm jerked forward on its own, followed by his left leg. Someone—or something—was trying to control him.

Without looking back, Yuma clenched his jaw, his muscles tensing. He fought the strange, invisible strings pulling at him, refusing to be moved. His mind raced, but his body remained rooted in place.

"Who's there?" he called out, his voice low, but full of menace. A figure stood on a nearby roof—a lean man dressed in a dark cloak, a white shirt underneath. His hair was a dark purple, covering his near black eyes. Lines across his face as if he was a puppet. his hands outstretched in an odd way, like he was conducting some invisible orchestra. His fingers twitched slightly, and Yuma felt another pull, this time stronger. The man's eyes gleamed with malice as he smirked.

"You're not so tough when someone else pulls the strings, are you?" the assassin sneered. Yuma growled, his eyes flashing red with fury. He could feel the man's power trying to force him to kneel, trying to bend his will. But Yuma wasn't the type to give in to anything—least of all someone trying to control him.

"No… you've got it all wrong…" The assassin's smirk faded as Yuma's body, despite the invisible strings, began to move on its own. Slowly, Yuma raised his arm, resisting the control with pure, brute strength. The veins in his neck bulged as he gritted his teeth, pushing against the invisible force.

"I don't... take orders," Yuma snarled. With a single flex of his muscles, Yuma ripped free of the strings. The ground shatters under yuma's feet. The wind blows slightly as yuma's hair floats slightly. The assassin's eyes widened in shock as the threads snapped, his hands jerking in surprise. Before he could react, Yuma closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Reeling his fist back.

Yuma's fist connected with the assassin's chest, shattering the air like glass, sending him flying back with a sickening thud into the stone wall of the nearby alley. The assassin crumpled to the ground, unconscious, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Yuma stood over him, his expression cold and unreadable.

"You should've known better," Yuma muttered, glancing at the fallen assassin before walking away, the tension in his body easing as the town's noises swallowed him once more.

"Wait…" Yuma took another step and stopped. The assassin smiled from the ground.

"Let me… join you… use me as a puppet, so you can accomplish your goal… you plan on taking down the World Government right…?" Yuma turns and glares at the assassin's smile.

"So what about it?" The assassin smirks.

"What if I told you I'm a double agent…?" he coughs and continues. 

"The name's Lumin… Puppeteer Meister: Lumin" Yuma exhales.

"Only because you say you'll be helpful to me, but if it turns out you aren't helpful at all, then you'll be dead on the spot" Yuma walks away, The assassin exhales having escaped death.

-----

That night, the crew gathered in the dimly lit hotel room, the salty breeze from the ocean drifting through the slightly open window. The room was cozy but packed with the energy of everyone's presence—Boombox lounged on the bed, Ika sat cross-legged on the floor, and Moon stood by the window, staring out into the night sky, lost in thought, crouching in the short ceiling room. Yuma leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, still quiet after his encounter earlier.

Cani entered the room, her expression calm but focused. She took a deep breath before addressing the group.

"Alright, I met with the Shipbuilders' Association today…" She stood at the center of the room, a small stack of papers in her hand. 

"I managed to get us a deal—45,000 Enni… It's more than we expected, but considering the size, speed, and durability we need, it's a fair price… I also added some extra features we talked about before—reinforced hull, high ceilings, faster sails. We should be able to get it done within a month." The room was silent for a moment as everyone absorbed the information. Yuma's gaze didn't waver from Cani, but there was a slight nod of approval from him.

"45,000… that's steep," Boombox finally said, sitting up. 

"But if it's the best we can get, I guess we'll have to make it work." Ika looked up from where he was sitting, his young eyes filled with curiosity.

"What's the next step then? We can't just sit around for a month waiting, can we?" Cani shook her head, pacing slowly. 

"No, we can't. We'll need to start gathering funds and resources. I was able to negotiate some protection work in exchange for a discount on the ship, but that's only going to cover part of it." Moon turned away from the window, his voice calm but carrying a weight of practicality. 

"We could take on a few small jobs in the meantime. Bounty hunting or protection missions. Something quick that doesn't tie us down for too long." Yuma spoke up for the first time, his voice low but steady. 

"I've already had an encounter today. Someone tried to take me out—an assassin. But I spared him, and he's agreed to help us." Moon raised an eyebrow at that. 

"Help us? You sure about that?" Yuma shrugged. 

"He's useful… for now. He says he's got inside knowledge of the World Government and connections we can use." Cani frowned slightly, her sharp mind already turning over the possibilities. 

"If he's telling the truth, that could be valuable. But we'll need to keep a close eye on him." Yuma nodded, his eyes hard. 

"I know. If he steps out of line, I'll deal with him." Boombox cracked his knuckles, clearly ready for action. 

"Alright, so we've got a new ship on the way, and we'll be taking on some side jobs. What about when the ship's ready? What's the bigger plan?" Cani's gaze flickered around the room before settling on Yuma. 

"Once the ship is built, we head out… First, we'll need to replenish our supplies, gather allies, and prepare for the larger mission. We can't afford any more setbacks like today. Our goal is still the World Government, but we're going to need more than just brute strength to take them down." The room fell silent again, the weight of the mission settling over them like a heavy cloak. Everyone knew what was at stake. They had come too far to turn back now. Yuma pushed himself off the wall, his voice carrying a hint of determination. 

"We already have 30,000 Enni, so we don't need much more… We'll get the money… We'll get the ship… And then, we take the fight to the World Government. No more delays." Cani gave a small nod, a rare but knowing smile tugging at her lips. 

"Then we're all in agreement. Let's get to work."