Drum Kingdom  

The insistent buzzing of the Den Den Mushi roused the man from his light sleep. Aboard the gently swaying ship, he stifled a yawn and reached for the receiver.

"Who is it?" he grumbled.

"Yo! How are you doing? It's me!" a boisterous voice boomed through the receiver.

"... You. This is unusual, you calling me," the man replied, his tone laced with mild surprise.

"Well, you never contact me, do you? I may be hands-off, but I'm not without worry," the voice countered.

"... I see. Well, I'm doing fine," the man conceded, a hint of warmth creeping into his voice.

"Good, good. Found anything interesting yet?"

"Interesting, huh... Heard some rumors about a Sky Island, but who knows if they're true."

"Bwahahaha! A Sky Island, eh! Even the Marines haven't been able to confirm its existence! Plenty of rumors, some claim to have been there, others scoff and call it a tall tale."

The question hung in the air: "So, what do you think?" The man, still lying down, turned his gaze towards the sky through the window, lost in thought. Large, fluffy white clouds drifted lazily across the vast expanse. Perhaps, just maybe, there was a civilization built atop them, as the Sky Island legend claimed. He murmured softly, almost to himself, "... It would be fascinating if it were real."

"If you set sail to broaden your horizons, wouldn't searching for such things be worthwhile?"

"Perhaps. But I'm more interested in observing the different ways nations are governed."

"That's beyond me... Well, do as you please. Though coming back to the Marines would be the best outcome."

"Yet you didn't object when I said I was leaving on a journey."

"A man's departure... what reason is there to interfere... If you'd said you were becoming a pirate, I would have stopped you, though."

"Heh... I have no intention of becoming a pirate, nor returning to the Marines, for now."

"I see. I wouldn't want to have to capture my own son, after all."

With a curt "I have work to do," the call ended. The man placed the receiver down and stepped out of his cabin, breathing in the salty sea air as he looked up at the sky. Not a cloud in sight, just a clear, blue expanse.

"... Good wind today too," he murmured, feeling the gentle breeze caress his cheek. The Log Pose in his hand pointed towards – Drum Kingdom.

***

The Grand Line, ever fickle, lived up to its reputation. Moments ago, it had been pleasantly sunny; now, a violent storm raged. Freezing the towering waves that threatened to engulf them, the crew battled the gale that threatened to tear their sails, finally reaching the calmer waters near Drum Kingdom. The chilling air bit deep, but Kanata, unfazed, checked their course.

"... Hmm. Seems fine. We should see the island soon," she announced.

Snow flurries danced in the air, but the weather seemed stable. The wind had died down, and they were on a direct course to Drum Kingdom. Samuel and George, fishing rods in hand, stood at the edge of the deck, looking rather bored.

"Not much of a catch, huh..."

"Back on Marx Island, we used to reel them in pretty easily. Guess things are different here."

"Doesn't seem like there's a shortage of fish, just that they're not biting. Maybe we should change the bait?"

Ignoring their chatter, Kanata retreated indoors with the newspaper she had bought from News Coo. Unfolding it in her private quarters, she was greeted by her own name splashed across the front page. Quite the celebrity she had become, though it couldn't be helped. Killing a Celestial Dragon, escaping from Marine Vice Admiral Sengoku, vanishing for a year, and now evading Marine Admiral Zephyr – a reporter's dream come true.

Still, the same story day after day grew tiresome. Was there nothing else to report?

"... Hmm?"

A knock interrupted her thoughts, followed by George's voice, laced with confusion. "Kanata, got a minute?"

It didn't seem like they had reached the island yet, she thought, opening the door. "Something wrong?"

"Well, it's... let's just say you'd better come to the deck. It'll be faster to show you."

Unsure what he meant, she followed George out of her room and onto the deck. Her Observation Haki had detected an unusually strong presence, but there didn't seem to be any fighting. As she stepped onto the deck, the first thing that caught her eye was a man, easily five meters tall, with gills on his neck, a dorsal fin on his back, and red skin – the unmistakable features of a Fishman.

"A Fishman, that's rare," Kanata remarked.

"Huh? Ah, you the captain of this ship?" the Fishman inquired.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Name's Tiger. Fisher Tiger. I'm an adventurer."

He explained that the recent storm had damaged his ship's rudder, and seeing their vessel from afar, he had sought help. With no pirate flag or markings, he figured it was safe. He had considered the possibility of discrimination, but adrift with a broken rudder, he had no choice but to take the risk.

To his words, Kanata responded without hesitation, "No problem, hop aboard. Our destination is just ahead. You can find parts to fix your ship there."

"I'm grateful... You don't discriminate against Fishmen, do you?"

"We have a giant on board. Can't be bothered with discrimination."

Of course, there were still distinctions. Differences in physical size couldn't be ignored. Tiger's eyes widened in surprise before he muttered, "I see."

Discrimination against Fishmen and Merfolk ran deep. Two centuries ago, they were even classified as "fish." Tiger had experienced his fair share of prejudice during his adventures.

Simply not being discriminated against made a world of difference.

"But... you swam through the winter island waters?"

"Aye, the depths of the sea are colder than this. This is nothing," Tiger replied nonchalantly.

"I see."

Even so, these were the waters near a winter island. "Nothing" was a relative term. It was nearly lunchtime, so she suggested he join them for a meal to warm up.

"... Are you sure?" Tiger hesitated.

"Travelers share the road. You're an adventurer, right? Tell us some stories of your journeys."

They already had a giant and a Mink on board. Adding a Fishman to the mix hardly mattered. Besides, with Samuel capable of transforming into a beast form thanks to his Devil Fruit, judging people by their appearance was pointless. They even had a guy with flashy tattoos that drew stares.

"Much obliged," Tiger said simply, following Kanata into the mess hall.

***

Soon, they reached Drum Kingdom. As wanted criminals, they had to be careful. The ship was anchored discreetly, hidden away from the harbor to avoid Kanata and Feiyun being recognized.

There was a port town nearby, but the risk was too great.

Tiger was informed of the situation, and they parted ways near the kingdom. He had towed his ship, so rowing or whatever method he chose would get him to the port from there.

"I truly appreciate your help. Meeting you on this vast sea was nothing short of luck."

"Don't exaggerate... We enjoyed hearing your stories. You'll be on the island for a while, right? We might meet again."

"Aye, and next time, I'll treat you to a meal!"

"Heh... Don't bother, we have a giant with us. Your wallet won't survive."

After seeing Tiger off, Kanata and the crew dropped anchor in a secluded spot. Their next course of action was already decided. With Sukura practically bouncing with anticipation, Kanata sent Samuel, George, Zen, and two others ashore.

These six were still unknown to the government. Knowing that a crash course in medical knowledge was unrealistic, they decided to use this location as a base while Kanata and the others left the island.

The shore party was tasked with guarding Sukura and procuring supplies. They would return to the island periodically to resupply and report their progress.

Den Den Mushi communication was risky due to potential eavesdropping by the Marines, so they would avoid it as much as possible.

"We'll be back in three days. Figure out how long you need to stay by then," Kanata instructed.

"Aye, and you lot stay clear of the Marines," George replied.

"That's up to luck," Kanata said with a shrug.

"I'll do my best to learn as much as I can in a short time. The ship's doctor can't be away for too long," Sukura added.

"Good. Staying in one place for too long attracts unwanted attention," Kanata said.

A large-scale search was likely imminent. They didn't think their destination, Drum Kingdom, was known, but if they didn't show up at the next island on the Log Pose route from Alabasta, the Marines would start searching.

They wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with Zephyr and Sengoku's pursuit force at all costs.

Drum Kingdom was also a World Government affiliated nation. Being discovered there would likely lead to a battle with the Marines.

"Feiyun and I are known, so we're the most likely targets. We have to leave either Junshi or Zen behind, but Junshi is itching for a fight. Zen stands out, but he's a capable guard. Losing Sukura now would be the biggest blow."

"Zephyr and Sengoku, huh? You think they'll call for more reinforcements?"

"Depends on how much of a threat they consider us. But they've already messed up twice. I wouldn't be surprised if they brought a Buster Call level force next time."

The Alabasta force had been close to that. Six warships, along with three stationed in Alabasta, had attempted a pincer attack. They had sunk them all to create a delay, so the next wave would surely be larger.

Sending forces piecemeal was a foolish strategy, but for Kanata and her crew, it was a desperate fight for survival.

The "Only Alive" condition on their bounties offered some hope that a Buster Call wouldn't be issued.

"If only David were more useful..."

"Hey, I'm not exactly weak, you know..." David protested.

"Can you handle a Commodore? You can't fight officers without mastering Haki."

"Well, I can use my Bomu Bomu no Mi powers to..."

"Don't be ridiculous. Have you forgotten how I beat you senseless with my bare hands?"

He vividly remembered the day his entire crew was incapacitated, their supplies stolen, and they were left stranded on Little Garden.

It was a memory David would rather forget. Even with training, he could at best hold his own against a Lieutenant Commander.

"I'll handle Zephyr, and Junshi will take on Sengoku. I'll create a thick platform so Feiyun can fight too, but it depends on how many subordinates Zephyr brings."

"Can Junshi handle Sengoku alone? He's the one you nearly died fighting."

"I'm worried, but there's no other way. His Devil Fruit powers won't be much use against someone that strong."

"What about Feiyun?"

"Her size might give her an edge, but the difference in their Armament Haki is too great. A direct confrontation would be difficult."

Escape seemed to be their only option for now. They had to avoid encounters with the Marines until Sukura finished his business.