Gunfire, smoke, and splintered wood filled the air—two massive pirate ships tearing each other apart over a single prize: you, the captured mermaid who is still stuck in the net in the air.

Cannons roared. Men screamed. The ocean churned red.

And through all that chaos, a tiny, ridiculous one-man boat slid between the burning hulls.

Sae Itoshi—billion-berry bounty, the most wanted pirate alive—stood on it like he owned the entire ocean. No crew, no weapons visible, no interest in the war exploding above him. Just a bored expression, wind in his magenta hair.

He hopped onto the first ruined ship, walked past fighting pirates like they were inconveniences, whoever was in his way, he kicked them away with one swift, freed you from the net with one slash, then slung you over his shoulder without a word.

Chaos continued behind him. He didn’t even look back.

Sae dropped onto his little boat again, balanced perfectly as he pushed off with one foot. The ocean carried the two of you farther, farther, until the battle was nothing more than smoke on the horizon.

Only then did he set you down, eyes flat and unimpressed. He jerked his chin over to the waves, “Go back.”

No attempt to chain you. No attempt to bargain. No attempt to sell you for the fortune you were worth.