An Oni in God's Valley

After seeing both Stella and Miss Fortune's younger sister, Koa made his decision: he would buy the freedom of both girls.

But before that, he approached Stella, wanting to learn more about her. All he knew came from fragments of Gild's memories—mere flashbacks. He wanted to see the person behind them for himself.

"What's your name?" Koa asked, his tone calm yet direct. He had to keep up appearances—after all, it would be strange for a total stranger to know her name beforehand.

Stella looked up at him, meeting the eyes of the hulking figure that towered over her. Yet there was no fear in her gaze.

"Stella," she replied softly.

"What a pretty name," Gild said subconsciously, the words slipping out before he could stop himself.

Stella let out a small laugh—light and sincere. It was the kind of laugh that still held a flicker of hope, something utterly rare among slaves. She wasn't like the others, not yet broken.

"Did you have any aspirations before... this?" Koa asked, gently prying into her heart.

Stella blinked in surprise. No one had ever asked her that—not even her own father, who had gambled away his last chips and sold her to cover his debts.

"I don't know if I'd call it a dream," she said after a pause. "I just wanted to live freely."

Koa nodded. That was all he needed to hear. He turned to the shopkeeper standing beside him.

"I'll buy both of them," he said.

The owner's eyes lit up—Koa could swear he saw actual berry signs flash across them like something straight out of a cartoon. He chose to ignore it.

The owner eagerly began calculating the price of both slaves. Once the number was given, Koa paid it in full without a second thought. The cage door creaked open, and the shopkeeper handed over a remote control for the shock collars and a ring of keys.

The moment Miss Fortune's sister stepped out, she ran straight into her sister's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. She had believed her fate was sealed, that she would be sold to a Noble and die a slow death in chains. Yet here she was, embracing the person she never thought she'd see again.

Miss Fortune held her tightly, tears forming in her own eyes. Then she turned to Koa, looking up with a rare mix of solemnity and gratitude.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Koa smiled faintly, then handed her the key. She used it to unlock her sister's collar, gently taking it off and tossing it aside.

Koa then approached Stella, who still stood frozen in place. He handed her the key to her own collar.

"Why?" she whispered, staring at the object in her hand—the symbol of her freedom.

Koa didn't answer. He just smiled.

Then he turned and began walking away, with Gild, Miss Fortune, and her sister following behind him.

Stella stood alone for a moment, speechless. She looked down at the key in her hand, then back at the tall figure who had bought her freedom without asking for anything in return.

And she followed him—because now, more than anything, she wanted to understand why.

--------------------

After a short walk, Koa and his new companions arrived back at the Nautillus. Only Joichiro was aboard at the time, having already completed a shopping spree for ingredients and supplies. He had also sold a large amount of goods—thanks to Greenbull's ability to produce rare and luxurious ingredients, their value on the Sabaody Archipelago had significantly increased the Koa Pirates' funds.

"Captain, you're back. Huh? Who are these people?" Joichiro asked as he spotted the group trailing behind Koa.

"They're our newest recruits," Koa replied casually, stepping aside to let them board the ship before following behind.

"Oh, alright then," Joichiro said with a shrug, turning his attention back to cradling baby Lucci in his arms.

Over the next few hours, the rest of the crew returned one by one, each carrying massive hauls from their day out.

Greenbull and Enel came back first, both hauling large bags stuffed with candy and sweets. Among their loot was a cotton candy machine Greenbull proudly claimed he had bartered for. Urf trailed behind them, carrying exercise equipment he had bullied Greenbull into buying—more gear for the ever-growing Koa Pirates gym.

Kuzan and Jhin followed, the two having bonded over their mutual love of alcohol. Each carried several barrels of high-quality booze slung over their shoulders.

As they stepped on board, the crew eyed the unfamiliar faces with some curiosity, but no one asked questions—by now, they trusted that Koa would explain things when the time was right.

Two hours later, the aroma of freshly prepared food filled the ship. Joichiro had finished cooking an enormous feast for the welcome party, a tradition every time a new member joined the Koa Pirates. The dining hall of the Nautillus buzzed with anticipation.

Koa stood at the head of the table, raising a barrel-shaped mug filled with drink.

"Alright everyone—let's give a proper welcome to our newest crewmates!" he announced.

One by one, the new recruits stood up to introduce themselves.

"I'm Gild Tesoro," Gild said proudly, raising his glass of juice. "I'm gonna be the greatest singer on the seas—so great that even the nobles will beg to attend my shows!"

"I'm Sarah Fortune," Miss Fortune followed, confidence in her tone. "I owe my life—and my sister's—to Captain Koa. I'll protect him from any enemy who tries to come after him. I'm an elite gunner, so don't get in my way."

"I'm Leslie Fortune," said her younger sister, quieter but no less sincere. "I want to be helpful in any way I can... to repay Captain Koa for saving us from that cruel fate."

"And I'm Stella," the last of the new recruits said. "I don't know if I have any dreams yet... but I do know I want to repay Koa for the kindness he showed me today."

The crew greeted the introductions with warmth and cheers, raising their mugs and shouting welcomes. Everyone seemed genuinely excited about the new additions—except for one.

Greenbull scowled at Miss Fortune.

"Why would you need to protect the boss from enemies?" he growled. "I'm already his enforcer. Pick a different role."

Miss Fortune narrowed her eyes at him, her hand subtly twitching toward her holstered pistol.

"What's wrong? Afraid of a little competition?" she shot back.

And just like that, a new rivalry sparked—Greenbull had found another crewmate to butt heads with, just as he had with Kuzan before. Koa simply sighed as he took a long drink from his mug.

Some things never changed.