Notes: Hello! Remember that this is not my native language.

After Ace and Sakura's date, their relationship grew closer. Their arguments became less frequent, and sometimes Ace would involve Sakura in his pranks without her realizing it until the joke was in full swing. Late-night conversations became a routine, typically revolving around their respective childhoods. Sakura shared stories about her friends, missions in Konoha, and what life was like in her village and other ninja nations. Ace, on the other hand, talked about his life with Dadan, adventures with Sabo and Luffy, Sabo's tragic death, and his own experiences when he turned seventeen and became a pirate.

In the following days, they passed through some strange and curious islands. To Sakura's eyes, the oddities they encountered on those islands were just a glimpse of what the entire Red Line must be like. She hoped that once she was fully healed, she could find a decent enough island to live on, away from the Marines and unsavory individuals, where she could revive the ninja customs she had grown up with. Fortunately, she was beginning to adapt to the strange and ever-changing weather of those seas.

Since making amends with Whitebeard and his crew, the question had arisen as to why no one had ventured beyond the islands that formed the well-known "ninja-samurai island." In school and history books, nothing beyond the known countries was ever mentioned. There were no theories about whether the world was flat or round. Her curiosity only bred more unanswered questions, and she was sure she wouldn't get any answers now that everyone was dead.

In the present, Sakura found herself in the training area with Commanders Haruta and Vista. After repeatedly insisting, Marco allowed her to go to the gym under the condition that she wouldn't engage in intense exercises and would be supervised by Haruta and Vista, two commanders he trusted to follow his orders to the letter.

Despite the order, Sakura was not pleased. She felt like her muscles were atrophying with this gentle training pace, and she was also bored. She wanted to fight, sweat, and feel the adrenaline rush through her body. She glanced at the ring in the center of the room, where fights and training sessions were intense, and bets were common. She was a fighter too and longed for the thrill of a good fight.

On the first day, she didn't even get to finish asking the question when Vista and Haruta refused.

Today, Sakura decided she wouldn't leave the gym until she got a fight. She was so determined that she was willing to use all her skills, from Naruto and Ace-style insistent pleading to her persuasion techniques, before resorting to extortion.

"Alright," Vista said, being the first of the two to give in. "We should limit the time you spend with Ace; he's a bad influence."

Sakura was about to jump for joy like a little girl, but she held back to avoid giving an inappropriate image of her determination to fight or train with the pirates.

Vista scanned the room until his eyes landed on a person who was lifting weights and chatting with their peers.

"Paul! Come over here," Vista exclaimed.

Paul, a member of Vista's division and one of the men who had been trapped in the cell inside the slave ship along with Sakura, approached eagerly. Training always lifted the crew's spirits, especially now that he wanted to prove that even if he was captured he could become stronger and be a great support to the whitebeard pirates.

"How about you spar with Pinky in the ring?" Vista suggested.

Paul's smile faded, replaced by a grimace.

"I'm sorry, it's not that I don't like the idea, it's just that you're still recovering, and we all know Marco forbade heavy training."

Sakura understood the situation. No one wanted to defy Marco's orders, especially concerning one's health. She knew how much authority the position of the head of the medical division was, and while she understood, she felt it was an excuse.

"Are you afraid of losing?" she challenged, causing those nearby to pause their exercises and pay attention.

Paul blushed at the insinuation of his lack of strength. Under normal circumstances, he would have accepted a challenge to a sparring match, but he couldn't seriously go up against a kunoichi of her skills, especially when she still appeared to be recovering.

"It's not that, Sakura, really. It's just that you need to rest and recover properly." He wasn't crazy enough to get into a fight with his father's guest and Marco's protégé now that she is under his care.

Sakura crossed her arms with a defiant gesture.

"Is that consideration or cowardice?"

The pirates who were listening chuckled quietly, drawing the attention of another group.

"I don't want to hurt you," Paul said, furrowing his brow.

"Are you trying to be considerate? Even on the verge of passing out, I managed to kill two pirates," Sakura retorted, showing no hint of remorse. It seemed she was starting to get under his skin, which was the perfect moment to keep provoking him until he accepted out of pride.

An "ooooh" from some of Paul's companions echoed in the room, making his skin crawl. Those who were farther away from the circle that had formed, including some commanders like Ace and Jozu, approached out of curiosity to find out what was going on. They found an angry Paul, and Sakura standing with crossed arms, radiating an attitude of haughtiness.

"You defeated two, but you were so weak that Commanders Ace and Marco had to save you," Paul declared.

"Do you think I'm on the verge of passing out?" Sakura replied with determination.

She just needed one final push.

"No, but..." Ace was the first to catch onto Sakura's plan and grinned maliciously. He couldn't stay behind if he wanted to make this more fun. Why not add more fuel to the fire?

"Sakura, you should be the considerate one here. Fighting a kunoichi in recovery is embarrassing," Ace said. Paul smiled, and Sakura inclined her head, suppressing her disgust until they both saw him smile. "Even more so if you defeat her in your condition."

"Alright, we'll fight," Paul finally fell victim to the provocation, just as Sakura and Ace had hoped. In return, he was going to fight without restrictions.

The pirates around them cheered with excitement. Since the pinkhead had tried to escape after waking up when they rescued her, they hadn't seen her fight, and they sensed it was going to be fun. Bets began to form in the blink of an eye.

"That's what I was hoping for. How about we fight on the deck?"

"Huh?"

"If we're going to fight, don't you think the ring is too small?"

In reality, the ring was large enough, but Sakura wanted everyone to see that she wasn't a girl who needed to be overly protected, as Marco and Thatch seemed to believe, albeit without malicious intent.

The pirates around them were excited and agreed. Despite his doubts, Paul had no choice but to accept.

A group of pirates headed to the deck, informing the people they passed along the way, who in turn relayed it to others. Soon, the deck was filled with the entire crew of the ship, eager to see the fight between Sakura and Paul. Shirohige was also present, excited about the duel, as he wanted to see the strength of the pink-haired girl now that her condition had improved.

For obvious reasons, both Thatch and Marco were the last to find out. Although they weren't very happy, they were curious to see the fight, so strategically, neither they nor Sakura would make eye contact until the match was over.

Sakura and Paul positioned themselves in the center, a good distance apart from each other, in the impromptu ring that the crew had formed as a boundary. Haruta was designated as the referee for the fight.

"Begin!" Haruta shouted.

Paul ran straight at Sakura, intent on ending the fight as quickly as possible. He had no intention of seriously hurting her, so he decided to give it his all in the shortest time possible. When he got close, he extended his arm to strike her in the head, but at the last moment, Sakura dodged his attack, spinning on the tips of her heels and delivering a blow to the back of his neck that sent him tumbling to the ground without passing out.

Sakura repositioned herself, facing Paul. Some whistled, and others laughed.

Paul, feeling embarrassed, quickly got up and charged at Sakura to throw a right hook, which Sakura easily blocked with her arms. Then, with a kick to the stomach, she sent him stumbling backward. In those seconds when Paul leaned forward, Sakura drew a kunai from her ninja pouch and placed it against his neck.

"Do you surrender?" Sakura asked.

Paul raised his arms in a sign of defeat, feeling the coldness of the metal against his neck. The pirates got excited, and most of them forgot she was still in rehabilitation.

One by one, they began to challenge Sakura. One after another, they ended up being defeated. As the matchups progressed, excitement grew, especially when one of the commanders noticed that in every battle, Sakura's feet moved in a small, invisible circle she had created around her body. The new challenge was to move her out of that space. Some tried to use brute force, while others combined agility and non-lethal artifacts. On each occasion, Sakura moved with agility, making precise moves to immobilize her opponents or throw them away.

Whitebeard and everyone else, especially the commanders, appreciated her skills. They quickly realized that she needed a bigger challenge. For this reason, Jozu was the first to step forward.

"I'll go," Jozu announced.

The jubilation reached new levels now that one of the commanders, and perhaps the strongest one, decided to test his strength against Sakura, 'the Devil Fruit user who grants super strength.'

Sakura's eyes gleamed with anticipation. Not that she underestimated the efforts of the pirates she had faced, but for a while now, she had been eager to fight a commander, as facing Shirohige directly, as she did when she attempted to escape, seemed like suicide. She felt even more excited when she saw that she was going to fight one of the commanders who had piqued her curiosity the most: Jozu, the user of the Kira Kira fruit, which turned his body as hard as a diamond.

Neither of them had to speak to understand that it would be a battle of brute strength.

'I've never tried to break a diamond. Is it possible?' Sakura wondered with genuine curiosity. Although her master and she, using the Byakugan, could break a mountain with a single blow, they had never theorized about destroying gemstones, let alone the world's hardest mineral to date.

Both positioned themselves for combat and as soon as Haruta gave the signal, Jozu turned his arms into diamonds and rushed toward Sakura. Their hands met, and both their arms trembled from the effort. Upon impact, Sakura's feet slid back a little, but not enough to push her out of her space.

The battle of brute strength began, and the crowd cheered excitedly. Small beads of sweat appeared on Sakura's forehead from the exertion. Jozu noticed this and decided to turn his entire torso into a diamond, increasing his strength and causing Sakura's arms to tremble even more.

"Look at that, it seems like Jozu is going to win!" shouted one of the spectators.

'Oh no, not while I'm still standing,' Sakura thought. Although her master was no longer here, she was her student and the heir to her super strength. She wasn't going to let that title be ridiculed.

"Shannaro!" Sakura shouted, sending a bit more chakra into her hands and feet.

Jozu's eyes trembled slightly when he felt a slight cracking in his hands. With Sakura's increased strength, the pressure was causing the great resistance of his diamond arms to crack from the inside.

Sakura took a step forward, ready to push him. Pirates around both of them started cheering and shouting that Sakura had left her space. At that moment, the battle of brute strength between them ended, with Jozu as the winner.

People approached both of them to pat them on the back and congratulate them on the fight.

"Congratulations on your victory," Tato said.

"No, it was a tie," Jozu replied, glancing at Sakura, who was smiling and chatting with the crew members who approached her.

Some of his comrades looked at him curiously.

"A tie? She moved."

"They need to look closely," Whitebeard said, his eyes shining with amusement. This fight left him more intrigued by Sakura's abilities. He was the only one who noticed from his seat the slight surprise in Jozu's reaction to Sakura's strength and the subtle change in the reflection of light on Jozu's diamond hands when the pink-haired woman let out that shout.

To prove the point, Jozu extended his hands toward the commanders who approached to watch. They were surprised to notice small veins within the diamond, demonstrating that the girl's strength was managing to crack the Earth's strongest material.

To prove the point, Jozu extended his hands toward the commanders who approached to watch. They were surprised to notice small veins within the diamond, demonstrating that the woman's strength was managing to crack the Earth's strongest material.

Ace was the first to laugh out loud.

"No wonder she's a super strength fruit user," he said excitedly. Unlike the others, he had already seen a small demonstration of her strength, so he wasn't as surprised as the rest.

"You knew?" Vista asked.

"Let's just say that winning money at the casino wasn't a matter of luck," Ace replied, not going into too much detail to avoid getting into trouble, especially with Marco and Thatch.

Since then, Marco and Thatch continued to look after Sakura, although not as cautiously as before the fight.

When they reached the next island, Sakura was one of the first to disembark. Wearing sandals, she relished the feeling of sand beneath her toes and the scent of palm trees and vegetation. It's not that she minded being on the ship; she might even be developing a certain fondness for sailing, but nothing compared to the smell of trees and plants. Perhaps it was because she had been surrounded by vegetation since birth.

With more confidence in the local currency and writing, she decided to take a stroll on her own. This time, she was going to observe life on the island to get an idea of what everyday life is like on these islands where life doesn't revolve around the shinobi world, and to be prepared for when the time comes to part ways with the Whitebeard Pirates.

The first thing she noticed was that the island's main trade was coal. Several stalls were selling coal that was loaded onto ships. Most of the island's native people had hands stained black from coal dust. She grimaced at the thought that these people's lungs must be as deteriorated as those of a heavy smoker. This made her think of Shikamaru and the routine they had established, under Sakura's pressure, of having monthly check-ups to monitor his lungs due to his smoking habit. In the process, she regenerated their lungs in each session.

"I guess I won't have to worry about your lungs anymore," she said with a hint of nostalgia.

On her way through the city, she came across a couple selling pastries at a small stall. The aroma of freshly baked pastries awakened her appetite. While eating, she headed to the square, observing the people. Most of the coal vendors and the people seemed to have a subdued look. She figured this was due to the harsh life in the coal mines. As she made her way to the square, she began mentally listing possible diseases one could contract, from the mild to the most severe.

However, her journey came to a sudden halt when she heard a baby crying. Following the sound, she arrived at the center of the square, next to a fountain, where she found a girl no older than six years old. The girl, with ashy blond hair and dark eyes, struggled to hold the baby in one of her arms, trying to prevent it from falling, while extending her other hand for some coins. The ragged clothing of the girl made it clear that she was in a destitute situation. Despite the scene, the crowd around them seemed to completely ignore them.

The people surrounding the girl completely ignored them. As she approached the girl and the baby, the blonde girl clung to the skirt of a woman who appeared to be a tourist. With a pleading voice, the girl asked the woman:

—Please, could you give me some coins for my brother? He's starving, or even just a bit of bread.

The woman pushed her away as soon as her hands touched the skirt.

"Take your hands off my clothes, you're dirty," said the woman.

The girl fell to the ground sitting up and the baby in her arms cried louder.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, thank you, I just hope I don't get fleas," the lady replied. She was taken aback when Sakura walked past her and crouched down to the children's level.

"...Yes?" the girl said, not knowing what to do.

"I hope you don't get sick or develop an allergy from touching her; there are things better left untouched," Sakura added with concern.

The woman's face reddened as she realized she had been called "disease" and "thing."

"I'll give you some advice: you shouldn't trust the people here. This girl could be your downfall if you let yourself be deceived," she warned Sakura seriously.

"Are you still here? I thought you had left," Sakura said, feigning genuine surprise.

The woman could only mutter in anger and stomped away. It was only then that Sakura's expression softened as she looked at the girl and the baby, who was still crying loudly.

"It looks like he's hungry."

"No shit, Miss Smarty," the girl responded sarcastically. "If I had food, I wouldn't be begging for money and receiving only hatred from people."

If Sakura had been someone else, she might have been indignant with the girl and even given her some harsh words. Instead, she continued to smile as if she hadn't heard the girl's words.

"I'll buy you food," Sakura said with such confidence that the girl looked at her skeptically.

To make her point, Sakura stood up and pulled out a small green frog-shaped purse she had bought without hesitation at one of the stalls she had seen during her date with Ace. She opened it and displayed its contents filled with bills and coins. It was only through this gesture that she managed to convince the girl to follow her, and they could buy food for both of them.

When they arrived at the market, Sakura noticed the distrustful and suspicious glances from the townspeople, while the brave girl pretended not to notice. Finally, they found a shop that sold baby products, and the three of them entered.

The shop's bell rang as they entered, and an older woman behind the counter turned toward them with a smile that she reserved for customers, but her expression hardened when she saw the blonde girl with a woman with pink hair.

"I'm sorry, we're out of food," she replied somewhat brusquely before refocusing on a magazine she had on the reception table.

Sakura's eyes wandered to the shelves filled with baby products, from care items to foods for various stages of growth. Almost above the lady's head, Sakura saw several jars that, in her expert opinion, seemed ideal for the baby.

"What's that right above your head?" Sakura asked, trying to sound casual.

"It's reserved," the lady responded without bothering to check what the redhead was pointing at.

The girl was about to turn and leave, but Sakura stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. She then offered a wide smile to the lady, which made both the girl and the shopkeeper feel uncomfortable. A shiver ran down their spines like an omen of misfortune.

In another corner of the market, Marco and Ace walked together. Ace had been fooling around with his division, seeing how much food he could stuff into his mouth, which, as expected, led Thatch to send him to the market to buy food as punishment, with Marco as his supervisor since he was buying materials for the infirmary.

"Will you ever stop stealing food from the pantry?" Marco asked, partly in jest and partly resigned.

"Why would I? I was hungry, and what's better than doing it in a fun way?" Ace responded with a big grin.

Suddenly, they both came to a halt upon hearing a commotion coming from one of the nearby shops. Both they and the other passersby turned to see what was happening. It was a baby goods store.

"Not selling products due to prejudices is nonsense! We are honest buyers, not thieves. You don't deserve to have this store!" an angry and familiar voice echoed in the air.

They both immediately recognized the tone of the voice and knew it was Sakura who was speaking. The front door of the store fell to the ground after receiving a kick, and Sakura stormed out of the store like a whirlwind, holding the hand of a disheveled girl with a pale face, and the girl was holding a baby in her free arm. She was so furious that she didn't even recognize them as she passed by.

"Let's go, We'll get food somewhere else," Sakura said before heading toward the ship.

Marco and Ace exchanged glances; they didn't need to speak to understand their intentions. They entered the store, where they found the store lady, who didn't know if she was scared or angry, looking at her reception table split in half.

"That woman is completely crazy. Fortunately, she's gone. It's not good to have people like her in my business," the lady said, seemingly relieved that the situation had ended.

Both of them frowned and approached. When the woman noticed the presence of other customers, her smile faded.

"What did that woman want?" Marco asked.

"Nothing important, just a crazy person who was probably trying to rob me. Didn't you see the kids accompanying her? Never trust beggars," the lady replied dismissively.

"How about dealing with pirates?" Ace asked, casually leaning on the rickety table while igniting his fist in flames.

The woman turned deadly pale.

On the way back, the younger girl was still in shock from the strength Sakura had shown. They stopped when an older girl with black hair and tanned skin appeared and accused Sakura of being a thief for stealing from her brothers. Sakura was surprised because the blonde girl hadn't mentioned having another sister. Understanding how the situation might appear, especially in a village with people's attitudes toward children, Sakura began to explain to her. Once the younger sister got over her surprise, she corroborated Sakura's story and even mentioned that she had money in her purse, proving the pink-haired wasn't a thief.

The older sister, reluctantly, accepted once she saw that her brother was still crying, although his crying was less intense due to a lack of energy. Sakura assured them that she would give them food.

Sakura assured them that she would give them food.

Sakura led the two girls down the path that led to the ship, but at one point, they abruptly stopped. When she looked at the girls, Sakura found them trembling from head to toe. She didn't need to ask what was happening to them because if she hadn't lost consciousness in her first encounter with Ace due to their fight, she would probably be like the girls right now.

"You didn't say you were a pirate! You deceived us! We can't trust pirates!" the middle girl shouted, trying to break free from Sakura's grip.

"It's okay; they won't hurt you. They might look a little intimidating, but they're reliable and friendly," Sakura tried to reassure them.

"How do we know what you're saying is true? Everyone knows pirates are dirty, treacherous, and do whatever they want at the expense of others' lives," the older sister questioned.

Sakura couldn't vouch for all pirates since she knew firsthand that there were unpleasant pirates with dark intentions. Fortunately, she had had the chance to experience the other side of pirates. Besides, she couldn't deny that ninjas were not immune to twisted actions in the name of the nation or money, including her own blood-stained hands.

"Because I'm not a pirate; I'm a kunoichi, and I'm traveling with them for a while before settling down," Sakura replied honestly.

The two girls were surprised; of all the excuses they had expected, that was the least expected. With what seemed like her honest sincerity, the girls allowed themselves to be guided.

"My name is Haruno Sakura," she introduced herself.

"I'm Ellie," the younger girl responded.

"I'm Elliet, and our brother is named Eliot," the older one added.

Sakura led them until they boarded the ship. However, it didn't go unnoticed by anyone that Sakura arrived with a crying baby and two frightened girls. Upon reaching the deck, the baby's cries echoed throughout the ship, and Sakura walked alongside them as if it were the most natural thing in the world until she stood in front of Whitebeard, who raised an eyebrow, awaiting an explanation while the other pirates approached to find out what was happening.

"Captain, I know I'm just a guest on this ship. That's why I'm here to request your permission to provide food for these children," Sakura spoke with a formal tone, similar to the one she used in meetings with Tsunade or the leaders of the most important clans in Konoha. She then explained what had happened in the street and how she had decided to take the children to the ship. "Please, allow me to take care of them."

Perhaps it seemed like a somewhat outlandish request to ask this favor of pirates who, according to the world government, were considered the most dangerous people to the peace in the islands. She didn't want to instill in the girls that it was right to trust pirates, as she knew not all of them were good. In fact, she would prefer if they didn't trust her as easily as they had. However, she couldn't simply leave them to their fate.

"If we help them, what do you plan to do next? Today they'll have full stomachs and a comfortable bed to sleep in, but what will happen tomorrow when they leave? They might get their coins stolen and be begging for food again," Whitebeard said in a firm tone that shocked Sakura as much as his words did. She knew the captain was right. She had firsthand seen the ravages of power struggles in her country and the consequences villagers suffered after living through the great shinobi war in her senseis' time. A hot bowl of soup and a comfortable bed wouldn't solve their long-term problems.

Sakura wanted to protest, but her words stuck in her throat. She had the feeling that if she refuted the captain, he would bombard her with increasingly complicated questions until she had no choice but to say no. She couldn't do much for every child she came across, no matter how good her intentions were, and the ship wasn't a shelter to care for all the underprivileged children she met. However…

"I can't just pretend they don't exist. They're as human as I am. I know what it's like to be hungry and not receive help. If they hadn't helped me, I'd still be someone else's slave," she said with determination. "One day of help is one more opportunity to find a new path to a better life. If I ignore them, I won't be any better than those who sold me, stripping me of my humanity. This time, I... these children..."

A lump formed in her throat that prevented her from continuing to speak, but Sakura hardened her resolve against the memories flooding her mind.

"I will pay for their food, and if necessary, also for them to spend the night in a safe place."

No pirate present dared to make comments. Everyone on the ship knew that those who became slaves of the Tenryuubito had a life worse than garbage, and the best they could wish for was a swift death.

Sakura headed to the kitchen where the pirates were busy preparing the meal that was about to be served.

"Thatch," Sakura said when she arrived, surprising the division commander who was giving orders and tasting the food. He was surprised to find her with two girls and a baby.

"I know you're busy, if it's not too much trouble, I can cook some food and prepare milk for..."

"Sakura."

Before she could finish, she caught two objects thrown at her, a baby bottle and a container of baby milk powder. When they both looked at who had thrown the items, they found Ace and Marco.

"We saw what happened in the store," Marco said, noticing that they were expecting an explanation.

A small part of her felt a bit embarrassed about the scene they must have witnessed, another part didn't want to know what they did after seeing her argue with the shopkeeper, and the other was grateful that Ace and Marco had taken the trouble to get food for the baby.

As Sakura looked at the girls, noticing their ragged and dirty appearance, as well as the baby in the younger sister's arms, she began to wonder if it would be better to postpone the meal so they could bathe. The only problem was that if they bathed first, it would take longer before she could feed them. She didn't want them to eat in the dirty state they were in.

"I'll prepare the food," Thatch said, taking the formula container and the bottle from her hands once he sensed her dilemma.

Sakura sighed in relief.

"Thank you. Before eating, let's get you both a bath, can I hold the baby to make it more comfortable for you?"

The two girls looked at each other before handing over the baby. As she received him, Sakura gave a little jump; the baby was burning to the touch. She mentally scolded herself for being so careless. The redness on the child's face was not just from crying; he had a fever. She then placed her hand on the girls' foreheads. Neither of them had a fever, but the baby had an alarming temperature.

"What's wrong?" Marco asked.

"Were you sick recently?"

The two girls shifted uncomfortably.

"We had the flu not long ago."

Sakura knew that the flu was usually not a big problem, but in their situation, with the lack of good nutrition and no access to proper medications, the flu could be dangerous, especially for a baby. Marco confirmed that the baby had a very high fever when he touched his forehead and instructed Sakura to go take a bath while he searched for medicine.

Sakura didn't hesitate to obey. As a doctor, she knew that the baby's fever could be life-threatening, especially if he seemed exhausted from crying in pain all day. She almost ran out with Ace following her, carrying the girls in his arms so they wouldn't be left behind.

Inside the bathroom, Sakura let the shower water run, wetting the baby with cool water and herself in the process. Discreetly, Ace placed the girls in another shower stall and closed the door for privacy. The girls watched with curiosity as Sakura bathed the baby carefully and affectionately. Unbeknownst to them, Sakura discreetly applied some healing jutsu to the baby to lower his fever, stimulate his immune system, and help once Marco gives them the medicine.

When they finished bathing, all three children emerged wrapped in clean, fluffy towels. Ace was waiting for them, leaning against the opposite wall of the bathroom.

"You're dripping," Ace pointed out when he saw Sakura coming out with all her clothes soaked.

With great care, Ace approached Sakura and ran his hand through her hair, which he had previously heated enough to dry her, and then did the same with her clothes. Both girls' eyes sparkled as they saw a small flame emerge from Ace's hand.

"Thank you," Sakura said.

The two of them took the children to Sakura's bedroom, where they settled in.

"Ace, can you take care of the children for a moment? I need to talk to your captain," Sakura whispered in a soft, low tone.

Given her appearance, Ace agreed to take care of the girls, as Sakura seemed to be remembering something from her past that she needed to discuss with her father. He took the baby from Sakura's arms and crouched down to the level of the two girls, who huddled together when they saw the black-haired man approaching.

"Are you okay with me looking after you while Sakura is gone?"

"Yes / No," both girls replied.

The two sisters were surprised to notice that they had given different answers. Of course, the older sister, who had more reservations about being on a pirate ship and held some authority, had more weight in the decision. Therefore, the younger sister decided to follow her older sibling and expressed her distrust of Ace by sticking out her tongue.

"No, we don't trust guys like you."

"Oh, really? Well, I don't trust ugly girls like you either," Ace replied, sticking out his tongue in return.

They playfully engaged in childish banter, sticking their tongues out and making faces, something that would normally have made Sakura laugh at how immature Ace looked while behaving like this with a girl no older than eight. However, her current mood didn't allow her to find it funny. Fortunately, Elliet broke the ice by laughing at their antics, although she quickly covered her mouth, embarrassed by her involuntary laughter. To avoid complicating the situation further, she decided to swallow her pride and agree to stay with Ace until Sakura returned.

"Thank you," she said to the girls, aware that agreeing to stay with a pirate was not an easy decision. "You can take clothes from my drawers. If Ace does anything to you, tell me, and I'll make sure to leave him bald."

The pink-haired kunoichi left the room with three and a half children inside. Once outside, Ellie's eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked at Ace; her plan was as clear as day, which made the black-haired man furrow his brow.

"If you try anything, I'll comb your hair into a bird's nest."

"At least I won't go bald."

Ace decided to put an end to the argument and headed towards the drawers. They couldn't stay wrapped in wet towels, especially after being sick, and he knew that Sakura and Marco would scold him if he left them like that.

"Are you really going to touch a girl's drawers, you pervert?" Ellie taunted.

He slammed the drawer shut that he had barely opened and turned to look at Ellie, who was teasing him.

"I'm not a pervert."

"No, Ellie, Sakura-san gave him permission to see the clothes in her drawers, which means they have a man-woman relationship," Elliet responded, scolding her sister.

"What?" Ace wondered if she even understood what she meant by that. "No, Sakura and I don't have that kind of relationship."

Now, both girls' expressions turned blank, and it looked as if they had the word 'pervert' written on their foreheads

"I bet he wants to see her underwear," Ellie said.

"I'm just doing what Sakura asked," Ace countered. He turned to face the drawer, and his ears turned intensely red. Now he was aware that Sakura's underwear was in one of the drawers.

His instinct told him that if he accidentally saw her underwear, it would end up in Sakura's hands as soon as she found out. Without daring to look inside the drawer, he quickly opened one and grabbed the first thing he found.

"Ready, who's going to dress first?"

"Pervert" Elliet said.

"What? I didn't see her underwear," Ace defended himself, proud of his feat.

"Then what do you have in your hand?" Ellie pointed out.

With a jump, he let go of the garment as if it had burned him, and upon seeing that it was a tank top, his face turned even redder.

Both girls burst into laughter, with the little one being the less discreet.

"An adult falling into a little girl's trap, are you really a pirate?" Ellie teased.

"You little brats, you'll see... First, you'll get dressed" Ace said, this time not worrying about the clothes he would find. He opened the drawers and started looking for suitable clothing for the girls.

The conversation with Whitebeard turned out to be more extensive than Sakura had anticipated. Once she left the captain's quarters, she felt exhausted. She had made the decision to be completely honest about her past, her entire past, even revealing details she would prefer to forget. She longed to reach her bed, curl up, and sleep until the next day in the hope of leaving behind the bitter pill she had had to face. Fortunately, after her conversation with Whitebeard, he agreed to allow the girls to stay on the ship only until they set sail again.

"If you think this will help, then I agree," were the words Whitebeard addressed to her.

Another positive aspect of her talk with Whitebeard was that he took the news calmly. He even mentioned that in all his years at sea, he had never seen an island like the one Sakura described. He found it more incredible than even possessing a Devil Fruit. As a demonstration of her abilities, Sakura created a clone of herself and performed a small water jutsu.

"In truth, I have heard of your story," Whitebeard said after watching the demonstration. "However, it's only an ancient legend in Wano, a Fire Country... Izo and an old friend and former commander of the Second Division mentioned it. They called that mysterious island 'Elemental Island' because of the powers it was said to control. I never expected the legend to be true."

Knowing that in the country of Wano they had some knowledge of her island, even if only through legends, only increased the questions in Sakura's mind. However, she didn't have the energy to continue probing. After explaining about her country and her island, she began to describe her life up to the recent events she remembered before falling from the sky, and it was at that moment that tears began to flow uncontrollably down her cheeks.