Chapter 9: Shadows Set Sail

The aftermath of the raid left the Marine base eerily silent, save for the faint echo of footsteps. Among the fallen, one shadow began to stir differently.

It was the wolf—Soro—Helmeppo's once-feared pet, now nothing more than another shadow soldier in Jin-Woo's growing army. Its form was leaner, sleeker, its white fur now shrouded in black mist, glowing blue eyes piercing through the darkness.

Meanwhile, Helmeppo was nowhere to be found.

Having fled during the chaos, he sprinted desperately through the streets of Shells Town, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth where Zoro's fist had landed. His heart pounded in terror, his mind racing with thoughts of Jin-Woo and Zoro.

He didn't stop running until he reached the port.

There, sitting alone in a small boat—the same one Jin-Woo had arrived in—was Koby. The boy was staring out at the open sea, a small, relieved smile on his face. He was finally free.

But that freedom was short-lived.

Helmeppo's eyes locked onto him with a mix of rage and desperation. Without hesitation, he pulled out his pistol and stumbled toward the boat, panting heavily.

Koby turned, his smile vanishing the moment he saw Helmeppo storming toward him, gun in hand.

Helmeppo climbed into the boat, shoving Koby aside roughly. "Start sailing—NOW!" he barked, waving the pistol in Koby's face, his hand trembling with panic.

Koby's heart raced, fear gripping him once again. But this time… there was something different in his eyes.

A flicker of defiance.

Back at the Marine base, Jin-Woo and Zoro continued their search. The halls were filled with the faint hum of shadow soldiers standing guard.

In the captain's office, Jin-Woo found a compass and a rolled-up map of the East Blue. He studied both briefly before tossing the compass to Zoro.

Zoro glanced at it, then scoffed. "This is useless if you're planning to reach the Grand Line. It's just a normal compass. You'll need something called a Log Pose to navigate those waters properly."

Jin-Woo's brow furrowed. "Log Pose?"

Zoro nodded. "Yeah, it works differently from regular compasses. It locks onto islands' magnetic fields. Without it, you'll get lost."

Jin-Woo unfolded the map, his sharp eyes scanning the details. "The closest island to us is Orange Town."

Without another word, he tossed the map and compass to one of his newly acquired shadow soldiers.

"You're the navigator for now," Jin-Woo ordered flatly. The shadow saluted silently, its dark form gripping the items as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Zoro chuckled dryly. "A shadow for a navigator, huh? Guess that's one way to do it."

Jin-Woo ignored the comment. "We should leave before the Marines catch wind of this place."

The two made their way toward the docks, passing the remnants of the chaos they'd left behind.

At the port, a Marine cruiser-like vessel sat anchored—a small but formidable ship with three masts, two with square sails and one with a lateen sail. Along its hull, six cannons lined each side, with four larger cannons mounted at the bow.

Jin-Woo's eyes glinted. "This'll do."

Stepping aboard, Jin-Woo unleashed twenty shadow soldiers from his shadow. They materialized in formation, awaiting orders.

"Prepare the ship. We set sail immediately."

Without hesitation, the soldiers scattered across the deck—raising the sails, untying ropes, adjusting cannons, and securing supplies. Their movements were eerily efficient, faster and more disciplined than any ordinary crew.

Zoro leaned against the railing, watching the shadows work with mild amusement. "You are a one man crew."

As the ship began to drift from the dock, Jin-Woo stood at the bow, the wind tugging at his coat.

The stolen Marine vessel glided smoothly over the vast expanse of the East Blue. The salty breeze filled the sails, while the rhythmic creaking of wood and the faint splash of waves against the hull created a steady, calming symphony.

But Jin-Woo had no interest in calm.

Standing at the bow, his arms crossed, he turned to face the deck where his shadow soldiers moved with mechanical precision.

"Change the look of this ship," Jin-Woo ordered flatly.

Without a word, the shadows sprang into action. Some disappeared below deck, while others began stripping away Marine insignias from the sails and hull. The sound of crates being pried open echoed from the ship's hold as the shadows retrieved various supplies—wooden planks, tar, paint, spare cloth, and metal scraps.

Zoro leaned lazily against the railing, watching with a raised eyebrow. "Never seen a crew work like that. Guess it saves you from yelling at idiots to get things done."

Jin-Woo glanced at him. "Efficient. They don't complain, don't tire, and they don't need food."

Zoro snorted. "Sounds like a nightmare for most captains, but perfect for you."

Jin-Woo didn't respond. Instead, he shifted the conversation.

"Back at the base, you mentioned something—Devil Fruits. What are they exactly?"

Zoro's casual expression grew slightly more serious. He pushed himself off the railing and walked over, arms folded.

"Devil Fruits… they're strange fruits that grant whoever eats them a special ability. Powers vary—some people can control fire, others can turn into animals, even manipulate the elements. But there's a catch," he added, glancing at the waves. "You lose the ability to swim. The sea becomes your worst enemy."

Jin-Woo raised an eyebrow. "Magic fruit that makes you powerful… but drowns you." He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "My abilities aren't from that. I can still swim just fine."

Zoro shrugged. "Then whatever you are, you're something else entirely."

Before Jin-Woo could reply, heavy footsteps echoed across the deck.

Slash, the towering shadow of what was once Axe-Hand Morgan, approached with slow, deliberate steps. His massive axe-hand—now engulfed in dark, flickering flames—rested on his shoulder. Despite being a shadow, there was an unmistakable air of authority in his posture.

In his free hand, he held a large black flag.

Slash unfurled it with a dramatic flourish.

It was a jolly roger—a stark black skull with two crossed daggers behind it, and dark flames, resembling shadows, pouring from the skull's eye sockets.

Zoro whistled, clearly impressed. "Now that's a flag."

Jin-Woo, however, wasn't as thrilled. His eyes narrowed. "Why are you showing me this?"

Slash didn't speak, but the intention was clear: the shadow soldiers wanted to raise it, to replace the Marine insignia and mark the ship as their own.

Jin-Woo sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Flying that flag means we're pirates."

The shadows around the deck seemed to droop slightly, their postures less rigid, almost as if… disappointed.

Zoro chuckled. "They've got more personality than I expected."

Jin-Woo glanced at the shadows, then at the flag again. "Tch… fine. Do it."

The shadows immediately perked up, moving swiftly to hoist the black flag up the mainmast. It unfurled high above the ship, fluttering boldly against the sky.

Jin-Woo crossed his arms again, scowling. "Not like it matters. That blonde brat, Helmeppo, escaped. The Marines will be after us anyway."

Zoro grinned, his swords resting at his hip. "Guess that makes us pirates now."

Jin-Woo didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, the shadowy jolly roger now waving proudly above him.

The newly claimed ship, now adorned with its ominous black jolly roger, sliced through the calm waters of the East Blue with ease. Under the relentless efficiency of Jin-Woo's shadow crew, the sails were perfectly adjusted, and the ship glided as if guided by fate itself.

Orange Town soon appeared on the horizon—a modest village nestled near the coast, its buildings simple yet sturdy. From a distance, it looked peaceful, but as they drew closer, the signs of chaos became evident.

Docking the ship without fanfare, Jin-Woo and Zoro disembarked, leaving the shadow soldiers to guard the vessel.

Zoro glanced around, his sharp eyes scanning the area. "This village is relatively new," he commented, adjusting the swords at his side. "Only about 42 years old. The people here had their original hometown destroyed by pirates… so they rebuilt here."

Jin-Woo grunted in acknowledgment, his hands tucked into his pockets as they walked deeper into the village.

The tranquility was quickly replaced by signs of destruction. Several buildings lay in ruins, walls collapsed and debris scattered across the dirt roads. Smoke lingered faintly in the air, and the scent of gunpowder was unmistakable.

Zoro knelt beside a shattered wall, examining the wreckage. "Looks like cannon fire. Big one, too. Whoever did this wasn't here to make friends."

Jin-Woo's eyes narrowed. "Pirates again."

As they moved further in, their attention was drawn to a commotion up ahead.

In the center of a narrow street, a young girl with striking orange hair was cornered by three rough-looking pirates. She glared at them defiantly, clutching a small bag tightly against her chest.

One of the pirates wore a battered hat, its fabric faded but still displaying a distinct jolly roger—a grinning clown face with a red nose and crossbones behind it.

Jin-Woo's eyes flicked to the symbol, a glint of recognition flashing in his gaze. Without a word, he reached into his inventory and pulled out the stack of wanted posters he'd collected back in Shells Town. His fingers flipped through them until he found the one he was looking for.

"Buggy the Clown," he muttered, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he compared the jolly roger on the pirate's hat to the one on the poster. "Looks like we've got ourselves a big catch."

Zoro cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face. "About time things got interesting."

Without hesitation, they advanced toward the confrontation—the hunt was on.