Out on the open sea, Yato and Luffy sailed steadily. In the distance, Yato noticed dark clouds gathering on the horizon. His sharp eyes immediately recognized the signs of an approaching storm.
"Luffy, there's a storm coming," Yato warned.
Luffy, sitting lazily on the deck, just laughed. "A little rain won't stop us!"
Yato narrowed his eyes as the wind picked up speed. The waves were already growing restless. The sky darkened rapidly, and the first drops of rain hit the wooden deck. Within minutes, the sea turned violent, the ship rocking dangerously from side to side.
"Luffy, the boat won't hold in this storm!" Yato shouted over the roaring winds. "Get inside a barrel! If the ship sinks, you won't be able to swim!"
Luffy, seeing the seriousness in Yato's face, hesitated for only a moment before nodding. Without a word, he climbed into a large barrel and closed the lid.
As soon as Luffy was sealed inside, two shadows emerged from Yato's own—one belonged to the navigator he had killed in Goa Kingdom, the other to the bandit. The navigator immediately took control of the ship, skillfully steering through the chaotic waves, while the bandit stood guard.
Inside the barrel, Luffy felt uneasy. He tried to shift slightly, but then something strange happened. Two shadowy hands emerged from beneath the barrel and grabbed his ankles. Cold metal snapped around his legs.
Luffy's heart pounded. His body instantly felt drained, his strength vanishing like air from a punctured balloon.
"What—?!"
Before he could react further, the sound of gunfire erupted. Sharp, searing pain spread through his body as bullets tore into him. His mind reeled in shock.
Outside, Yato stood calmly, a pistol in hand. The bullets were made of seastone—Luffy had no chance.
Minutes passed. The storm gradually faded as the navigator's shadow guided the ship back into calm waters. Yato approached the barrel, pried it open, and gazed inside.
Luffy was lying there, blood pooling beneath him. His breath came in weak, ragged gasps. His eyes flickered open, full of confusion and desperation.
"Yato... someone... inside... the barrel," Luffy wheezed, barely able to form words.
Yato put on his best act, eyes widening in apparent shock. "Luffy! What happened?! Stay with me!"
Luffy coughed up more blood, his face pale, struggling to speak. "Hands... grabbed me... then... shots..." His vision blurred, his body growing colder by the second.
Yato pressed a hand over Luffy's wounds, pretending to try and stop the bleeding. "Hold on, I'll save you!"
But then, behind Yato, a shadow rose silently. It held a pistol, aimed directly at Luffy's head.
BANG!
The final shot echoed across the deck.
Luffy's body went still.
Silence followed. The air was thick with death.
Yato didn't react, his expression unreadable. He simply gazed at Luffy's lifeless form. Then, he saw it—Luffy's shadow.
A smirk ghosted across Yato's lips. He's dead. That means...
Reaching into the darkness, Yato dismissed one of his tiger shadows, making space for his new acquisition. Then, effortlessly, he pulled Luffy's shadow from his corpse.
Slowly, it took form.
The shadow stood before him, tall and ominous. Though its shape mirrored Luffy's, it was darker, its features distorted.
"Welcome back," Yato murmured, watching as his new servant stood silently, awaiting his command.