After obtaining Luffy's shadow, Yato didn't waste any time. He ordered his navigator shadow to head toward a specific route—one of the most dangerous in that region, where ships were frequently attacked by pirates. He knew that was where Alvida usually operated. Since he had invaded the capital port of the Goa Kingdom days earlier, he had already taken some maps and cruise routes that passed through there, along with information about dangerous zones. It wasn't hard to cross-check that data with what he remembered from the original One Piece storyline.
With the maps in hand, he simply showed them to his navigator shadow, who gestured in agreement and took the helm naturally. No explanations were needed. The dead man's innate navigation skill took care of the rest. Yato took the opportunity to relax. The other shadows were busy handling basic tasks on the ship, obeying silently, as they always did. He leaned back against the worn wooden deck and looked up at the clear sky, allowing himself a rare moment of reflection.
'Everything is going as expected,' he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. 'But there are still a few things about these shadows that intrigue me.'
Ever since he got that power, he'd been paying attention to every detail. He'd noticed, for example, that his shadows retained no memories of their former lives. There were no traces of personality, memories, or even trauma. They were essentially tools. However, that didn't make them useless. On the contrary, they kept the abilities they had acquired in life. The navigator, even without remembering who he was, knew exactly how to steer a ship.
In addition, Yato had noticed something even more interesting: shadows could evolve. With training, they could become physically stronger, and some could even learn new techniques. But there seemed to be a limit. Not all of them improved at the same rate. Some became much more efficient in a short amount of time, while others seemed to plateau. That led him to a logical conclusion.
'It probably depends on the talent they had when alive. Not even with months of training will some of them reach the level of the more skilled ones.'
The idea of an army of specialist shadows pleased him. He already had Luffy's shadow, one of his greatest acquisitions so far, and he intended to expand his team even more.
His mind then turned to Alvida. Not just because of the power she represented, but also for her reproductive potential. Yato needed to impregnate her — that was the rule. But ideally, she would already have eaten the Sube Sube no Mi. Not just because she'd be more beautiful, but because she'd be stronger and more useful in battle.
'Bringing her along would be great. I could get her pregnant several times in a row without worrying about having to come back for her on some isolated island.'
He already had suspicions about where the fruit might be. There was a small island near the area where Alvida usually attacked — the only one with solid land nearby. In the original story, Luffy had sent Alvida flying. Maybe she had landed there and found the fruit.
As for Alvida's crew, he didn't worry about them. Luffy had defeated them all by himself in the original story. Yato had Luffy's shadow, several other shadows, and his own strength, which was probably similar to hers, if not greater.
Pirates respect strength. If he wanted Alvida on his side — and in his bed — he would have to defeat her clearly. Humiliatingly, even. Only then would she accept him as superior. And he intended to do that without getting his hands too dirty.
The sun was already setting when he dozed off on the deck, lulled by the gentle sway of the sea and the warm breeze. He fell asleep with his mind full of calculations and plans. The next morning, he was awakened by a distant sound of explosions. He stood up immediately and raised a hand to his forehead, shielding his eyes from the sun to see better.
In the distance, a ship was under attack. The smaller boat was fast and nimble, cutting through the waves like an arrow. On its mast, a flag fluttered that he recognized instantly.
'Got lucky.' A crooked smile appeared on his face. 'I knew she'd be in this area, but seeing her this quickly… that's efficiency.'
He didn't hesitate. With a simple gesture, he ordered the navigator shadow to adjust course toward Alvida's ship. He himself stepped forward onto the deck, preparing for the confrontation.
The sea breeze hit his face as the ship drew closer.