Rin wiped his mouth with a cloth and stretched his arms. Rolling his eyes, he suddenly spoke. "Artoria, since you're already my partner, can you do me a favor?"
"Of course, Mr. Captain." Artoria smiled, her lips curving upward as she leaned back in her seat.
"How about having the king of this country send us a seafaring ship?" Rin asked, his tone expectant but slightly sheepish.
It was a somewhat awkward request, but Rin knew they were in a position where a pirate crew was only as strong as its ship. It reminded him of Luffy at the beginning of his journey—two crew members and no ship to set sail on.
"Huh." Artoria smiled, hearing Rin's request. "A ship? No problem. This is nothing for a country to provide."
Artoria's status was enough to have such a request granted without much trouble, especially when it came to something as simple as a ship. However, if Rin asked for anything more valuable, Artoria might hesitate to use her influence so freely.
Seeing her confirmation, Rin's eyes lit up. He was eager to move forward with his plans.
"Great! So, Artoria, go take care of the ship matter first. I've got something to handle on my end." Rin stood up with a grin.
"Yes, Mr. Captain. Need help, though?" Artoria asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No need." Rin waved her off with a smile. "I'm going to invite another member to join our crew. It's my duty as a captain."
With that, Rin left the restaurant first, the faint clinking of his boots echoing in the silent room.
As Rin left, Artoria's gaze followed him. She couldn't help but think to herself, Pirates… Not just any pirates, but pirates chasing dreams and freedom, not those who cause chaos for the sake of it… I can get used to this.
She muttered softly under her breath, then got up herself, ready to fulfill the captain's orders without delay.
——
After leaving the restaurant, Rin ran into King Kaidoly, briefly informing him that he would be back soon. With that, Rin hurried off, remembering his meeting with Casa, which had been arranged earlier.
Rin made his way to the tavern in town, the agreed-upon location. The moment he arrived, he pushed the door open and was met by a rush of warm air, the sounds of laughter, and clinking glasses. The tavern was full of pirates, bounty hunters, and navy personnel—all in disguise, trying to keep a low profile.
Rin's eyes immediately scanned the room, landing on Casa sitting alone in a corner. Rin made his way over, signaling to the waiter.
"Whiskey," Rin ordered, then walked to Casa and sat across from him.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" Casa asked bluntly, not wasting time on pleasantries.
Rin paused, letting the whiskey burn down his throat before replying.
"Do you have a dream that you have to fulfill?" Rin asked, his voice low but probing.
"Yes," Casa answered without hesitation, his eyes hardening as the words left his lips. His expression darkened, and a flash of hatred flickered behind his eyes.
"Can you tell me about it?" Rin inquired, his voice more intrigued now.
Casa looked at Rin, his silence stretching on. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, meant only for their ears.
"I want to overthrow the Navy, overthrow the World Government, and let the people of this world see their true, ugly faces. And… I want to kill Akainu, the Admiral of the Navy Headquarters."
"Oh?" Rin raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by Casa's dream.
The mention of Akainu (Sakazuki) made Rin pause. He hadn't expected Casa to have such a personal vendetta against the Navy or the World Government. Akainu, with his ruthless Magma-Magma Fruit powers and brutal ideology, was not someone easily taken down.
Rin thought for a moment, piecing together what he had learned from Casa's earlier behavior. There were grudges between Casa and the World Government, a deep hatred for Akainu that went beyond mere politics.
But Rin didn't let this faze him. He calmly replied, "That's a hard dream."
"I know, but I must finish it." Casa clenched his fist, his resolve clear.
Rin leaned in, his eyes sharp and focused. "So… interested in joining my pirate crew?"
Casa stared at Rin, his gaze unwavering.
"Be my crew. Let's go to the world together, whether it's the Navy or the World Government, they won't stop us!" Rin's voice was full of conviction, the power of leadership evident in his words.
Casa didn't answer immediately, instead sizing Rin up. He saw the ambition in Rin's eyes, the same drive that had once driven people like Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Luffy.
"Why should I promise you?" Casa asked, his tone flat but curious.
"Because you need partners," Rin said, his voice taking on a sharper edge. "You need a group of people who have your back—people who can stand with you when the going gets tough, people who can fight by your side and handle your enemies, even those that seem impossible to defeat."
Casa's eyes narrowed, considering Rin's words.
"And then?" Casa asked, his skepticism clear.
"And then…" Rin's grin spread across his face. His tone became less serious and more daring. "Then, we take on the world."
His eyes gleamed with excitement and fire.
"It's the world we're after."
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