Cade and Dandelion exited through the windows, climbing to the শীর্ষ of the train to stand on the roof. Both had excellent balance as they stood casually in the rushing sea breeze that sent their hair flying wildly in a blur of black and red. They felt far আরো at peace here, in the outdoors, where they felt like they were once again a part of the blue sky and blue ocean. Cade, especially, knew that the sight of the middle of the ocean would never get old, no matter how many times he saw it.

He didn’t even mind the fact that the site was ruined দ্বারা the কামান balls sailing through the air around them.

Both could see the pirate ship that had approached close enough to make sure their কামান balls hit. The ship wasn’t big in comparison to the really large pirate ships one saw in the New World, but this one was still large enough to warrant attention. It had a swirling shape that resembled a bellflower and the Jolly Roger emblazoned on the ship’s sail and flag was a round mirror with a purplish-blue ফুল in the center of it. It was a fairly famous insignia in the New World, one that would shock anyone here on the other side of the Grand Line.

“She seriously came back to Paradise just to attack you?” Dandelion shook her head pitifully as she folded her arms over her chest. “The way আপনি piss people off has to be one of your rare talents. It’s like a reliable উৎস of entertainment.”

“Bluebell is a very particular case, so I don’t think আপনি can really count her.” Cade shrugged with an amused smirk as he tried to drape an arm over Dandelion’s shoulder. “Don’t let it get to you, Dandy. You’re still my woman.”

Dandelion mercilessly shoved Cade away, nearly pushing him into the sea water below. Cade crouched down low to prevent himself from losing his balance. Dandelion glared at him as she raised a foot, as if to kick him off.

“Don’t touch me. Don’t come near me. Don’t get familiar with me.”

“Sheesh! I was just joking around! Are আপনি sure আপনি don’t have androphobia?”

“Fearing men and hating men are two different things. But I don’t even see আপনি as a man.”

“Hmm? আরো than a man, then?”

Cade had to hold onto Dandelion’s foot desperately to prevent her kick from knocking him into the ocean.

Cade abruptly pushed away from Dandelion and drew a pistol from his waist, aiming it to the side and firing it without even looking at what he was aiming at. The bullet collided with an oncoming cannonball and an explosion ensued in the air, the smell of gunpowder only reaching them for a brief সেকেন্ড as the salty sea breeze whisked the smoke and smell away in the পরবর্তি second.

“Rude much.”

<Locksley! I knew you’d প্রদর্শনী your ugly mug if I called আপনি out!>

The voice bellowed through the air from the ship and Cade simply waved cheekily at the speaker. Though the distance was nothing to laugh at, Cade could see Captain Bluebell clearly with his sharp eyes, honed as a sharpshooter and sniper. Her vivid red hair and billowing captain’s কোট made it easy to recognize her as she stood at the foremost section of the ship in full view.

<You must think you’re really funny, trying to make a deal with the government to save your own sorry ass! Where is your pride, man?! Those bastards are pop’s enemies! Our enemies!>

“Ugh, not this story again.” Cade shook his head before cupping his mouth and taking a deep breath to yell. “I don’t give a damn about the pride of a pirate! In case আপনি didn’t know, I don’t have any! And Pops is old! Tell him to retire already!”

<Screw you, traitor!>

Loud bangs filled the air as multiple cannons fired at once. Dandelion clicked her tongue as she unfolded her arms and let them hang loosely at her side, fingers flexed.

“Doesn’t look like she’s going to listen to reason. Do I have to hold back?”

“Not too much. A wake up call will be good medicine for her.”

Dandelion nodded once before she launched herself into the air with a forceful jump. If the train hadn’t been so strong, it likely would have crumpled under the force she used. As it was, Dandelion sailed into the air, right over the ocean, and slammed into one of the cannonballs. It exploded on contact, but Dandelion didn’t seem injured. She simply rode the explosion further into the air until she hit another কামান ball that exploded on contact, sending her right onto the ship.

“And people say I’m reckless.” Cade chuckled as he fired his pistol in quick succession, easily shooting the rest of the oncoming কামান balls out of the air, causing an array of explosions that shook the air. He sent a few extra shots in the direction of the cannons being fired, expertly hitting the shoulders of the people working them, making sure they wouldn’t be able to আগুন the cannons again anytime soon.

As soon as he was sure it was নিরাপদ to move, Cade turned on his heel, aiming his back toward the ship, and drew his other pistol, holding one in each hand as he pointed them straight out.

“Busoshoku: Shōgeki (Impact)!”

He fired both of his pistols once in unison, but normal bullets didn’t fly out this time. Instead, a loud shockwave flew out as the bullets slowly moved out of the guns’ barrels, as if through a viscous fluid. Cade relaxed his legs and the shockwave immediately sent him flying back as the bullets picked up speed and flew into the ocean uselessly. Cade spun in midair to face অগ্রবর্তী once more, grinning as he easily cleared the distance between the Sea Train and the pirate ship, landing on its deck in time to হাঁস his head and avoid an errant gun shot.

“Try not to kill anyone!” Cade called over to Dandelion, who was busy punching ferociously at the pirates surrounding her. Despite being out numbered, they quickly fell under the power of each মুষ্ট্যাঘাত she threw, even though she used no stance অথবা notable martial art. “We need permission for that nowadays!”

Dandelion gave no response, though he swings did become somewhat softer—though still devastating for those nearby. Cade chuckled before turning to face the redheaded captain who was glaring daggers directly into his heart.

“Well, what can I say?” Cade spoke in a tone that completely ignored the hostility being aimed at him. “You look as gorgeous as ever…I guess?”

“Don’t give me your sarcasm, bastard. Marco told me that আপনি refused Pop’s offer to make আপনি a commander of a division?”

“And if I did? I don’t think that really matters to a former কেবিন girl.”

Bluebell’s hands gripped the hilt of her saber tightly and she drew it with a fluid movement, aiming the tip at Cade as a cruel smirk appeared on her face.

“Choosing the government over your own বন্ধু at sea…Just how many people in the New World do আপনি think আপনি shared saké with? You’re practically our brother! Do আপনি really think we can just stand aside as আপনি betray us all?”

“I’m not going to explain my reasons to a hotheaded girl like you.” Cade sighed miserably as he shook his head back and forth. “But I don’t want to wipe আপনি out, either. So how about this? If আপনি agree to promise yourself to me, I’ll make sure the whole crew gets back to the New World safely.”

“‘Promise myself to you’?” Bluebell repeated as a cruel grin appeared on her face. “Just what do আপনি mean দ্বারা that?”

“What do আপনি think? I mean আপনি should যোগদান my concubine—”

“LIKE HELL, আপনি TRAITOR!”

Bluebell swung her sword angrily through the air, aiming to স্ল্যাশ right through Cade’s neck. Cade evaded দ্বারা ducking, crouching his legs so the blade passed over his head. A streak of silver trailed after the blade, as if left behind, and remained in the air, preventing Cade from standing back up. Bluebell took a step অগ্রবর্তী and slashed downward with all of her strength, forcing Cade to back up several feet to evade. This left another after image of silver that trailed behind the blade, bisecting the first one to create a ক্রুশ in the air, created from the light that had come off of Bluebell’s blade.

“Mira Mira no Tōei (Projection)!”

The ক্রুশ of light immediately shot অগ্রবর্তী like a bullet, flying straight at Cade far too quickly to be evaded. Cade didn’t even bother trying; he held one pistol out and aimed it at the middle of the approaching attack and pressed the trigger.

“Busoshoku: Shōgeki.”

Just as before, the shockwave preceded the bullet, which moved slowly through the viscous air as it exited Cade’s barrel. But rather than shooting Cade through the air like last time, the bullet gained considerably speed very abruptly and struck the middle of the ক্রুশ of silvery light. The air seemed to distort around the bullet as the shockwave continued to emit from the গাদাবন্দুক ball, flying outwards and slamming into the entire attack and ripping it apart, rendering the silvery light harmless.

Before Cade could gloat about his success, Bluebell shot অগ্রবর্তী and brought her sword around to attack Cade once আরো with light trailing off of the blade. Cade opted not to dodge and raised his pistol once more, blocking Bluebell’s saber with the short blade that extended underneath the barrel of Cade’s pistol like a সঙ্গিন might.

“So feisty.” Cade smirked as he looked right into Bluebell’s reflective eyes that were alight with her righteous emotions. “Are আপনি forgetting who it was who taught আপনি to use a sword? Do আপনি really think আপনি can beat me?”

“That was ten years ago, and আপনি haven’t used a sword since.” Bluebell shot back as she continued to apply force to her দোল in an attempt to overpower Cade. “Plus, the righteous always win.”

Cade snorted as he released the force behind his gun and let Bluebell complete her swing. He ducked to evade her attack and raised his gun to press it against her shoulder, mercilessly firing the gun. Bluebell threw herself to the side in time to avoid the normal bullet that flew out and she backed up several steps.

“I just প্রণয় it when pirates use that word.” Cade continued to chuckle as he fired one gun at Bluebell several times, forcing her to deflect each bullet with her blade. “The same for when আপনি say ‘justice’ and ‘good guy’. It’s like a pun অথবা something.”

“Unlike like you, there are pirates who have morals!”

Bluebell thrust her saber অগ্রবর্তী and a spear of silver light flew at Cade, but he easily side stepped and evaded the strike.

“It has nothing to do with morals. The pirates are the opposite of the marines, who carry the name of justice on their backs. They pillage, lie, steal, destroy, and laugh. The marines protect the innocent from them. আপনি know that. And yet, here আপনি are, a pirate, trying to be the ‘good guy’ দ্বারা delivering judgment onto my so called ‘traitorous actions’ that’s really just আপনি throwing your emotions around in my face.”

“So is that what you’re doing, Cade? Are আপনি trying to become the good guy দ্বারা joining the enemy side? Are আপনি trying to gain retribution for all the evils you’ve done, all the mistakes you’ve made, and all the lies you’ve told?”

Bluebell continued to স্ল্যাশ furiously at Cade, but he evaded each one while circling around her, forcing her to pivot on her heel to chase after him. This ended up leaving several silver streaks of light around her that showed the paths her blade had followed, essentially covering her entire figure and preventing Cade from getting to close. Cade was আরো than happy to take advantage of this and retreat several steps, aiming both of his pistols at once while firing repetitively. What resulted from this was a দেওয়াল of bullets that seemed to defy the amount of ammo Cade should have been able to unload in such a short amount of time. Each bullet was skillfully aimed into the small spaces between the many silver streaks that protected Bluebell, bypassing her defenses to hit her body without mercy.

“Mira Mira no Tōei!”

The silver streaks all shot out at one in a storm of silver blades that flew in every direction, moving in dangerous arcs as they curved in midair to fly at Cade. The bullets were sliced in two and deflected as Cade hopped and pivoted on his heel as he evaded each streak of light, smirking all the while. Without even waiting to see where Bluebell stood at the center of the storm of silver light, Cade fired both of his বন্দুক once আরো to shoot another দেওয়াল of bullets. Though he couldn’t see her clearly, even with his sharp eyes that could see a target miles away, his skill with Kenbunshoku haki made it easy for him to feel where Bluebell was standing so he could put each and every one of his bullets on a path to find her body.

“Don’t get cocky just because you’re a warlord now, Cade!”

The দেওয়াল of bullets returned to Cade just as quickly as it left, leaving no মহাকাশ to properly evade with nothing around to take cover behind. Cade calmly fired his বন্দুক again and expertly fired bullets that collided with the oncoming bullets, deflecting them and leaving his body safe.

Bluebell stood in the same spot as before, completely unharmed দ্বারা the bullets that should have pierced her body. Something had clearly changed with her appearance; she no longer possessed her warmly colored cheeks অথবা her purplish captain’s কোট that she so held so dear. Her entire body, along with her clothes, had turned to a smooth surface that reflected her surroundings perfectly, giving her a glossy appearance. She took on a primarily blue color thanks to the ocean and the sky above her, but brownish color also mixed in thanks to the wooden deck she stood on. Even her originally bright red hair was now glossy and sky blue.

“So you’re serious, eh?” Cade continued to smile even as he observed this jarring change in appearance. “I haven’t see আপনি use your devil ফলমূল in a while. আপনি always used to complain about how unlike আপনি it was to be a mirror human.”

“I don’t care if you’re a warlord, bounty hunter, অথবা even a blood brother of mine. There is no way I’m going to lose to a traitor like you.”