One Piece: My Crew is from Other World

The massive lantern fish floated motionless, an eerie silence surrounding its hulking body. A sickening stench of rot slowly began to waft through the air.

Its once-glossy, round form began to collapse in on itself, shrinking rapidly as if the life had been drained from it in an instant. Within moments, the fearsome creature had withered into something that resembled dried salted fish.

Ryuunosuke frowned, his sharp eyes scanning the remains.

"…This thing definitely doesn't look appetizing anymore," he muttered.

In its prime, the lantern fish might've been passable food for a desperate crew, but now? Not a chance.

"Did it start aging the moment it lost the Pure Gold?" Ryuunosuke murmured, sword still in hand. "Or… how long had it lived sustained by that stuff?"

He squatted beside the remains, poking at the shrunken flesh with the tip of his blade. Pure Gold was known to manipulate the flow of time, preserving the youth of its holder. So what would happen when that influence was suddenly cut off?

"The longer someone possesses Pure Gold, the more warped their body becomes by time..."

He looked at the shriveled carcass again.

"Maybe those tentacles weren't just extensions—maybe they were its true body all along…"

His mind wandered for a moment, trying to understand why Olga hadn't aged the same way. Perhaps it was because she hadn't bonded with the Pure Gold completely. She never merged it with her body the way the fish had. That probably saved her.

All of these were just guesses for now—but what he needed to do next was no mystery.

"Schlick…"

The sound of steel slicing through flesh echoed as Ryuunosuke raised his sword and began cutting open the lantern fish's body. Its thick skin peeled away under his blade, revealing something astonishing within.

An island.

A literal landmass, nestled inside the bloated body of the creature, hidden all this time.

The crew stared, dumbfounded.

"An island… inside a fish?"

"No way…"

"Our captain just fished an island out of the sea…"

They could barely believe their eyes.

Ryuunosuke stood tall, raised his voice, and called out:

"Dr. Myskina Acier! Olga!"

His voice echoed through the strange cavity, finally reaching two figures further inside.

Dr. Myskina Acier—disheveled, dazed, and slightly wobbling—rose from the ground. The tremor caused by the fish's collapse had left him shaken, but he was no stranger to earthquakes in this bizarre prison of flesh. However, hearing a new voice after so long stunned him.

"Who… who are you?"

Before he could get another word out, a young girl appeared—sitting confidently on the back of a small reptilian creature.

Her long red hair flowed down her shoulders. Her clothes were patched from wear but didn't hide her spirited gaze.

Olga narrowed her eyes.

"Strangers? Are you pirates?"

She sized them up, puzzled. "They managed to get past Mr. Lantern Fish… where is he?"

Ryuunosuke couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the boldness of this girl.

"She's got guts," he thought. "But how much loneliness must she have endured, trapped inside this monster…?"

He composed himself, then stepped forward, speaking with calm sincerity.

"My name is Ryuunosuke. I'm the captain of the Dragon Hunter Pirates."

He extended a hand toward her.

"I'm inviting you to join my crew."

The crew behind him blinked.

"So direct, Captain…"

"That's the Ryuunosuke way, I guess…"

"Join… your crew?" Olga asked, tilting her head. "You mean us?"

At that moment, Dr. Myskina Acier finally stumbled into the light and caught sight of her. His eyes widened with shock and overflowing emotion.

"Olga… my child!"

Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.

"I thought you were… I thought you…"

Before he could reach her, the lizard under Olga kicked him square in the chest.

"Thud!"

"HAH?!"

Olga glared at the strange man, suspicious and annoyed.

"What are you saying, you rude old man?!"

"My father is dead."

"My mother's gone too."

"Don't go making up stories, you—!"

She stopped mid-rant, her voice catching in her throat.

She saw it in his eyes.

That warmth.

That unmistakable gaze.

The same look she barely remembered—of a father who once held her tightly.

"…Could this really be my dad?"

"But… they told me he died…"

Her voice drifted into murmurs, caught between disbelief and hope.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew had already pulled out small stools, bags of peanuts, and some freshly sliced sea melon.

"This is gettin' good," grinned one of them, crunching loudly. "Ten berries says they cry it out in the next five minutes."

Ryuunosuke shook his head, though a smile tugged at his lips.

"Alright, enough drama," he called out. "Dr. Myskina Acier, I can cure Olga's illness."

The words struck like lightning.

"If you're willing, join my crew."

There was no time for long negotiations. The war against the World Government was only two days away.

"Join your… what? Wait—did you just say you could cure Olga's disease?!"

The doctor's voice cracked in disbelief.

He had spent years trying to find a way. Developing Pure Gold was a desperate attempt to preserve her life when nothing else worked.

And now, this stranger was offering the very solution he had failed to find.

"I swear, can you two stop chatting?" Olga snapped. "I haven't even agreed yet!"

Ryuunosuke gave her a sideways glance.

"I could just kill you both if you're not useful."

His tone was casual, but his eyes were cold.

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

"Hehehehe…"

A deep, manic laugh broke the tension.

Uvogin stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

"My favorite thing to do… is crush little brats like you into meat paste."

He licked his lips, eyes gleaming with madness.

"The captain gave the word—so I'm not holdin' back."

Olga froze. Her mind went blank.

Was she… about to die?

"No… I don't want to die."

"I…!"

"WE'LL JOIN!"

Before Olga could say anything, Dr. Myskina Acier rushed forward, arms outstretched protectively.

He looked at Ryuunosuke, desperate but firm.

"I'll do it. Just let her live!"

He knew pirates—he knew they weren't bluffing.

He had held onto hatred, but nothing was worth more than Olga's life.

Not even revenge.

Even his wife's death would be meaningless if he let his daughter die now.

Ryuunosuke lowered his sword and smiled.

"Relax, Doctor. I was only testing your resolve."

He stepped forward and extended a hand.

"I know your story. I don't expect blind loyalty."

"But I need Pure Gold. And you need your daughter cured."

"So… let's cooperate."

Dr. Myskina Acier looked at the man in front of him—young, powerful, dangerous… and yet, not without honor.

He took a breath. Then nodded.

"…Alright. But let us leave this place first."

"I'll take care of the rest," Ryuunosuke said, waving his hand.

"Chrollo!"

"On it, Captain!" Chrollo barked, saluting.

He quickly organized a detachment from the crew.

"Take them to the ship, give 'em a proper place to rest. And get the med team ready—we've got a patient."

As the doctor and Olga were led away, Nojiko stepped closer to Ryuunosuke, her eyes still full of questions.

"Captain… after everything we did to find them, why let them leave your sight so easily?"

Ryuunosuke looked out over the horizon, his expression unreadable.

"They're not running. They're part of the crew now."

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