บท 20: Vice Captain
---
Kitaro was a bit taken aback when he heard Hancock declare that he would be her Vice-captain.
"Vice-captain?" he echoed, confused by her sudden decision.
Hancock, sensing his confusion, smiled slightly. "If you don't take this role, it will be hard to convince the people. You see, no man has set foot in our country for hundreds of years, and allowing you to stay here already breaks ancient rules. I can't let them think it was for nothing."
She leaned in, her eyes sharp and unwavering. "For you, I've broken hundreds of years of tradition. Are you really going to refuse?"
Feeling the weight of her resolve and the intensity of her gaze, Kitaro had no choice but to agree. "Alright, I accept."
But the truth was, Kitaro had foreseen this outcome from the start. Everything had unfolded precisely as he had intended, and he knew that all the Uchiha needed now was time.
Kitaro had a plan for Hancock and the entirety of Amazon Lily, but for now, he would let her believe what she wanted. In the end, only an Uchiha was fit to command the Uchiha—and no one else.
"Good. Then it's settled," Hancock said with satisfaction, moving quickly before he could change his mind.
She signaled to her sister, Sandersonia, who immediately understood her intent and went off to ring the ceremonial bell.
"ding ding ding!"
The deep, resonant sound echoed across the island.
"That's the Empress's summoning bell!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.
"Quick, we need to gather in front of the castle! Lady Hancock has an announcement!" another voice urged, as people began streaming toward the city square.
Soon, the entire population of Amazon Lily had gathered, with the Uchiha clan members among them. The Kuja warriors, having witnessed Kitaro's prowess, whispered among themselves, intrigued.
"That's the Uchiha clan?"
"And those are men?"
"I heard they defeated the Gorgon sisters!"
"They must be incredibly strong..."
The chatter only grew as Hancock appeared on the platform before the castle, flanked by her sisters and Kitaro.
"Citizens of Amazon Lily!" Hancock's voice rang out clearly across the square. "I have an important announcement to make."
A hush fell over the crowd as she continued.
"From this day forward, we, Amazon Lily, will form an alliance with the Uchiha clan! From now on, we stand together, and we will face the world as one."
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder in disbelief.
"The Uchiha clan will be treated as equals to our citizens. They will contribute to our national defense, and the three Uchiha warriors who fought today will join the Kuja Pirates. Uchiha Kitaro will serve as my Vice Captain!"
*Boom!* The crowd erupted into a frenzy. This was a monumental change, and the weight of it hit them all at once. Amazon Lily had held firm to its traditions for centuries, and this decision was shaking the very foundations of their way of life.
Hancock raised her hand to calm the people, her voice powerful yet composed. "I understand this may be difficult for some of you to accept. Our country has been isolated for so long, but times have changed. The World Government has developed technology that allows safe passage through the Calm Belt. Our isolation is no longer a shield."
She continued with conviction, "The World Government and the Marines pose an ever-growing threat to Amazon Lily. At any moment, they could launch an attack. That is why we need allies—trustworthy, powerful allies like the Uchiha clan. Together, we will stand strong, and no one will dare underestimate us!"
"Ohhhhh!!" The crowd roared with newfound energy, the Amazon Lily warriors cheering, and the Uchiha clan members sharing in the excitement. They had left everything behind to find safety in this unfamiliar world, and now, they had a place to call home.
"To celebrate this alliance, we will have a three-day feast!" Hancock announced, causing the cheers to grow even louder.
The citizens of Amazon Lily immediately sprang into action, preparing for the feast with a flurry of excitement. The square filled with tables piled with food, and the village bustled with life. Young women danced in celebration, while others circled around the men of the Uchiha clan, their curiosity piqued.
The Uchiha men, unused to such attention, blushed under the barrage of questions and admiration. Some of the younger women even took the opportunity to confess their affections, leaving the Uchiha men even more flustered. For warriors accustomed to battle, this social attention was something entirely new.
Amidst the festivities, a system notification rang in Kitaro's mind.
---
[Ding! The First mission: Find a new location for the family.]
[The Mission was completed!]
[Reward: One Tomoe Sharingan.]
...
Hearing the system's notification, Kitaro smiled slightly, though he wasn't overly impressed by the reward. "A single Tomoe? What am I supposed to do with that?" he muttered to himself. After all, he had already unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan. The single tomoe upgrade seemed almost laughable.
He briefly wondered if the system might try to downgrade his Mangekyō back to a single tomoe, but he dismissed the thought quickly.
[Ding! Detecting host's Mangekyō Sharingan! One Tomoe Sharingan will be transformed into Mangekyō Sharingan's pupil power.]
Suddenly, Kitaro felt a surge of energy flood into his eyes, significantly increasing his sharingan's power.
"What...?" He hadn't expected such a boost.
He could feel the increase in his visual prowess, particularly his Mangekyō techniques. His mastery over 'Susanoo', the ultimate power unlocked through the Mangekyō Sharingan, was now even more formidable. The giant Chakra warrior would become even stronger with this newfound power.
As his pupil power continued to grow, so too would his 'Susanoo', evolving in both offensive and defensive capabilities. The path ahead seemed even brighter, and Kitaro allowed himself a small smile.
Perhaps his system wasn't so useless after all.
The future looked promising, and for the first time in a while, Kitaro felt more optimistic about what lay ahead.
...
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