บท 5: Chapter 5: A lesson in the Grand Line and Flirtatious Encounter
Josh and the other recruits found themselves being transferred by boat, blindfolded and disoriented. While they couldn't see where they were going, they could still talk among themselves. One of the recruits, perhaps feeling bold or foolish, decided to break the silence.
"Sir, excuse me," the recruit ventured.
"Yes?" responded Mr. 5, the man overseeing their transfer.
"I understand you're blindfolding us for privacy," the recruit began, "but since we're in the Grand Line, isn't it kind of pointless? No one can navigate directions here without a Log Pose."
Mr. 5's response was swift and brutal. "Yes. It's a test to see if there's anyone stupid enough to question orders."
Without hesitation, Mr. 5 removed the recruit's blindfold and kicked him off the boat into the sea.
Josh bowed his head, absorbing the harsh lesson. *Never show your boss how stupid he is. He can turn your internship into hell.*
Josh kept his silence, though the tension was soon broken by the voice of a girl beside him.
"This is exciting. I'm finally getting a job," said Mikita, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
Josh noticed her but remained quiet. Despite her attractiveness, he wasn't sure how to approach someone who seemed a bit... crazy.
"Hey, you. Why are you here?" Mikita suddenly asked, kicking his foot to get his attention.
"Me?" Josh replied, somewhat startled.
"Yes," she nodded.
"Money, I guess," Josh answered honestly. That was his short-term goal, though his long-term ones were far more ambitious—and secret.
"What about you?" he asked, curious to learn more about her.
"I want to become Miss Chocolate and make my own chocolate," she declared confidently, sharing her dream without hesitation.
"Good for you. I'll buy your product if we make it out alive," Josh replied, trying to keep the conversation light and avoid any awkwardness.
"Kyahahaha! You're cute," Mikita laughed, her smooth thigh brushing against his.
The contact, though seemingly unintentional, had an effect on Josh, but he kept his cool. "You too," he nodded, trying to play it cool.
"By the way, what's your name?" she asked.
"Josh. You?"
"Mikita," she replied with a nod.
"Nice name."
"I know," she chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter.
With that, the conversation died down, and the rest of the trip was peaceful.
---
Upon reaching the island, the ten recruits who had passed the initial selection were lined up as their blindfolds were removed. Mr. 5 was gone, replaced by a bulky man dressed in military attire. He stood before them, hands clasped behind his back, exuding authority.
"Welcome. You are now official members of our organization," the man announced. "Through missions and contributions, you can rise in the ranks. But remember, your lives are on the line. Betrayal will be met with death. You're not agents yet, just followers. Do as you're told, and you'll learn."
He explained their roles and the hierarchy within Baroque Works. They were to take orders from higher-ranking agents, identified by numbers or aliases. Josh nodded in understanding, while Mikita seemed excited. The others, however, appeared cautious, glancing around the island.
As Josh scanned the area, he noticed trainees running drills—individuals not selected by combat. Among them was a curvy woman with blue hair tied in a ponytail, her average-sized chest heaving as she ran, her big brown eyes focused. Despite being in the real world, she looked like an Instagram model, with pale skin and a determined expression.
Vivi.
It was Princess Vivi, training undercover to infiltrate Baroque Works and uncover their connection to the rebel forces threatening her kingdom. Her identity was still a secret, and the organisation was unaware of her true mission. Seeing her here made Josh realise how far he was from the original story-line.
Vivi, sensing someone staring at her, glanced over and met Josh's gaze. She quickly averted her eyes, worried he might recognise her.
"Focus. Stop staring," came a sharp jab to Josh's ribs. He turned to see Mikita patting her blonde hair, clearly stronger than she looked.
"Whatever," Josh muttered, refocusing on the briefing. It seemed they would stay on this island for now, awaiting direct orders. If they performed well, they might eventually be promoted to full-fledged agents. For now, their job was to form a group to hunt pirates.
---
Finally, a real gym and real food.
With no pirate ships passing by the island, Josh and the others had free time until their next mission. Josh headed straight to the gym, where he found a set of massive dumbbells, each weighing around 200 kilos. He started his workout, each arm lifting a dumbbell, relishing the professional equipment far superior to the makeshift weights he had used before.
After about half an hour, sweat dripped from Josh's forehead as he looked around for a towel.
"Need one?"
Josh turned to see Mikita standing there, holding out a towel. Despite her reputation for being a bit unhinged in battle, she seemed normal—stunningly so—in her gym clothes, which highlighted her toned physique. Talking to her was proving more challenging than dealing with the girls he had faced in the earlier test.
"Thanks, Chocolate," Josh said, handing her the nickname based on her dream.
Mikita chuckled as Josh wiped his forehead. "Funny name, Berry," she teased.
"Berry?" Josh looked at her, puzzled.
"Well, you called me Chocolate after I said I wanted to be Miss Chocolate. So, I'm calling you Berry since you want Berries," she explained, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.
Josh chuckled. "I said I need money, not that I want to be Mr. Money."
"Hahaha! I know. Relax. I'm just teasing you because you're young and funny," Mikita laughed, giving him a playful slap on the back.
It stung a bit, but Josh smiled through the pain, more amused than anything.
"Funny?"
"You know, yesterday, when you choked her with a banana? It was the funniest thing I've ever seen," Mikita said, her interest in him becoming more apparent.
"Thanks," Josh replied, sitting down next to another set of weights.
"So, are you training with these?" Mikita asked, eyeing the heavy gym equipment.
"Well, I handle what I can," Josh said, his tone nonchalant.
"Can you handle a woman like me?" she asked, her tone teasing, yet her words carried a double meaning.
"Can you handle a man like me?" Josh shot back, immediately regretting it. Out of all the women he could say that to, he chose the one who could literally crush him with her Devil Fruit powers.
"You're pretty confident. I like that," Mikita said, leaning closer to him. Josh paused, captivated by her striking features—from her green eyes to her flawless skin and full lips. He found himself drawn in, almost expecting a kiss.
Damn you, Oda. Did you have to do fan service with every girl in the show? Josh thought, keeping a gentle smile on his face. He tried not to show any fear, despite knowing how dangerous her abilities could be.
"Hm…" Mikita hummed, seeing that he wasn't backing down. She placed a finger on his lips, their eyes meeting, the tension between them thick.
"If you can handle a ton, then we'll see. Now, continue your workout. There's more for you to overcome," she said in a calm, seductive tone.
"How about we bet on that—two tons," Josh countered, feeling bolder.
"Make it four, big boy," Mikita replied, her finger trailing from his lips to his chest. Then, with a playful flick to his nose, she laughed lightly and stood up.
As she walked away, Josh couldn't help but admire the view. Her hourglass figure was impossible to ignore, and he stared appreciatively.
"It was fun talking with you," Mikita said, stretching before turning back to him. "I heard there's a mission for us next week. I thought you might want to prepare yourself. We might be on the same boat, and I don't want someone holding me back. So, don't play dead."
"Sure, I might be able to handle you after that," Josh replied, noticing how open she was to flirting.
"Kyahahaha! We'll see," she laughed, grabbing her clothes before heading to the baths.
Josh lay back for a moment before deciding to head to the male bathhouse. As the water streamed down, he opened his system, preparing himself mentally for the upcoming mission. He also thought about checking the rewards from his previous mission.
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