Chapter 6 – The Quiet Hunt

The sea was a liar.

It sang peace with waves, with salt and wind, but beneath the surface, it was nothing but hunger. That was how Kael moved now—like a deep current no one noticed until it was too late.

The Thousand Sunny was docked at a quiet port — neutral territory, officially. But Kael knew better than to believe in "safe" places.

Every crew let their guard down eventually.

Even them.

He studied their rhythms.

Sanji — early riser, predictable patterns.Zoro — unpredictable, but heavy sleeper after sake.Robin — always watching, but more curious than suspicious.Luffy — chaotic, unsupervised, easily distracted.

It was a vulnerable ship.

Not structurally. Emotionally. Trustingly.

They weren't a crew — they were a family. And families got careless.

Kael didn't plan with emotion.

He didn't make speeches or snarl or promise revenge like some amateur mercenary in a cheap coat.

He moved pieces. Shifted details. Dug pressure points like nails into soft wood.

A spoiled flour sack in the galley.A whispered rumor to mislead the navigator.A deliberate footprint too big to be his, where Robin might notice.

Distractions.

"If they're looking in the wrong direction…""…they won't see the knife."

He crouched atop a warehouse, eyes fixed on the ship. Pale hair trailing in the wind. His coat barely moved.

People below laughed. The chef smoked. The long-nosed one was ranting about cola-powered inventions again.

Kael didn't blink.

"He'll come out alone soon."

And Luffy did.

Barefoot, half-eaten fruit in one hand, grinning at nothing, talking to a seagull.

He hopped onto the figurehead and sprawled out, arms behind his head.

"Niiice breeze tonight," Luffy mumbled to himself.

Kael dropped silently onto the dock, still unseen.

Five steps.

Four.

Three—

"Hey," Luffy said, eyes closed. "You the ghost-hair guy from the other day?"

Kael stopped.

He said nothing.

"You're always hanging around," Luffy added. "You lost or something?"

Kael said nothing.

He was already cataloging everything. No sword. No obvious backup. Slight opening to the left rib. Fast reaction time but sloppy foot placement.

He could take the shot.

One step. One strike.

But he didn't.

Not yet.

Luffy sat up, frowning slightly. "You're not a talker, huh?"

No answer.

"You a bounty hunter?"

Still silence.

Luffy didn't look scared. Just curious. Like Kael was another bird that landed on the railing.

"A lotta guys come after me. Some yell a lot. Some cry. One guy brought a letter. That was weird."

Kael didn't move.

Internal – Kael's Monologue

"He doesn't see it.""Doesn't see death when it stares at him.""Too busy smiling. Too busy floating through the world like it doesn't burn behind him.""You think I'm one of them.""You think I'm weak.""You don't know what I've buried to get this close."

"I've killed pirates stronger than you.""Marines colder than you.""But you…"

"You're the only one I'll kill without satisfaction."

Luffy leaned forward, eyes slightly sharper now.

"You're angry. Not at me. Just… angry."

Kael turned.

And walked away.

No strike.

No sound.

Nothing but silence and the low wind whispering past the dock.

He didn't need to act yet.

Not tonight.

Let them keep thinking he was harmless.

Let them sleep.

"You'll never see it coming," Kael thought."That's the beauty of it."