A/n: i am sorry for being inactive for so long. Things happened and it's pretty ugly... But now I am back and will continue the story again

9. "Hearts are on their way"

Strong breeze blew fiercely as a woman in red hair skidded out from the clouded hail.

Just a minute ago she puffed out her cheek and blew cold breeze, immobilized the crew and took the opportunity to cut them with her sword. But as her ears perked up at the ringing gun shots in the air, she hastily backed off to avoid the bullets.

Yes, sea stone bullet. A troublesome indeed.

Looking at the sky as she sensed danger approaching, she saw a giant eagle rained down with the beak aimed sharp to her torso. She parried with her sword and pushed the creature away as she swiped her hand horizontally, shooting icicle flocks, but the creature flapped its wing causing the technique to change direction and headed to her instead. But she's a logia, so she stood still letting the icicle flocks penetrated her body without bringing any harm.

Sweats continued dropping from her chin as she exhaled cold mist, mentally counting the time of when the Hearts will come to rescue. She eyed three of the executives who are standing close near to her right, and another two slowly inching to her back.

She is not an optimist, and she definitely didn't think trusting a pirate is a good idea.

Like she said previously, Trafalgar Law will benefit nothing from helping her, and betrayal is common in alliance. He could have been a stow away from her right now, continuing his journey and dismissing his promises.

But she knew he won't.

Not because Law is a man of words, neither he is a man who acts upon kindness (she couldn't tell whether he is one of the kind guys or not, and not that she cared about that), but simply because in her possession, she has his most valuable prize as a 'hostage', making the said male will definitely fulfilling his promise regardless the situation.

Had she told him that she had sent that 'hostage' to one of the towns in North Blue, Law – with no doubt – will once again cross the Mountain Reverse, get to the town, save the 'hostage' and get back to Grand Line just to kick her ass.

And that said hostage is his favorite scalpel that she stole just an hour before her departure.

–

Two days before...

"What do you mean the submarine can't move for a while?" the female half-screamed, half-whispered.

"It is exactly as what I said. The air conditioning plants has catastrophically failed. It is used to cool sensitive equipment on board, which now, has begun to shut down. So we can't set sail at the moment", Law faced the red haired female as she made a dissatisfied look. Sweats trailed down his face and abs as he discarded his shirt and let the air to cool his hearing skin. Just a 20 minutes ago, he received an alarming state from the monitor in the control room, indicating something went wrong to the air conditioner.

Immediate action was taken as the submarine surfaced with two hatches immediately opened, and steam started to pour out and crewmates running to the outside. Law made his way immediately to the problem area, and upon entering the room he was blasted with searing heat, preventing them all from reaching the problem area because the equipment was too hot.

Mirra had taken an initiative by blowing cool blizzard inside, but that didn't mean the crew could immediately run down and make a fix. They still had to wait and ensure every of the equipment – deep and lied within each other – were cool enough to human's touch.

"Captain, we have no choice but to let it cool down overnight", Penguin approached them with a grimace. Mirra 'tsked' at that and looked away as Law pinched the bridge on his nose. With two more days left from reaching the island, Mirra was in tight situation, leaving her with no choice other than to make her own way to the island.

–

Mirra reached Wooley Island after a day and half flying in the sky. A new technique that she just came out with, but yet to perfect it.

It was a technique where her right hand is ice in dragon's claws shape, a pair of ice wings on her back and an ice tail at her tailbone. She tried to replicate dragon's feature and let the ice framed parts of her body as a shield.

But using the technique is so energy consuming because she had to constantly let her power flow and there was no place to stop and rest since it was only a big sheet of sea below her. So she risked her life, betting on her luck that in case she ran out of energy before reaching the island and drop down into the sea, she will totally die.

Mirra sighed as she dragged her feet along the village of the Woolly Island, slowly recollected her energy back after flying for so long. He ears eavesdropped to the chit chats of the villagers who were bargaining their products. Wild dogs and cats were spotted running around too, followed by the shouts and screams of happy children who were playing nearby.

She smiled. She enjoyed the peaceful village. There was no sign of danger or depression looming over them, so she felt contended.

It must be good to live in peace….

Failed to pay attention to where she was heading, she accidentally stepped on a pool of mud, making her cringing at the fact of her jeans dirtied by the mud spots.

She fixed her hair by tugging it inside her black cap. She then straightened up the collar of her dark navy cloak and zipped it all the way up, covering almost her whole face from under her nose to the knees. She glanced up at the huge brown ship of Cardinal Pirates docked in front of her, bent her knees slightly before she jumped high and hoped from the railings to the deck.

Her silent arrival went unnoticed by everyone. But her emotion shot up immediately at what laid in front of her.

Furry took over and her expression immediately change to cold demeanour-look, as she made ways to the sandwiched-three figures at the side of the ship. As she was getting closer, she could hear whimpers and begs from a woman – whom unfortunately the one being sandwiched and hugged by the other two men – pleading to be released. The men laughed it off, ravishing their moments and enjoyed her quiet pleas.

Without hesitation, Mirra pulled the back's collar of one of the said men before twirled him around and threw him off overboard, while another one received a strong kick to the stomach sending him crouching on the floor with pain. The commotion caught other's attention, and they tensed at the sudden intrusion. The woman's legs gave off as she slumped down, body visibly shaken from before as tears streamed vigorously. Mirra removed her cloak immediately and draped it over her shoulder, to cover whatever her ripped cloth couldn't cover anymore.

"Oi oi. Who are you to suddenly barge in our ship?" they took stances ready for a battle.

Mirra glanced around, only to notice few more of the women also faced the same fate liked the previous; being forced to treat and serve those assholes.

She growled.

"Get away from those women in 5 seconds", she commanded.

"Ha?? Who do you think you are to – " and the man's word was cut half way as he got shot at his heart with her ice bullet in spike, killing him instantly.

Mirra didn't waste a second, because warning had been issued, and she continued shooting the rest that disobeyed her order, killing some of them on the spot. Only few managed to avoid the bullet from hitting their vital spot, but their injuries have incapacitated their movements.

"5 seconds is up", she said, head tilted down lightly covering her eyes.

"Sh-shit. Its Mirra, our assassin. Get away from her and the women if you don't want to die!" someone shouted and Cardinal Pirates scampered away, trying to spare their own life. The women on the deck sat and stood still at their place. Some expressed slight reliefs while some were scared. And new faces were detected and Mirra sighed in annoyance.

"Get back to your room", she ordered and scooped up the woman that she saved just now and headed to lower deck. The rest of the women followed suit, with no one were left behind except the Cardinal Pirates who were still in wary for any attack from the red-haired. When Mirra and the women truly disappeared, Cardinal Pirates released long breath that they had been holding up all this time.

"What the fuck was that? Who is she?" New members of Cardinal Pirates questioned.

"She is the most shiniest treasure in this ship. But the most shiniest is the hardest to touch." One said.

"And if anyone angers her, their blood is the price to her calm." Another one continued.

New Cardinal pirates stared in questions.

–

Somewhere in a yellow submarine, heading to Willow Island...

"Captain, we found this note in Mirra's room", the Surgeon of Death raised his eyebrow as he took the note from Bepo and unfolded it. He read it and his eyes went wide before he rushed to his office, dropping the paper in the process.

The loud 'BAM' sound that he produced when he slammed the control room's door surprised everyone inside, as they exchanged a worried and questioning look.

Bepo collected the paper, and Penguin peered over at the content that caused their captain's furry. Inside, they read:

Promises can easily be broken when there is nothing can be gained or lose. As such, I have your favourite scalpel in my possession.

Save me and the women, Trafalgar Law and you won't miss the day of living with it again.

Your temporary cook,

Mirra (the genius).

Bepo and Penguin stared dumbfoundedly. Mirra even left her lips mark marred with her lipstick on her signature.

Such a brave soul that woman is.

Penguin won't question if Law is currently plotting hundred ways to cut and dissect that woman. No one should touch his scalpel. Let alone making it as a hostage. It's an unspoken rule that every of the Hearts knew.

Sighing, they were brought back to reality only when Shachi flicked his fingers repeatedly in their faces.

–

In a small room that cramped a total of 23 kidnapped woman, Mirra took out an emergency kit from the cabinet, with the intention of treating their wounds and injuries that have been neglected for any treatment since the day she left. She also restocked back their emergency kits, including two spare kits that were kept hidden somewhere with only the knowledge of those women, to prevent them from getting confiscated by the crew.

"How's the situation?" she asked one of them while bandaging her forehead. Maria, one of the victims and the oldest kidnapped woman is aiding her in giving treatment.

"Two of us died from the last time you leaved, new five woman have been kidnapped and three are chained in the torture room right now for trying to run; they are the new ones that got kidnapped recently," she said solemnly.

"So far what the scums did?"

"Other than being their sex slave, they enjoyed beating and cutting us for fun," she cried. Others followed suit, trying to hold back their tears from being scared to be heard.

"They will beat us if we cry. We are scared to cry" one of them said.

Mirra switched to another woman, checking her back before rubbing some ointment to help healing the bruise. Ointment that she specially requested from Trafalgar Law.

"How intense they be?"

"N-not much", she hiccupped. "They are being busy with new orders from their captain, so they r-rarely have time to touch us."

"And they're scared to rape one woman in a big group. None of us…" she sobbed, "none of us so far has been gang rape. So it is better than before. But we don't know about those three prisoned down there," she continued.

Mirra nodded in understand as she continued her work in silence. Then, she took out few clothes that she brought along and handed to them, along with some breads and drinks before leaving the room to save the three prisoned downstairs. She made sure to remind them all to stay in the room and not to go anywhere, which they were more happy to obey.

Ten minutes afterwards, she returned to the room with the three women, none were looking good or in a stable condition. They were skinny, bruised and injured almost everywhere, that it even scared herself for not knowing how to treat them properly. So she laid them down on the beds, treating any obvious injuries that she could, and left the rest with the hope it won't worsen their conditions.

Life is so cruel… what are the sins of these women that they deserved to be treated this way? The thought lingered in her mind as she wiped off the tears that threatened to fall, for she must be tough in front them all.

Mirra patted the head of one of three tortured women gently, and smiled lightly to reassured the scares that reflected on her eyes. She was probably wondering who is she.

"To the new ones that being kidnapped, hi, my name is Mirra. I'm one of the executives of Cardinal Pirates, being forced to, but don't worry because I'm at your side. I will protect all of you from those scums and rest assured, they can't do anything to you guys, as long as I'm here." Their eyes shone in relieves a bit.

But she didn't want to put high hope on them. "I'm sorry but this is the much that I can do to protect you guys. Being one of the executives, as an assassin, I always receive missions from the captain so when I'm away, I can't do anything to stop the crew from doing anything to you guys. And I'm not strong enough to take out all of them, so I can't free you guys," she confessed.

She bite her lips as she guiltily watched the last pieces of hope that the new ones held shattered immediately. Her gaze fell to the floor as she really tried hard to hold the tears from building and falling. She felt bad for not being able to protect them all the time. She couldn't shake off the guilt for letting the crew do whatever to them when she was away. She just couldn't bear their saddened look and broken mental from those experiences.

Mirra still remembered, on the first day she was forced to join the crew, she saw with her own eyes the women being gang rape, with zero ounce of sympathy and empathy. Their tears and begs went deaf eared and it was so sickening that she snapped right away. She threw tantrum, killing them all in a single spree. The women were spared, but they all were bathed with the crew's blood that they started to shiver and look at her as a demon instead.

It took her a while to build trust with them.

On the lucky side, the captain witnessed her tantrum and her speed and accuracy caught his eyes as she was appointed as an official executive, an assassin of the crew. Being one of the highest position allowed Mirra to kill any of the crewmates and get away with it. She truly never understand the system. How the hell those assholes willing to keep up with her captain and be his underlings, despite knowing their lives literally in the hands of the eight executives?

Well whatever… it is not he problem.

The gentle touch from Maria brought her back to reality as she blinked twice.

"We still have a chance to escape this together", she muttered. Her low voice caught everyone's attention, and she stood up immediately, scanning the whole room looking for any sign of snail recorder, and even opened the door widely to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Closing and shutting the door back, she sat, hurdled with the women before taking out a den den mushi.

"I failed my last mission and you guys know what's gonna happen next, right? I might either win my fight against the executives or being doing anything by them. Nevertheless, I want you guys to stay close to each other. If possible, stay in this room. If can't, then make sure you guys know the whereabouts of each other."

She pushed forward the denden mushi, decorated with a strip of grey headband on its head, sleeping profusely. Continued, "I asked help from the crew that I supposed to kill, and they will come later to save me. But before doing that, they will get you all out of here, because we don't want you guys to be their hostages or something."

"So I'll leave it here", she went to one of the drawers, kept it inside a box and showed to them. "When they are about to save you guys, they will give a call. Pick it up and answer to their questions, and follow through their instructions. Don't worry, they are on our side, and they will free us, once and for all," Mirra smiled genuinely. Some of them cried happily knowing help is on its way. They were more motivated to live knowing there are still hope for them.

But before they could overjoy with the news, "none of you should talk about this plan, and just act like your normal days. We don't want them to find it out," she warned them.

–

Back to the present.

In a small room that kept Cardinal's kidnapped women inside, Maria has been walking around aimlessly in agitation. Her anxiety rose higher as the loud explosions sounded above the deck getting louder and getting more, indicating a fierce battle has just begun.

She knew what caused it. And she knew the double-faced assassin Mirra – she is kind towards the women and cold towards the Cardinals – is putting her life in between her battle with the executives. All with a sole reason to free them all.

Maria couldn't help her in any ways. She didn't even want to be on the deck, watching the battle just like the rest of Cardinals. Her will is too fragile to watch for the second time how the female got beaten brutally, just because she had failed the mission. The last time she saw the fight she had jumped in between to stop the executives from continuing beating her.

She thought she could stop them. She thought she could reason up with them. Only for them to change their attention to her instead of the red haired. And at the end, Mirra threw herself to the rest of them, keeping Maria safe from getting beaten instead. With the cost of double amount of the torture.

That night and the for the rest of the four month's nights, Maria had nightmares of watching Mirra's beaten body stood tall protecting her despite her own self staggering to do so.

And now, Maria didn't want the same thing to happen. If she is only going to be in Mirra's way, or causing the female to get beaten even more badly, than she is rather staying in the tiny room, praying to God that Mirra could hold herself until the saviour that she talked about come to her rescue.

She believed in fair and justice. And she believed that Mirra's kindness and protection towards the kidnapped women all this time will be paid off. All of them, will be free again.

–

30 minutes back… (A/n: wow.. Too many flashback huh?? :'))

In a small room, served as a meeting room located at the far left of the upper deck, Mira crouched down on her knees as the mark on her back is searing and burning her skin. She gritted her teeth, bearing the pain at her best while listening to the mumbling of her captain.

"So you are saying, you failed the mission and dare to come back here alive, again?" The captain, sitting leg-crossed on his usual throne scoffed upon his sight.

He never get bored seeing people bowing to him.

He leaned slightly to the right, resting his right cheek on his palm, while his other hand rested firmly on the arm-rest of the cushioned-chair. On his left and right sides, the executives sat on their own designated place, four by three on each side, facing each other. There was a big gap in between the two sides, covered with red carpet. It was the place for every executive to kneel and bow down before the captain whenever they returned from their missions, and every other executive that around should present to pass their judgment on the success or fail mission of the others.

"Do I accept failure?" captain darkly asked.

"N-no captain. I'm ashamed for not being strong enough."

"And why don't you die in the mission?"

"I almost died. He left me battered in deep wounds and injuries after our fight. But I somehow managed to survive." Panted slightly, "I tried att-tacking him again on our next encounter, but he knew my fighting style very well and took me out again." She closed her eyes while holding the pain.

"Is that and excuse for your failure?"

"No. It's not…" Her breath ragged. She is at the brink of screaming, but she held in.

You failed, then you get tortured, but you need to remain silence throughout the pain, that's his policy.

"Very well. Its good you come back alive. You still have lots of assassination missions to carry on. But you know what happens when you fail, right?" captain stopped his devil fruit power, and Mirra sighed in relief when the pain dissipated.

"Yes. I know very well." She looked up, eyes broing into his exciting orbs. The sound of shuffling chairs and the growing intensity of the air alerted her, as she mentally preparing herself.

Somewhere outside the deck..

"Did you heard it? Mirra the assassin has returned," one of the Cardinal pirates said while playing around with the litted cigarette between his fingers.

His voice caught the attention of his intoxicated friend. "That bitch gonna be the one stopping us from getting to the women. Tch," he spat. His nose was busy sniffing on the cocaine powder, too high to care about the situation surrounding them now.

Gulping down a bottle of rum in a rush, another Cardinal pirate released a heavy sigh contented with the drinks, before telling the previous massacre. "She already killed ten of us that were having fun with the women. She was so fast that they can't even see her ice attacks."

"Serve them right. They are bunch of idiots. We already warned them the assassin bitch gonna return soon, yet they still do it openly on the deck," the smoker replied, taking another deep draw before exhaling the poisonous carbon monoxide out of his system.

"They are the new recruiters anyways. They don't know the danger of our assassin, hehe~" slurred the drunken one.

"We don't need weaklings in our group, he continued."

"But we're weak against her as well."

"That bitch thought she could do anything just because she is executive," the smoker snorted, "if I get to drug her to sleep, I swear I rape her till she mentally breaks down," and he continued, taking another big draw of the cigarette before throwing it to the sea.

"Hah! Lots of crap! We know you won't dare to do that 'cause you will die in the next day. She will kill you!"

"You're right," he took out another cigarette.

"But I didn't see any news reported a new kill done by her – "

A sudden explosion could be heard from the meeting room. The door suddenly broken to pieces as a figure of male, cladded in black shirt flying out of it. He knocked against the previous pirate that being talking, groaning in pain before regaining his composure back.

"What the fuck! Sir Gery, why are you flying from the door?" the one that has been drinking the rum asked, momentarily shocked with the sudden occurrence of an executive flying from the meeting room.

Another loud noises could be heard, and this time it is the sound of gun shooting and metal clashing with each other. The crewmates on the deck became wary, and stood shocked when suddenly a woman's silhoute with navy cloak skidded out from the room before jumping to the air, avoiding few arrows aimed at her previous place. Few of the executives rushed out from the broken door.

"Shit! Th-the assassin, Mirra!"

In the air, Mirra breathed in through her mouth, puffing out her cheek in the process before blowing strong hails and cold hurricane to those executives but they jumped away to different direction. Clicking her tongue, she pulled out her dagger to block the next few arrows before throwing it to archer of the crew, Mika.

The dagger plunged to the wall behind her as she avoided it swiftly, but what she didn't know was there is a string attached to it with the other end coiled around Mirra's fingers. Before Mika could react, ice started to form around her fingers and down through the line with such speed, and once reaching the dagger, it exploded into sharp pieces of ice, injuring the archer in the process.

Iced-chase, Mirra muttered before releasing the coil and dropped to the ground steadily.

One down, six more to –

Her thought is interrupted when a revolver is pressed to her temple, readied to shoot. She dug down immediately and tried to drop-sweep Azuma but he stepped on her spinning leg, stopping her mid-way. Mirra moved away from him while pulling out her sword from the sheath. Blood trickle down from her forehead, because the seastone bullet shot just now grazed it slightly.

"That was fast, Mirra -chan~ Impressive… But it won't be fun if you drop dead too early, right?" he cooed.

Few more other executives surrounded her, with smirks etched on their face. The rest of the crew that had been lounging around the deck scurried to safe places, though their heads peeked out, interested to watch the fight.

Just few more hours. You better don't back on me, Tra-san.

–

Somewhere in a certain yellow submarine ...

"Captain, you okey?" Penguin asked.

Law shifted his gaze from the paper he's holding to Penguin and back to the paper.

"Certainly," he replied. He scribbled something on the paper before putting his finger over his mouth, with his quill pen in between his index and middle finger. Probably doing some thinking. Shachi came from behind, placing a cup of roasted black coffee as he requested. He took a sip, contented with the rich flavour invading his taste bud.

Shachi, still standing behind him, took a glance at what he's being writing, before sitting next to Penguin, across their beloved captain. Currently, the three of them are inside the dining room. Bepo is in control room, with Ray steering the sub to the Wooley Island. The rest of the crew are in their own room, either sleeping, chit chatting or preparing for the upcoming fight.

"Captain, what do you think about Mirra-chan?" Shachi asked.

"She will be fine," Law replied after a bit of silence. Truth to be told, he is worried as well, after hearing the possibility of anything to happen to the said woman if she failed her mission. He himself is restless and wanted to reach Wooley Island immediately to save her. Well, to be exact, to save his scalpel. But he couldn't deny that at the back of his mind, something about her has been nagging constantly. And he is pretty sure it has nothing to do with her bravery act of stealing his item.

Maybe I'm too stuck with my debt for being saved by her, Law silently thought to himself.

"She most probably had reached her ship and reported to his crew. I'm really afraid of what's gonna happen to her next," Penguin said, folding his arms over his chest. Shachi nodded in agreement before slumping his chin on the table. Silence in the air again. Only the occasional scribbling sound could be heard coming from the quill pen pressed against the paper.

"Why won't you guys sleep? We are preparing for a battle tomorrow," Law said.

"We can't sleep captain. We are worrying about Mirra-chan, just like you." Shachi immediately shot up his head from the table, looking at the said captain.

"I'm not worrying about her. She is strong, if you guys have forgotten. You guys better get enough rest, so you won't ruin the plan." Shachi pouted at the comment, mumbling there's no way elite team of Heart Pirates like him will cause that.

"That's a bit cold, captain. Mirra-chan might be strong, but she is currently facing six male executives and one female executive. And her captain as well. It's not that easy to defeat them eight." Penguin said while furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well if she has the guts to take my favorite scalpel than she is fine to go against those eight."

"Geez, so cold even with woman, I thought her presence here had softened your heart a bit," and the comment caused Law to stop writing immediately, leaving a big black dot for not lifting the tip of the quill from the paper.

"I didn't get any softer, Penguin-ya. What makes you think that, anyway?" Law looked across, demanding for an answer.

"Just a feeling," Penguin answered hesitantly. Wrong word of choice, he'll lose his head. Shachi just stared back and forth between those two, waiting for his captain's action.

"Get that useless thought out of your mind. You are just plain wrong." He resumed back to his writing.

"By the way captain," Shachi voice gained his attention back, "once we free Mirra-chan from Cardinal Pirates, what we gonna do with her?"

"I'm extracting her heart right in her face as a lesson for stealing from me", a smirk tugged at his lip.

"Captainnnn…" but he received disapproved looks from the two.

Law sighed with hand rummaging his hair. "Just let her be and let her get her wanted freedom. She has nothing to do with us and we're not keeping her in the submarine any longer. We're just paying her back for her previous help and that's the only thing keeping us in contact till now," He replied in bored.

"She said she wants to be a pirate, if she doesn't have a crew, can we invite her to be Heart Pirates?"

The suggestion made by Shachi lightened up Penguin's face as he also agreed to it. They tried to convince Law to their request, but Law simply brushed it off saying their crew are only man and it'll bother her with their antics.

But those still didn't stop their reasoning to have Mirra as part of the crew, and being bothered enough, Law agreed as long as the female want to.

This, of course, spark joys between the two mechanics and due to their loudness, Law kicked them out of the dining room, forcing them to either sleep or do something else that won't bothered him.

Law continued writing as usual, not bothering as the time passed by and getting late. When he noticed he ran out of papers, he decided to take a break.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he stared straight at where his two mechanics sat previously. His mind wandered to their previous conversation. It is possible to let her join, since she is quite strong and could protect herself, just what he expected from each of the members. But it'll be an extra problem for him to watch his crewmates from laying their hands on her. Being the only female on this sub, he needs to worry on her safety or from getting sexually assaulted by one of them, especially if they are drunk and she is in her vulnerable state, which he still yet to find any.

He scoffed. Women are trouble.

He continued drifting to his own thoughts, before he remembered his last discussion with Mirra on Cardinal Pirates.

Flashback...

In the dining room, only Mirra, Law, Shachi, Penguin and Hiro are around to discuss on Cardinal Pirates.

Mirra began with the name of the captain, Condoriano which she found to be funny and snickered along with Shachi upon pronouncing it. The said captain had eaten a devil fruit that granted a Curse-Curse power, which allowed him to give a curse mark to whoever he touches. Once the person is marked, he can activate his power and inflicts a painful burning sensation, subsequently win over the person.

The power is not fearsome much if that's the only thing he could do, but because he could play around with the degree of pain the he inflicted, people often found it unbearable and hard to muster their strength while they are in pain. Other than his power, he is also generally strong with his built-up body and speed. Not really fast, but still enough to amaze his opponents and catch them to plant his marks.

Condoriano also has a total of eight loyal executives, including Mirra herself - being forced to - and none of the enemies had able to make their ways to reach the said captain, since the executives are always able to defeat them first. So, Condoriano seldomly participated in any fights.

The name of Cardinal Pirates came from the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and also became the reason behind the distribution of the executives. With Condoriano in the center, he will always be protected by four main executives in each direction; him being in the center, Jones in the North, Mary in the East, Mirra in the South and Gery in the West. Mary and Gery has two assistances each which represented the intercardinal points, since they are great to be a group mission-carrier, while Jones and Mirra are more to a solo mission-carrier.

Gery is the treasure-hunter of the crew. He will be the one to lead a massive group of Cardinal pirates to rob the entire town that they landed upon or attacked any ships that they encountered for stealing purpose. Gery is a martial artist, very strong, skillful and sadistic towards the enemies. He loved to break their bones and twist their joints in any possible ways before killing. Under him are Benn and Mika, representing the northwest and southwest points. Benn is a blaster, receiving that tittle for his specialty in fighting with bombs and explosions while Mika is the archery, with strong instinct and 99% accuracy.

Mary, representing the East, is the navigator of the crew. She has a devil fruit power, that gave her the ability to heighten the sensitivity of pain on anyone. Because of that, she is also the torturer of the crew, and preferred to be called as such. Under her are Azuma and Airis, representing the northeast and southeast points respectively. Azuma is a sniper and fought with riffles or revolver and his accuracy is in par with Mika, and he is the only person with sea stone bullet. Airis is a devil fruit user as well, a paramecia to be specific. He is able to turn into an eagle, and hence the scouter of the crew.

And the strongest one, is Jones, the strategist and representing the North point. He could manipulate black wind. Don't ask how, but one thing for sure, his wind attacks always in black color and its very fast that it could cut your body to half if you don't avoid it.

Mirra didn't have much information about him since he had only showed most of his power once, when Mirra fought with him due to her failure in the last mission. It is strongly advised for them to not go against Jones on their own because he definitely won't hold back. He favored cutting off the opponents neck horizontally or cutting the opponents to half from head to toes vertically.

Lastly, is Mirra herself. The hail and ice user, also the cold-blooded assassin of the crew. At least that's what she always did when she's with the crew. She admitted herself that she had dropped her cold act throughout her stay with the Heart Pirates, simply because it is all an act so the whole crew won't think of doing anything stupid with her.

Together the eight of them formed an impenetrable defense for the captain.

Lastly, before wrapping out the discussion, Mirra had requested the Heart Pirates to first save the kidnapped women, before anything. She didn't want any of them to involve in the fight accidentally. In fact, Airis had the tendency to hold them as hostages, and knowing Heart Pirates are soft towards women, – not Hiro though, he didn't give a shit – they will probably hold back their attacks.

Airis also loved to fly around during night time, so they need to watch out to not be detected near the island.

Flashback ended...

Law opened his eyes, silently recalling his plan. He has decided to send Rain and his group to infiltrate the ship, acting as the first line fighters to distract the small fries. Then, Bepo's group will silently headed to the location of the kidnapped women, while him and his group will face the executives and the captain. Mirra could help any group she wanted to, it didn't matter as long as Condoriano is defeated. But Condoriano might activated the mark on Mirra 's back if he found out she planned to take him out.

Maybe I should throw her to the sea and see if the mark has effect on her or not. Maybe the cursed mark will not work when in contact with sea water, Law silently thought, while running his slender fingers through his silky raven hair.

Loud footsteps suddenly could be heard, coming to the direction of the dining room. Bepo burst through the door, "captain, we are reaching Wooley Island in five minutes," he said nervously.

Law immediately leaved his seat, heading to the control room while his ears caught loud shout from Shachi and Penguin forcing the rest of the crewmates to wake up and be ready, followed by small shriek by some of them. Law just smirked, feeling more eager to begin the plan and free the red haired woman.

And also to instill some fear on her for stealing his possession afterwards...

He promised he will do that.