Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece

The sound of the ship cutting through the waves had a brisk rhythm. Uchiha Shiraha stood on the deck, his fingertips tracing the smooth, polished hull, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

The newly completed ship is even more to my liking than I had imagined. The hull is sturdy, the cabin layout is ingenious, and even the sails on the masts exude a brand-new resilience.

He turned to look at the two people behind him. Robin was looking through the nautical chart in his hand, his fingertip pointing to a mark on a certain sea area, a faint smile on his lips.

Matsumoto Rangiku leaned against the railing, toying with a sake bottle in his hand, his brows and eyes relaxed, clearly approving of the new ship.

"It seems the craftsmen didn't try to fool us this time."

Rangiku Matsumoto tilted her head back and took a swig of sake, her tone light and cheerful.

"Now our adventure finally has a proper home."

Nico Robin closed the nautical chart and nodded in agreement: "The stability and endurance are both impressive, enough to take us to farther places."

Uchiha Shiraha chuckled softly, gazing at the boundless sea and Connor beside him, who was standing on tiptoe to look at the sea. His mood also brightened.

After settling in, the ship's hot spring bath became a great place for the group to relax.

The steaming heat from the women's bath carried a faint smell of sulfur, and a few petals floated on the surface of the water.

Nico Robin took off her usual light purple dress, her long hair loosely tied back, revealing her slender neck, tall figure, and alluring body, making one marvel at how she was truly a masterpiece of nature.

Matsumoto Rangiku also took off her clothes and leaned lazily against the wall of the hot spring pool, her cheeks flushed as the effects of the alcohol had not completely worn off.

If Nico Robin's figure is God's masterpiece, then Matsumoto Rangiku is God's favoritism; such a massive size could only be achieved with divine favor.

Kanna is not tall; her small stature means she can't even reach the bottom of the pool. She just floats on the surface of the water wearing a swim ring.

"I never expected there to be such a comfortable hot spring on a ship."

Matsumoto Rangiku stretched, water droplets sliding down her shoulder.

"It's much more comfortable than the women's public baths in Rukongai."

Robin reached out and brushed a wet strand of hair from her cheek, her gaze falling on Kanna as she watched the little girl chasing a petal in the water. A gentle smile appeared in her eyes: "It's truly a rare treat. Such moments of rest are especially precious during a long voyage."

As they were talking, Kanna had already taken off her swimming ring, and her small body wobbled as she was about to fall into the water.

Nico Robin reacted quickly, stretching out her slender arm and firmly embracing her waist.

Kanna blinked her round eyes, looked up at Robin with a sweet smile, then broke free and rushed to Rangiku's side, grabbing her hand and asking her to tell her the story of Soul Society.

"Rangiku-neechan, what kind of place is Soul Society?"

Unlike the lively women's bath, the men's bath was very quiet.

Hearing the noise from next door, Uchiha Shiraha soaked alone in the hot spring, leaning against the edge of the pool, closing his eyes to rest. The warm spring water washed over his shoulders.

The men's bathhouse is filled with the warm steam of the hot spring water, which can envelop you in a cozy atmosphere.

Uchiha Shiraha leaned against the blue stone by the pool, half of his body immersed in the warm spring water, his fingertips holding a can of chilled juice, which made a crisp sound when he pulled the tab.

He casually placed a can of snacks on the stone platform beside him, tore open the packaging, and the crisp sound was particularly clear in the tranquil hot spring.

The sweet aroma of fruit mixed with the salty scent of snacks filled the air. Uchiha Shiraha sipped his juice, his gaze fixed on the end of the rising steam, while he could faintly hear the laughter and chatter from the women's bathhouse next door.

Rangiku's cheerful banter, Robin's gentle laughter, and Kanna's childish shouts drifted through the stone walls, making the hot spring pool seem even more peaceful.

Uchiha Shiraha casually munched on his snacks, but what he was thinking about was how inconvenient it was to control this large ship. If it weren't for the fact that Devil Fruits could create puppets, the four of them really wouldn't be able to operate the ship.

On the deck, several puppets that looked exactly like him were methodically maneuvering the large ship.

This was a creation made by Uchiha Hakuba using his Devil Fruit powers; its movements were precise and swift.

This rather large ship, under the coordinated control of the puppets, steadily cut through the waves and sailed in the predetermined direction, with even the angle of the sails adjusted just right.

"Wow, these dolls are so useful."

To Uchiha Hakuba, these soulless puppets were like robots—without temper, without fatigue, without needing food, and without even respecting the Power Guardian. They were, without a doubt, perfect tools.

Meanwhile, the lively atmosphere at the women's bathhouse gradually quieted down.

Robin leaned against the edge of the pool, looking up at the shimmering water, her gentle gaze falling on Kanna's small figure.

The little guy's whole body was flushed from the bath, and he was peeking out.

"What's wrong, Kanna-chan?"

"Isn't Shiraha going to take a bath with us?"

The laughter and chatter in the women's bath suddenly subsided for a moment, then Matsumoto Rangiku's slightly tipsy shout rang out, her voice carrying the dampness of the steam through the thin stone walls: "Shiraha-kun, want to come soak with us? This hot spring is much more comfortable than yours!"

Before she could finish speaking, Nico Robin interrupted her with her voice: "Rangiku, stop fooling around."

Robin's tone was serious. She reached out and pulled Kanna, who was reaching for the floating petals, closer to her, and gently tapped the little girl's head with her fingertips.

"There are children here, and they are all women. How can we let Bai Yu come in to take a bath with them?"

"Oh, what's there to be afraid of?"

Rangiku waved her hand dismissively, and warm spring water slid down her shoulder.

"He's the captain, so why not make an exception..."

"Even if you're the captain, you can't break the distinction between men and women, especially with Kanna here. You have to consider the child's feelings."

Kanna tilted her head, seemingly understanding but not quite, and nodded, clutching Robin's hand. "You can't come in. This is a girls' area."

Rangiku pouted, reluctantly took a swig of sake, and muttered, "Fine, fine, whatever you say."

On the men's side, Uchiha Shiraha paused in his snacking, then chuckled softly.

He took a sip of juice and called out, "No need, I'm perfectly comfortable here!"

After refusing Matsumoto Rangiku's invitation to bathe together, Uchiha Hakuba began researching Devil Fruits.

He discovered that with the use and development of the Devil Fruit, he could even observe everything that was happening through the doll's perspective.

This ability reminded Uchiha Hakuba of Im.

Because of this ability, Uchiha Hakuba felt that if it was further developed, he should be able to possess puppets from a distance.

This is quite similar to Im's ability.