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The Thousand Sunny rocked gently against the waves, sunlight glinting off the endless stretch of ocean. It would’ve been peaceful—should’ve been peaceful—if not for the yelling.
“You’re WHAT?!”
Portgas D. Ace stood at the center of the deck, flames flickering dangerously at his fingertips, his glare locked entirely on Trafalgar D. Water Law.
“I’m dating your brother,” Law repeated flatly, completely unbothered, hands tucked into his pockets. “Try to keep up.”
“You think I don’t know what dating means?!” Ace snapped.
Nearby, Monkey D. Luffy sat cross-legged on the deck, happily chewing on meat like none of this involved him.
“It’s true!” Luffy said with a grin, waving the bone. “We’re dating!”
Ace looked like he might actually combust.
Next to Luffy, Roronoa Zoro leaned back lazily, arms crossed, watching the argument like it was a stage play.
“Told you he wouldn’t approve,” Zoro muttered to Law with a shrug.
“I didn’t need your confirmation,” Law replied dryly.
Around them, the rest of the Straw Hats carried on in various states of mild interest. Nami was counting money, Usopp was dramatically narrating the situation to no one, and Sanji was aggressively lighting a cigarette while glaring at Law like he was the problem.
Then—
The air split.
Not metaphorically. Literally.
A jagged tear of violet-black energy ripped open above the deck.
Everything went still.
“…That’s new,” Zoro said.
Two figures dropped out of the rift and landed hard against the Sunny’s wood.
The portal snapped shut behind them.
Silence.
The taller of the two—much taller—slowly stood.
Technoblade straightened to his full, towering height—easily over seven feet, broad shoulders rolling as if he’d just stepped out of a battlefield. His tusks caught the light, scars mapping across his skin, a heavy presence settling over the deck like a storm about to break.
A tail flicked once behind him.
“…Yeah,” Techno said calmly, glancing around at the ocean, the ship, the very confused pirates. “We are not in the DSMP.”
Beside him, Ranboo pushed himself up, brushing off his coat. His mismatched appearance—half pale, half dark—stood out immediately, eyes darting around in growing alarm.
“Techno,” Ranboo said, voice tight, “do you even know where the hell we are?”
“No.”
“…Great.”
That’s when they noticed everyone staring at them.
And everyone noticed them.
Usopp screamed first. “WHY IS HE SO TALL?! WHY ARE THERE TWO OF THEM?!”
Chopper hid behind a barrel instantly.
Sanji paused mid-smoke. “…Are they… animals?”
Techno’s gaze shifted slowly to the crew, sharp and assessing.
“Weapons?” he asked calmly.
“Probably,” Ranboo whispered.
Ace, still mid-argument, blinked. “…Okay, what the hell is happening now?”
Luffy’s eyes lit up.
“WOAH!!!” He jumped to his feet, stretching his arms dramatically as he pointed. “You guys look awesome!! Are you strong?!”
Techno stared at him.
“…Yes.”
“YOSHAA!!” Luffy beamed.
Law pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course that’s your first question.”
Zoro stood, hand already resting on his swords, a grin tugging at his lips. “They don’t look weak.”
Ranboo leaned slightly toward Techno. “I don’t like how they’re looking at us.”
“They’re sizing us up,” Techno replied. “Good.”
Ace stepped forward, flames flickering again. “I don’t know who you are, but you just dropped onto my brother’s ship in the middle of—” he paused, grimacing, “—this situation. So start talking.”
Techno tilted his head slightly.
“…No.”
Ranboo made a small, panicked noise. “Techno—”
“What?” Techno said. “I don’t owe them anything.”
“You just said that to the guy on fire!”
“I’ve seen worse.”
Luffy bounced in place, completely ignoring the tension. “What’s your names?! I’m Luffy!”
“…Technoblade.”
“I’m Ranboo.”
Luffy grinned wider. “Do you wanna join my crew?!”
“LUFFY, NO—” multiple voices yelled at once.
Techno blinked.
“…That was fast.”
Ranboo looked like he might pass out.
Ace dragged a hand down his face. “I cannot deal with this right now.”
Zoro laughed under his breath. “I kinda like them.”
Law sighed. “Of course you do.”
The ocean rolled on around them, tension, confusion, and chaos thick in the air—
—and somehow, this was only the beginning.
The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, leaving the Thousand Sunny bathed in soft lantern light. The ocean was darker now—quiet, endless, and just a little eerie.
Most of the crew had settled into a strange, cautious normal.
Near the center of the deck, Monkey D. Luffy sat between Trafalgar D. Water Law and Portgas D. Ace—which, honestly, felt like a disaster waiting to happen.
Ace still looked irritated, arms crossed tightly. “I’m not done with this conversation.”
“You’ve said that three times,” Law replied calmly.
“And I mean it every time!”
Luffy, completely unfazed, leaned happily against Law’s side. “Ace, you’re being weird.”
“I’M being weird?!” Ace snapped. “You’re dating a warlord!”
“Ex-warlord,” Law corrected.
“THAT DOESN’T HELP!”
Luffy just laughed.
Across the deck, far enough away to avoid the chaos, Technoblade and Ranboo sat near the railing.
Well—Ranboo sat.
Techno didn’t really sit so much as loom even while resting, one knee up, arms draped over it, eyes scanning everything like he was cataloging threats.
“…So,” Ranboo said quietly, staring out at the dark water, “we’re stuck on a pirate ship. In the middle of the ocean. In a world we don’t know.”
“Correct.”
“…And they’re all very strong.”
“Also correct.”
Ranboo pulled at his sleeve. “And one of them is made of fire.”
“I’ve fought worse.”
“That does not make me feel better.”
Techno glanced sideways at him. “You’re still alive. That’s a good start.”
“…Your standards are terrifying.”
Not too far away, two Straw Hats were watching them.
Roronoa Zoro leaned against the mast, arms crossed, eye fixed squarely on Techno.
“…He’s strong,” Zoro muttered.
Sanji exhaled smoke beside him, though his attention was very clearly elsewhere—locked onto Ranboo.
“…That one,” Sanji said, quieter than usual, “he’s not human.”
Zoro snorted. “None of us are normal.”
“Not like that,” Sanji replied. “Look at him.”
Ranboo shifted slightly, his non-human traits obvious even in the dim light.
Sanji frowned thoughtfully. “…He looks… lost.”
Zoro’s gaze flicked briefly to Ranboo, then back to Techno. “The tall one doesn’t.”
“Yeah,” Sanji said. “That one looks like he could take on the whole crew.”
Zoro grinned.
“Now that,” he said, “sounds fun.”
Near the table, Nami and Nico Robin sat together, voices low but observant as always.
“They’re not from anywhere I recognize,” Nami said, tapping her finger against the table. “And I’ve seen a lot of weird things.”
Robin smiled softly, eyes thoughtful. “They don’t seem like pirates either.”
“Definitely not marines,” Nami added.
Robin’s gaze drifted toward Techno and Ranboo. “But they are dangerous.”
“Especially the tall one,” Nami agreed. “I can feel it.”
Robin’s smile didn’t fade. “Yes… but he hasn’t attacked.”
“…Yet,” Nami said.
At the far end of the deck, chaos had taken a different form.
Franky was loudly whispering. “SUUUPER weird guys, right?!”
Usopp nodded frantically. “They dropped out of the SKY, Franky! The SKY!”
Tony Tony Chopper clung to Usopp. “D-do you think they’ll eat us?!”
Brook laughed. “Yohohoho! If they do, I have no flesh anyway!”
“THAT’S NOT HELPFUL!” Usopp cried.
Back by the railing, Ranboo shifted again.
“…They’re all staring,” he whispered.
“They’re assessing,” Techno corrected.
“That’s worse.”
A pause.
“…Do you think they’ll kick us off the ship?” Ranboo asked.
Techno considered that.
“…Not the captain.”
Ranboo blinked. “The rubber one?”
“Yes.”
“…Why?”
Techno glanced toward Luffy, who was currently laughing while Ace argued with Law.
“…He’s unpredictable,” Techno said. “People like that don’t reject strength. Or interesting things.”
Ranboo stared at him. “We’re ‘interesting things’ now?”
“Yes.”
“…Great.”
Techno’s grip tightened slightly on his arm, gaze sharpening as Zoro began walking toward them.
“…Incoming,” Techno said.
Ranboo went rigid. “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN—”
Zoro stopped a few feet away, smirking.
“Hey,” he said, looking directly at Techno. “You fight?”
Ranboo made a very quiet, distressed noise.
Techno, on the other hand—
Grinned.
“…Yes.”
And somewhere behind them—
Luffy’s voice rang out across the deck:
“OOOHHH A FIGHT?!”
Zoro’s grin widened the second Technoblade answered.
“…Yes.”
The air shifted.
You could feel it—like the moment before a storm breaks.
“OOOHHH A FIGHT?!” Monkey D. Luffy shouted from across the deck, instantly energized.
Ace groaned. “Oh great, now you’ve done it.”
Roronoa Zoro stepped forward, hand resting on his swords, clearly pleased. “C’mon. Just a spar.”
That’s when—
“NO.”
The word cut through everything.
All eyes snapped to Ranboo, who had shot to his feet so fast his chair scraped loudly across the deck.
Ranboo pointed directly at Techno, expression panicked.
“Absolutely not. No. Nope. Not happening.”
Techno blinked at him. “…What?”
Ranboo turned fully toward him now, voice rising rapidly.
“The last time you ‘sparred’ with someone was a week ago—with Dream—and you sent him flying through a stone wall, Techno!”
A beat.
“…Who’s Dream?” Usopp whispered.
“No idea,” Nami replied, not taking her eyes off the situation.
Ranboo kept going, clearly spiraling.
“You cracked one of his ram horns and FIVE of his ribs!” Ranboo continued, gesturing wildly. “And that was you HOLDING BACK!”
The entire crew went silent.
Even Zoro paused.
Ranboo didn’t stop.
“And let’s not forget the gladiator ring—” he added, voice getting more frantic, “—you went through that like it was NOTHING!”
Sanji lowered his cigarette slightly. “…He did what?”
Ranboo jabbed a finger at Techno again. “You have literally crushed people’s ribs with a kick! A simple kick!”
Chopper made a horrified squeak.
“AND,” Ranboo said, almost shouting now, “you are a Piglin brute hybrid! Do you have any idea how strong you are?!”
There was a long, heavy silence.
Every single Straw Hat slowly looked back at Techno.
Techno, who stood there completely unfazed.
“…Yes,” he said simply.
Ranboo threw his hands up. “THEN WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS IS NORMAL?!”
Zoro’s grin slowly came back.
“…Now I really wanna fight him.”
“NO—” Ranboo whipped toward Zoro, eyes wide. “No offense, but you will die.”
“Oi,” Zoro said, amused. “I’m not that weak.”
Ranboo looked him dead in the eye.
“I’m serious.”
That wiped the smirk off Zoro’s face—just a little.
Back near the center, Ace let out a low whistle. “Kid’s not joking.”
Law’s gaze sharpened, studying Techno more carefully now. “…Interesting.”
Luffy, meanwhile, looked thrilled.
“YOU’RE THAT STRONG?!” he shouted.
“Yes,” Techno answered again.
“THAT’S AWESOME!!”
Ranboo turned back to Techno, lowering his voice but not his intensity. “I am not letting you absolutely destroy these random people, Techno. We just got here. Can we not start with murder?”
“They asked for a spar,” Techno replied.
“You don’t spar, Techno!” Ranboo shot back. “You end people!”
A pause.
“…That’s fair,” Techno admitted.
Ranboo blinked, thrown off. “…Wait—really?”
Techno exhaled, a quiet huff, ears flicking slightly.
“…Fine.”
The tension snapped—but not completely.
Zoro clicked his tongue. “Tch. Shame.”
“You can fight someone else,” Sanji muttered.
“Like you?” Zoro shot back.
“Anytime.”
“Oh, here we go,” Usopp groaned.
Ranboo visibly sagged in relief, shoulders dropping.
“Thank god,” he muttered.
But across the deck—
Luffy was still staring at Techno like he’d just discovered something incredible.
And Techno?
Techno noticed.
Their eyes met.
And slowly—
Techno smiled.
Not friendly.
Not soft.
But interested.
“…Later,” Techno said quietly.
Luffy grinned back just as wide.
“Yeah,” he said. “Later.”
Night settled fully over the Thousand Sunny, the earlier chaos fading into something quieter—tense, but calm enough.
One by one, the crew drifted off to sleep.
Even Monkey D. Luffy had finally crashed, sprawled out without a care in the world. Portgas D. Ace had eventually stopped arguing—though not without pointing at Trafalgar D. Water Law and muttering something about “this isn’t over.”
Below deck, things were quieter.
The Straw Hats had, after some discussion (and Luffy insisting), given their unexpected guests a place to sleep.
Ranboo stood awkwardly in the room for a moment before sitting on the bed. He pressed a hand into the mattress, testing it out of habit.
“…Okay,” he murmured to himself. “Yeah. This is fine.”
He had adjusted to beds a long time ago—back when he first started living in the overworld. Compared to everything else happening right now, this part was easy.
Ranboo glanced over at Technoblade.
“You gonna sleep?” he asked quietly.
Techno gave a small shrug. “…Yeah.”
Ranboo didn’t question it.
That, in hindsight, was a mistake.
Within minutes, Ranboo was out cold.
Techno waited.
He stayed still, listening.
Breathing even. Footsteps gone. The subtle shift of a ship at rest.
Everyone asleep.
Only then did he move.
Silent for someone his size, Techno slipped out of the room and made his way back up to the main deck.
The night air hit immediately—cool, open, endless.
The ocean stretched in all directions, black under the faint glow of the moon.
Techno walked to the side of the ship and sat down, resting his arms loosely over his knees.
Still.
Quiet.
Awake.
His ears twitched once.
This wasn’t right.
Piglins didn’t sleep like this. Not in beds. Not in borrowed spaces that didn’t belong to them.
They had nests.
Their nests.
Something built, claimed—theirs.
Sometimes, they could settle for another.
But this?
This wasn’t anything.
And his instincts—deep, unrelenting—refused to let it pass.
So he didn’t sleep.
Didn’t even try.
He just sat there, staring out at the ocean, waiting for a rest that wasn’t going to come.
Time passed.
Hours.
The sky slowly began to shift.
Around 4 a.m., the quiet creak of footsteps broke the stillness.
Roronoa Zoro stepped onto the main deck, one hand rubbing the back of his neck, clearly having woken up early out of habit.
He paused.
“…Huh.”
There, by the side of the ship—
Techno.
Sitting exactly where he’d been left.
Zoro narrowed his eye slightly, studying him.
“…You’re up early,” he said.
Techno didn’t look tired.
Not even a little.
If anything, he looked exactly the same as he had hours ago—steady, aware, completely present.
“Didn’t sleep,” Techno replied.
Zoro raised a brow. “Not tired?”
“No.”
Zoro watched him for another moment.
Most people who said that were lying.
This didn’t feel like that.
“…Weird,” Zoro muttered.
Techno didn’t respond.
The ocean shifted quietly below them.
After a moment, Zoro walked closer, stopping a few feet away, leaning casually against the railing.
“…You’re not human,” Zoro said.
Not a question.
“No.”
Zoro glanced sideways at him. “Figured.”
Another pause.
“…Your friend stopped you earlier,” Zoro added. “From fighting.”
“Yes.”
Zoro smirked faintly. “You that dangerous?”
Techno’s gaze stayed on the horizon.
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No pride.
Just fact.
Zoro let out a quiet breath through his nose, something almost like a laugh.
“…Now I’m annoyed we didn’t fight.”
Techno’s ear flicked slightly.
“…Later,” he repeated.
Zoro grinned.
“Yeah,” he said. “Later.”
Silence settled again—but this time, it wasn’t tense.
Just two fighters, standing in the dark before sunrise—
both fully awake.
The early morning air stayed quiet, the sky just beginning to lighten at the edges.
Roronoa Zoro didn’t move from his spot by the railing. His gaze kept drifting—back to Technoblade, then away, then back again.
Studying.
Measuring.
Trying to figure him out.
Techno let it go on for a while.
Then he exhaled, low and unimpressed.
“…You seem curious.”
Zoro didn’t react at first, but his eye shifted slightly toward him.
“Your eyes keep drifting to me,” Techno continued, voice calm, almost bored. “Like you’re trying to analyze me.”
A pause.
“But you don’t know what you’re analyzing,” he added. “And you don’t like it. Because you can’t get a proper read of me.”
Silence.
Zoro stared at him for a second longer—
Then huffed a quiet laugh.
“…Yeah,” he admitted. “How’d you know?”
Techno finally turned his head, looking at him properly.
“Pattern recognition.”
Zoro raised a brow.
Techno tilted his head slightly. “Your chef did the same thing yesterday. To Ranboo.”
That caught Zoro’s attention.
“…Sanji?”
“Yes.”
Techno’s gaze sharpened slightly—not hostile, just observant.
“You two are… similar.”
Zoro snorted immediately. “The hell we are.”
“Besides Monkey D. Luffy,” Techno continued, ignoring him, “you stay near him the most.”
Zoro went still.
“And both of you,” Techno added, “naturally lean toward each other. Subtle. Not obvious. But consistent.”
Zoro’s expression shifted—just barely.
“Like there’s more than friendship,” Techno finished.
Silence.
For once—
Zoro didn’t have a comeback.
His eye widened a fraction, something sharp and surprised flashing across his face before he masked it.
“…You talk too much,” Zoro muttered.
Techno shrugged. “You’re easy to read.”
“That’s funny,” Zoro shot back. “Coming from someone I can’t read at all.”
“Difference in experience.”
Zoro clicked his tongue, pushing off the railing slightly, clearly thrown off balance in a way he didn’t like.
“…We didn’t tell anyone,” he said after a moment, quieter now.
Techno didn’t react much. “You didn’t need to.”
Zoro frowned. “And you just… saw that?”
“Yes.”
“…Huh.”
Another stretch of silence.
Zoro ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly.
“…Don’t go saying that out loud,” he muttered. “Crew’ll never shut up about it.”
Techno gave a small, almost amused huff. “Not my problem.”
Zoro glanced at him again, this time less guarded—more thoughtful.
“…You notice a lot.”
“Yes.”
“…That why you didn’t sleep?”
Techno’s gaze shifted back to the ocean.
“…No.”
Zoro didn’t push.
But he noticed the slight change anyway.
And for the first time—
He stopped trying to read Techno like an opponent.
And started looking at him like something else entirely.
Morning melted into afternoon, and the Thousand Sunny slowly returned to its usual rhythm—almost like nothing strange had happened.
Almost.
Monkey D. Luffy was back to being loud, Usopp was still half-convinced the newcomers were cursed spirits, and Sanji kept subtly watching Ranboo whenever he thought no one noticed.
(Zoro noticed.)
Roronoa Zoro, meanwhile, kept glancing at Technoblade—but now it wasn’t just curiosity.
It was awareness.
Understanding there was more there than just “strong.”
By early afternoon, the sun was high overhead.
It was around 2 p.m. when it happened again.
The air—
tore open.
A violent rip of energy split the sky above the deck, jagged and unstable, far louder than before.
“AGAIN?!” Nami snapped.
Everyone looked up instantly.
Two figures dropped out of the rift—
Landing hard onto the Sunny with a thud.
The portal snapped shut just as quickly.
Silence fell.
“…Oh no,” Ranboo whispered.
The first to move was a shorter figure—horns visible, breath uneven as he pushed himself up.
Tubbo looked around wildly. “Ranboo?!”
Ranboo’s head snapped toward him.
“TUBBO?!”
In an instant, Ranboo was across the deck, nearly tripping over himself as he rushed forward.
“You’re here—how are you here—are you okay?!” Ranboo blurted out all at once.
Tubbo grabbed him just as quickly, relief obvious. “I got pulled through the same weird portal thing—what is this place?!”
“A pirate ship,” Ranboo said automatically.
“…Of course it is,” Tubbo muttered.
But the second figure—
Hadn’t moved yet.
Tall, calm, dark wings shifting slightly as he stood.
Philza lifted his head, sharp eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings—
—and then landing on Techno.
Everything else disappeared.
On the other side of the deck—
Techno froze.
For the first time since arriving—
he reacted.
His tail flicked—
Then wagged once. Small. Involuntary.
Zoro saw it.
“…Huh,” he muttered.
Techno was already moving.
Phil moved at the same time.
No hesitation.
No words.
They closed the distance in seconds—
And Techno immediately pulled Phil into his arms.
Tight.
Solid.
Like confirming something was real.
Phil let out a quiet breath, gripping him just as firmly. “There you are.”
“Yeah,” Techno muttered.
For a moment—
That overwhelming, constant awareness Techno carried—
dropped.
Just a little.
Across the deck, the Straw Hats watched in stunned silence.
“…He hugs?” Usopp whispered.
“I thought he only destroyed things,” Franky added.
Zoro didn’t say anything.
He just watched.
Because this—
This wasn’t the same person from earlier.
Not the looming, unreadable fighter.
This was something else.
Something softer.
Nearby, Luffy grinned.
“Your friends keep showing up!” he said excitedly.
Law sighed. “At this rate, we’re going to have an entire second crew.”
Ace crossed his arms. “…I don’t like how strong they look.”
Sanji narrowed his eyes slightly at Phil. “…That one’s different too.”
Robin smiled faintly. “Yes… very.”
Back at the center—
Techno finally pulled back slightly, just enough to look at Phil properly.
“You okay?” Phil asked.
“Yes.”
“Ranboo?”
“Fine.”
Phil nodded once, clearly satisfied.
Then glanced around at the crew, wings shifting slightly.
“…New environment,” he noted.
“Yes.”
“…Strong ones?”
Techno’s gaze flicked briefly toward Luffy.
“…Yes.”
Phil hummed.
“Good.”
Behind them—
Tubbo was still holding onto Ranboo.
“I thought I lost you,” Tubbo admitted quietly.
“You didn’t,” Ranboo said, just as soft.
Then, after a beat—
“…We might be stuck here though.”
Tubbo blinked. “…What?”
Ranboo gestured vaguely at the ship, the ocean, the pirates.
“…Long story.”
And just like that—
The Sunny got even more crowded.
And somehow—
Even more dangerous.
The chaos from earlier had settled—again—into something calmer, though the Sunny now felt even more crowded, more watchful.
The sun had started to dip, painting the deck in gold.
Near the center of the ship, Philza finally sat down where he and Technoblade had been standing earlier, wings relaxing slightly at his back.
It was subtle—but immediate.
Techno followed.
No hesitation.
No thought.
He just… moved with him.
Zoro, watching from a distance, noticed that first.
“…He sticks close,” Roronoa Zoro muttered.
“Yeah,” Sanji replied quietly beside him. “Not in a defensive way either.”
The height difference became obvious the second they settled.
Phil was tall—but Techno?
Techno loomed.
Even sitting, he was bigger—broader, heavier, something almost overwhelming in presence alone.
And then—
Techno did something that made several people on deck pause.
He leaned forward—
…and just plopped his head on top of Phil’s.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Phil didn’t even flinch.
If anything, he shifted slightly to make it easier.
Techno’s weight settled over him, unintentionally covering most of Phil’s back, his presence practically swallowing him whole.
“…Is he—” Usopp started.
“Using him as a pillow?” Franky finished.
Robin smiled faintly. “It seems so.”
Then Techno’s tail moved.
Slow.
Casual.
It curled around Phil—not tight, not restrictive—just a loose, absent wrap, like something instinctive rather than deliberate.
A quiet claim.
A familiar habit.
Phil glanced down at it briefly, then back out at the ocean, completely unbothered.
“…Comfortable?” Phil asked.
Techno’s voice came muffled. “Yes.”
“Good.”
That was it.
No awkwardness.
No explanation.
Just… normal. For them.
Across the deck, Ranboo watched, shoulders finally relaxing.
“…Okay, yeah, that tracks,” he muttered.
Tubbo blinked. “He just—does that?”
“Yeah,” Ranboo said. “That’s… actually pretty mild.”
Tubbo stared. “…Mild?!”
Near the railing, Zoro let out a quiet huff.
“…Didn’t expect that,” he admitted.
Sanji exhaled smoke slowly, eyes still on them. “…Me neither.”
Zoro glanced sideways at him briefly—just for a second—before looking back.
“…You think that’s their version of normal?”
Sanji shrugged. “Looks like it.”
At the center—
Monkey D. Luffy grinned, completely delighted.
“Awww!!” he laughed. “You guys are close!!”
Portgas D. Ace rubbed his face. “Why is everyone pairing off on this ship now…”
Trafalgar D. Water Law didn’t even look up. “You’re just noticing?”
Ace scowled. “…I don’t like this trend.”
Back where they sat—
Phil remained steady, gaze on the horizon.
Techno didn’t move.
Didn’t need to.
For the first time since arriving—
He looked… settled.
Not fully.
Not completely.
But closer than before.
And his tail, still loosely wrapped around Phil—
Didn’t move at all.
The deck had settled into a strange, almost peaceful rhythm again.
The sea rolled gently. The sky burned orange.
And scattered across the Sunny, conversations carried in low voices.
Near the railing, Ranboo had pulled Tubbo aside, speaking in a hushed, rapid tone.
“—and then he said yes, immediately,” Ranboo was saying, gesturing with both hands. “Like no hesitation. None.”
Tubbo blinked. “Wait—what?”
“Luffy asked him to spar,” Ranboo continued, lowering his voice slightly, “and Techno just—agreed. Like it was a normal thing to do.”
Tubbo’s eyes widened. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“Exactly!” Ranboo said. “That’s what I said!”
Tubbo glanced over toward the center of the deck where Monkey D. Luffy was currently laughing about something, completely unaware of how close he’d been to disaster.
“…He looks harmless,” Tubbo muttered.
Ranboo stared at him. “…That means nothing.”
“Fair.”
A few feet away—
Philza heard enough.
His head turned.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
His gaze landed on Technoblade—who was still exactly where he’d been, head resting on Phil, tail loosely wrapped, completely relaxed.
“…You did what?” Phil asked.
Techno didn’t lift his head.
Didn’t move.
Just shrugged slightly.
“Accepted.”
Like it meant nothing.
Phil stared at him.
There was a very specific look forming on his face.
The kind that said bro, what the hell were you thinking.
Techno could feel it without even looking.
“…What,” Techno muttered.
Phil didn’t answer immediately.
He just kept staring.
Techno finally tilted his head just enough to glance up at him.
“…It was a spar,” he said, like that explained everything.
Phil’s expression did not change.
If anything—it got worse.
“You were going to fight the rubber one,” Phil said flatly.
“Yes.”
“The one who doesn’t know how strong you are.”
“Yes.”
“The one who asked you like it was a friendly match.”
“Yes.”
Phil blinked once.
Slow.
“…Techno.”
Techno sighed.
A small, familiar huff of breath.
“He asked,” Techno said.
“That is not a reason,” Phil replied immediately.
“It is a reason.”
“It is a bad one.”
Techno huffed again, ears flicking slightly in annoyance.
“I wasn’t going to kill him.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
Across from them, Ranboo had fully turned now, pointing again.
“See?!” Ranboo said to Tubbo. “This is what I was dealing with!”
Tubbo nodded rapidly. “Yeah, no, you were right to stop that.”
“Thank you!”
Phil exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple.
“…You need supervision,” he muttered.
Techno went still for half a second.
Then—
“…No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Techno shifted slightly, tail tightening just a fraction before relaxing again.
“I’m fine,” he said.
Phil gave him a look.
A very long look.
“…You accepted a spar with a stranger on a boat in another world within minutes of arriving.”
Techno paused.
“…Yes.”
Phil deadpanned. “You’re not helping your case.”
Nearby, Roronoa Zoro, who had absolutely been listening, let out a quiet laugh.
“…I like him more now,” he muttered.
Sanji sighed. “Of course you do.”
Back at the center—
Luffy suddenly perked up.
“WAIT—WE’RE STILL FIGHTING LATER, RIGHT?!” he shouted.
Ranboo immediately whipped around. “NO—”
Techno, without lifting his head, said:
“…Maybe.”
“TECHNO—” Ranboo and Phil said at the exact same time.
Techno huffed again.
And for once—
He did not elaborate.