Spring passed into autumn, and now the sky was filled with goose-feather snow, heavy and unrelenting.
Kaos had originally thought merchant ships would arrive at Goat Island every three or four months. Yet, five whole months had dragged on without even a shadow of a ship in sight.
Miscalculation.
At this time, Kaos stood tall like a lone pine, his figure stark against the top of the highest mountain on the island. The peak was white with snow as far as his eyes could see, though greenery still clung to the mountainside and foot of the island.
Winter had been long, lonely, and boring.
He trained like an ascetic, wearing nothing but a pair of loose trousers, his body hardened from years of practice.
His muscles weren't bulky, but tight and refined, stretched across his frame of just under two meters.
In this pirate world, where the average adult stood well above three meters, Kaos looked like a small man, even disabled compared to the giants around him.
It was a bitter truth.
But suddenly, his sharp eyes caught movement at the horizon. A ship approached, cutting through the vast blue sea.
Kaos squinted, searching carefully. No skull and crossbones—no Jolly Roger.
A merchant ship.
Finally. After five months of waiting, it was here.
Exhaling a misty breath in the cold air, Kaos jumped from the cliffside. Thirty meters down, he suddenly halted midair, his feet striking invisible steps as he dashed toward the base of the mountain.
Moonwalk.
Over the long winter, Kaos had finally mastered it. His success came after countless repetitions of Shave—since Moonwalk was, in essence, an evolved form of Shave, it had been inevitable once he perfected the balance of power and rhythm.
And that wasn't all. His training in other techniques had also advanced. Now, with his arsenal complete, it was time.
Time to set out to sea.
Time to write his own legend.
He had endured here on Goat Island for three years and five months, building his strength, training in silence, and preparing for the day he could step into the wider world. Now the waiting had finally paid off.
As he glided over the snowy jungle, Kaos casually reached out with his hand. Gold from the earth responded instantly— a fist-sized lump rose into the air. With a thought, it split into razor-sharp flying knives.
Swish! Swish!
The knives shot out like bullets, striking a hare and a pheasant cleanly from twenty meters away. They dropped instantly, and within moments were pulled through the air to his side.
Even now, in the middle of flight, his golden arsenal never failed him.
Without saying goodbye to Little Jaw, Little Tiger, or Little Lion—the three beasts that had kept him company—Kaos returned home one last time. Standing before the familiar cherry blossom tree outside his hut, he extended his hand once more.
The ground split open, and gold burst forth in a blinding gleam, enveloping him completely. It spread and fused into an inner armor of pure gold essence—refined, concentrated, stripped of impurities over years of effort.
The golden inner armor clung beneath his clothes, hidden from sight but ready to respond in an instant.
This was Kaos' trump card. With it, he could conjure weapons, shields, or wings at will. It was the perfect balance of offense and defense—a necessity for travel and survival in the dangerous seas.
And unlike ordinary gold, this armor had been refined countless times, condensed into its purest and hardest form.
At the port, the village was already alive with activity. Many islanders bustled about, trading goods and preparing supplies.
The tavern was filled with guards, mercenaries, and ship stewards. For villagers, merchant ship arrivals were always a day of profit and excitement.
Carrying his fresh hare, pheasant, and bundles of dried animal skins, Kaos walked toward the harbor.
His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the massive ship docked there. It was easily thirty meters long, bristling with cannons on both sides.
Guards in armor patrolled the deck—some with swords, others with muskets.
This wasn't some ragged trading vessel. It clearly belonged to a wealthy kingdom or a powerful company.
Ordinary pirates wouldn't dare rob such a ship.
The villagers waved greetings to Kaos, many recognizing him instantly. His animal skins, especially, drew attention; the merchants always paid well for those.
But today, Kaos wasn't here to barter for money or supplies. Today, he would exchange everything he had for passage aboard the ship.
He needed to know its destination—whether it led to the Four Blues, or even better, to the Grand Line's second half.
Water 7 or Sabaody Archipelago.
Those were his targets.
"The animal skins are here!"
A steward from the ship spotted Kaos and hurried over, smiling politely. His eyes, however, gleamed with cunning.
He quickly recognized the quality. Several tiger skins, perfectly preserved.
A few snow-white fox pelts, not a trace of dirt on them—luxury goods coveted by noblewomen. On the right market, he could resell these furs for fifty times the price.
But to the villagers? He could name any figure he wanted.
"Do you want to exchange them for supplies or for beli?" the steward asked smoothly, pretending indifference.
Kaos, holding the bundle of skins, asked calmly: "May I ask where your ship is bound? Do you pass through Water 7 or Sabaody Archipelago?"
The steward smirked faintly. "Final destination is Sabaody Archipelago. We'll be passing Alabasta, Water 7, and some other islands along the way. But you wouldn't know much about those places anyway. Now—supplies or beli?"
Kaos' eyes flickered. He had heard enough. "I'd like to exchange these for passage. I need to reach Sabaody Archipelago."
The steward hesitated, studying Kaos' honest expression. After a pause, he nodded. "I can allow it. But listen carefully—these goods will be treated as payment. Once aboard, you're responsible for your own safety. If pirates attack, don't expect our protection."
"That's fine."
"Good. We set sail in three hours. Take this" He slipped a small ticket from his coat pocket. "When you board, show it to the crew, and they'll lead you to your quarters."
Kaos accepted it without hesitation.
A real ticket.
This arrangement wasn't unusual. Merchant ships often took passengers aboard during their long journeys. For small merchants, travelers, or wanderers, it was far safer than setting out alone.
After all, this was the Grand Line.
Going out to sea in a small boat was suicide.
Monkey D. Luffy might have done it, but Kaos was no "child of destiny."
If he tried to set out in a dinghy like that, his corpse would be fish food within a week.
As Kaos stood at the dock, several older villagers approached. "Kaos, are you leaving?"
There was no surprise in their voices. Everyone had long known he was an outsider. One day, he was bound to go.
"Yes."
He handed his pheasant and hare to two of the aunts, then looked back at the mountain and the little village one last time. Nostalgia stirred in his chest.
Three years and five months.
This was his starting point. The place where he had forged himself through struggle and loneliness. The place where he had prepared for the seas.
One day, when he was strong enough, he would return.
After saying his farewells, Kaos boarded the merchant ship. Guided by a clerk, he descended into the lowest deck.
His assigned room was barely the size of a bathroom, cramped and messy, but at least it had a small porthole with a view of the sea.
For him, it was enough.
He didn't need comfort. He needed anonymity. Revealing his wealth here would only invite trouble.
Above, wealthier passengers occupied spacious cabins. Below, men like him shared rows of narrow corridors. Kaos, however, had been given a room to himself.
That was enough.
Three hours later, the merchant ship set sail, pulling away from Goat Island's snowy coast.
And far up the mountainside, three massive beasts—Little Jaw, Little Tiger, and Little Lion sat watching the ship shrink into the distance. Their breaths came out in misty clouds.
Finally, the goddamn human had left.
He hadn't even said goodbye.
Not animalistic at all!!