"Feeling guilty now?"
A cold voice came from behind.
Hancock barely managed to stop retching, clutching her chest as she turned her head in shame and anger toward the black-haired youth approaching step by step.
"Your back is exposed."
Xiano glanced over. "The Celestial Dragon's Hoof mark, I see. So you were once a slave of the Celestial Dragons?"
Hancock's pupils contracted, and her entire body trembled violently. Frantically, she tugged at her torn collar to cover it, but her panic only made things worse.
Rip!
With the sound of fabric tearing, the brand was fully exposed to the sunlight. For some reason, an intense burning pain inexplicably surged through her.
"Turn around... don't look!"
Inferiority, shame, resentment—all sorts of emotions swirled in her heart, and she couldn't help but sob uncontrollably.
"If you're lisping, talk less. I can't understand you. It's quite rare for a Celestial Dragon's slave to end up outside... Judging by your age, I'd guess you're one of the slaves Fisher Tiger rescued back then."
Xiano acted as if he hadn't noticed her distress and said calmly:
"Tiger was a true hero. His feat of scaling Mariejois to free the slaves is something few in the entire Ocean Era Calendar could achieve. It's just a shame his judgment was ultimately a bit off."
Hearing her savior's name, Hancock froze:
"What... what do you mean?"
"What do you think?"
Xiano looked at her coldly. "Tiger risked his life climbing the Red Line bare-handed to save all of you, but he never expected there'd be absolute trash mixed among you. Tell me, how is your current temperament, your usual behavior, any different from those lofty, nauseating Celestial Dragons?!"
"I... I..."
Hancock instinctively wanted to defend herself but realized she truly was as he described, unable to find any grounds for rebuttal.
"You might not know this, but Fisher Tiger was also once a slave of the Celestial Dragons. It was because he endured their hellish torture that he grew to intensely hate humans. Even when he was bleeding excessively, on the verge of death, he refused to accept human blood and died because of it."
"But what if we set that aside?"
Xiano sneered:
"What if what Tiger hated wasn't the entire human race, but only the Celestial Dragons?"
"You were a slave he personally rescued. If you had been by his side when he was dying, I think the outcome would have been no different. He would rather die than accept blood from someone like you."
Hancock felt as if struck by lightning, her entire body freezing in place.
"True beauty lies only in the soul, not the appearance. So even though Tiger was a Fish-man and didn't match my aesthetic, he must have been an incredible gentleman."
"As for you? Hmph, you're so ugly it's downright disgusting."
Xiano spat contemptuously and, after delivering these words, turned and strode away without looking back.
"Let's go, Mom. Open your eyes wide. If you ever run into a woman like this in the future, make sure to stay far away."
"Sigh, after hearing all that, she really does seem like a piece of work. Got it."
"Haha, that's more like my mom! I thought you'd be like other old folks, once you get tricked, there's no pulling you back—"
"Who are you calling old?!" The woman, who had just been feeling apologetic, instantly flew into a rage.
Thump!
"Oww, that hurts!"
Amid the roar of the engine, the motorcycle gradually faded into the distance.
Hancock stared blankly in the direction the motorcycle had gone, not moving for a long time. She then glanced at the citizens lying scattered across the ground and the wrecked pirate ships...
Her fingers unconsciously brushed over the brand on her back, the burning pain still lingering.
"Disgusting..."
Xiano's words echoed in her ears like a sharp blade, piercing straight into her heart.
"Snake Princess!"
At that moment, a few female warriors who had barely regained consciousness stumbled over, their faces full of concern. "Are you alright? That man was just too terrifying, we—"
"Silence!"
Hancock suddenly looked up, her eyes red and her voice hoarse.
The female warriors immediately fell silent, not daring to make a sound.
She slowly rose to her feet, her tattered robe fluttering in the wind.
"Back... back to Amazon Lily," Hancock rasped, as if squeezing the words out through gritted teeth with all her strength.
"Huh? But weren't we going to—"
"I said, back to Amazon Lily!"
She roared in fury.
The female warriors had never seen the Snake Princess in such a state before. For a moment, they exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do.
Ignoring them, Hancock staggered toward the ship's cabin.
With every step, those words echoed in her mind—
"What's the difference between you and a Celestial Dragon?"
"Ugly and disgusting!"
"Tiger would rather die than accept your blood!"
"Truly despicable..."
Endlessly, without pause.
The more she walked, the more unsteady her steps became, and her heart grew even more troubled. Her mind could hold nothing else, only the image of the black-haired boy's face, filled with undisguised contempt, his gaze as if looking at trash...
As soon as she stepped into the cabin, the world spun around her.
"Snake Princess!"
Panicked cries came from the female warriors behind her, but she could no longer hear them clearly.
"I... I..."
She tried to grab the doorframe, but her fingers slid uselessly past it. Under the horrified gazes of everyone, she collapsed heavily to the ground.
In the final moment before her consciousness faded,
she felt as if she were struggling underwater again, seeing that raging fire, that tall figure with crimson skin...
Was I wrong, Tiger...
...
...
The motorcycle continued to speed swiftly along the Calm Belt.
The large Sea Kings along the way, sensing that terrifying aura, immediately fled in panic to either side, much like the waves parting before the motorcycle.
With no obstacles and a straight course, at this rate, Xiano and Bellemere would enter the New World within ten days at most.
Meanwhile,
during these ten days, in the first half of the Grand Line, parallel to the Calm Belt—a sea known as "Paradise"—certain events were also quietly unfolding.
...
Before the gates of the ancient castle on Kuraigana Island,
Tashigi looked up at the distant sky. It seemed like a good day for setting sail. She took a deep breath and instinctively tightened her grip on the two swords at her waist.
One was named "Shigure";
though it was merely an ordinary Sharp Blade.
Yet it had accompanied her through countless days and nights, soaked with years of tears and sweat. Even though it could no longer keep up with her current skills, she had never brought herself to replace it.
The other was a wooden sword, named "Lake Toya."
This blade was even more precious to her. She polished it daily, hung it on the wall as a treasure, and even during training, she was reluctant to unsheathe it easily.
It was a gift she received in Loguetown of the East Blue, a memento left by that black-haired boy she had admired since childhood.
In her heart, it held more weight than any famous sword, even more than her own life.
She turned around, her gaze complex as she looked toward Hawkeye, who sat calmly on the throne in the hall.
The latter was meticulously polishing the Black Blade Night, not even lifting his head.
"Mr. Kuhomi."
Tashigi finally made up her mind, kneeling on one knee and speaking solemnly to the man above:
"Thanks to your guidance over this past year, the agreed-upon time has come, and it is about time for me to set off."
Oh?
Has it already been a year?
Hawkeye's polishing motion paused slightly.
Outside the window, mist lingered, and faintly, the distant cries of baboons could be heard.
"That King Baboon..." he said calmly, still not looking up, "seems to have been thoroughly beaten by you these past couple of days."
"Yes."
Tashigi nodded, a proud smile appearing on her face.
A month ago, she had fought bitterly for an entire day before finally defeating the King Baboon for the first time.
And just yesterday.
It had taken her only three strikes to defeat the King Baboon.
Recalling the scene from last year when she first arrived outside this ancient castle, overwhelmed even by ordinary baboons...
It all felt like a dream.
"Go."
The black blade slid back into its scabbard with a clear, sharp ring. Hawkeye finally lifted his hawk-like eyes. "If that's the case, you are now barely qualified to stand by his side."
"Your guidance is a kindness I will never forget in this lifetime."
Tashigi bowed deeply, her forehead touching the ground, her voice trembling slightly:
"If the opportunity arises in the future, I will surely repay you."
There was no response.
She only heard the sound of Hawkeye rising, walking unhurriedly toward the dining room as if to enjoy breakfast, not even bothering to offer a proper farewell.
"..."
Though she was accustomed to his indifferent attitude, with their parting imminent, Tashigi couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
However...
When she finally straightened up, she was astonished to find a cup of steaming hot black tea placed before her, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Finish it before you leave."
Hawkeye's expression was aloof as he returned to his seat, crossing his arms and closing his eyes to rest.
"The winds on the Grand Line are strong. It's easy to catch a cold if you're not careful."
Tashigi's eyes widened in shock as she glanced at Hawkeye, then looked down at the cup of tea.
This...
Could these words really have come from Mr. Kuhomi's mouth?
She carefully cupped the teacup with both hands. As she brought it close to her nose, somehow, the rising steam quietly blurred her vision...
——————
Drum Island.
Now renamed the "Cherry Blossom Kingdom," this land was gradually regaining its former reputation as a great medical nation.
Snow continued to fall softly.
But today's snow was different.
Thanks to what the Quack Doctor had left behind years ago, "cherry blossoms" danced in the cold wind, their pink and white petals intertwining with the pure white snow...
A breathtakingly beautiful sight.
Chopper stood in the snow, his small backpack bulging with herbs, notes that Kureha had insisted on stuffing inside, and a few packs of his favorite cotton candy.
He hung his head, his hooves nervously scuffing the snow, his eyes rimmed red.
"Hey, you dummy Chopper."
Kureha leaned against the doorway, cigarette in mouth, grinning as she watched him. "What are you dawdling for? That blond brat's been waiting for you forever. Go on!"
Chopper turned to look at Sanji, who stood silently under a tree, gazing up at the sky with a melancholic expression as he smoked.
I'm the one saying goodbye, why is this guy trying to look so cool?!
He turned back, tears welling in his eyes. "Doctoress Kureha... I..."
"Stop crying!"
Kureha smacked him on the head. "You're a man now! Setting sail is setting sail—don't make it seem like some tragic farewell!"
Chopper sniffled, trying hard to hold back his tears. "But... if I leave, you'll be all alone..."
"Hah?"
Kureha scoffed. "Who do you think I am? In over a hundred years of life, how much of that have you even been around? Even without you, I'll be just fine, won't I?"
She paused, her expression softening as she reached out to ruffle Chopper's furry head. "It's you I'm worried about. Don't embarrass me, tagging along with that Pirate."
"What Pirate? I'm the Captain of the Chef Adventure Crew! My dream is to find All Blue, not One Piece, you old hag!" Sanji yelled indignantly.
"A one-man crew calling itself a Captain? You disrespectful brat!" Kureha roared, launching into a flying kick.
The two began brawling noisily, and Chopper, watching with his head tilted, suddenly broke into a teary smile.
Big brother Xiano was right after all.
Even without knowing his name, the moment he met that blond cook shouting about finding All Blue, he knew he'd found the right companion.
There was just one thing that didn't match up.
Big brother Xiano had clearly said that traveling with this guy should be a Mosshead too...
But he was nowhere to be seen.
Chopper scratched his head.
They aren't together after all?
How strange. Where could that Mosshead be now?
——————
On a battered little boat.
"Hahaha, cooking's not so hard after all, you curly-browed idiot! The Two-Knife Adventure Crew can manage just fine without you. What are you so proud of?!"
The Mosshead youth pushed aside the kitchen curtain and strode out, hands on his hips, laughing triumphantly as if he'd accomplished something great.
He sat cross-legged on the rickety deck, holding a chipped, coarse ceramic bowl.
Inside was a black, gloopy mess that vaguely resembled noodles, with a few charred vegetable leaves floating in the murky broth, giving off a sour smell.
Just as he picked up a clump with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth, he glanced ahead out of the corner of his eye.
His eyes widened instantly, and he spat out the entire mouthful of noodles with a pfft.
Huh?
Zoro stared dumbfounded at the towering mountain before him, the lonely lighthouses on either side, and the raging current cascading straight down from the summit.
Is this...
Reverse Mountain?!
"How did I end up back here again?!"
He wept, clutching his head in despair as he let out a tormented wail.
——————
Alabasta.
Law adjusted his leopard-print hat, standing at the port of Alabasta as he gazed out at the vast desert kingdom before him.
This seems to be where Lord Xiano first made his name known to the world.
And now, I have finally set foot on this land as well.
Onward!
I will follow the same route Lord Xiano once took, traversing the first half of the Grand Line.
Then, onward to the New World!
He spread his arms wide, a grin stretching across his face.
Completely unaware that just a few meters behind him…
Bepo's tongue was dragging on the ground, drenched in sweat as if he'd just stepped out of a sauna. After pushing himself to take a few more steps, he finally reached his limit.
With a muffled groan, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
————
Whiskey Peak.
"Hey, hey, Killer, if I remember right, this is where Xiano took down Crocodile, isn't it?"
Eustass Kid stood on the hillside, his crimson hair whipping wildly in the evening breeze like burning flames. He flashed his trademark wild grin as he asked.
"Yes, Kid."
The masked oddity replied in a low tone, "Also, a reminder—this is a hotspot for bounty hunters. It seems we've already been marked."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kid raised an eyebrow, scanning his surroundings.
Sure enough, he noticed that many of the town's lights had gone out. Through cracks in doors, alleyway entrances, and atop roofs… he could faintly sense numerous eyes peering in their direction.
"They think we're easy prey," Kid snarled with a twisted grin. "Xiano's around our age, and right after entering the Grand Line, he caused such a huge stir here. We can't afford to look weak either, right, Killer?"
"True enough," Killer replied calmly, crossing his arms. "But there's no Warlord of the Sea here for you to have your fun with."
"No matter, we can make a name for ourselves in other ways!"
Kid slammed his fists together, a bloodthirsty crimson glint flashing in his eyes as he laughed recklessly.
"This town must have a few thousand people, right? Bounty hunters or not, let's just kill them all! The World Government and Marine Headquarters will be so terrified, they'll skyrocket our bounties by several times!"
"Let's go, Killer!"
(End of Chapter)