East Blue, near Dawn Island
The sea and the sky were one, the blue waves rippling. A small, brightly painted red, crooked pirate ship was slowly sailing towards the shore. The deck was old, the hull was lopsided, and the only conspicuous thing was a comical flag with a giant red-nosed skull, trembling in the sea breeze.
"Hehehe... this place looks pretty good," Buggy said, dancing with excitement at the bow, a telescope in his hand. "A quiet village, rich in seafood, and low-lying terrain. It's a paradise for beginner robbers."
"Men—!" Buggy stood at the bow with his hands on his hips, his red nose twitching in the wind, the telescope spinning flashy in his hand. "Look! Ahead is a barren little island with a refreshing sea breeze, fat fish and shrimp, and old people, women, and children running all over the place."
"A good place with the right time, right place, and right people like this is the exclusive hunting ground of the great Captain Buggy!!!"
"WOOHOO!!!" Mohji jumped up in excitement, his whip cracking and sending a hapless seagull flying; Cabaji spun on the deck like a pinwheel, sparks flying from under his feet; even Richie the lion opened one lazy eye and burped. "Richie!" he roared at the lazily yawning lion. "Stop playing dead! Get up and work!!"
"Prepare to dock! I, Buggy, am going to make a great pirate fortune today! I'm going to rob this broken island until even the coconut trees cry!"
Just as everyone was excitedly preparing to land—
"Swish!"
Buggy suddenly stiffened. His red nose twitched reflexively. The next second, the hair on his body stood on end, and his face instantly turned pale. "Wh-what the hell?!"
A bone-chilling coldness seemed to seep into his spine from the bottom of the sea, instantly sweeping over his entire body. "Th-this feeling... is not good..." His red nose flashed like a sensor radar, his mouth began to twitch, his knees went weak, and his stomach trembled.
"Captain Buggy?" Mohji came closer, puzzled. "Why are you suddenly covered in sweat? The weather is very cool today."
"Quiet!!" Buggy roared back, but his voice cracked, sounding more like a duck on the verge of a breakdown. He stared at the peaceful and serene Dawn Island ahead, his gaze landing on the unremarkable forest. "That, that island... is not right."
Buggy's teeth chattered, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "My sixth sense tells me that if we dare to set foot on that land..."
"It's not just death, but we'll be beaten until our souls are scattered! The kind of death where even my red nose would explode on the spot!!!"
Cabaji: "..."
Mohji: "..."
Richie lay on his stomach with a look of disgust. "Pfft?"
Buggy could no longer care about his image and shouted directly, "What are you waiting for! Turn around, you bastards!! I, Buggy, don't want to die a miserable death like an exploding sweet potato!!!"
Mohji: "But you just said this place was a paradise..."
Cabaji was shocked. "Even Captain Buggy, who 'dared to bite the rail of Whitebeard's ship,' is this scared. What's with this island..."
The crew finally realized something was wrong and began to clumsily turn the rudder. The small ship turned with a "creak, creak, creak" and fled, its tattered sail still fluttering in the wind. "Further away! Further away!! At least a five-hundred-nautical-mile safe distance!!!"
Buggy clung to the deck, continuously backing away from the island behind him, as if seeing death smiling.
"That feeling... why is it exactly the same as when Captain Roger was angry back then?!"
"Are you kidding me? This is the East Blue! How can there be a monster like that living on this island?!"
The small ship became a blur in the wind, fleeing from Dawn Island as if for its life. In the distance, a flock of seagulls took flight, soaring over the endless horizon.
Dawn Island, Edge of the Forest
The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the entire forest a warm golden red. The leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and spots of light fell on a solitary rock half-hidden in the forest. A man wearing sunglasses sat on the rock, dressed in a simple fisherman's coat, his hair slightly lifted by the sea breeze. He quietly watched the dilapidated pirate ship that was hastily leaving, a faint, teasing look on his calm face.
"Tsk, that guy's nose is quite sharp." A playful smile appeared on the man's lips. He took out the Transponder Snail at his waist and pressed the dial.
"Dawn Island team, report," he said lightly. "The target pirate who accidentally entered the sea area has moved away. No intervention is necessary."
The Transponder Snail answered, "Understood, crisis averted."
He hung up the phone, stood up, and looked back at the quiet house faintly visible in the distant village. That was where "Roy's parents" lived. He said in a low voice, "Luckily Fleet Admiral Sengoku arranged for us to take turns on duty in advance. If something had really happened, it would have been hard to clean up."
The golden setting sun fell on his back. A vigilant yet secret network of protection was silently operating.
Dawn Island, Beach
The setting sun dyed the entire beach a soft gold. The waves rolled onto the shore layer by layer, leaving behind sparkling foam and shells. Roc walked on the beach with his hands behind his back, his face serious. Elin held Roc's arm, her steps slow as she walked on the soft sand. She wore a light-colored cotton dress, a few silver hairs fluttering gently in the evening breeze, a gentle smile on her face.
"So comfortable... the sea breeze at this time isn't fishy at all," she said, looking at the horizon where the sea met the sky, her voice so soft it was as if it would be carried away by the wind.
But Roc still had a stern face and snorted, "The East Blue has been relatively peaceful lately. It seems the Marine patrols haven't been slacking off."
"Oh~" Elin blinked, her tone playful. "Are you praising the Marines, or are you praising your son?"
"Ahem," Roc was at a loss for words for a moment, but his ears turned slightly red.
Elin chuckled, got a little closer, and gently tightened her grip on his arm. "Stop pretending. You complain all day about your grandsons being mischievous, but last night you secretly wiped Luffy's bamboo sword, and you polished the scabbard all night~"
"I..." Roc's face turned even redder, and he said stubbornly, "That's because I was afraid the sea air would be too humid and the bamboo would rot."
"Heh" Elin smiled even more gently and said in a low voice, "You stubborn old man"
The two of them walked side-by-side, their long shadows stretched by the setting sun. The gentle evening breeze blew past their ears, carrying a faint scent of cooking smoke. Elin looked at the figures of the children running in the distant village and said softly, "With Roy protecting them, those two children will grow up safely and healthily."
Roc was silent for a moment, then finally nodded slowly. "I hope so... but even with Roy, I have to watch them grow up."
Elin looked at him, her smile beaming. The sea breeze blew gently, and their long shadows were stretched by the setting sun, peaceful and warm.
Grand Line, Marine Warship Deck
The sea breeze howled, and the warship cut through the waves. Smoker stood in the center of the deck, his jitte on his shoulder, the smoke from his two cigars swirling in the wind. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the two little kids in front of him—Kuina held Wado Ichimonji with one hand, the tip of the sword pointing diagonally at the ground; Zoro, on the other hand, had his two swords drawn, Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri crossed in front of him, his fighting spirit raging.
"Come on, kids," Smoker blew out a ring of smoke. "Let me see how much the 'geniuses' Roy has his eyes on are worth."
Kuina attacked first. "Shimotsuki Style: Moon Shadow!" Her figure suddenly blurred, the light of her sword like the pouring of a cold moon as it aimed for Smoker's throat.
"CLANG!"
The jitte accurately blocked, and sparks flew. Smoker raised an eyebrow slightly. The speed and angle of this slash far surpassed that of a Headquarters Marine soldier.
Zoro followed closely behind. "Two-Sword Style: Hawk Wave!" His two swords crossed and slashed out, the sharp sword energy tearing through the air.
Smoker flicked away Kuina's sword, drew back his jitte, and blocked horizontally. The sound of metal on metal echoed刺耳. "Interesting," he grinned and suddenly exerted his strength. "BANG!" The Armament Haki-wrapped jitte sent the two swords flying. Zoro staggered back, and Kuina, whose sword had been flicked away, took the opportunity to spin around and slash again.
"Shimotsuki Style: Reverse Slash!"
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"
In three seconds, the sword light and the jitte clashed over ten times. The Marine soldiers on the deck were dumbfounded. These two little kids could actually fight back and forth with Captain Smoker?!
After ten moves, Smoker suddenly stopped. The smoke dispersed. He stared at the two who were panting slightly, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "You haven't even learned Haki systematically, and you can already practice your swordsmanship to this extent..." He snorted lightly. "No wonder that guy Roy thinks so highly of you."
Kuina sheathed her sword, her expression calm. "Thank you for the guidance."
But Zoro grinned, his fighting spirit not yet extinguished. "Again!"
Smoker smiled slightly. "Save your energy, kid." He turned and walked towards the bridge, the smoke trailing behind him. "When we get to Marineford, you'll have plenty of fights."
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