Night had fallen, enveloping the surroundings in a stillness unlike the day. Stars gazed down at the sea, and a cool breeze stirred—a singular moment.
After changing clothes, eating, and keeping the ship moving without pause, the crew reached Warship Island. Islanders greeted them, relieved to see Apis safe. Many cheered, though tension lingered in their expressions.
"Grandpa!" Apis called.
"Oh, Apis! You're safe—thank goodness," her grandfather replied.
Wearing Silk's oversized shirt, Apis ran to him, beaming. No visible injuries, just a wardrobe change. Her grandfather sighed in relief.
But they knew it was too soon to relax. The islanders' goal was to get Ryu-ji to the Dragon's Nest, requiring another voyage. Apis intended to go, too. The danger wasn't gone—just temporarily repelled. The navy's persistence kept everyone on edge, fear of their return ever-present. Expectations for the crew grew, and faith in Apis strengthened. The islanders were united in support.
"Grandpa, where's Ryu-ji? Luffy says we should leave—it's not safe," Apis said.
"We've been preparing for that. Rest would be ideal, but…" her grandfather trailed off.
"Everyone's ready! Can we go now?" Apis asked.
"Some are loading Ryu-ji onto a raft. Head to the island's back—we'll tow it. That work?" he replied.
"Kiri," Apis said.
"No problem. Luffy, Silk, go help Apis. I'll check the island's location," Kiri said.
"Aye!" Luffy responded.
"Got it," Silk added.
Apis hurried off, Luffy and Silk following. As they walked, she glanced back. "Can I stop by home first? These clothes are hard to move in."
"Sure. My shirt's too big, huh?" Silk said.
"Hehe, but I don't mind. Thanks, Silk!" Apis replied.
The trio left the dock. Kiri approached Bokuden, Apis's grandfather. Though strangers, Kiri was Apis's savior. With a slight bow, Kiri faced him.
"Bokuden-san, I need info on the Dragon's Nest," Kiri said.
"In a rush, eh?" Bokuden replied.
"Yeah. The navy could come anytime, and we can't hold them off. Escaping without fighting is best."
"Every second counts, then. Follow me."
Bokuden understood without elaboration, heading toward the mountain—not a house. Kiri followed, Nami trailing. Zoro stayed put, arms crossed.
Kiri glanced back. "Watch the ship. If the navy shows, follow the plan. I'll be quick."
"Got it. Think they'll come?" Zoro asked.
"Tonight's our chance. If we don't escape, we fight."
"Understood."
Zoro returned to the ship. Kiri and Nami followed Bokuden. The situation was tense. Rescuing Apis had escalated into a clash with the navy over the Thousand-Year Dragon, and it was growing bigger. The islanders' unity was palpable.
Nami, walking behind Kiri, felt conflicted. She'd joined to exploit them, but their selflessness—risking their lives for Apis's wish, not riches or fame—stirred her. Luffy's childlike honesty, eating heartily, exclaiming in wonder, laughing freely, was enviable. This journey was unlike her solitary days.
Lost in thought, Nami's gaze dropped until Kiri's voice snapped her back.
"Nami, that's it."
At the mountain's base, near the village, a human-sized rock stood before a cliff. Bokuden stopped, indicating their destination.
"Sorry, but could you help move this? It's tough at my age," he said.
"Step back. I'll handle it," Kiri replied.
Using a piece of paper from his pocket, Kiri shifted the rock aside with ease. Bokuden's eyes widened.
"Impressive. Devil Fruit user?" he asked.
"Yeah. Speaking of, you gave one to Silk, right?" Kiri said.
"It was just lying around, useless to me. If she's happy, it's worth it," Bokuden replied.
"Just so you know, I'm collecting payment for it," Nami interjected.
"I'll figure it out," Bokuden said.
Behind the rock, a small cave appeared. Bokuden entered, followed by Kiri and Nami. The narrow, winding path forced them single-file, silencing conversation until they reached a wider space.
In the dim, nighttime cave, glowing crystals embedded in the walls cast a mystical light, illuminating a mural about the Thousand-Year Dragon. The answers lay here, waiting to be deciphered.
Nami, distracted by the crystals, asked, "What are these?"
"Ancient crystals. They glow in the dark. We don't know why," Bokuden said.
"They're beautiful… Kiri, know anything about them?" Nami asked.
"Nope. Don't steal them—they light the mural," Kiri teased.
"As if! I only rob pirates," Nami huffed.
"What about the navy?" Kiri asked.
"If you steal from them, I'll steal from you," she retorted.
"Classy logic," Kiri said, approaching the mural.
The well-preserved mural depicted the Thousand-Year Dragon. Despite its age, it was nearly pristine, a testament to the islanders' care. The vast carvings weren't easily decoded. Even the islanders hadn't fully deciphered it, especially Ryu-ji's origins or Lost Island's exact location. But Bokuden pointed out a clue.
"That part likely shows Lost Island's location, but we haven't cracked it," he said.
Kiri studied it. "Yeah, the drawing alone is tough to read…"
The mural showed many dragons on one island—likely Lost Island. The issue was its location. Surrounding it were four symbols: stormy waves above, strange animals to the right, tall mountains to the left, and a giant sea creature below. Though weathered, they were clear.
Kiri touched his chin, thinking hard.
"Any ideas?" Nami asked.
"Not sure. But if we can't figure this out, we're stuck," Kiri said.
"Ever done this before?" she asked.
"No. But I once talked to a history buff. Since it's pictures, not text, it's easier. We might work it out."
"Got anything I can do?" Nami offered.
"Got the sea chart?"
"Yup."
Nami spread the chart on the ground, showing their route from Orange Town, Warship Island, and the stormy area. A chart was vital for navigation—Kiri couldn't have drawn it. Nami focused, her usual complaints gone.
"Where was the storm, relative to here?" Kiri asked.
"Due north. The navy branch is that way, too," Nami said.
"North, with a storm in the mural… Seems the symbols match directions," Kiri mused.
"Meaning?"
"Orange Town's direction?"
"Northeast from here. But it didn't exist a thousand years ago."
"Not after that. The island before had rare beasts. Probably due east."
Kiri traced the mural's right side, showing small, odd animals. They didn't match the beasts he'd seen, but if that island's unique ecosystem persisted for centuries, it could fit. Its distinct features made it plausible.
The storm-prone sea and the beast island were likely fixed landmarks. The left and bottom symbols were even more familiar.
"The left is high mountains—probably Reverse Mountain," Kiri said.
"Reverse Mountain? The Red Line's entrance to the Grand Line?" Nami asked.
"Exactly. Even after a millennium, that continent's unchanged."
"So they marked it."
"And below, something else unchanged for a millennium…"
"The Calm Belt…" Nami whispered, staring at the sea creature.
Everyone knew the Calm Belt's sea kings. Kiri grinned, nodding.
"If the right is the beast island, drawing one big creature below makes sense to distinguish it," he said.
"So, Lost Island's at the center of these four," Nami concluded.
"But the Calm Belt stretches along the Grand Line. It could apply anywhere in the East Blue. The island must be equidistant from the other three. We don't know the beast island or Reverse Mountain's exact distance, though…"
"Wait, I stole a chart from Buggy. It's rough, but we can estimate."
Nami spread another chart, eagerly calculating distances. The stolen chart proved useful. She confidently marked it up.
Kiri turned to Bokuden. "Heard Lost Island sank?"
"Aye, so it's not easily found," Bokuden said.
"That's bad. Even if we know the location, if it's underwater—" Kiri started.
"Look at this," Nami interrupted, staring at the chart.
"Got the location?" Kiri asked, crouching beside her.
"Assuming equal distances from Reverse Mountain and the beast island, it points here," Nami said.
"Where?"
"This mural—it's Warship Island."
Kiri and Bokuden froze. Nami's hands trembled as she gazed at the ancient mural.
"Lost Island is Warship Island… The Dragon's Nest has been here all along."
Stunned, Kiri stared at the mural. It couldn't lie. But why was it called Warship Island? Why the sinking story? The islanders believed them separate.
"Bokuden-san, the sinking story?" Kiri asked.
"Passed down for generations. It's no lie," Bokuden said.
"Orally? Not from the mural?"
"Aye… but—"
"This info needs a sailor to understand. Someone hid it, rewriting the legend to keep even the islanders in the dark."
They'd lied for generations.
"Why deceive their own?" Nami asked, looking at Kiri.
"To protect the Thousand-Year Dragon. Info leaks. It was that precious. No one would think this island's the one without leaving," Kiri said. "Us coming was a miracle."
"But why did Ryu-ji want to return? If this is the Dragon's Nest, he's already here," Nami said.
"That's the puzzle. This place doesn't feel like a Dragon's Nest," Kiri replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's just a normal village. Hard to believe it's the Nest."
"True, but…"
Kiri and Nami stood, studying the mural. No other clues emerged. The islanders' secrecy left little about the Nest's nature.
They were stuck.
"Now what?" Nami asked.
"Worse than I thought. We can't leave, but if the navy comes, we can't fight—" Kiri began.
A cannon's boom echoed from the harbor, resonating in the cave. Not an attack—Zoro's signal.
The navy was here.
The worst had come. Kiri and Nami exchanged grim looks.
"Yosh!" Apis, changed into her own clothes, grabbed a book from her shelf—a Devil Fruit encyclopedia she'd browsed, hoping to communicate with Ryu-ji. She'd found the Hiso Hiso Fruit, acquired when Ryu-ji defeated pirates attacking the village.
Returning to the candlelit living room, she handed it to Silk. Apis had known about her grandfather's fruit but didn't connect it to Silk's.
"Here. If it's documented, it'll be in there," Apis said.
"Thanks. Sorry for the trouble," Silk replied.
"No way! You guys helped me tons. Plus, it's normal to be curious about your Devil Fruit," Apis said.
"Right, you're a user, too," Silk noted.
Sitting at the table, Silk's expression grew serious. She'd glimpsed her power and discussed it with the crew. Now, she needed to understand and control it.
Apis, worried, touched her arm. "You okay? Some fruits change your body. Anything hurt?"
"I'm fine. No pain or itch. Maybe… lighter?" Silk said.
"Kiri said his weight dropped, too. Similar power?" Apis asked.
"Not sure. I don't feel lighter, but I move faster, I think. Hard to tell," Silk admitted.
"My power doesn't change my body either. Maybe we're similar," Apis said.
They chatted, the air relaxed after surviving the perilous journey. Their smiles were easy, free of tension.
Luffy peeked in. "Yo, still here?"
"Sorry, Luffy," Silk said.
"Go ahead. I'll catch up," she added.
Apis hesitated but nodded. Time was critical. She grabbed Luffy's hand, rushing toward the cave where Ryu-ji waited.
Silk watched them go, then faced the book. She remembered her fruit's appearance. Tension rose as she breathed deeply, opening it slowly. She had to know her power and rejoin the crew.
Flipping pages, she marveled at the variety of fruits. Her heart raced when she found it.
"There it is…"
Pulling the book closer, she brought the candle near. The page listed her fruit: Kama Kama no Mi, the Kamaitachi Human. A Paramecia-type, it let her generate wind blades—kamaitachi. Not a Logia, despite controlling wind; she remained human.
"So that's why I hit the polar bear…" she murmured.
A deafening boom rang out. Silk spun toward the door, blew out the candle, grabbed her sword, and rushed outside, leaving the book.
From Apis's house, she saw navy warships offshore—ten or more, their presence menacing, as if to destroy the island. The worst-case scenario.
Unable to stand still, Silk ran toward their ship. She hadn't fully grasped her power, but there was no time. Fighting the navy to protect the village, Ryu-ji, and her crew wasn't planned, but she couldn't back down. With her new power, even if unmastered, she had a chance to grow stronger.
With a determined face, Silk sprinted, her steps feeling oddly light.
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