Just then, light footsteps approached from the direction of the cabin.
"Sorry to keep everyone waiting!"
Sanji appeared on deck like an elegant whirlwind, steadily balancing a massive silver tray in his hands.
On the tray, several colorful, crystal-clear drinks refracted alluring light in the sunlight. Fine water droplets condensed on the glass walls, emanating waves of cool fruit fragrance and refreshing mint aromas.
"Come, come! Try my latest creation: 'East Blue Summer Fantasy Special'!"
Sanji's face beamed with confident pride as he skillfully distributed the drinks to everyone, precisely catering to each person's preferences.
"Delicious!" Kai gave a thumbs up enthusiastically.
The previous kitchen crew could never have pulled off such artistry.
"Thank you, Kai-aniki." Sanji scratched the back of his head and smiled happily.
After Reiju had a thorough "talk" with Sanji, he had changed how he addressed Kai entirely.
At this time, Violet, who served as the lookout, walked over with information.
"Kai, Shimotsuki Village is just ahead. However, the Navy ship is still following us."
After Kai's battle with Hawkeye, the massive commotion had immediately drawn the attention of the East Blue Navy branch.
Since then, a Navy surveillance ship had been trailing the Rayquaza like a persistent stalker, keeping its distance.
They thought their movements were secret, always carefully staying outside the Rayquaza's visual range.
But to Violet, with her ability covering a 4,000-kilometer radius, this was like children playing hide-and-seek, thinking they were well-hidden when adults could see them at a glance.
"Let them follow." Kai waved his hand with indifference.
Driving them away now would only make things more suspicious.
Letting them follow everywhere else but suddenly not allowing it at Shimotsuki Village? Wouldn't that obviously tell the Navy there was something important here?
But Kai didn't realize that his unintentional decision would cause serious trouble for certain people in Shimotsuki Village.
At Shimotsuki Village's Isshin Dojo, the dojo master Shimotsuki Koushiro, with his neat ponytail and round glasses, was chatting quietly with a mysterious man in a private tea room.
"The last batch of grain has been successfully loaded onto the ship. You can rest assured, Dragon."
Shimotsuki Koushiro poured a cup of fragrant matcha for his guest.
The man in a dark green coat with short black hair, no eyebrows, and several red square tattoos on his left cheek picked up the tea cup and inhaled its aroma gently: "Koushiro, your tea ceremony skills have improved once again."
This man was the World Government's number one enemy, the leader of the Revolutionary Army: Monkey D. Dragon!
"You flatter me. Here, besides teaching my disciples swordsmanship, I can only practice tea ceremony for entertainment." Shimotsuki Koushiro shook his head modestly.
"It's not just that. You've made tremendous contributions to the revolutionary cause!" Dragon corrected earnestly. "Shimotsuki Village's stable grain supply channel has been invaluable to our operations."
As the two conversed in low voices, unusually hurried footsteps approached from outside, breaking the tea room's tranquil atmosphere.
SWOOSH! The paper door was yanked open violently.
A huge face squeezed through the opening, with abnormally large deep purple hair, heavy makeup covering the features, wearing a tight ultra-low-cut bodysuit and fishnet stockings.
Emporio Ivankov, one of the Revolutionary Army's founders and commander of the Grand Line Army.
"Dragon, this is terrible! The Beast Pirates are about to make landfall! Worse yet, our lookouts on the perimeter have spotted Navy surveillance ships!"
Ivankov's voice carried urgent panic.
He wasn't afraid of the Beast Pirates alone. With Dragon present, even if Kaido himself arrived, they had a chance to escape.
Apart from Kaido, even if the Beast Pirates' All-Stars attacked, they were confident they could protect the villagers.
The real problem was the Navy following behind.
If pirates and revolutionaries stood separately before the Navy, the revolutionaries would definitely be pursued first.
To the World Government, pirates were just a troublesome disease, but the Revolutionary Army wanted to dig up their very roots.
Hearing this dire news, Dragon's expression immediately darkened like storm clouds.
Dragon calmly ordered: "Koushiro, immediately evacuate all villagers to the emergency shelters! Move quickly!"
The gentle smile on Shimotsuki Koushiro's face receded like a tide, and his eyes behind the round glasses suddenly became as sharp as a treasured sword about to be drawn.
"I'll go right now."
Shimotsuki Koushiro stood up abruptly, grabbed his katana from the sword rack, and walked out with determined steps.
Even if it cost him his life, he would protect this small island and everyone on it.
At any cost!
"What about the grain ship?" Dragon quickly turned to Ivankov. "Has it departed? If not, hide it immediately and conceal every trace of the grain!"
Ivankov nodded vigorously: "Don't worry! As soon as we received the news, I followed the emergency protocol and had our people unload the grain that had just been loaded, hiding it in the usual place."
"Good."
Dragon breathed a slight sigh of relief and decisively ordered: "We should also disappear immediately! First, let's determine what the Beast Pirates and Navy are truly after."
As long as no large-scale conflict erupted, their disappearance would actually provide the greatest protection for the innocent villagers.
At the island's only port, after entrusting the villager evacuation task to his dojo disciples, Shimotsuki Koushiro rushed to the harbor at top speed, carrying his long sword.
A strong sense of foreboding lingered in his heart like a dark cloud.
Why did the Beast Pirates come to East Blue of all places, and to this obscure little island?
The only answer he could think of was two words: Shimotsuki!
Besides that connection, he truly couldn't think of any other reason that would attract the Beast Pirates.
When Shimotsuki Koushiro reached the port, he saw a massive ship quietly moored at the shore with a gangway lowered like a bridge to doom.
"Eh? So quiet!" A voice full of energy but tinged with confusion rang out.
Taking the unconventional route as always, Yamato leaped directly down from the high ship's rail, curiously examining the empty dock with obvious disappointment.
"We're pirates, idiot." Kai complained with exasperation. The Beast Pirates' flag, no, any pirate flag, had a powerful intimidating effect on the people of the Four Blues.
Teams like Monkey D. Luffy's, which were more adventurers than actual pirates, were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns on these seas.
"But there's still one person over there, and he's a swordsman too!"
Yamato spotted Shimotsuki Koushiro as if she'd discovered a new continent.
She waved happily: "Hey, Uncle! Do you know where Shimotsuki Kozaburo is?"
"It's Kozaburo," Kai corrected with a facepalm.
So they really are here for the Shimotsuki family?
Shimotsuki Koushiro confirmed his worst suspicion and drew his sword with fluid motion, pointing it steadily at Yamato: "I don't care what your purpose is, but if you want to harm the villagers on this island, you'll have to get through me first."
"Oh?"
Hawkeye, who had disembarked with them, focused his golden gaze and smiled with genuine interest: "There's actually a swordsman of this caliber in East Blue? Coming to this island was truly the right choice."
Just as Stand users are drawn to each other, swordsmen also sense one another.
The stronger they are, the more sensitive this perception becomes.
Seeing him, Shimotsuki Koushiro was also stunned: "Hawkeye? Why are you traveling on a Beast Pirates ship?"
Even someone as withdrawn from worldly affairs as him recognized the world's greatest swordsman.
"After all, he's a descendant of the Shimotsuki family, the clan that produced the dragon-slaying samurai Shimotsuki Ryuma."
Kai's comment drew Shimotsuki Koushiro's sharp attention.
Natural Disaster Kai!
A monster on par with Hawkeye!
This lineup could probably assault Marine Headquarters itself!
"What do you want to accomplish? This small island shouldn't have anything worth your attention."
Shimotsuki Koushiro frowned deeply, his grip tightening on his sword.
"No, no, no."
Kai raised his index finger and shook it lightly: "Your island may not have treasures, but it has talent as precious as any treasure. For example, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, your father, the famous master swordsmith of Wano Country."
And a green-haired boy who could become the world's greatest swordsman.
Shimotsuki Koushiro's expression became deadly serious, and his grip on his sword tightened further: "You want to take him back? That should be the duty of Wano Country's samurai..."
"Indeed."
Kai nodded seriously, then stepped aside and elegantly gestured to the young woman beside him: "So I brought one. Allow me to introduce Kozuki Hiyori. You should know what the Kozuki name represents."
Naturally he did.
Even though Shimotsuki Koushiro had never set foot in Wano Country, his father had told him extensive stories about their homeland.
The most unavoidable topic was naturally the legendary Kozuki clan.
Kozuki Hiyori stepped forward with dignified bearing and spoke in a gentle, respectful voice: "Koushiro-san, please rest assured, we mean no harm whatsoever. We simply wish to pay our respects to Kozaburo-san."
Kai shrugged and spoke with complete confidence: "If we truly had ill intentions, you'd already be defeated. Do you honestly think you alone could stop us?"
A trace of bitter acknowledgment appeared at the corner of Shimotsuki Koushiro's mouth. His tense body slowly relaxed, and with a soft whisper of steel, his long sword was sheathed.
As Kai had stated so bluntly, no matter how confident he was, he wouldn't dare think he could stop both Kai and Hawkeye simultaneously.
Unless Dragon intervened personally, but that would destroy the supply line the Revolutionary Army had worked so hard to establish.
The Navy wouldn't spare this island or its innocent villagers.
"I hope you're telling the truth."
Shimotsuki Koushiro turned and started walking toward the village: "Follow me. I'll take you to see my father."
The group had barely traveled far when they were blocked by a crowd of determined figures.
"Sensei! We're here to help you!"
The dojo disciples who should have been safely in the shelters had all emerged and stood defiantly in the middle of the road.
They were of various ages, their faces showing nervousness but also filled with the courage to face death head-on.
"Absolute nonsense! Who told you to come back?!"
Shimotsuki Koushiro trembled with anger, wanting to curse them all.
The original plan was that even if the Beast Pirates turned hostile, only he and his father would be sacrificed.
Now this was perfect. All the disciples had run back, literally walking into a death trap.
"Sensei, we want to fight alongside you!"
"How can you monopolize fighting pirates, Sensei!"
The young people chattered excitedly, their blood boiling with misplaced heroism.
"Hmm, Koushiro, you're quite skilled at teaching disciples. Interested in joining the Beast Pirates as our sword instructor?"
Kai stroked his chin with obvious interest.
"Sorry, but I'm living quite well on this island." Shimotsuki Koushiro refused with an expressionless face.
He was a man participating in the cause of liberating all humanity from oppression.
"Hm? That... that can't be Hawkeye, can it?"
A sharp-eyed child suddenly noticed the man with the powerful aura and intimidating presence behind their teacher.
"That's right, it's definitely him! I'd recognize him even if he turned to ash!"
As students of swordsmanship, they might not recognize the Fleet Admiral, but the world's greatest swordsman?
That was impossible to mistake.
The disciples collectively gasped in shock.
This feeling was like practicing chopping dummies in a beginner's dojo and suddenly looking up to see the final boss standing there.
Quite overwhelming.
Hawkeye's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
These local children had no sense of courtesy.
"Wait, where's Zoro? Wasn't he with you?" Shimotsuki Koushiro suddenly noticed one person missing from his disciples.
With Zoro's personality, he would never flee from battle. He'd be more likely to charge in first with reckless abandon.
"Eh? Right, where did Zoro go?"
"He was standing right next to me just now!"
"In the blink of an eye, how did he just disappear?"
The disciples looked at each other in complete bewilderment.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest...
"Damn it! Which way is the port?!"
The green-haired boy carrying three swords howled at the uncaring sky.
On the other side, after dismissing the worried disciples, Shimotsuki Koushiro led Kai's group through the peaceful village to the opposite side of the island.
At the cliff's edge stood a small wooden house all by itself, isolated and serene.
Kai's group finally met the legendary Shimotsuki Kozaburo.
With straight eyebrows, he wore an old dark green kimono, held a pipe clenched between his teeth, kept a long sword at his waist, and sat peacefully at the cliff's edge fishing.
Kai scanned the area around him and didn't see a single fish anywhere.
Confirmed by visual evidence: another member of the Air Force fishing club.
"Hey, kid! What's with that look!"
Shimotsuki Kozaburo was provoked by Kai's strange expression and jumped up indignantly: "It's not that I can't catch fish! I have five sacred principles of not fishing, you know!"
Then came incomprehensible explanations about "not fishing small fish to let them grow," "not fishing pregnant females to let them expand the population," "not fishing ordinary fish because it's a waste of time," and so on.
"Huh? Doesn't that mean you don't fish anything at all?" Honest child Yamato blurted out the obvious.
"Hahahaha!"
The air filled with a cheerful, mocking atmosphere.
"How absolutely infuriating!"
Shimotsuki Kozaburo's weathered face reddened as he threw his fishing rod on the ground in embarrassment and anger.
After snorting with wounded pride, he looked directly at Kozuki Hiyori and spoke with complete confidence: "No need to ask the question. Taming Enma can only rely on yourself alone. Although I forged Enma with these hands, I have no shortcuts to offer either."
"Swords also have personalities and individual character. It's the swordsman who must make them submit!"
As he spoke, the powerful aura of a master swordsmith naturally emerged from his aged frame.
Hawkeye nodded with obvious approval.
This man truly deserved to be a craftsman capable of forging Great Grade swords.
Kozuki Hiyori didn't respond with words; she just calmly and slowly drew Enma from her waist.
At this moment, Enma in her skilled hands was as docile as an obedient child.
Shimotsuki Kozaburo's expression became deadly serious: "I never thought that in my remaining lifetime, I'd witness a swordsman who truly tamed Enma. What's your name?"
"Kozuki Hiyori."
"Kozuki? Is Kozuki Sukiyaki...?"
"My grandfather."
"Oh, that fellow was much faster at having children than his stern father."
Shimotsuki Kozaburo shook his head, dismissing old memories, then asked directly: "So what do you want with this old man?"
Kai spoke clearly: "We'd like you to forge a Great Grade sword tailored specifically for her."
"Forge a sword?"
Shimotsuki Kozaburo was slightly taken aback, looked down at his aged, withered hands with obvious regret, and let out a long, heavy sigh: "I can no longer lift a hammer properly. The swords I can forge now are at most the "Skillful Grade" level.
"Is that so?"
Kai's face showed no disappointment, nor did he display the threats or coercion Koushiro had nervously expected. He simply nodded with calm acceptance: "That's truly regrettable. Sorry to have disturbed you."
Shimotsuki Koushiro secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing slightly.
It seemed Kai was reasonable after all.