Year 1507 of Sea Calendar, Twin Cape, Entrance to the Grand Line.
The young woman stood up from the bathtub, wrapping a towel around herself. Water droplets fell from her cherry-pink hair onto the floor.
After drying her hair with the towel and putting on the yukata Crocus had asked a merchant ship to bring back, Sakura pushed open the door of the lighthouse.
White waves crashed against the reefs of the Red Line, the salty scent of the sea carried into the girl's nostrils by the ocean breeze.
In front of her, a bonfire blazed fiercely. A fresh giant squid was skewered and roasting above it, its fat dripping into the fire and sending up sparks. The two men sitting by the fire paid it no mind.
Seeing the girl appear, the man wearing a straw hat and a patterned cloak raised the glass in his hand.
"Oh, Sakura! Come have a drink?"
"Uncle Gaban, didn't I drink you under the table just the day before yesterday?"
Sakura smoothed down the hair sticking up at the back of her head and walked towards them, taking the third beach chair left for her.
The man tending to the roasting giant squid cut off a large piece of meat with a knife, placed it on a plate, and handed it over.
"Thank you, Uncle Crocus~"
Sakura thanked him sweetly and happily raised her fork towards the fragrant grilled meat on the plate.
"By the way, in your paper [A Brief Discussion on Benzodiazepine Drugs Interfering with Zoan-type Devil Fruit Wavelengths], how were the data sets for the animal experiments measured?"
Crocus pushed up his glasses, a cold glint flashing across them.
Data fabrication was something he, an expert in both pharmacology and surgery, could not tolerate.
"Mmph... cough!"
Sakura, who had been inhaling the food, froze, the piece of meat she had just stuffed into her mouth coughing out.
Actually, that experiment was something Sakura had secretly done with Katsuyu...
But unexpectedly, due to the other party's special nature, after eating the Devil Fruit, it didn't gain the ability.
Finally, just before the fruit's wavelength disappeared, Sakura detected that some residual benzodiazepine drugs, aka sedatives, had an interfering effect on the Devil Fruit.
She compiled this data into a report, which became this paper.
However, she didn't know how to explain this to Crocus.
She couldn't just bluntly say, 'Uncle, I took that Devil Fruit of yours worth a hundred million Berry and fed it to a bug!'
She'd get her legs broken for sure!
"Hahahaha, serves you right for studying medicine!"
Gaban, seeing Sakura like this, laughed heartily, as if sweeping away all the frustration of being drunk under the table by Sakura a few days prior.
But thanks to his interjection, Sakura escaped further scrutiny.
"…"
Crocus didn't speak, just looked at Gaban expressionlessly, then showed a 'kind' expression.
Gaban's laughter stopped. He immediately raised his hands, "Studying medicine is great! Studying medicine is wonderful!"
After hastily making a bunch of insincere vows, Gaban picked up his liquor and heroically chugged from the bottle.
Glug, glug, glug.
'Oh no, this is bad...'
Sakura's eye twitched, 'After guzzling like this, he would definitely start spouting nonsense again. I had to change the topic before he opened his mouth!'
"Speaking of which, Uncle Gaban, how's your son doing?"
"He's already learned to walk! His hair is the same color as yours, and he's very cute too!"
Gaban's eyes were glazed over as he held the bottle, but his face was full of pride.
"I'll definitely train him to be the greatest warrior of Elbaf in the future!"
"You won't live to see that, anyway."
Crocus ruthlessly crushed Gaban's lofty ambitions.
"None of your business, you quack doctor!"
Their eyes met, sparks flying. Finally, remembering the junior present, they both snorted coldly and turned away.
Stealing a piece of grilled squid from Crocus's plate, Gaban chewed on the squid meat and asked Sakura unclearly.
"But hey, Sakura, are you really not going to accept Shanks's invitation? That guy has complained to me several times."
Sakura scoffed, "No way. That idiot can't even beat me. Why should I be his vice-captain? If anything, he should be my vice-captain!"
"Heh heh, in a few years, once that kid's Haki improves, it might be a different story whether someone can beat him or not."
Gaban grinned cheekily, opening a new bottle of liquor and pouring it into his mouth.
"Sakura's situation really isn't suitable for joining any faction. The World Government hates her guts, they've caused a lot of trouble for her."
Crocus spoke up to support his student, taking a wanted poster from his pocket and handing it to Gaban.
In the firelight, the printed photo of Sakura on the poster was clearly visible.
[The Enchantress] Haruno Sakura.
Bounty: 220,000,000 Berry.
Crimes: Mastering ancient language, attempting to revive ancient weapons, and subverting the World Government.
-Only Alive.
"Ohara," Gaban sighed, his expression complex, "The scum of the World Government, really..."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter anymore. The scholars are all alive, the books are intact."
"And you have to remind the people of Elbaf… the World Government is watching them closely. Don't spread that knowledge openly! And don't let it make them neglect their military readiness!"
Worried that the often-simple-minded giants might once again let their martial prowess cripple for the sake of knowledge, Sakura had repeatedly drilled this into Gaban's ear.
"It's no use. That fellow Harald is dead set on cozying up to the World Government. Lately, he's even actively been eradicating warrior traditions on Elbaf."
"I myself can only influence a few warriors. Even Ripley has argued with me about this several times."
Gaban raised a hand to wipe the liquor from his mouth, rolling his eyes disdainfully.
"Ah, forget it. No more of this. It's rare to gather with old friends. Drink! Drink!"
Amid the clear sound of clinking glasses, the finely brewed liquor of Crocus was drained in one go.
Gaban, thoroughly drunk, insisted on drinking with Sakura. Then, the two men saw the sharp, keen light flashing in the girl's raised emerald-green eyes.
That was the last memory either of them could recall before blacking out.
…
The next day.
The hungover Gaban swayed as he climbed onto his small sailboat.
"Are you sure you won't come to Elbaf with me? I always felt like you had some deep connection with them."
"Nah, this is my future adventure. It wouldn't be fun if I just followed you there, right?"
Sakura waved her hand in a shooing motion, tossing the packed food she'd prepared for him onto the boat.
"Alright then. I'll be waiting for you on Elbaf!"
Gaban pulled hard on the ropes, lowering the sail. Catching the wind of the Grand Line, he cut through the waves.
Sakura watched his figure disappear at the edge of the coast before turning back to pack her things.
Crocus was still resting, nursing his hangover. Sakura cleaned the lighthouse inside and out one last time.
After leaving a letter, she sealed away some special medicines she had developed during her years studying surgery and pharmacology into storage scrolls.
Sakura pushed open the door and walked out of the tower.
Off the coast, a giant whale surfaced, its blowhole spraying water in greeting.
"Good morning, Laboon."
"Ooo-!"
Laboon cry loudly, raising ripples on the sea.
After receiving Laboon's reply, Sakura walked forward and patted the scar on its forehead.
"Laboon, I'm going home. For the next while, please look after Sensei for me."
"Ooo?"
Laboon was very confused by Sakura's words. In its eyes, wasn't Sakura's home this very lighthouse?
"No, my home isn't here."
"Just like you're waiting for the Rumbar Pirates, the place waiting for me is my home."
Sakura shook her head, her voice gentle as she taught the whale, who possessed human emotions.
"Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!"
The urgent voice of Laboo sounded.
"Hahaha, that's right. You are family to the Rumbar Pirates."
"Don't worry. This sea is vast. One day, we will meet again at the end of the road."
Sakura stood up, bidding Laboon a final farewell.
'System!'
[Notice: Survival mission is being settled. Achievement Points distributed: 280]
[Current balance: 420. Status: Juvenile Stage]
[Deducting points required for traversal. Crossing function activated!]
A light almost too faint to perceive flashed, and the girl's figure vanished.
All that remained were the sounds of surging waves and howling winds.
At the top of the lighthouse, a figure held a letter, having witnessed the girl's departure.
Scalding tears couldn't be held back, falling and dampening the letter in his hand.
"That damn girl..."