Ray watched Zoro take off running south.
So, naturally, Ray started walking north.
'Eh, as long as he doesn't wander into the Marine base, he'll be fine,' Ray thought.
Besides, Chouchou's sense of smell could cover a ten-kilometer radius; finding Zoro wouldn't be hard.
And Ray's own sense of smell was even better.
There was no way Zoro could actually get lost and ditch him.
…
At that exact moment, Chouchou was panting like crazy, his tongue lolling out as he tried to keep up with the ninja-clad Luffy.
This guy was zipping everywhere, darting through every alley in town just to find the execution platform.
Chouchou had even tried biting him on the butt, but it was useless—Luffy just kept running.
Before they came ashore, Ray had given Chouchou one simple job: keep an eye on Luffy, and if he looked like he was about to cause trouble, stop him.
Chouchou had happily accepted, vowing to complete the mission.
But now... Chouchou's doggy face was full of helplessness.
If he could talk, he'd be cursing up a storm.
"Awooo!"
Exhausted and frustrated, Chouchou let out a wolf-like howl, forcing himself to find more energy.
He sighed.
'Walking Luffy is physically and mentally draining. Next time, I'm insisting on a leash!' he grumbled in his head.
It wasn't until Luffy barged into a bar named "Gol D. Roger" that Chouchou finally got a break from his dog-walking duties.
After a bit of conversation, the bar owner realized Luffy was super interested in stories about the Pirate King.
So, he started telling him all kinds of tales.
Chouchou could only lap up some water while keeping a close watch on Luffy, proving himself to be a very responsible Luffy-walker.
…
Ray could sense Luffy's location and gradually made his way toward that same bar.
Coincidentally, just as he got to the entrance, he encountered a man smoking two cigars at once, his chest muscles exposed.
The two of them arrived at the small door at the exact same time and locked eyes for a moment.
Smoker took a step back, gesturing for Ray to enter first.
Seeing the gesture, Ray gained a little more appreciation for this "righteous Marine."
'In the eyes of civilians,' he thought, 'this guy is definitely one of the good ones.'
With a slight nod, Ray entered the bar, and Smoker followed right behind him.
When the bar owner saw Smoker, he immediately stopped his storytelling and irritably told Smoker to leave.
It was at that moment Luffy's story was interrupted.
Following the owner's words, he looked over to where Smoker stood.
Naturally, he also spotted Ray, who had entered just before.
Luffy tilted his head to the side, thinking hard.
He found this stylishly dressed man somewhat familiar but couldn't quite place him.
Ray had to stop himself from chuckling.
'I was originally planning to have Chouchou cover Luffy's mouth before he could yell my name. But it turns out this guy doesn't even recognize me.'
It seemed that after this morning's transformation, Luffy hadn't paid any attention to Ray's outfit—all his focus had been on himself.
'Of course, even if he had paid attention, he might not have recognized me. Luffy's thought process is just different from everyone else's. He'd probably ask who Zoro was if he saw him later.'
Ray found a corner seat for himself and ordered a mojito.
Smoker gave ninja-Luffy a deep, scrutinizing look.
His intuition told him there was something off about this guy.
But no matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn't recall any pirate resembling the Luffy in front of him.
At this moment, Luffy couldn't sit still any longer.
After confirming the location of the Pirate King's execution platform, he dashed out again.
Chouchou gave Ray a helpless, 'here-we-go-again' look, and at Ray's signal, resumed the routine of keeping up with Luffy.
…
Out of interest, Ray temporarily stayed in the bar.
First, he wanted to see what the White Hunter would reveal after drinking, allowing him to plan ahead for tomorrow's sudden changes.
Second, he was also considering whether to capture Smoker right now.
Ray had thought about retreating immediately.
But first, given Luffy's personality, since tomorrow was the anniversary of the Pirate King's death, the guy probably wouldn't leave today.
After all, besides being Luffy's idol, Roger was also the father of his brother Ace.
Second, Ray's pride wouldn't allow him to flee in advance.
Sailing itself was a tedious affair.
Arriving in a new town, if one didn't relax properly, it could easily lead to psychological issues.
Proper rest was crucial for long-term voyages.
Since resting in Loguetown was necessary for Ray and the others, they naturally couldn't flee immediately just because trouble was coming.
To Ray, it was simple: 'If I want to stay here, no one can drive me away. When I want to leave, none of you can keep me.'
Moreover, he was confident he could protect everyone when the battle affected the Straw Hat Pirates tomorrow.
Of course, the Straw Hats had improved their strength somewhat, so they might not even need protection.
As for Buggy, it was up to fate. Whether he lived or died had nothing to do with Ray.
After finishing his thoughts, Smoker at the counter had already finished a bottle of whiskey.
He began confiding in the bartender.
"Tomorrow is a very important day," Smoker said, his voice a bit gravelly. "I'll never forget Roger's kingly aura. As a child, that scene left too deep an impression on me."
At this point, Smoker took another heavy swig of alcohol and continued.
"He started the Great Pirate Era. From the perspective of the Marines and civilians, he was guilty. But from a man's perspective, I admire him."
The bar owner genuinely liked Roger, so he was inherently opposed to the Marines.
But when he heard Smoker's sincere words, his cold attitude softened a little.
"What a man like Roger said before his death couldn't have been simple," the owner mused.
"Otherwise, merely starting the Great Pirate Era would bear an immense burden of bloodshed."
Even Smoker nodded in agreement at this.
"He started the Great Pirate Era, definitely not just to take revenge on society. There must be a deeper meaning, but what is it?"
Smoker began pondering this question that had troubled him for 22 years.
This doubt was like a thorn stuck in his heart.
Hearing this, Ray also agreed with Smoker's words.
'In my view, Roger had clearly regarded life and death very lightly before his execution, with no anger or hatred in his eyes. Therefore, his final words definitely weren't about retaliating against the world's injustice toward him.'
As for what it was specifically, Ray had a rough idea in his heart.
Listening to their conversation, Ray glanced at Smoker.
'This guy clearly isn't a stubborn brute; he definitely has brains.'
…
Smoker chatted with the bartender a while longer.
After downing his last drink, Smoker stood up.
He addressed the bartender and Ray, who was sitting in the corner.
"Perhaps my Marine subordinates have already begun notifying all residents, but let me emphasize once more. You two must escape to the mountains in the rear by 3 PM tomorrow. I cannot disclose the specific reasons, but a major battle is certain to occur. Once the fighting begins, I won't be able to protect you. So please, be sure to prioritize your safety."
After speaking, Smoker turned and strode toward the door.
The shopkeeper, shaken by Smoker's serious tone, glanced at Ray and said directly.
"Although I've always disliked those hypocritical Marines in the past, no matter how much I try to brainwash myself, I can't truly hate this guy."
Ray nodded slightly. "He's indeed quite decent."
With that, Ray left a silver coin on the table.
And walked off into the distance.
Watching Ray leave, the shopkeeper's expression turned strange.
'Tch, why does that kid look more and more familiar the more I see him. That aura is definitely not ordinary.'