Under the current circumstances,
Gawain's strength had undergone a complete transformation. Compared to just a month ago, his combat ability had surged by several magnitudes.
If there was still a weakness, it was his mastery of Armament Haki.
To be honest, he felt a bit dejected. More than a month had passed, and he hadn't even brushed the threshold.
But he quickly composed himself. Even Luffy—who was practically born for greatness—had needed guidance from legends like Rayleigh, Hyogoro, and Kaido to grow, both in theory and in practice.
If someone like Luffy hadn't done it alone, how could Gawain expect faster results relying solely on himself?
"This is the biggest hurdle of the pathless path... You have to figure everything out on your own. Unlike those chosen ones, there's never someone lighting the road ahead."
"Still, my growth has been remarkably fast."
"It's only been a little over two months since I arrived in this world, and I've already walked further than most do in years—maybe even decades."
"If I can't master it here, I'll wait until the Grand Line. The East Blue is too small."
Gawain let out a soft sigh of regret.
It was only then that he realized his body was coated in sticky impurities.
He stepped into the bathroom, washed away the grime with a quick rinse, and headed to bed.
Not long after, steady, even breaths drifted from his room.
A few days later.
Several pirate ships loaded with supplies sailed into Para Island's harbor.
Jango and his crew walked down the gangplank and into port, wearing relaxed smiles—a stark contrast to their tense expressions from before.
In the days following their orders from Gawain, they had swept through the surrounding pirate forces near Raven Harbor.
All three of them had bounties above 7 million—an impressive figure in the East Blue, where most pirates carried bounties under 5 million.
Gawain's name had spread once again, now marked with a staggering 85 million bounty. Any pirate with common sense wouldn't dare provoke him.
And even those bold enough to try would likely be unable to defeat Jango's team. In addition to their strength, Jango's hypnosis could unlock his subordinates' latent potential, dramatically increasing the pirate crew's overall combat power.
Gawain had once asked Jango to hypnotize him—but the result had been disappointing. Only those with weak or overly simple minds were susceptible.
With Jango's abilities, he could barely manage to hypnotize the Cat Brothers. But that alone was enough to dominate the East Blue.
As long as the two enhanced Cat Brothers didn't encounter monsters like Arlong, there would be no serious threats.
From a distance,
Buchi, the plump one among the Cat Brothers, spotted Gawain waiting at the port. His eyes lit up instantly. He waddled over with a grin, nearly tripping over his excitement.
"Captain!"
"This time... it was really strange. I mean—it felt... it felt..."
He scratched his head, struggling for the right word.
"The people there didn't treat us like pirates. They even made fried dried fish for me!"
Buchi pulled a bag of dried fish from inside his coat—carefully wrapped in wax paper—and offered it to Gawain like it was a treasure.
After seeing Gawain eat a few pieces, he rubbed his head sheepishly and smiled.
"Maybe it's a little rude... but I just can't explain it. I really want to protect that place. I want it to last forever."
Sham came up beside him, throwing an arm over Buchi's shoulder, and nodded at Gawain.
"The kids there loved my claws."
He raised his gloved hand.
The sharp claws had been removed, leaving only soft, pink paw pads.
No longer dangerous—now almost cute—his cat-like face only enhanced the effect.
Gawain's lips curled into a small smile.
"I'm glad you like it."
His gaze passed over the Cat Brothers, relaxing slightly when he saw the peace in their expressions.
After the last incident, the Gawain Pirates' reputation in Raven Harbor had taken a sharp turn. Civilians now treated them with warmth and respect.
The brothers' cheerful demeanor was living proof.
Gawain had considered this when making his deal with Grayza.
The Grand Line—and especially the New World—was too dangerous for average pirates. Most wouldn't last long.
Until he claimed the title of Shichibukai and established a secure base, Gawain didn't need a large crew.
Raven Harbor solved the issue of where to place these subordinates.
Even after Gawain left to lead Kuro and the others, the deal with Grayza could continue. Grayza's need for strength wouldn't disappear.
Rather than have his men plunder and risk their lives aimlessly, better they serve as mercenaries in Raven Harbor and earn steady meals.
Once he departed, they'd still have a way to survive.
From afar,
Kuro observed the reunion, then glanced at the Cat Brothers' reactions. Understanding dawned.
"Gawain's decided to leave them here."
"That can't be right!" Gin, standing beside him, looked stunned.
"How can we make it through the Grand Line without a massive fleet?"
Kuro chuckled.
"You still don't understand the Grand Line well enough. Ordinary pirates have no hope there."
"One battle could wipe them out. In a place like that, no one will even put up a gravestone for them."
He blew out a puff of smoke and looked at Gin.
"I'm curious—what did he say to you that made you join his crew?"
"He said I was free to choose where I wanted to go. And he said the position of battle captain would be saved for me… until we reached port."
Kuro's hand twitched, dropping a few ashes to the ground.
"That sounds like him."
"But let me ask you this—if I were the captain, would you still be here?"
Gin paused, then nodded slowly.
"As long as Captain Gawain is here, I'll be here."
Kuro gave a helpless smile.
"That guy's luck is just ridiculous… but I'll be the captain someday!"
Gin blinked, turning to stare at Kuro.
He thought back to the many times he had tried and failed to challenge Gawain in the past month. His expression softened slightly, even tinged with pity.
That crushing, all-around defeat—anyone with a fragile ego wouldn't survive it.
Gin respected Kuro. Without luck, the man would've died long ago in some forgotten port. But the gap between him and Gawain? It was a canyon.
After a moment of silence,
Gin simply said:
"Good luck with that."
"Yeah."
With Jango and the others safely back, a massive bonfire was lit in the harbor.
Barbecue pits ringed the fire, sizzling with juicy meat. The air was thick with rich, smoky aroma. Loaves of bread and piles of fruit were neatly stacked nearby, while wine bottles formed a miniature mountain.
The feast was in full swing.
As the wine flowed, the musicians played old sailor songs, their tunes floating over waves of laughter and clinking cups.
Then, in the middle of the celebration, Kuro stood and looked Gawain in the eye.
"I want to know," he said calmly, "between the two of us, who truly deserves that seat."