Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
Somewhere in the vast expanse of the East Blue, a streak of light shot across the surface of the sea like a bolt of lightning. The figure skimmed the water, leaving a trail of mist in its wake.
"Whoa! What was that?!"
"I swear something just flew right past us!"
"Was… was that a person?"
The fishermen near the coast blinked in disbelief, shouting to one another as they stared at the white blur vanishing into the horizon.
Loshue paid them no mind. His legs blurred as he ran across the water, speed still increasing. The power of the Rabbit Talisman pulsed through him, lightning-fast and untouchable.
To awaken the next talisman the Dragon he needed to fully fuse the Rabbit's energy first. And what better place to train speed and endurance than the open sea, where the horizon stretched endlessly and nothing stood in his way?
"One month already," he murmured to himself. "The fourth talisman should be nearly ready."
Inside his inner system space, the Rabbit Talisman gleamed with growing brilliance. He was close so close to reaching its critical point of fusion.
"Time for a short break," Loshue decided, glancing at the empty waters ahead. "Maybe I'll borrow a pirate ship for food and supplies."
In this world, the seas teemed not with fishermen or Marines, but with pirates. They were everywhere loud, reckless, and often well-stocked. Whenever Loshue needed rest, he simply boarded the nearest ship.
And when trouble inevitably followed, all he had to do was casually flash his bounty poster the one declaring him a wanted man worth sixty million Berries.
That piece of paper had become his most efficient problem-solver. Once the pirates saw it, they turned from attackers to brothers in seconds, offering him their best food and drinks as though hosting a king.
Of course, not everyone had the sense to recognize danger when they saw it. Those who didn't… well, they usually ended up as fish food.
And right on cue, there was a pirate ship sailing not far ahead.
Loshue smirked and accelerated toward it.
On that ship, a massive woman with freckled cheeks, greasy skin, and rolls of fat spilling over her clothes stood proudly at the bow, clutching a spiked iron club. In her hand was a small mirror, which she used to admire her reflection with an exaggerated grin.
"Tell me, my darlings," she cooed, striking a ridiculous pose. "Is your Captain Alvida not the most beautiful woman on the seas?"
Her crew erupted instantly.
"You're stunning, Captain Alvida!"
"The most gorgeous woman in the world!"
"Ha ha ha ha!" Alvida threw back her head and laughed with pride. "That's right! Beauty like mine must be celebrated! You filthy men should all try to be half as dazzling as I am!"
She winked at them dramatically. "If you worked on your looks every day like I do, the world would be a more beautiful place!"
"Absolutely, Captain! You're amazing!"
Alvida was nothing if not vain a woman who worshipped her own image and forced everyone else to do the same. Her ship was decorated with heart-shaped carvings and swan-head ornaments, every inch screaming her warped idea of "beauty."
Of course, at this point in time, she hadn't yet eaten the Smooth-Smooth Fruit. She was still the same grotesque, delusional woman that most sailors feared to look at.
While Alvida was lost in her self-admiration, a small, pink-haired boy wearing round glasses came running up to her, panic written all over his face.
"C-Captain Alvida!" he stammered.
Alvida frowned. "Koby! Didn't I tell you never to interrupt me when I'm admiring my beauty?"
"B-but Captain, someone's heading this way!" Koby pointed nervously toward the horizon.
"Huh?" Alvida lowered her mirror and squinted. Before she could even react, a figure soared through the air and landed on the deck with effortless grace.
The newcomer glanced around once and blurted out, "A fat lady?"
For a moment, silence fell.
Then Alvida's face twisted in rage, her jowls trembling. "You… you dare call me FAT?!" she screeched, grabbing her iron club and charging at him.
Only then did Loshue realize who she was. "Alvida? So it's her. Guess I'm early in the timeline," he muttered with a faint grin.
With a flick of his wrist, he swatted the club aside as though brushing away dust.
"Captain Alvida's been insulted! Get him!" one pirate shouted.
"Teach this bastard a lesson!" another roared.
"Wait why does he look so familiar?"
"Who cares! Attack!"
A horde of pirates surged forward, weapons drawn, their battle cries filling the air.
Loshue sighed and shook his head. "So noisy."
He vanished.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
One after another, the pirates dropped like flies. In just a few seconds, the deck was littered with unconscious bodies including Alvida herself, groaning and sprawled out like a beached whale.
Koby stood frozen, jaw slack.
He had seen Alvida crush men with a single swing of her club but this stranger had taken her down in a blink, without even trying.
"H-how strong…" he whispered.
Loshue ignored the awe and said calmly, "Bring out your supplies. Food, drink, whatever you've got."
To make his point, he pulled a folded sheet of paper from his coat and tossed it to the ground. The pirates who were still conscious looked down and immediately went pale.
Wanted: Loshue. 60,000,000 Berries.
Every pirate on deck trembled.
Alvida's eyes bulged as she read the poster. Her mind went blank, sweat pouring down her face.
A sixty-million bounty? In the East Blue? That wasn't a man it was a monster!
She gulped, her arrogance evaporating.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Loshue's tone was calm, but the chill in it made their blood run cold.
"N-no need, Sir Loshue!" Koby squeaked, gathering his courage. "I-I'll bring the food right away!"
Moments later, Koby returned, arms full of bread, meat, and fresh water. He set them down in front of Loshue with trembling hands.
Loshue gave him a brief nod. "Koby, right?"
The boy's eyes widened. "Y-yes, sir!" he said, overjoyed that the infamous pirate actually remembered his name.
"Thanks." Loshue smiled faintly, gesturing to the food.
Then his gaze shifted toward the still-trembling Alvida.
The woman flinched, terrified. She dropped to her knees, stammering, "P-please don't kill me! I swear, I didn't know you were here! We we only came this way because we heard rumors about a Devil Fruit on Whirlpool Island!"
Her words caught Loshue's attention. His expression sharpened. "Devil Fruit?"
"Yes!" Alvida nodded frantically. "Didn't you hear? Word's spreading all over the East Blue someone spotted a Devil Fruit near Whirlpool Island! Every pirate around here is racing there, hoping to snatch it first!"
Loshue's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
A Devil Fruit in the East Blue… That wasn't something he could ignore.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Interesting," he murmured.
Looks like his next destination had just been decided.