Seasons turned. Flowers bloomed and withered.
A full year passed.
For a person, a year could feel long.
For the world, it was barely the blink of an eye.
During that year, the Grand Line remained unusually quiet.
No war like the Fire Country incident.
No battle that shook the seas.
Just calm.
Back then, Kairos' disappearance had sparked endless speculation. But now, his name only surfaced now and then in idle conversations.
Some said he had been secretly captured by the Marines after defeating Admiral Kuzan.
Others claimed he had joined forces with Golden Lion Shiki and was plotting something terrifying in the shadows.
But in the end—
no one knew the truth.
Present day.
BOOM!!
A thunderous crash erupted along the eastern coast of Little Garden.
Moments later, something massive tore through the jungle.
A Tyrannosaurus rex, over ten meters tall, burst onto the beach, carving a deep trench through the sand before collapsing.
Dead.
Blood poured from its skull, staining the shore crimson.
A shadow followed.
A blade flashed under the sun—
and landed neatly in a man's hand.
Kairos D. Vale.
His black hair hung loose, tossed by the wind. His white shirt was worn but spotless. Sandai Kitetsu still hummed faintly in his hand as he flicked the blood from its edge.
He glanced at the fallen dinosaur.
"…Looks like we're having dragon meat today."
"GYAHAHAHAHA!! Still as clean as ever, Kairos!"
"Not even a second strike needed!"
Two booming voices followed.
From the forest emerged two giants, each towering like a walking fortress.
Dorry.
Brogy.
They strode forward, their massive shadows swallowing the beach.
Kairos grinned up at them.
"Cooking's on you two."
"Leave it to us!"
Before long, a feast was underway.
Chunks of dinosaur meat roasted over roaring flames. Huge pots boiled nearby. The smell of grilled meat filled the air.
Kairos sat between the two giants, casually gnawing on a bone the size of a tree branch.
"This is better than I expected," he said, tossing it aside.
Dorry and Brogy roared with laughter, their voices scattering flocks of birds into the sky.
A year had changed many things.
Kairos and the two giants had become close friends.
Even Dorry and Brogy's centuries-long duel had finally come to an end.
Peace had settled over Little Garden.
After the meal, Kairos stood at the shore, gazing out at the endless sea.
Silent.
"Thinking about that girl?" Dorry asked, dropping down beside him. The ground trembled under his weight.
Brogy leaned in from the other side, grinning.
"She was a good one. You sure you don't want to marry her? GYAHAHAHAHA!!"
Kairos did not answer right away.
He knew who they meant.
Nico Robin.
Robin had left six months ago.
Not because she didn't trust him.
Because she trusted him too much.
With Kairos, she didn't have to worry.
No threats.
No running.
No fear.
And that was dangerous.
Robin was afraid she would grow dependent. Afraid she would lose the sharp caution that had kept her alive all these years.
She was the Devil Child.
The world would never stop hunting her.
Staying with Kairos might eventually drag him into that danger.
So she left.
Not easily.
Not without hesitation.
But she left.
Kairos hadn't stopped her.
Everyone had their own path.
When they parted, he had only said one thing:
If you ever need help, call me.
"…Nothing like that," Kairos said lightly, shaking the thought away.
Before the giants could press him further, he stood up.
The air around him shifted.
A sharp pressure rose, stirring the sand into spiraling currents.
His hand rested casually on Sandai Kitetsu's hilt.
"Dorry. Brogy."
He smiled.
"After a good meal… how about some exercise?"
Dorry's eyes sharpened.
Brogy's expression changed instantly.
"…You finally learned it?"
Kairos exhaled slowly.
A faint red glow flickered in his eyes.
Behind him, the sea began to surge, waves crashing harder against the shore.
His aura kept rising.
Stronger.
Sharper.
Heavier.
For the past year, Kairos had sparred with the two giants countless times, refining his body, his Haki, and his sword.
But today was different.
Today was the day he would leave.
And before leaving—
he would settle one final match with his giant friends.
"Come on."
Kairos drew his blade slightly.
The air screamed.
"Let's see who wins."
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