As time passed, the nobles and pirates had been thoroughly squeezed dry. The stream of money and valuables eventually slowed to a trickle—until there was nothing left to take.
Seeing this, Gawain stopped. With one claw, he grabbed a small boat—less than ten meters long—from the harbor and casually dumped all the collected treasures into it.
Clang!
Gold coins, gems, and antique artifacts crashed together, glimmering brilliantly even under the night sky.
The nobles could only watch in despair. Their expressions twisted with pain, but none dared voice their outrage against the terrifying dragon before them. All they could do was silently curse, muttering bitterly in their hearts like defeated gamblers.
Gawain paid them no mind. After confirming that not even a single steel coin was left behind, he grasped the treasure-laden boat with both front claws.
Just as he was preparing to act virtuously and finish off the remaining pirates in the port, a sound pierced the air—
Woooo—!
Gawain turned his head sharply. In the distance, several warships appeared on the sea's horizon, cutting swiftly through the waves.
What truly made Gawain narrow his eyes, however, was the figure standing firmly at the bow—a man with striking purple hair.
"Not wearing his Crusher prosthetic… and though his face shows the age of a man in his sixties or seventies, his body is built like steel. His presence isn't as sharp as Hawkeye's, but the power he radiates is unmistakable..."
"There's no doubt."
"Former Admiral Zephyr."
Gawain narrowed his eyes.
"It's far too early to go up against him... and besides—"
He glanced down at the bulging boat beneath him, overflowing with riches, and nodded in satisfaction.
"This haul was more than worth it."
With that, he flapped his wings, took to the skies, and soared gracefully into the moonlit night—disappearing into the clouds like a myth come to life.
Far out at sea.
A squadron of Navy warships raced full speed toward Loguetown.
At the prow of the lead ship stood Zephyr, his expression grim with concern.
"Smoker… that reckless brat is still acting on impulse!"
A few days prior, Zephyr had received urgent intel: Smoker had been defeated by Hanafuda in the East Blue.
Worried sick, Zephyr hadn't even waited for his injuries to heal or reattached his prosthetic. He immediately mobilized a fleet and plunged into the East Blue.
To him, Smoker was one of the few promising students who might one day carry the mantle of true justice.
Yes, the current three Admirals had all been trained under his watch—but they each had their flaws.
Akainu had strength and conviction, but was too ruthless—willing to do anything in the name of justice.
Aokiji, meanwhile, was too detached. He spoke of "lazy justice," but seemed uncertain of the Navy's will.
And as for Kizaru… best not to mention him.
"Zephyr-sensei! The sky—look at the sky!"
The panicked shout came from Binz in the ship nest.
Zephyr looked up—
—just in time to see a massive red dragon soaring overhead.
It was as large as a warship, covered in crimson scales, with four muscular legs and two great wings. The creature resembled something straight out of legend.
The elite Marines on deck fell silent, mouths agape, watching the beast vanish into the horizon like they were dreaming.
Zephyr's brow furrowed deeply.
"A Devil Fruit user?"
"No… the size… that form... This must be a Mythical Zoan—an animal-type of a legendary beast!"
"In the East Blue? A monster of this level?"
"This complicates things..."
He muttered darkly, watching the dragon disappear beyond the sea.
But the moment Zephyr turned his gaze toward Loguetown's harbor, his expression changed.
The port had been nearly leveled. Collapsed docks, shattered buildings, and signs of destruction littered the area.
Only one thought ran through Zephyr's mind:
"It had to be that beast… Damn it!"
"Full speed ahead!"
Minutes later, the fleet entered the devastated port.
Zephyr ignored the wailing nobles gathered along the shoreline. He delegated rescue operations to the Marines and headed straight for a familiar, half-sunken warship.
East Blue Navy Vessel 052.
Smoker's personal ship.
Bloodstains were still visible on the deck, and a shattered seastone-tipped jitte lay abandoned nearby.
Zephyr's anxiety deepened.
He began searching the ship himself.
Finally, in the temporary prison cell below deck, he found a gravely injured Smoker, barely clinging to life.
Zephyr exhaled heavily in relief.
"I sent you this intel so you could avoid fighting him—not go throw yourself into a suicide match!"
As he personally pulled Smoker from the cell, he scolded him harshly.
Smoker's face was pale, his body on the verge of collapse—but his voice remained stubborn:
"I'm a Marine!"
"How could I just stand by and watch a pirate invade the waters I'm responsible for?"
"That guy's far more dangerous than Knight Gawain!"
Zephyr's eyes narrowed. He couldn't help but ask:
"Knight Gawain… he's not a Devil Fruit user, is he?!"
Smoker looked stunned for a moment.
"The last two times I fought him... he wasn't."
"Is that so… that's good…"
Zephyr let out a small sigh of relief.
But Smoker's heart was now in turmoil.
"What happened?!"
"Loguetown appears to have been attacked by a mythical beast," Zephyr explained gravely. "The entire port's been destroyed. The group that took you prisoner—Hanafuda's men—are missing. We're still trying to piece things together."
"But one thing is certain..."
"That creature was an Ancient or Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. Its resilience is off the charts. It won't be easy to deal with—!"
"Zephyr-sensei!!"
A hurried voice echoed from the distance, cutting off the rest of Zephyr's words.
He looked up and saw Binz striding in, his face grim as he spoke in a low tone:
"Confirmation has come in—Hanafuda was killed in action. The attacker was the red dragon we just saw. He's suspected to be a transformed Devil Fruit user. And…"
Binz hesitated, swallowed hard, then continued:
"According to surviving witnesses, not only did that guy kill Hanafuda, he also looted the nobles nearby."
Zephyr asked instinctively, "What about the civilians?"
"The strange part is… he didn't lay a finger on them," Binz replied, clearly puzzled. "He didn't even accept the money civilians offered. The nobles heard it clearly—he called himself Knight Gawain."
Zephyr was momentarily stunned, then shook his head in disbelief.
"A pirate letting civilians go on purpose? That goes against everything they are—bullies preying on the weak. It's in their nature."
"No," Smoker interjected, his tone complicated. "If it really was the Knight Gawain I know, he would do exactly that. That's just who he is."
Zephyr looked down at him, eyebrows raised. "A pirate who can earn your respect?"
"Respect?" Smoker grit his teeth. "I'd never go that far. But after several encounters with him… I can tell you this—he's not like the others. He's an anomaly among pirates."
"That might have to do with his background," Smoker added after a pause. "He wasn't just called a knight. He was a knight. A real one—from the Goa Kingdom."
"Circumstances dragged him into piracy…"
Zephyr was taken aback. He glanced at Smoker with a trace of ridicule.
"You've learned this much about him, and you're still saying you don't recognize him?"
"I…" Smoker closed his eyes, exasperated. "Say what you want."
"Hmph. Well, now I am interested in this guy," Zephyr said with a slight smirk. "But whatever his past was, never forget—he's still a pirate."
"You don't need to tell me that," Smoker replied flatly. "I have my own way of doing things. I follow my justice. The Navy can't keep going on like this."
Zephyr chuckled lightly. "Then let us old men see just how far you can go."
…
As the conversation ended, the ship's medic arrived. After quickly treating Smoker's wounds, they carried him out on a stretcher.
Zephyr watched them go, his gaze growing colder.
"Knight Gawain's strength already exceeded Smoker's before," he muttered. "Now he's eaten a mythical beast-type Devil Fruit… and not just any beast—a dragon, the apex of all legends."
"The East Blue… no, even the Grand Line might be shaken by his presence."
"Of course, that's assuming he survives long enough."
…
…
…
Over the waters near Loguetown
A massive red dragon soared across the sky, its roar scattering flocks of birds and forcing sea beasts to dive in fear to the ocean depths.
Mira sat atop Gawain's back, clutching two thorn-like spines tightly. Her face radiated pure joy.
"So fast!"
"So fast!"
"Hahahahahaha~~~!"
Her silvery laughter rang through the sky like music.
She had never imagined her childhood dream would be realized so suddenly, so completely.
When Gawain finally landed on a deserted island, Mira still felt like she was dreaming.
"Mr. Gawain… I… I actually rode on the back of a dragon? This is what I dreamed about as a kid!"
Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled like gemstones.
It was then that Gawain noticed—Mira was far more beautiful than he had initially realized.
He said calmly, "Your childhood dream came true. Now it's time to chase your current one. You said you wanted to sing, right?"
"Then go pursue it."
Gawain looked at her thoughtfully.
He recalled the scene in Loguetown, when Mira had rushed into gunfire to save him. A subtle warmth rose in his chest.
Helping her fulfill that small dream… felt like the least he could do.
Besides, in this world, hoarding too much wealth only brought trouble.
If word spread around Loguetown, it would draw the attention of thugs—or worse, pirates—and bring nothing but disaster.
"Yes!" Mira nodded fiercely. "I will! Someday, you'll see me up on stage."
"Even… even just now, while I was flying, a melody popped into my head."
"I know it'll be my best song ever!"
Gawain smiled. "Good."
"I'll be waiting for that day."
"But for now… let's head back."