New World, Peach Garden.
A burly blind man walked steadily down the bustling street, leaning on a cane.
"This place… it truly makes one yearn to stay. The people here, they all seem genuinely happy."
This was Issho, who had been in Peach Garden for over twenty days. During this time, Rolan had reserved a small courtyard for him in Shandora, allowing Issho to explore the city at his own pace.
Issho treated Peach Garden like a traveler discovering a new land. Every route he took, every street he observed, was different. He had nearly traversed all of Lungan, and every corner revealed something new.
From the moment he arrived, he sensed how different this country was from others he had seen. The standard of living, the satisfaction of the people, the care given to ordinary citizens — everything surpassed his expectations.
Rolan, despite having been at sea just over a year, had built Peach Garden into a thriving country in less than six months. In this chaotic New World, Peach Garden felt like a clear stream, existing almost outside reality. Being here, Issho felt as though his entire being had been purified.
Meanwhile, a luxurious pirate ship slowly approached the port. Made of sturdy steel and measuring about fifty meters, the ship had three masts, each flying a flag. The central emblem was a skull, with a magnet icon on the left and a lightning bolt on the right.
It was naturally the Breaking Sky.
Once the ship was secure, Rolan was the first to step onto the dock, Law following closely.
"Since Rolan says this country is interesting, I'll see it for myself," Issho remarked, stepping off the ship slowly.
This journey to Dressrosa was primarily to accompany Law on his mission of revenge. Law, now fully prepared, had requested to personally confront Doflamingo. Rolan had agreed without objection, knowing that Law's strength made the task manageable.
The Donquixote Family was more than just Doflamingo, however, and Rolan wanted to ensure nothing unexpected occurred. Law was pleased with the arrangement, though he insisted on taking the lead himself.
Alongside them were the five women who always accompanied Rolan, and of course, Issho, who had long been considering joining the Ion Tempest. Dressrosa, outwardly full of love and passion, hid a darker underbelly, a perfect catalyst for Issho to commit fully to Rolan's crew.
As soon as they stepped onto Dressrosa, a wave of scents hit them: spices, flowers, delicious cooking, and faint perfumes.
"Wow! This smells incredible!" Lina exclaimed, closing her eyes to inhale deeply. Her keen chef's nose picked up every subtlety in the mixture.
Rolan and Law simply followed, accustomed to Lina's enthusiasm.
"After arriving here, the streets are even more fragrant. It's invigorating," Lina said, bouncing slightly with the excitement of a child.
Though matured and wise from living with her grandfather, Lina let her playful side emerge fully with Rolan. She had reverted to her childlike personality, completely uninhibited around him.
"Rolan, let's eat first. We have plenty of time, and Dressrosa's cuisine is said to be famous," she said, grabbing Rolan's arm and tugging him along.
Law, focused on his revenge, didn't object. Neither did anyone else in the group.
Suddenly, a large yellow dog charged from a street corner, clutching a furry doll arm in its mouth.
"Stop, you wretched dog!"
All eyes followed the chase. The plush toy itself appeared to be shouting, its broken arm waving wildly.
Lina froze. "A talking plush toy? Am I… seeing this correctly?"
Nami rubbed her eyes. "You're not imagining it. It's really talking."
Hancock crossed her arms. "Perhaps a child in disguise?"
Robin studied it carefully. "No, see the joints and softness? It's clearly a doll, not a person."
The crowd was stunned, and even Issho's Observation Haki detected a human-like aura within the doll.
The yellow dog barked frantically, approaching the group.
"Excuse me, can someone stop that dog?" the plush toy shouted, panic in its voice.
Nami quickly extended her hand, creating a soft cloud that trapped the dog. The arm fell harmlessly from its jaws.
"Good, calm down," Nami said gently, patting the dog. Slowly, it ceased struggling.
The doll hurried to retrieve its arm, bowing in gratitude. "Thank you, beautiful lady," it said.
Nami blinked, startled. It really was just a plush toy. The toy inspected its arm carefully, then looked up.
"Thanks to all of you. I'll head back now," it said, running toward a street corner. "I'll need to find Juliet to sew this up."
The group watched, some shaking their heads in disbelief, others laughing softly. Dressrosa, it seemed, had no shortage of surprises.
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