In the sea outside Kuraigana Island, a massive golden pirate ship cut swiftly through the waves.
On the deck stood Rolan, Zoro, Perona, and Gion.
Zoro had originally intended to invite Dracule Mihawk to Peach Garden. Over the past three months on Kuraigana Island, teacher and student had gradually built a strange but solid bond.
He had come to know Mihawk beyond the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. The man was also surprisingly skilled in cooking and often prepared their meals during their stay.
Despite his cold and distant appearance, Mihawk carried a quiet warmth beneath it.
Zoro's intention had been simple. He did not want Mihawk to remain alone on that gloomy island forever.
But Mihawk neither accepted nor rejected the invitation outright.
He had only laughed lightly and said, "I am a Shichibukai, and I can take care of myself. If there ever comes a time I can no longer stay in this sea, I will come to Peach Garden."
Zoro understood that Mihawk was not the type to waver once he made a decision, so he did not press further.
At the shore of Kuraigana Island, Mihawk stood watching the departing ship.
A faint smile formed at the corner of his lips.
"Roronoa Zoro, truly an extraordinary young man. Your journey is far from over."
His gaze shifted slightly toward the open sky.
"Rolan… what kind of man are you?"
When Zoro first arrived, his strength had already been approaching Admiral level. Mihawk had never seen someone of that age reach such a level so quickly.
There was no doubt in his mind that it was tied to Rolan.
He did not follow news obsessively, but the name Rolan and his crew always appeared in the headlines. It was impossible to ignore.
At first, the crew seemed unremarkable apart from Rolan. But over time, they began to emerge individually, each one growing stronger at an unnatural pace.
Now, almost every member of that crew had reached Admiral level strength, with some even crossing into Yonko level territory.
Anyone with experience could see it clearly. This was not normal growth.
It had to be Rolan's influence.
A man raising a group that once could barely match Vice Admiral level and turning them into monsters in just a few years, there was no better word for it than extraordinary.
When Mihawk had once crossed paths with Rolan, he had tried to measure him.
What he found was not a presence, but an abyss.
Contained on the surface, yet beneath it, something vast and terrifying, like a sleeping beast waiting to awaken.
Even stronger than what he had felt from Roger or Whitebeard.
He had intended to challenge him once.
Rolan had refused, saying he did not have time.
Mihawk exhaled lightly and turned away from the shore, walking back toward the castle.
...
On the pirate ship, Breaking Sky 3, the wind carried across the deck.
"Green Algae Head, is your Peach Garden really as luxurious as the rumors say?"
Perona leaned beside Zoro, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
She had heard countless rumors. Peach Garden was said to be unbelievably wealthy, where every inch of land was valuable and life was filled with excess.
Some even claimed the roads were paved with gold, and people wore jewelry worth tens of thousands of berries without care.
A paradise like that sounded perfect to her.
Zoro scratched his head, slightly confused.
"What rumors are those? Peach Garden is nice, but it's not that exaggerated. Still, it shouldn't disappoint you."
As he said it, a strange realization hit him. He was about to return home with both Perona and Gion.
His ears turned slightly red.
He still had no idea how he was going to explain this to everyone.
Hearing his answer, Perona suddenly jumped into his arms.
Her grip latched onto his arm tightly, refusing to let go.
"Really? Hororororo, I can't wait!"
Zoro stiffened slightly, his face turning even redder.
"Cough, yeah, something like that."
Gion stood nearby, watching quietly with a soft expression.
Zoro's awkward honesty had a strange charm to it.
Perhaps that was exactly what drew her in.
She turned her gaze away and calmly adjusted the ship's course.
...
"Breaking news, the Marines have begun a worldwide conscription!"
"Breaking news, the Marines have begun a worldwide conscription!"
Across the world, newspapers carried the same headline.
"As long as you have identification, you can register at any Marine branch for selection."
"There are even two Admiral positions open. Those with sufficient strength may be directly promoted."
The announcement exploded across the Pirate World like a detonating bomb.
Every island, every sea route, every bar and port erupted into discussion.
"I'm going. This is my chance!"
"I might not become an Admiral, but a Vice Admiral position is still possible!"
"The Marines? Not interested. They don't protect people anyway."
"I heard you can earn a fortune if you get in, even a small officer gets rich benefits."
...
In the South Blue, on a lush green island, a tall man stood holding a stack of newspapers.
He had messy dark green curly hair, sunglasses, and a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. A tattoo marked his left side.
He burst into laughter.
"World conscription? Perfect timing."
"If I become an Admiral, I'll have the power to hunt down Rolan and his crew."
He pulled out a wanted poster from his pocket.
His eyes turned sharp as he stared at it.
On the paper was Rolan.
"Rolan… Admiral Akainu was my idol."
"How dare you… how dare you kill him."
His grip tightened until the paper crumpled completely in his hand.
A moment later, he stood.
A massive flower-like structure unfolded behind him.
"Marine headquarters… I'm coming."
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