Lorne's fingertip rested on Dawn Island on the sea chart, the territory of the Goa Kingdom, which was hailed as the most beautiful country in the East Blue.
Now that the money was in hand and the next target was clear, Lorne didn't delay any longer.
He put down the sea chart, adjusted the boat's course, and headed at full speed toward the direction marked on the chart.
His purpose for this trip was clear: to meet the future protagonist of the One Piece world, Monkey D. Luffy.
The feeling was a bit strange, like a time-traveling tourist visiting a figure who had not yet become famous.
He knew very well that he couldn't stay in this world for over a decade to wait for Luffy to set sail, so he took this opportunity to catch a glimpse of the legendary protagonist.
If he didn't see him now, once he entered the Grand Line, there would likely be no chance to return to the East Blue.
Furthermore, he needed to head to the Grand Line as soon as possible to experience a wider world and seek ways to become stronger.
After several days of sailing, the silhouette of a massive island finally emerged on the horizon.
The Goa Kingdom had arrived.
Lorne didn't stop at the main port, instead choosing a remote shore to land.
He first went to the kingdom's commercial street, spent money on a more detailed nautical chart, and then headed straight toward Foosha Village.
The scenery along the way was no different from his memory: clean streets, peaceful villages, and that iconic giant windmill turning slowly in the sea breeze.
This was the hometown of the Marine hero, Vice Admiral Garp, and also Luffy's birthplace.
Lorne didn't linger in the village; he just took a look from afar and then turned into the vast mountain forest behind the village.
Mt. Colubo.
According to the timeline he knew, nine-year-old Luffy should still be here, thrown by Garp to be raised by the Dadan Family of mountain bandits.
Lorne's goal was simple: he wanted to see if he could "chance upon" the future protagonist here.
The forest was dimly lit, with towering trees blocking most of the sunlight, leaving only scattered patches of light filtering through the gaps in the leaves. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth mixed with rotting leaves.
He didn't know if his luck was too good or if this mountain range was naturally this lively.
Not long after Lorne stepped into the outer area of Mt. Colubo, a burst of noisy shouting and the roars of wild beasts came from not far away.
He pushed aside the bushes in front of him and looked toward the sound; the scene before him made him chuckle.
A small figure wearing a straw hat was scrambling through the forest on all fours, followed by a menacing herd of wild boars with bared tusks.
That brat was indeed Monkey D. Luffy.
"Waaaaah! Why are there so many wild boars?!"
Luffy screamed at the top of his lungs while running, his speed surprisingly fast.
He even had the strength to look back, his face covered in snot and tears.
"This is too much! Fight me one-on-one if you have the guts!"
The response was even angrier grunts from the wild boars. They charged ahead with their heads down, clearly not taking the little shrimp's shouting to heart.
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