After hauling the books out of the pond, Ryu crouched beside the pile and began sorting through them one by one. His eyes lit up the moment he stumbled across several old volumes on swordsmanship and blacksmithing. Curious, he flipped one open, completely drawn in by the diagrams of legendary blades and battle stances as the pages danced beneath his gaze.
Meanwhile, Jack finally found the navigation books he had been searching for. Without saying a word, he sat on the ground and quietly began reading, his sharp eyes scanning maps, currents, and sea routes with intense focus while the sound of waves echoed on the background.
__________
With Dragon and Dr. Vegapunk
Dragon sat upon the rugged cliffs at the edge of Ohara, the cold sea breeze tugging at his dark green cloak as the waves crashed endlessly below. Beside him sat the brilliant scientist, Vegapunk, his sharp eyes hidden beneath sunglasses while the ruins of Ohara smoldered in the distance like a scar upon the world itself.
For a long while, neither man spoke.
Only the cries of distant seagulls and the roar of the sea filled the silence between them.
Then, after a minute of heavy silence, Dragon finally opened his mouth, his deep voice calm yet carrying the weight of a coming storm as he spoke to Vegapunk.
"Dr. Vegapunk… I have finally realized it. My way of trying to change this world was flawed from the very beginning. No matter how fiercely the oppressed scream… no matter how loudly those crushed beneath the heel of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons cry out in despair… the world itself will never change through voices alone."
"We can no longer stand idle while this rotten world continues to crush the weak beneath its heel. The corrupt system upheld by the World Government and those tyrannical Celestial Dragons must be torn down. To change this world, I will raise an army… a force powerful enough to one day challenge the World Government themselves and build a new era founded upon true justice and freedom!"
Dr. Vegapunk's eyes widened in shock at those words, his usual calm brilliance cracking for a brief moment as the weight of the revelation struck him like a thunderclap.
"An Army?"
Dragon gave a slow, deliberate nod, his expression steady as steel.
The weight of his resolve settled into the silence—no hesitation, no doubt—only the calm certainty of a man already walking the path of revolution.
"…Yeah. I used to believe things could be changed without bloodshed."
His voice was low, steady—yet heavy with something long since hardened.
"I hated wars… truly. That's why I formed the Freedom Fighters. I thought if enough people raised their voices, the world would bend."
A pause. The wind carried over distant waves, as if the sea itself was listening.
"But Ohara… showed me the truth."
His eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger, but in clarity.
"To them, human lives are nothing more than numbers that can be erased."
A faint, bitter exhale.
"I can't just stand by anymore… pretending hope alone will be enough."
"I learned a great deal while I was in the Navy," he said quietly, his gaze steady, unshaken. "With that experience… I believe I can build an army strong enough to one day challenge the World Government itself."
He paused, the weight of his conviction hanging in the air like a storm about to break.
"I want you to join me, Dr. Vegapunk. With your intellect… I'm certain we will finally have a real chance of bringing the World Government crashing down."
Vegapunk let out a quiet sigh, adjusting his glasses as his gaze drifted away for a moment.
"Sorry, Dragon… I can't join you," he said flatly. "I need resources—funding, facilities, equipment. The kind of support you can't provide me with if I continue my research at this level."
His voice wasn't uncertain. It was simply factual, as if he had already calculated every possible outcome.
"This world still has too many unanswered mysteries and questions… I intend to solve all of them."
Dragon let out a quiet sigh, the weight of disappointment heavy in his chest. After a brief pause, he closed his eyes and gave a slow, understanding nod, to Vegapunk.
_______
With Jack and Ryu
While Ryu sat quietly flipping through the book in his hand, his eyes locked onto every page with sharp interest, Jack suddenly pushed himself up from the ground. A cocky grin stretched across his face as he swaggered toward Ryu with exaggerated confidence, his heavy footsteps echoing with each step as he makes his way towards him.
"Oi, kid! How about you join my crew?! You've got fire in your eyes, and I can tell you're strong! BOHOHOHO!"
The man spread his arms wide toward the endless horizon, his grin stretching from ear to ear like a true mad man.
"We'll sail across the seas with freedom in our hearts! We'll go wherever the waves take us, hunt down mountains of treasure, seize riches beyond imagination, and witness all the mysteries this world has to offer!"
His laughter thundered across the horizon as the wind roared around him.
"Storms, battles, legendary islands, monsters of the deep—we'll conquer it all together! This will become the greatest adventure the world has ever seen!"
"BOHOHOHOHO!!"
Ryu let out a low chuckle, the corners of his lips curling upward as he looked at Jack swaggering over like some hotshot pirate captain. Shaking his head in amusement, Ryu rested the book on his shoulder and grinned.
"Man, you really know your way through words, huh?" he said casually, his voice carrying the carefree vibe as he looked at Jack with eyes full of amusement.
"Sorry, man… but I gotta turn you down! KAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The moment Ryu refused, Jack nearly lost his footing, his body jerking forward dramatically as his eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"EEEEHHHHH?!!"
He pointed at Ryu with a trembling finger, his jaw hanging wide open in utter disbelief like the world itself had betrayed him.
"YOU'RE TURNING DOWN MY INVITATION?!" Jack bellowed comically, flailing his arms around. "Do you even realize how amazing my crew is gonna be?! BOHOHOHO!"
Even the nearby air seemed to freeze from his over-the-top reaction while Ryu simply looked at him calmly at him while giving him a small smile full of amusement.
"BOHOHOHO! Listen up, you insolent brat! I'm the greatest navigator you could ever dream of meeting! With me leading the way, our voyage across the seas is gonna be the wildest adventure this world has ever seen!"
"We'll sail through raging storms, hunt treasures beyond imagination, and turn this whole world upside down! Our names will shake not just the West Blue but the Grand Line itself, and the future generations will tell stories about us for centuries to come!"
"Just imagine it—the glory, the riches, the freedom! We'll become the greatest pirates to ever sail these seas! So what do you say?! Let's chase the ultimate adventure together!"
Ryu threw his head back and roared with laughter, the sound booming across Ohara ruins.
"KAHAHAHAHAHA! I like you, Jack Sparrow! You're one hilarious guy to sail with! But after reading all these books, I finally figured it out… I finally know what I want to chase in this life! The dream that'll make my blood boil and set the seas roaring awaits me!"
Jack's eyes instantly lit up with interest the moment he heard those words. A wide grin stretched across his face as he leaned forward dramatically, his coat fluttering behind him like a true pirate captain.
"OOOH?! BOHOHOHOHO! Now you've got my attention, brat! What kinda dream are ya talking about?!"
Ryu's lips curled into a savage, bloodthirsty grin as a terrifying invincible aura burst from his body unconsciously. The air around him trembled violently, swirling like a raging storm, while an invisible pressure crashed down on everything nearby.
Jack's eyes shot wide open as the invincible force slammed into him like a tidal wave.
His knees started to buckles.
"…Th-this pressure…?!" he gasped, voice breaking as his teeth gritted hard.
His knees trembled, the air itself feeling heavier—like the sea had turned against him, crushing down on his very soul. He forced his eyes open wider, refusing to be dragged into darkness, even as his consciousness flickered at the edge of collapse.
The suffocating pressure erupted outward, unseen yet undeniable—like the will of a sovereign crushing everything in its path. The air itself seemed to bend, heavy and restless, as if the world was holding its breath.
Jack struggled to even lift his head, sweat breaking out across his brow as disbelief twisted into shock.
"Impossible…!"
"This… this is Haki… the King's Haki… Houshoku Haki…!"
His eyes trembled as the realization hit like a thunderclap.
"The same Haki Grandfather wrote about in his journal…!"
'So this is the power only those chosen by fate could wield… the conquering will that stood above all others.'
In an instant, Jack's senses sharpened as Ryu's voice cut through the air—calm, yet carrying an unseen weight.
The crushing presence that had been erupting moments before suddenly faltered, the wave of overwhelming willpower—his Houshoku Haki—snapping back into silence like a storm abruptly strangled mid-roar.
"I want to reach the very pinnacle of swordsmanship."
Jack wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his sleeve, breathing a little heavier than before. Without a word, he snatched up another bottle of booze and tilted it back, taking a long, greedy gulp.
His gaze never left Ryu.
Behind that rough, unbothered motion, his eyes had sharpened—serious now, like a man measuring the weight of what stood before him.
'…Hah? The kid unconsciously let out Houshoku Haki…?'
A slow grin curled across his face as he continued drinking his booze from the bottle..
'Interesting… very interesting indeed.'
Jack pulled the bottle away from his lips with a satisfied exhale, wiping the excess liquor from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. A crooked smirk slowly crept across his face as he tilted his head toward Ryu.
"Interesting… so you aim to become the world's greatest swordsman?"
Jack tilted his head slightly, a grin creeping across his face as his eyes sharpened with intrigue.
"Heh… now that's a dream worth listening to, kid."
Ryu let out a low chuckle, the sound carrying a wild edge as his grin slowly widened. At the mention, his eyes lit up with unmistakable fighting spirit, sharp and hungry like a predator catching the scent of a worthy prey.
The corner of his mouth curled upward, almost amused, almost defiant.
"Greatest swordsman in the world?" he repeated, as if tasting the words.
Then his gaze sharpened, cutting through the air like steel drawn from its sheath.
"Not bad… I like the sound of it."
He rose up to his feet and took a slow step forward, voice lowering, heavier now—unyielding.
"But don't get it twisted, Jack."
A pause.
A grin—sharp as a blade.
"I'm not going to be the greatest swordsman in the world…"
His aura flared, the air seeming to tense around him.
"…I will become the greatest swordsman of all time."
Jack froze for a heartbeat, eyes widening in disbelief.
Then—just like that—his head snapped back as thunderous laughter erupted from his chest.
"BOHOHOHOHO…!!"
The sound rolled across the air like crashing waves, wild and unrestrained, as if the very idea he'd just heard was too ridiculous to swallow.
His grin stretched wide beneath the laughter, eyes glinting with a sharp, almost feral amusement.
"BOHOHOHOHO! I like your ambition, kid… how about we join forces?"
Ryu rolled his eyes, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"I already told you—I've got no intention of joining your crew," Ryu said flatly, his tone cutting through the air like a drawn blade.
Jack smiled and shook his head.
"I'm not asking you to join my crew," he said with a grin, shaking his head. "And I'm not the kind of man who forces anyone to sail with me."
His eyes sharpened, a fierce light flickering within them like distant thunder over the sea.
"Pirates are supposed to be free," he continued, voice steady now, carrying the weight of conviction. "And anyone who sails with me… will do it because they chose to. Not because I bound them. Not because I ordered them."
A slow smile curled at his lips.
"So if you ever step onto my ship… make sure it's because you want to chase the same horizon as me."
Ryu's eyes widened in genuine surprise, before a faint, respectful smile crept onto his lips.
Jack didn't miss a beat.
He took another swig from the bottle, exhaled sharply, and grinned like the whole sea itself was waiting for him with opened arms.
"Listen, kid, I'm talking about something else entirely," he said with a grin, eyes sharp. "We cooperate… form an alliance, that's all."
Ryu tilted his head slightly, brows knitting together in confusion as he spoke.
"Cooperating? Alliance?"
Jack gave a shrewd smirk and nodded.
"That's right, I told you already—I'm the best navigator you could ever hope to find!" he declared with a confident grin. "For me, guiding you to the strongest swordsmen in the West Blue… and the greatest fighters scattered in this sea? Is a child's play."
He leaned in slightly, eyes glinting with ambition. "In exchange, you'll help me take their treasure. Sounds fair, doesn't it? A perfect deal between men chasing their own dreams!"
Ryu gave bloodthirsty smirk and nodded his head.
"Interesting, fine, I will cooperate with you Jack."
" Let's go."
Jack threw his head back, laughter exploding from his throat like a raging waves rolling across the sea.
"BOHOHOHOHO! Good answer, kid! First we return these books to that giant… then we set sail!"
Ryu's lips curled into a confident smirk, his eyes glinting with excitement. With a sharp nod, he hoisted the stack of books into his arms.
"Let's move," he said, already turning on his heel.
Without wasting another moment, the two of them hurried back the way they came, the wind brushing past as their footsteps kicked up dust and debris. The weight of the books didn't slow them down—instead, it seemed to fuel their excitement.
Ahead, Saul's towering silhouette came into view once more, surrounded by the ruins of Ohara.
______
With Dragon
After the towering giant Saul carefully took the books into his massive hands, Dragon's gaze shifted back to Ryu, his expression calm yet heavy with meaning.
The wind brushed through the ruins, carrying the faint scent of salt and ash as Dragon finally spoke.
"Boy… I'm planning to raise an army strong enough to stand against the World Government… against the Celestial Dragons themselves."
He grinned sharply, eyes burning with conviction.
"So I want you to join me."
"You've got far more potential than you realize… raw, unshaped power just waiting to break free."
"If you come with me, I'll train you personally. I'll drag that strength out of you myself—until even you can see what you're truly capable of."
Ryu let out a low chuckle, shaking his head towards Dragon.
"Sorry, Dragon-san…" Ryu said while giving Dragon a small smile. "I'm no saint. I don't gamble my life for strangers I've never met."
A faint edge sharpened his voice as the wind around them seemed to still.
"Maybe I'll follow my heart when it matters… maybe I'll do what's right when I choose to—but that's as far as I go. That's the limit I offer."
"Don't get me wrong… I respect your resolve," he said, his voice steady as a storm held back by will alone. "And I admire you… a man willing to go to war against the World Government for all the injustice it's buried this world under."
Dragon gave a faint, knowing smile and nodded once.
Without a word, he flicked his wrist—sending a plain, unmarked sheet of paper spinning through the air toward Ryu.
"Take this paper with you. It's called a Vivre Card… it will always point toward me."
"So if one day you change your mind… or find yourself in need of my help," he added, a faint grin tugging at his lips, "just follow where it leads and come find me."
Jack grabbed the Vivre card from Ryu and the moment his fingers brushed its surface, his expression shifted.
His eyes practically sparkled—wide, glittering with childlike wonder—as he held it up like it was some legendary treasure.
"W-Wow… so this is a Vivre Card," he breathed, eyes widening in disbelief as he turned the fragile slip of paper over in his hands. "I read about it in my grandfather's journal… but seeing it for real is something else entirely."
A slow grin of awe crept across his face as he glanced up. "To think something like this can be made with just a fingernail… that's unbelievable."
Dragon and Vegapunk exchanged a brief glance, both visibly caught off guard by what Jack just said.
"You know about Vivre card?" Dragon asked in surprise.
Jack smiled and nodded.
"I only read about it in my grandfather's journal… this is the first time I'm seeing one with my own eyes."
Vegapunk nodded in understanding.
"Interesting… your grandfather must've sailed the Grand Line all the way into the New World to even know about a Vivre Card."
Jack let out a low chuckle, a grin spreading across his face as pride flickered in his eyes.
"My grandfather was a great pirate back in his day… or so I was told. A master navigator who could read the seas like a map etched in his bones," he said, eyes narrowing with quiet resolve. "One day… I'm going to surpass him."
Dragon and Dr. Vegapunk exchanged a faint smile and gave a quiet nod of approval.
Ryu turned on his heel, as his Kimono swaying with the wind as he stepped away from them. Without looking back, he lifted a hand in a casual wave—half farewell, half promise of what was to come.
"Farewell… we'll take our leave for now," he said with a calm grin, turning slightly as the wind picked up around them.
"Until we meet again, Dragon-san… Dr. Vegapunk."
Jack flashed a sharp smirk, then threw his head back as his voice boomed across the area
"Don't forget to live your lives freely, Dragon-san… Dr. Vegapunk," he grinned. "Life's far too short to be weighed down by regrets—so make sure you enjoy every bit of it!"
"BOHOHOHOHOHO!" his laughter boomed, carefree and unrestrained, echoing through the air like the cry of a man who answered to no one but his own heart.
Dragon let out a quiet chuckle, the kind that carried both calm confidence and a hint of amusement at Jack's boldness.
Dr. Vegapunk adjusted his posture, a gentle smile forming as his eyes moved between them, clearly entertained by the exchange.
From the shore of Ohara,. Dragon stood in silence, his green cloak fluttering in the wind as he watched the small boat drift further out to sea.
Onboard, Jack and Ryu were already turning their backs to the devastated island, the sails catching the wind as the small vessel slowly carved a path across the waves.
Jack let out a low chuckle, his voice fading with the distance, while Ryu focused ahead, steady at the helm as if the ocean itself had already accepted their departure.
Behind them, the ruins of Ohara grew smaller and smaller—until they were nothing more than a memory swallowed by the horizon.
Dragon did not wave. He simply watched.
"…Those two brats are more interesting than they look."
Dr. Vegapunk let out a soft chuckle, adjusting his glasses as a knowing smile crept across his face.
"Keep your eyes on those two Dragon," Vegapunk said calmly, adjusting his tone as if weighing distant possibilities. "According to my calculations… they're going to stir up far more trouble than you can imagine before long."
Dragon let out a low chuckle, nodding slowly as if the weight of the words had settled into something far more interesting. For a brief moment, his usually calm expression shifted—his eyes widened, a spark of anticipation igniting deep within them, as though he had just glimpsed at a future storm, one that would soon sweep across the world without mercy.
_________