Attendance Please:
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The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, painting the calm sea in shades of gold and rose. The small boat drifted on waters so still they resembled glass, disturbed only by the gentle rhythm of Yuji's breathing as he kept watch. The cool morning air played with his pink hair, carrying the salty scent of the ocean.
He turned his gaze to his sleeping companions. Luffy had somehow managed to curl himself into a position that defied human anatomy, one leg dangling over the edge while his straw hat rested peacefully on his chest. Zoro slept like a carved statue, his three swords arranged around him with careful precision. Yuji smiled softly and let them rest.
Two hours bled into the horizon before Zoro's eyes snapped open. He sat up slowly, working the stiffness from muscles that had endured nine days of wooden captivity. The satisfying pop of his neck cracking echoed across the water. He rubbed his eye, found Yuji, and offered a gravelly-voiced, "Yo..."
"Morning," Yuji replied, noting how the sunrise caught the three swords at Zoro's hip. "Slept well?"
"Yeah..." Zoro groaned, shifting his position. A shadow passed over his features. "When you're stuck at a log post for nine days, you really start to appreciate everything else in your life."
Yuji caught something in those words but filed it away. "Hmm... anyway, tell me you have a toothbrush."
Zoro's lips curved into a predatory smile. "Heh... what toothbrush? Tigers don't brush."
Yuji fixed him with a look that could curdle milk. "First of all, eww. Secondly, don't make me lecture you on tiger biology. I'm not a doctor, but I still know my stuff. That's why I'm going to buy a toothbrush for you and our dear captain here—" he gestured at Luffy's sprawled form, "—because I can see he doesn't have any basic necessities either."
"Tch... What are you, my father?"
Yuji's smile became pleasant in a way that made Zoro's survival instincts flare. "No, Zoro, I'm not your father. But as a civilized twenty-four-year-old adult, it's my responsibility to keep two boys with no sense of hygiene in check." He cracked his knuckles slowly and deliberately. The sound carried across the water like a warning shot. "And if you still don't understand... I have plenty of ways to keep naughty boys in line."
Something in Yuji's eyes glinted. Zoro couldn't look away. He swallowed and then turned his gaze to the horizon. "Whatever..."
Silence settled between them, comfortable despite its sharp edges. Yuji checked the compass and adjusted their course.
Zoro watched him row. "So. Where are we heading?"
Yuji's arms moved in a steady rhythm. "If the weather stays clear, a few more hours will bring us to Orange Town."
Zoro nodded. Then, because he was not a man who let questions fester: "Hey. How did you do it?"
Yuji raised his eyebrow.
"The bullets—how did you catch them with your bare hands? Devil Fruit?"
Yuji waved dismissively. "Oh no no. Training. From a very young age, my grandfather put me through a strict regimen: a perfect diet, discipline, and focus. Even you could do it."
Zoro's eye twitched. "What kind of nonsense is that? I've trained my ass off night and day since childhood. What kind of training did your grandfather put you through?"
Laughter spilled from Yuji. "Hehehehe..."
"What's funny?"
"The difference between my training and yours," Yuji said, "is knowledge."
Zoro's brow furrowed. "Huh?"
Yuji set down the oars, letting them drift. The boat rocked gently, cradled by the currents. "My grandfather told me about the monsters lurking in the Grand Line. It made me realize that I was insignificant—an ant compared to those who rule those waters. That truth, that vast gap... it pushed me beyond ordinary training. The result is what you see."
Zoro fell silent. He looked down at his hands, calloused, scarred, and strong. Hands that had held swords for as long as he could remember. Hands that had made a promise to a ghost.
"So what I'm lacking is knowledge?" His voice dropped, becoming sharper. "Then tell me, how strong am I compared to the world's greatest swordsman? How would I fare against him?"
Yuji's expression changed. The playful older brother disappeared. "Dracule 'Hawkeye' Mihawk." He pronounced the name as if it carried great weight—because it did. "The truth? At your current strength, you aren't even a background character to him."
"Huh?"
"Even with you, me, and Luffy combined, we'd be nothing more than pests buzzing near his ear."
Zoro straightened up so quickly that the boat rocked. "For real? You're kidding. There can't be that much of a gap."
Yuji shook his head slowly. "You don't know that man's skill. He has elevated swordsmanship to such a level that—if he wanted—he could split an island in two. There's a reason why, in a sea filled with monsters, he stands above all as the world's greatest swordsman."
The words hung in the air like sword strokes. Zoro saw Kuina's face, the dojo where they had made their promises, and every drop of sweat and blood he had poured into becoming strong enough—strong enough for her, strong enough for the dream they had shared.
His knuckles turned white. "How... how can this be?" When he looked at Yuji, a desperate look lived behind his eyes. "Is there no one who can defeat that man? Not even leave a scratch on him?"
Yuji considered the question. "Well. There is one man."
"Who? Tell me."
"One of the Four Emperors of the Sea: Red-Haired Shanks."
The name hit the air like a thunderclap. Luffy suddenly jerked awake. "SHANKS? Where's Shanks?" His head whipped around, searching the empty horizon. Finding nothing, he deflated slightly, then noticed his companions. "Oh, hey Yuji, Zoro... you're awake!"
"Jeez Luffy, you scared me!" Yuji's heart hammered against his ribs.
"Sorry, shishishishishi..." Luffy rubbed his neck, wearing that infectious grin. "I dreamed someone mentioned Shanks' name."
Zoro blinked. "You know that guy? Who is he?"
Luffy's grin widened impossibly. "Shanks is a pirate—a great man." He touched the straw hat on his head with something like reverence. "He gave me this when I was a kid and made me promise that I'd gather the greatest crew, find the One Piece, and become the Pirate King."
"A pirate, huh?" Zoro muttered. He turned back to Yuji. "You said this guy can fight Hawkeye? And what's an 'Emperor of the Sea'? Sounds important."
"Wait." Luffy's eyes went wide. "You were talking about Shanks? You know him?"
Zoro sighed. Yuji smiled. "I was telling Zoro about the dangers of the Grand Line—how powerful the people there are."
"Oh." Luffy nodded with the solemnity of someone who had just discovered gravity. "I see."
Both Zoro and Yuji shook their heads.
"As I was saying," Yuji continued, "Red-Haired Shanks is the only man who can truly fight Hawkeye. They're rivals, the only one who make the world's greatest swordsman feel the thrill of battle."
"Woah..." Luffy's eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.
Zoro swallowed hard.
"Now, your second question—the Emperors." Yuji's expression grew serious. He turned to Luffy, his gaze heavy with meaning. "Luffy, what I'm about to tell you is vital. To reach your goal, to become Pirate King, you must first defeat the Emperors of the Sea."
The air thickened. Both listeners straightened, leaned in, and became fully attentive.
"Before I explain the Emperors, you need to understand the Three Great Powers of the Grand Line: the Marines, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the Four Emperors."
Luffy and Zoro swallowed simultaneously.
"First—the Marines, the World Government's military arm, led by the Fleet Admiral and three Admirals. They enforce 'justice' across the Grand Line." Yuji's tone suggested his skepticism about that justice. "Second—the Seven Warlords, powerful pirates allied with the World Government. In exchange for hunting other pirates, they receive immunity and certain privileges." He paused, letting that sink in. "And finally—the Four Emperors, the four most powerful pirate captains alive. They rule the New World—the second half of the Grand Line. Independent forces so strong that each one rivals the combined strength of the Marines and Warlords."
He pointed at Luffy. "Your great man, Red-Haired Shanks, is one of the Emperors. Then there are three others: Edward 'Whitebeard' Newgate—the strongest man alive; Kaido of the Beasts—the strongest creature alive; and Charlotte 'Big Mom' Linlin—a walking natural disaster." His voice dropped. "If these four ever joined forces, they could conquer the entire world."
Silence crashed down like a wave; even the seabirds seemed to hold their breath.
Zoro wiped the sweat from his brow. "That's... too much to process."
"So Shanks is that important?" Luffy murmured. His eyes grew distant, processing and deep in thought.
Yuji nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry to unload all of this at once, but it's better to be humbled early than to die in the Grand Line."
Both young men nodded reluctantly.
Zoro's jaw tightened. "So there's no way we can ever match them? There must be some way."
"There is."
Both perked up.
"Haki."
"Haki?" they echoed in unison.
Yuji leaned forward as the boat rocked gently. "Haki is a mysterious spiritual power present in all living beings. It represents a person's willpower, ambition, and inner strength. It is not a supernatural ability like Devil Fruits but a manifestation of spirit. In theory, it is accessible to everyone, but only a few awaken it through intense training or life-or-death moments."
"So... a mysterious power!" Luffy declared sagely.
Zoro sighed. Yuji smiled. "That's right—a mysterious power."
Zoro's mind was already racing. "These strong people from the Grand Line use Haki? Does Hawkeye?"
"Technically, not all strong people use it. Many rely purely on Devil Fruit powers." Yuji's voice hardening. "But those who do use Haki? Absolute monsters. The Admirals. The Four Emperors. Some Warlords. Including Hawkeye."
"I see."
Then Luffy asked the question they had both been avoiding. "Hey Yuji, do you know how to use Haki?"
Zoro held his breath.
Yuji's expression flickered. "Actually, no."
Both visibly deflated.
"With all my training, I hit a wall. About eight years ago, my growth stagnated. The reason?" He met their eyes. "Lack of challenge. No one to push me beyond my limits. That's why I'm here—seeking something real, something that will force me past this plateau. And I can guarantee you, I'm closer than ever to awakening my Haki."
"So we just need to push past our limits?" Zoro's grin returned, sharp as his swords.
"Correct. But—" Yuji's eyes narrowed pointedly, "—taking care of your body is essential. Rest is not a sign of weakness. If you break yourself without recovery, you're just destroying your potential."
Zoro nodded, understanding.
Luffy nodded as well, although whether he had truly absorbed the wisdom was debatable.
Yuji smiled at both boys—two young dreamers carrying ambitions heavy enough to sink ships. "Always remember: work hard, study diligently, and get plenty of rest. That is the path to true growth."
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See you in next chapter....