The Vow Under the Crescent Moon
That boy who hated evil so much has now grown into a Marine Admiral.
Jonathan was just an ordinary lieutenant, a far cry from the prestige of Admiral Akainu.
For a fleeting moment, Jonathan felt that the figure before him overlapped with the image of Admiral Akainu in his youth.
Perhaps all great people share a strikingly similar spark in their youth.
Those long-dormant memories seemed to ignite a fire in the heart of this somewhat dispirited middle-aged man.
Jonathan tossed aside his cigarette, stomped on it until it was extinguished, clenched his fist, and, mimicking Damon, pounded it hard against his chest, shouting:
"We will defend our honor with our blood!"
It was a solemn and sacred moment, radiating an awe-inspiring resolve.
Smoker, Hina, Drake, and Daddy Masterson were all deeply shaken. They punched their chests and shouted in unison:
"We will defend our honor with our blood!"
The crescent moon in the sky witnessed their vow.
This scene would one day be recorded in history, becoming a legend for future generations.
The six men looked at each other and smiled.
At that moment, a strong bond was forged among them, cementing them as a unit led by Damon.
Damon's speech dispelled the team's concerns and ignited their fighting spirit. Everyone was eager to reach Water Seven and prove their worth.
Fortunately, they remained rational, knowing they were still far from their destination. After arranging the night shifts, they retired to their rooms to rest.
Damon returned to his quarters and immediately checked the system notification he had received.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, host, for reciting a classic line from World of Warcraft. You have been awarded one chance to draw a prize. Would you like to start the prize wheel?"
The prizes in the lottery wheel were divided into two types: Racial Traits and Skills.
Racial Traits: Escape Artist, Heroic Spirit, Resilience...
Skills: Charge, Rallying Shout, Execute...
[Heroic Aura]: You possess extraordinary confidence and great strength. All attacks receive a slight potency bonus.
Damon walked up to a mirror.
His tall figure was reflected back. His well-fitting clothes concealed the gauze wrapped around his torso. His olive skin revealed a healthy glow, and the cold, sharp lines of his face outlined a resolute expression.
Damon wasn't conventionally handsome, but he possessed a unique, commanding charm that set him apart in every gesture.
Perhaps this was the unique quality that the Heroic Spirit trait bestowed upon him.
The reason why common individuals remain obscure is not only due to an ordinary appearance, but also because they lack that distinctive temperament that separates a leader from the crowd.
Every powerful person who achieves greatness is, without exception, a standout. Just by looking at them, you know they are unique.
Today, Damon possessed that temperament and had begun to cultivate his own distinctive aura.
The night passed in silence.
To avoid attracting the attention of Doflamingo's spies, the six men docked their sailboat on an island near Water Seven, then purchased tickets and boarded a Sea Train.
Damon and the others sat together as the train whistle sounded. Thick smoke billowed from the chimney, propelling the carriages along the tracks.
A beautiful attendant entered their carriage. She wore a black hat with gold trim, and her fitted purple uniform accentuated her slender, perfectly proportioned figure.
She had let her long, wavy blonde hair fall to her shoulders, adding to her graceful allure. Her face was lightly made up, and her captivating eyes held an inviting gaze.
With the rhythmic click of her high heels, she swayed down the aisle, leaving many male passengers staring in a daze.
Even Smoker, usually indifferent to romance, found it hard to look away.
Women are naturally mindful of beauty, and they often dislike being overshadowed.
Hina was no exception. Seeing the pathetic state of Smoker and the others, she snorted coldly. She pulled Damon into a hug, rubbing his youthful face with her hands, and muttered through gritted teeth:
"Damon, when you grow up, you better not end up as useless as these guys!"
"It's just a woman, is it really that big of a deal?"
Damon was oblivious to his predicament, feeling the overwhelming pressure of Hina's embrace, and was almost forced to wear a mask of pain.
The attendant cupped her hands and bowed to the passengers, her sweet voice echoing like music through the carriage.
"Hello everyone, welcome aboard the Sea Train. I am your attendant, Kokoro, and I will be your guide for this journey."
"You are currently riding the Puffing Tom, a sea train built by the Tom Shipbuilding Company over thirteen years. We are currently in the trial phase, so we are running on one main line terminating at Blue Station."
"Water Seven is known as the 'Shipbuilding Island,' home to the world's finest shipwrights. Even Mr. Tom, the legendary master shipwright, resides there. If anyone is looking to commission a ship, I can contact the company on your behalf. We are currently offering a 20% discount."
"Water Seven is a land of abundant resources and culture. Next month, we will host a grand Food Festival, inviting renowned chefs from across the seas to compete. Don't miss it."
Kokoro spoke with a clear, resonant voice.
While introducing the island, she skillfully interjected advertisements for the shipyard, which the passengers found charming rather than intrusive.
Quite a few men took the opportunity to hand Kokoro postcards, hoping for a romantic encounter in the city.
Damon finally managed to break free from Hina's grip. His expression turned strange as he watched the men fawning over the attendant.
If he remembered correctly, Kokoro was a mermaid whose tail had split into legs after she matured, allowing her to live on land.
Mermaids are renowned for their beauty when young, but their prime is short-lived; once they pass thirty, they age rapidly.
Damon's mind was filled with the image of her future self as an elderly woman, making him completely immune to her current charms.
Little did he know, his stoic performance only made Hina more proud of him.
"No wonder he's the little man Hina approves of!"
The scenery flashed by outside the window. Water Seven was a world-famous commercial hub, and the harbor was teeming with merchant ships and laborers.
After an hour, the train slowed and stopped at the dock.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Blue Station. Please gather your belongings and disembark in an orderly manner."
As soon as Damon's feet touched the ground, a wave of heat hit him.
The docks were packed. Banners and vendors were everywhere, shouting to attract customers.
"Gulf Hotel! Hot springs and gourmet food! Only 10,000 Berries a night!"
"Rent a Bulls mount for sightseeing! Only 1,000 Berries a day!"
Damon's gaze swept the area before stopping abruptly at the container yard.
Fish-men, whose physiology differed greatly from humans, were sweating profusely as they moved massive containers with ten times the strength of a human.
Kokoro, standing by the carriage door, had already noticed this boy with the unique aura. Unlike the others, his eyes were always clear and bright, which gave her a favorable impression of him.
Following his gaze, she assumed he had a grievance with the fish-men and whispered:
"Those fish-men are all employees of the Tom Shipbuilding Company."
She smiled sweetly, revealing a row of white teeth.
"Tom is a kind soul who looks after those who have nowhere else to go. These fish-men are discriminated against elsewhere and can't find work, so Tom took them in."
Damon didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the laborers.
Despite their efforts to hide it, a corner of a Sun Mark was visible on their arms.
That was a brand altered to conceal the Celestial Dragons' mark—the symbol of the Sun Pirates.
Why were members of the Sun Pirates here?
Four years ago, Fisher Tiger scaled the Red Line, wreaked havoc in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, and freed thousands of slaves.
In that same year, he founded the Sun Pirates.
Because his actions humiliated the Celestial Dragons, a massive bounty of 230 million Berries was placed on his head.
Last year was the year Damon arrived in this world.
While Damon was training in the East Blue, news broke that the Sun Pirates had been ambushed and that Fisher Tiger had died from his injuries.
Even in the remote mountains of the East Blue, the news had reached them.
Of course, Damon was familiar with the truth and wasn't fooled by the newspapers.
He knew Fisher Tiger died because he refused a human blood transfusion after being betrayed.
With the loss of their leader, the Sun Pirates were now scattered.
Thanks to Garp's habit of dumping unfinished paperwork on Damon under the guise of "training," Damon had learned a secret piece of intelligence.
The World Government was in talks with the Navy to appoint Jinbe as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea to ease racial tensions.
It was said that Queen Otohime of Fish-man Island played a key role in these negotiations.
Otherwise, given the Celestial Dragons' arrogance, they would likely have preferred to see the fish-men wiped out.
That was why Damon found this scene so strange.
The Sun Pirates were currently outlaws, hunted by everyone. If they were discovered, they faced certain doom. Why would they be working honestly at a shipyard in Water Seven?
A group of pirates... actually working for a living?