A fresh, deep blue system interface floated before Nao's eyes. As he scrolled down, words flowed like a stream, rippling softly through the quiet summer night.
The "Swordmaster Ryuma's Insight Notes (Fragment)" did not disappoint. The majority of its content focused on swordsmanship.
It wasn't just Ryuma's insights into techniques, but detailed accounts of the challenges he faced on the path to becoming a true master swordsman—and the moments of enlightenment that allowed him to overcome those obstacles.
For Nao, this was a true treasure. After reading just a few pages, he was completely absorbed.
The only drawback was that the text was laced with the archaic style of centuries-old Wano, interspersed with confusing waka poetry and obscure phrases.
It was challenging, requiring effort and patience to fully grasp.
"Even though the latter part is missing, just digesting and understanding what's here will take a lot of time. No need to rush," Nao thought.
Lying in bed, his eyes locked onto the glowing document. He knew that mastering it wouldn't happen overnight, but with his solid swordsmanship foundation and a dedicated training regimen, rapid improvement was well within reach.
The path to swordmastery was now clearly in sight.
The Next Morning
Nao was up before dawn. After washing up, he jogged around the outskirts of the village to warm up.
He then found a secluded spot to train with Gion's Konpira, practicing for over an hour—implementing some of the techniques he'd grasped from the notes the night before. Only after that did he return to Chishio's home.
Nao didn't dare train in the garden.
For one, the space was too small, and he didn't want to damage the carefully tended flowers and plants. For another, his beginner-level swordplay might betray him in front of Chishio, who had a sharp eye.
This marked the second day since his arrival on Gull Island.
Nao perfectly maintained his role as Gion. He acted as if he were truly here to visit Chishio, keeping her company as she tended to the garden and basked in the sun.
He chatted and played with little Hina, indulging her with hide-and-seek and pretend pirate-catching games.
The peaceful courtyard was filled with laughter and joy.
Nao was patient about his mission.
Fearing that the atmosphere might turn awkward again, he decided to hold off on any attempts to probe Chishio for information. Instead, he focused on Hina, hoping to glean hints about the past from the child who had lived with Chishio for three years.
Unfortunately, little Hina knew nothing. Chishio, it seemed, rarely spoke of her past in the Marines—not even of Garp. All Hina knew of Garp was the common lore: that he was the great Marine hero who defeated the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
This realization left Nao disappointed.
Still, he didn't rush. In his spare time, he quietly continued reading Ryuma's notes, progressing another several hours and deepening his understanding.
After Dinner
Chishio went to the kitchen to wash dishes.
Nao, who couldn't assist, was about to sit outside and continue reading when Hina invited him upstairs to visit her room.
The room was a cozy space, decorated in pink, filled with plush toys and dolls. Hina, like a little museum guide, eagerly introduced each one.
Nao, despite playing along, wasn't genuinely interested. Instead, his attention was drawn to a stack of photo frames tucked away in a corner of the closet.
The frames were coated in dust and positioned high up—well out of reach for Hina's height. Clearly, they weren't hers.
Intrigued, Nao pulled them down, brushed off the dust, and began flipping through them.
Just as he suspected, they were old photos. Most were group shots.
Chishio, much younger in these images, her face smooth and unlined, stood beside a tall, scruffy-bearded man, holding bouquets of roses and smiling radiantly.
Could this man be… Chishio's husband?
Nao recalled that on the ship, Gion had mentioned Chishio's past—a happy marriage to a rose plantation owner from the South Blue.
However…
That man, a civilian, had been killed by pirates over twenty years ago. Even Gion had never met him and didn't know his name. She only knew that Chishio had loved him deeply, remaining faithful and never remarrying despite having no children.
"No children…"
Nao flipped to the last few photos and froze. "Then who is this little girl?"
In these later pictures, a young girl with long, ash-blonde hair stood between Chishio and her husband, flashing a V-sign at the camera with a sunny, radiant smile.
She appeared in multiple photos, in different locations, clearly not a random passerby.
"Gion onee-san, what are you looking at?"
Hina, noticing Nao's actions, curiously approached. Unable to reach the frame from her height, she stood on tiptoes.
Nao, seeing this, sat down and pointed at the girl in the photo. "Little Hina, do you know who this girl is?"
"…No," Hina said after a long look. Then, as if a thought struck her, her eyes brightened. She placed her hands on her hips and proudly declared:
"Even though I've never seen these photos before, I think I know who she is! She must be Mr. Portgas's niece!"
"…Who?"
"Mr. Portgas—that's Chishio Grandma's husband! I think… I'm supposed to call him Uncle Portgas?"
Hina tilted her head, puzzled by the correct term, and gave up.
"Anyway, I never met him, but Grandma Chishio mentioned once that before they married, Mr. Portgas had a niece who lost her parents. They took her in and raised her like a daughter for several years."
"…So this girl is the niece they raised?"
Nao felt a chill. He had stumbled upon something incredible by pure chance. "Hina, do you remember her name?"
"I'm not sure. Grandma Chishio only mentioned it once."
Hina frowned, digging through her memory, before her eyes lit up with realization.
"I think it was Luna… or maybe Rouge? Something like that."