Ever since the Bear Pirates were wiped out by Kairo, the town had looked at him in a new light, like a hero to be reborn.
"Would you like an orange, Kairo?"
As he strolled through the sun-drenched streets, the townsfolk greeted him warmly. Their eyes were filled with admiration, and the kindness was almost overwhelming.
Kairo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly."Ah, no thanks, I'm good!" he replied, waving off the offer with a sheepish smile.
Trailing just behind him was Ivan, who moved with purpose and a bit too much energy.
"Boss! Everyone paid their protection fees today—no complaints, no resistance. Even the wealthiest merchants practically lined up to hand them over!"
Kairo raised a brow."Oh? People are lining up to pay now?"
It was strange. Not long ago, whenever the Wild Wolf Gang came around, townspeople scattered like seagulls. But now? They were paying willingly.
"It's all thanks to you, boss," Ivan said, his voice full of awe. "Ever since you soloed the Bear Pirates and saved the town, people see you as their true protector. They want to be under your wing."
Kairo chuckled quietly, a faint smile on his face. He had to admit, it did feel nice to be appreciated.
Behind him, the five girls, Luna, Nancy, Nova, Penelope, and Jillian, walked close together, taking in the sights. Compared to their bleak homeland, this town was a world full of color and life. Their former island had barely scraped together a port, and merchant ships never bothered to stop there. But here, everything buzzed with activity.
As Kairo and his group entered the harbor, voices rang out from the workers and dockhands.
"Mr. Stoneheart!""Good day, Mr. Stoneheart!"
Kairo nodded politely in return, his presence commanding quiet respect.
The group arrived at the dock where three pirate ships were moored—spoils from his battle with the Bear Pirates. The flags had been ripped down, and the vessels sat quietly, waiting for new orders.
They weren't much to look at. Small, worn, no longer than 50 meters each.
Kairo turned to Ivan."Hey, do we have a shipwright in this town?"
Ivan nodded. "Yeah, we've got a few, though they mostly handle maintenance for merchant boats. Nothing high-end. They're still decent, but not Grand Line-level builders."
Kairo scratched his chin. He was only around fourteen now, but he planned to set sail by seventeen or eighteen. If he was going to brave the Grand Line or even the New World eventually, he'd need a ship that could take a beating.
"What's the budget for building a real ship? One fit for a real journey?"
"Well…" Ivan started, counting on his fingers. "For something under 50 meters? You're looking at 60 to 500 million Beli, depending on design and materials. Anything bigger probably upwards of a billion. And if you want special materials, the cost could double."
Kairo sighed. That was a serious chunk of money.
"How much do we make monthly from protection fees?"
"Roughly 300 million," Ivan replied. "After covering maintenance, phone bills, and everything else, we're left with about 200 million."
"And what's burning the other 100 million?" Kairo asked, narrowing his eyes.
Ivan gave a sheepish grin. "Your food bill, boss."
Kairo blinked. "A hundred million Beli just an allowance on my food?"
"Think about it," Ivan explained. "You eat nothing but Sea Kings and mountain beasts. We've got to hire hunters to risk their lives just to bring those in. Not many are brave or dumb enough to go hunting in the sea or the highlands."
Kairo fell silent. It made sense, but still… a million per month just to feed himself?
That wasn't sustainable. Not if he wanted to build a ship that could survive the Grand Line.
"…Alright," he muttered. "From now on, I'll handle the hunting myself. No more paying others to feed me."
Ivan looked surprised. "Boss, that's dangerous—"
"That's the point," Kairo cut in. "It'll help me train too."
He stared out at the sea, his eyes sharp and determined. If he was going to become someone worthy of legend, he'd have to take control of every part of his journey, starting now.
"Yes, Boss!" Ivan responded with a sharp nod.
"Renovate those three pirate ships," Kairo ordered, eyes scanning the weathered vessels. "From now on, they're my personal hunting boats for Neptune-class sea kings. Get them ready as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir!"Ivan bowed slightly before heading off to carry out the command.
With that settled, Kairo turned away from the port. It was time to train.
He made his way to a secluded stretch of a beach, quiet, empty, where the crashing waves were his only audience. Standing ankle-deep in the surf, sword in hand, Kairo began to swing. Again and again. Cutting not the sea, but the hesitation in his own heart.
And so began three months of relentless training.
Day in and day out, he did nothing but swing his blade. No breaks. No distractions. Just him, the sea, and the desire to surpass his limits.
Word of his strange training began to spread. Whispers turned to respect.
Then one day...
A flash of steel. A wave of force.
A ten-meter flying slash ripped through the coastline like a cannonball. Kairo stared at it in stunned silence, his chest heaving.
He'd done it.
Tears welled in his eyes. After a year and a half of swinging his sword until his arms went numb—he had finally crossed that invisible threshold.
He had reached the level of a true swordsman.
His power now was nearly on par with a Marine Vice Admiral. While he hadn't yet mastered Armament Haki, his Observation Haki had grown astonishingly sharp, so much so that he could sense across vast distances, glimpse flashes of the future, and even brush the edge of reading intent.
As for his Conqueror's Haki… it hadn't resurfaced since that explosive first awakening. But Kairo wasn't discouraged. He knew it was part of him now. Sooner or later, he would master it.
Now, standing at the shoreline with power coursing through him, Kairo raised his sword once more. With wild delight, he unleashed another flying slash, carving a deep furrow through the beach.
"WAHAHAHAHA!"
His laugh echoed over the waves as he reveled in his progress.
From a distance, his five maids—Luna, Nancy, Nova, Penelope, and Jillian—watched in awe. Their eyes sparkled with admiration. To them, Kairo wasn't just strong—he was something like a warlord.
After one final slash, Kairo sheathed his blade and walked toward them.
"Young Master!"Each girl stepped forward, offering a towel or water, eager to serve.
Kairo wiped the sweat from his brow, then handed his sword to Jillian."Let's head home."
"Yes, Young Master!"They answered in unison, playful and proud.
When they returned to the villa, Ivan was already waiting by the entrance.
"Boss," he said. "The kitchen's running low on Sea-King meat. We'll need you to do another hunt."
Kairo rubbed the back of his neck."Yeah, I'd figure. I've pretty much hunted every sea king in the waters around this island. Guess I'll need to start going deeper."
Three months of training and hunting had turned the surrounding waters into a graveyard of sea kings. But Kairo didn't mind. If anything, it meant it was time for him to test himself in wilder, more dangerous territory.
And that was exactly what he planned to do.