Mandrel joined the rest of the Marine Academy students in calling Rosinante "Boss Blue Eagle." This wasn't just a nickname, it was a mark of recognition and loyalty. Despite being only nine years old, Rosinante's strength and accomplishments had already earned him their respect, making everyone willing to follow him as their leader.
The private discussion between Rosinante and Mandrel concluded swiftly. Then, Rosinante asked when Mandrel would return to the Marine Academy.
Mandrel thought for a moment and replied, "The warship needs some light maintenance, and we also have to restock supplies for the voyage. It'll take about two days."
"Two days, huh?" Rosinante nodded and looked at Mandrel. "Can I borrow a small boat?"
"Boss Blue Eagle, are you heading out somewhere?"
"Oh, it's my first time in the North Blue. Thought I'd take the chance to look around a bit."
Rosinante's tone was casual, but he meant it. He could've spent the next two days training at the Marine base, but as he thought about it, he realized it had almost been a full year since he arrived in this world—and in all that time, he'd only visited two places: Marineford and the Marine Academy. It felt like the right time to see a little more of the world.
"All right." Mandrel nodded. "Boat No. 6 is just sitting there unused, you can take it. Do you want me to send a couple of sailors to row for you?"
"Oh, no need. I'll just take a couple of my classmates."
…
Boat No. 6 was a small lifeboat, slightly smaller than a regular fishing vessel, but it could still seat a few people without feeling too cramped. After securing the boat, Rosinante gathered his usual crew and said he wanted to go out exploring—anyone interested in joining?
As expected, everyone except Boar who was still recovering from serious injuries was raring to go. In the end, Rosinante chose two: Turkey and Water Duck.
These two were notoriously bad at picking code names, just hearing their aliases made them sound like rookies. But they were loyal, quiet, and obedient—true Rosinante diehards. Ideal oarsmen.
And so, with three people and one small boat, they set off to sea. After drifting overnight, they finally spotted an island the next morning. Excited, all three eagerly went ashore.
The moment Rosinante stepped onto the island, he realized it was like a fairytale—an icy kingdom blanketed in pure white snow, breathtaking in its beauty. It looked like something out of a dream. Even more striking, the locals were fashionably dressed—compared to the villagers of Mushroom Island, it was like stepping from the countryside into a glittering metropolis.
"Whoa, Boss Blue Eagle! This place is loaded! Look at those coats, those buttons are made of real gold!" Turkey gawked, wide-eyed. Clearly, he'd never seen such wealth before.
Having experienced the skyscrapers and bustling streets of the 21st century, Rosinante wasn't as impressed by the glamour. But something else caught his attention: there were no elderly people on this island. The oldest-looking locals barely looked past their thirties, none over forty.
That sudden realization made Rosinante freeze.
No elderly, but immense wealth... Could this place be...?
"Hey~ Boss Blue Eagle, Turkey! Look over there! Why are all those people so pale? Their skin and hair are totally white, is this some special race?" Water Duck shouted, pointing toward a group of nearby locals chatting amongst themselves.
White hair. White skin. Could this really be that country...?
Rosinante's eyes narrowed slightly. He turned to Turkey. "Go ask around. Find out if this place is called Flevance."
"Flevance? Boss, how do you even know that name?" Turkey asked, confused.
Rosinante didn't answer, just motioned for him to hurry. Turkey nodded and ran off. A few minutes later, he returned, panting with excitement.
"Boss Blue Eagle, you nailed it! This place is Flevance! They call it the White Town. It's one of the wealthiest nations allied with the World Government, people say it's the envy of the world!"
"The envy of the world, huh?" Rosinante muttered. "Maybe."
Sure, Flevance was wealthy—there was no denying that. But envy? Not quite. Anyone within the World Government who knew the truth about this country would never envy it.
Flevance. The White Town. The birthplace of the Surgeon of Death—Trafalgar Law. A nation doomed to tragedy.
Over a hundred years ago, Flevance had been a poor country. But then they discovered a rare substance: Amber Lead. This mineral had countless uses—in tableware, paint, flavor enhancers, cosmetics, even weapon manufacturing.
Amber Lead quickly became a worldwide commodity. The World Government moved fast, signing an exclusive deal with the royal family to secure a cut of the profits. They pushed the monarchy to mine as much as possible.
But the World Government had also done its research.
They discovered that Amber Lead was toxic. The mining process released poisonous particles into the air. The people who inhaled them would be poisoned—and worse, the effects would be passed down genetically.
Generation after generation, Flevance's people suffered. More and more died of the so-called "white lead disease," and at younger and younger ages—from their 70s, to their 40s, then 30s... By the time of Law's generation, even young children were stricken.
And when the people of Flevance began turning pale, a rumor spread like wildfire—that the "white lead disease" was contagious.
That rumor proved fatal.
Several neighboring countries panicked and united. Together, they wiped Flevance off the map. The entire population was massacred—only young Trafalgar Law, buried among corpses, managed to escape.
This, more than anything, exposed the rot within the World Government—sacrificing an entire nation's people for profit. Treating human lives like weeds to be pulled.
Corruption, to its very core.
Rosinante let out a long sigh. He glanced at the scenery around him, then turned to Turkey and Water Duck.
"Let's go. Since we're already in the White Town, we might as well try their famous Amber Lead cuisine."
He spoke lightly, almost playfully. As for finding Law and reconnecting early?
Forget it.
At this point in the timeline, Law was probably still a single cell in the womb. Nothing to "reconnect" with.
Besides, Flevance's fate was already sealed—its roots thoroughly rotten. There was nothing Rosinante could do to change it.
So he chose instead to enjoy what little he could. A meal, at least.
But just as they were heading off to eat, a sudden barrage of gunfire rang out from the coast.
Shouts followed: "Take cover! Pirates are attacking a World Government supply ship!"
(End of Chapter)
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