Before Shiro could finish his words, he slapped himself across the cheek, grimacing inwardly.
Damn these kimonos—making me lose my head like that!
Lady Toki blinked in surprise at Shiro's sudden odd behavior. In a soft, gentle voice, she asked:
"Momonosuke… what about him?"
"Oh, it's nothing…" Shiro drew a deep breath, forcing his thoughts back on track. Then he bowed slightly, his tone turning earnest.
"Lady Toki, I'd like to learn more about the Time-Time Fruit from you!"
Toki studied him carefully, noticing the flicker of curiosity burning in his eyes. After a pause, her suspicion eased. To her, Shiro seemed like nothing more than a boy entranced by the fruit's mysterious nature—no hidden agenda.
So, with calm patience, she began to share everything she had come to understand about her Devil Fruit over the years—its wonders, its limits, her personal insights. Nothing was held back; every detail was explained with care.
Shiro listened with rapt attention, his eyes shining brighter the more she spoke. Inspiration sparked within him, whispers of possibilities he hadn't dared imagine. Yet, even in that excitement, he forced himself to remain grounded.
Time travel… to master something so godlike, I'd first need to awaken my Paw-Paw Fruit. Without that, all of this is just a dream.
The road ahead was long.
The year rolled by. The Roger Pirates shifted their course, leaving behind the New World and returning to the first half of the Grand Line. Unlike the Straw Hat Pirates in the stories yet to come, their voyage followed its own unpredictable trajectory.
Looking back, Roger's crew had never really been driven by a clear goal. They were wanderers—sailors who drifted from island to island for decades, savoring the freedom of the sea. Only in the last ten years had they lingered in the New World, chasing challenges and adventures.
Now, however, they sought something far greater: the Road Poneglyphs, and the hidden truths needed to reach the Final Island.
The Oro Jackson cut through the waves, its sails swollen with wind. Soon, the crew found themselves crossing the Calm Belt—a place of mirror-like seas, eerily still, where monstrous Sea Kings lurked beneath. With no wind to carry them, the danger was suffocating.
Together, the crew pushed onward, not daring to slow for an instant. But the long journey drained their supplies; fresh water and food ran dangerously low.
"We'll need to resupply soon," Rayleigh muttered, adjusting his glasses as they glinted sharply in the sun. He cast a glance at Roger, who sulked like a wilted eggplant, his energy sapped by the absence of booze.
Just then, Buggy cried out, excitement bursting from him as he peered through a telescope:
"Hey! There's an island up ahead!"
All eyes turned toward the green shape on the horizon. Lush forests covered its surface—a paradise compared to the endless blue they'd been trapped in. Relief spread across the crew's faces.
"If we don't find water soon, we'll all be corpses floating at sea," someone muttered.
Gaban unfurled a map, scanning it with practiced precision.
"Captain! That's Rusukaina Island. Just beyond it lies Amazon Lily. Should we make landfall?"
Roger's head shot up, energy sparking back to life. His eyes gleamed as he bellowed with joy:
"Of course we should! We're out of booze!"
Shiro twitched at the corner of his mouth, grumbling inwardly.
Food and water don't get a mention… but alcohol? That's priority number one, huh? What a captain…
Soon, the Oro Jackson anchored near Rusukaina's shores. Without hesitation, the crew leapt ashore, eager to explore.
But before they could take more than a few steps inland—
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Three arrows whistled through the air, embedding themselves into the ground before the pirates. The shafts still quivered, humming with force.
A clear, commanding female voice rang out:
"Who are you? Why have you entered the territory of Amazon Lily's vassal island?"
The crew looked up—and there she was.
A tall, striking woman stood before them, nearly 1.85 meters in height, her figure strong yet graceful. Her face was sharp and beautiful, her large eyes fierce and expressive. Short violet hair framed her features, glinting in the sun along with the serpent-shaped earrings swaying at her ears.
She raised her bow, an arrow already nocked, aimed directly at the intruders. Her expression was nothing but suspicion and steel.
Roger scratched the back of his head, flashing his trademark grin as he stepped forward.
"Don't get the wrong idea, beauty! We just came here to stock up on supplies. No harm meant!"
But the woman's gaze only grew colder. With a swift, fluid motion, she loosed her arrow straight at Roger's forehead.
Clang!
The shaft bounced harmlessly off Roger's forehead, his Armament Haki shimmering faintly where the strike had landed.
Shiro stroked his chin, smirking to himself.
Hah. So Roger's charm only works on men, not women.
"Wait, wait—let's not fight!" Rayleigh interjected quickly, stepping forward with a calm, disarming smile. He bowed politely. "We truly mean no harm."
The woman's eyes softened slightly, though her tone remained icy.
"Leave this place. If you don't, Amazon Lily will not forgive you."
The pirates exchanged uneasy glances, caught in a tense stalemate.
Then—
A deep, commanding male voice broke through the standoff:
"What's going on, Toritoma?"
The woman's face instantly transformed—her cold demeanor melting into open adoration as her eyes filled with stars. She lowered her bow at once, turning toward the man who approached.
He was massive—towering over 2.5 meters, his frame broad and powerful. Two crimson tattoos marked his face, and an aura of sheer authority radiated from him like a storm.
Shiro's eyes went wide, shock flooding through him. His heart thundered in disbelief.
That man was none other than…
Monkey D. Dragon.
The father of the future Pirate King—
and the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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