East Blue – Warship Island
Inside a cavern, Souta Kiryuu was carefully drawing blood from a frail, ancient Millennial Dragon. He collected samples of its blood and tissue, planning to deliver them to Vegapunk for research into the secrets of its longevity.
Perhaps, with Vegapunk's brilliance—and Caesar's twisted ingenuity—they could even create an artificial Millennial Dragon Devil Fruit.
Still, Souta didn't consider the lifespan of the Millennial Dragon all that impressive. After all, the massive Sea Kings and even Zunesha had existed since eight or nine hundred years ago and remained nearly unchanged. Their lifespans clearly surpassed that of the Millennial Dragon.
"Lord Souta… is Grandpa Dragon really waiting for the Dragon's Nest to open before returning to the skies over Warship Island?"
A small girl, Abis, trailed at his side like a curious monkey, her worried eyes fixed on the scene as Souta drew blood. Only when she saw the old dragon swallow a blood crystal and its wound rapidly knit closed did her shoulders relax a little.
"It's simply too old to wait that long," Souta explained calmly. "It returned here early, while it still had the strength to fly, hoping to rest until the Dragon's Nest opened. But now it's grown feeble… even its memory has begun to fade. It no longer has the will to truly communicate with you."
He spoke to Abis, the girl who possessed the so-called Whisper-Whisper Fruit. Souta had already taken a blood sample from her as well, curious whether Vegapunk could make use of her strange ability.
In truth, he wondered if it wasn't just another form of the "Voice of All Things." After all, Chopper, a reindeer who had eaten the Human-Human Fruit, could naturally converse with animals. Compared to that, Abis's fruit hardly seemed superior.
The real test, Souta thought, would be to see whether she could communicate with Sea Kings or even Zunesha. If she could… then perhaps she was a counterfeit Sea King, or a counterfeit Voice of All Things.
Abis's eyes softened with pity. "That's so sad… Grandpa Dragon is so old, and now even his home won't open its doors to him."
At last, she understood why the old dragon had lingered in the cave for months without leaving.
"Here. Take this." Souta handed her a Den Den Mushi. "When the other Millennial Dragons return, call me. Don't forget."
He had no intention of waiting around for the Dragon's Nest to open—that wouldn't happen until after Luffy's adventure in Loguetown. But in the meantime, Souta could at least deal with Warship Island's other problems for her: East Blue's 8th Naval Branch, Admiral Nelson Roy, and the Scythe-Scythe Fruit user, Gale Erik.
Once those threats were removed, Abis could safely watch over the Millennial Dragon until the Nest opened. When the vast flocks of Millennial Dragons finally gathered, Souta planned to swoop in—perhaps to seize a few eggs, or capture some healthy dragons for mounts and experiments.
"Thank you, Lord Souta."
Abis bowed gratefully, unaware of the darker designs churning behind his calm gaze. If she had known, she would never have agreed to call him.
Leaving her with a pile of gold for food and supplies, Souta departed Warship Island and flew toward the 8th Naval Branch. Nelson Roy had to be dealt with, and Erik's blood samples were too valuable to pass up.
Now that his objectives in East Blue were nearly complete, there was no longer any need to conceal himself. Souta soared directly toward the 8th Branch.
The branch itself was a formidable fortress by East Blue standards. It was the final checkpoint pirates had to pass after leaving Loguetown and before attempting Reverse Mountain. Admiral Nelson Roy commanded it, bolstered by a cadre of mercenaries and bounty hunters he had purchased with his ill-gotten wealth.
Though only a Rear Admiral in East Blue, in Marine Headquarters terms his rank was barely equivalent to a Major. Yet through cunning and bribery, Nelson had carved out a little empire here. With six warships at his command, he ruled his waters like a bloated tyrant, his body swollen to nearly eight hundred pounds.
Recently, rumors of the Millennial Dragon had reached him. Nelson dreamed of eternal youth, plotting to seize the beast's legendary bones for himself.
But his ambitions ended in fire.
The shrill wail of alarms cut through the branch headquarters.
"What's going on!?" Nelson bellowed, fury flashing across his flabby face. He was about to unleash a tirade when a deafening explosion rocked the island. The very ground trembled beneath his bulk, nearly toppling him.
"Admiral Roy! It's—it's a dragon!" a panicked soldier burst into his office, stumbling over himself. "It's the world's most wanted criminal—Souta Kiryuu!"
Before Nelson could respond, a torrent of dragonfire consumed the base. The 8th Branch collapsed into ruin, Nelson Roy's ambitions and life obliterated in an instant. Souta hadn't even bothered to look him in the eye.
His true target was Erik, the Scythe-Scythe Fruit mercenary.
Under the crushing pressure of Conqueror's Haki, dozens of Marines collapsed unconscious as Souta tore through them. Erik attempted to flee, blades of wind lashing out from his scythe-arms—but the attacks skittered harmlessly off the dragon's scales.
Sheer terror seized him. Why me? Why would Souta Kiryuu, the Dragon of the East, come for a nobody like me?
"Please! Don't kill me! I swear loyalty! I'll be your servant for life!" Erik screamed desperately.
But Souta simply struck him unconscious. This mercenary was treacherous enough to kill his own employer; he wasn't worth keeping.
Clutching Erik's limp body, Souta soared over Reverse Mountain and descended onto Twin Cape. There, he resumed human form and began harvesting Erik's blood and tissue, showing no concern for the wounds left behind.
A disposable tool, destined for Vegapunk's memory-wiping Ghost Mask Unit.
Nearby, Crocus, no longer busy tending to Laboon, sat with a newspaper in hand. His eyes widened as Souta landed before him. He didn't interfere—merely watched in silence.
For even a former ship's doctor knew better than to cross paths with the man now known across the seas as the "God-Slayer," Souta Kiryuu.
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