Gawain muttered to himself. After a brief silence, he said quietly,
"Isn't this exactly why we set out to sea—to find something worth dying for?"
Gaimon paused, surprised, then turned to look at him.
"Damn… that was cool."
He grinned.
"Anyway, to thank you for your help, there's going to be a banquet tonight!"
Gawain gave a faint smile and followed Gaimon.
Along the way, countless beasts from the jungle emerged and gathered behind Gaimon.
In the past twenty years, many of those creatures had come and gone—life and death repeating in cycles—but the friendships they shared with Gaimon hadn't faded. Instead, they became something passed down, a living inheritance.
In that time, Gaimon had already found his treasure.
Gawain, on the other hand, was still on the road.
But somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, he too had begun to gather companions behind him.
The banquet was held inside a cave at the island's center.
Around the crackling fire, Gaimon set out his home-brewed fruit wine, smoked fish, and fresh fruit picked by his beast friends. Everything was placed in the center for all to share.
Kuro raised his glass and clinked it against Gaimon's.
"Sorry about earlier."
Gaimon waved it off.
"Forget it—it's all in the wine!"
Then, without another word, he downed a large gulp. Kuro laughed and followed suit, draining his bowl in one go.
Gaimon couldn't move around freely, and his friends weren't exactly expert brewers. The wine wasn't smooth or refined. But that didn't matter.
The wine wasn't the heart of the banquet.
The ceremony wasn't the point.
What truly mattered were the smiles and joy on everyone's faces.
The celebration went on for several days and nights.
Only after the storm outside had fully passed did the revelry finally end.
Gaimon, who hadn't seen a living soul in two decades, poured out all his long-suppressed enthusiasm. Even though most of the guests, Gawain included, ended up drunk out of their minds, the energy was unstoppable.
Out on the beach, the stranded pirate ship was finally pushed back into the sea through the combined efforts of everyone.
Thanks to the protective measures taken earlier, the ship, though battered, was still seaworthy.
Before leaving, Gawain handed Gaimon a Den Den Mushi.
"If you ever need anything from the outside world, just call," he said, before setting sail once more—with a boat full of companions.
After the fierce storm, the sea was calm again. Gentle waves lapped at the hull, and warm sunlight bathed the ship in gold.
Nami, lounging in the sun, shifted slightly and noticed a green-haired figure stepping out of the cabin.
"Where... is this?"
"Where are Johnny and Yosaku?!"
Zoro looked around, bewildered.
It had been days. The wound on his chest had nearly healed, but today was the first time he had regained consciousness. His face was pale, but his fighting spirit hadn't dimmed. The three swords at his waist spoke for him.
"You're finally awake?"
Gawain, who stood on deck polishing Seikō Masamune, glanced up at him.
Over the past few days, Gawain had already used his badge's ability to gauge Zoro's potential.
As expected—it was gold-level.
That meant even without any special breakthrough or self-realization like Kuro, Zoro could still rise steadily to become one of the strongest.
His potential even surpassed Gawain's own at the moment.
Naturally, Gawain had no intention of letting him go.
"You saved me?"
Zoro's hand instinctively rested on his sword hilt. His eyes were sharp, ready—but he restrained himself.
"If you're planning to recruit me, you'd better make your move fast—!"
Gawain chuckled, raised three fingers.
"You owe me three lives, remember?"
"I only have one life, don't I? How can I owe three?"
Zoro frowned.
Gawain pointed to Johnny and Yosaku, who were busy mopping the deck in a corner.
"Aren't your two little brothers human too?"
Zoro fell silent for a moment, then looked back at Gawain.
"What do you want in return for letting them go?"
Gawain's tone turned serious.
"Let's make a bet."
"We're still more than ten days from my base."
"In that time, you can come at me however you want. If you manage to make me bleed, I'll give you your freedom—and hand them over too."
"And the stakes?"
Gawain pointed at him.
"You, of course."
Zoro smirked, defiant.
"Well, refusing now would make me look like a coward."
"But let me be clear—if I ever surpass you, I'm leaving this ship."
"Because I've got a promise I have to keep—even if I gamble my life for it."
Gawain replied calmly,
"Looking for an exit before the game even begins?"
"Still, those things aren't mutually exclusive. Anyway, no need to say more—I'll take that as a yes."
As his voice fell, a flash of silver surged forward.
Three blades came crashing down toward Gawain—the same attack as before.
Zoro had struck.
He was clearly unwilling to accept his previous defeat.
"Impatient, aren't you?"
Gawain smiled, raising Seikō Masamune to meet the blow.
Just like before, the tip of his blade met the intersection of Zoro's three swords. Despite Zoro's full force, he couldn't advance even an inch.
But this time, Zoro was prepared.
He had believed that if Gawain could block him with a dagger, then surely, with the swords he knew as well as his own limbs, he could turn the tables.
He shifted his stance, drawing back two blades to regroup for another strike.
But Gawain didn't give him the chance. The sinuous Seikō Masamune followed him like a shadow, jabbing relentlessly.
Zoro barely kept up, his swords clashing frantically as he was pushed back—step by step—until he was nearly at the deck's edge.
Then, just as he thought he'd caught a break, Gawain's rhythm shifted.
A streak of silver burst forth from his blade.
Zoro ducked just in time. The slash whistled past his scalp—
Swish!
Behind him, a sea beast the size of a house leapt from the ocean—only to be cleaved clean in two.
Zoro stared, slack-jawed, then swallowed hard.
"What kind of swordsman can do something like that?"
Gawain answered with a faint smile,
"A true swordsman can even cut down a flying dragon."
"Interested?"
"I'll teach you."
Zoro scoffed, lips curling into a crooked grin.
In that moment, he realized—joining Gawain's crew might not be such a bad thing.
At the very least, this man saved his enemies. That meant Gawain wasn't heartless.
More importantly, having a strong opponent to sharpen himself against would only speed up his growth.
He was confident.
In three years at most, he'd catch up.
"I'll become the strongest—my way!"