Swallow Island's main town—Wingfall Village—was built in layers, rising gently from the sea toward the inland cliffs.
Rows of cozy stone houses leaned slightly from years of sea wind. Colorful cloth banners fluttered between wooden poles, and the faint smell of salt, bread, and oil lamps filled the air.
It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
Ash walked in front, coat tails flaring behind him like black fire. His eyes scanned the surroundings with quiet amusement.
"Cute little place. Reminds me of the calm before a hurricane."
Behind him, zoro lumbered along, his three swords clinking as he walked"You planning to be that hurricane?"
Ash smirked feighning ignorance.
"MY...My .....what are you talking about zoro? When have I ever caused something like that ?"
Nami skipped ahead, her navigation charts hanging loosely at her sides. "no one's panicking yet, it means we are safe."
"Please,"
Medusa muttered, fixing her viser up,
"let's not terrorize civilians before breakfast."
---
As they turned a corner, a market square opened before them — bustling with traders selling exotic fish, ripe fruits, and handwoven goods. The chatter halted the instant the townsfolk noticed the newcomers.
"Who… who are they?" whispered a merchant.
"Those clothes… pirates, for sure."
A dozen heads turned. Then, silence. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Ash grinned, tilting his head toward the crowd.
"Good morning, everyone. Don't worry, we only destroy things occasionally....?"
The silence broke — half in panic, half in curiosity. Some ran, others stayed just to see what chaos would unfold.
Ash laughed watching everything in amusement.
From a nearby stall, an old woman with round spectacles and a sharp tongue pointed her cane at them.
"Pirates, huh? You'd better not track dirt into my shop, boy. Last pirate who did lost his boot and his pride."
Reina laughed. "That pirate's pride still lying somewhere on your doorstep?"
"Probably in my stew," she shot back.
Ash blinked, then chuckled.
"I like her. What's your name, ma'am?"
"Name's Granny Boro. And I don't like pirates."
Reina leaning on the stall counter said while grinning like an idiot. "Then you'll love us. We're pirates with style."
Granny Boro stared, unimpressed. "Style doesn't pay for broken glass."
Zoro whispered to Ash, "I like her more now."
Ash grinned, and waved lightly.
"Now...now , we are not going to cause any trouble grandma- ... Just some sightseeing."
Granny Boro stared for a second then turned around with a 'hmph'.
Reina rolled her eyes at the old hag's antics but said nothing.
The crew wandered deeper into the market, where a towering fisherman statue stood at the center fountain — a tribute to the island's founder, apparently.
Korven, their earlier dockside informant, joined them, walking backward with his hands behind his head.
"So, you really plan to stay a while? Not every day infamous pirates stroll into a peaceful fishing town."
Ash smirked. "Mostly."
He turned towards him,eyes twinkling with something exciting." Besides I have a job for you..."
---
The crew passed a line of children chasing a painted wooden swallow through the streets, laughing as it glided on a string.
The bird caught a sudden gust, soaring high before snapping loose and landing squarely in Ash's hands.
The smallest child — maybe six years old, with a mop of brown hair — froze.
"T-That's mine!"
Ash crouched, holding out the toy gently.
"You should keep it. Never know when the winds'll carry it off again."
The boy hesitated, then smiled wide, grabbing it back.
"You don't seem like pirates."
Ash grinned. "That's the trick."
Then, from somewhere near the fountain, a loud voice broke the calm:
"Dreadruin pirates sighted on Swallow Island!"
A marine patrolman, barely old enough to shave, came sprinting through the plaza with a Den Den Mushi in his shaking hands.
"Captain! We have confirmation from East Blue! These are the ones with the awakened Conqueror—!"
Before he could finish, Medusa grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground like a feather. "You talk too much, soldier boy."
The marine squirmed, terrified.
"You… you'll never get away with this!"
Ash stepped forward, calm but sharp as lightning. His voice was soft, but it rippled through the air like a command.
"Tell your superiors… we aren't just an East Blue legend , we are real. And .....The grim reaper is real too."
He let the words sink in before flicking his coat and turning around.
"We're in North Blue now. And history doesn't repeat—it evolves."
The marine fainted.
The day had bled into dusk.
Swallow Island shimmered under the dying light, the harbor glowing gold where the sun kissed the sea.
The Revenant was anchored just offshore, its sails drooping like wings at rest.
Inside a small, dimly lit tavern by the cliffs, the air smelled of rum, grilled squid, and danger.
Ash sat at a corner table, coat unbuttoned, boots kicked up, his drink untouched.
His golden eyes drifted from face to face as laughter and whispers filled the room.
Reina leaned forward, cracking her knuckles.
"Captain, we've been in this tavern for two hours. If you're waiting for a fight, I can start one."
Ash smirked, eyes still scanning the crowd.
"No need. We're fishing for information, not corpses."
Medusa tipped her chair back dangerously, sipping from a bottle.
"Same thing in pirate terms."
Nami rolled her eyes, shuffling through a small notebook.
"We've gathered maps, tide routes, and ship logs. But nothing useful about what you're looking for.."
Ash took a slow sip from his glass.
"Someone in North Blue's been making waves. A rookie with skill… and blood on his hands. I want to know who."
Zoro tilted his head while drinking his sake.
"What's he to you?"
Ash's eyes narrowed, as he said with a smirk.
"Potential. Or a problem."
The tavern door creaked open. A cold wind rolled in, scattering candle flames. A thin man with a scar over his lip entered, carrying a net bag of strange blue fish. His clothes were soaked, his eyes cautious.
Korven — their informant from the docks — approached, bowing slightly.
"Captain Ashborn… I think I found your 'someone.'"
The crew straightened.
Korven slid into the chair opposite Ash, lowering his voice.
"There's a boy… about 19, maybe 20years old. Wears a spotted hat, talks little, cuts deep. They call him the Surgeon of Death."
Reina blinked. "Catchy name."
Nami froze mid-note. "Surgeon… of Death? Sounds medical."
Medusa smirked faintly. "Or poetic."
Korven nodded nervously.
"Rumor says he's from Flevance — a white city that burned itself to ash. He survived the Amber Lead plague. Now he wanders North Blue, hunting pirates and marines alike. A rookie… but deadly."
Zoro grunted. "So, a lone wolf."
"Not just that," Korven said, voice dropping to a whisper.
"They say he cut open a marine ship doctor once… just to fix a dying kid. Man's insane, but his hands never tremble."
Ash leaned back, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"A pirate doctor who dissects his enemies and saves his friends. That's… artistry."
Zoro snorted. "You have a weird definition of art."
Ash ignored him, "Where was he last seen?"
Korven scratched his chin.
"Reports say… near Spider Miles, an island of shipwrights and smugglers. But getting there isn't easy. Currents are vicious, and the waters are crawling with Marine patrols since his name hit the reports."
Ash stood, coat swaying with the motion.
"Perfect. Dangerous seas make the best stories, Let's go."
He walked towards the taverns door with quiet steps as nami paid kroven for the information.
---
Outside, the crew gathered near the pier as night fell. The Revenant's lanterns glowed faintly against the dark sea.
Zoro randomly tossed an empty bottle of sake
"So ? we're chasing some gloomy doctor across half the North Blue now?"
Ash grinned, moonlight glinting off his earring.
"Not chasing. Meeting. If half of what I've heard is true, he's worth crossing paths with."
nami frowned. "You think he'll join us?"
Reina chuckled. "Or kill us."
Ash looked up toward the horizon — where the moonlight met the endless dark waves.
"Maybe both. But fate's not random. The world moves in patterns. And I have a feeling that his path and mine… are tied."
The wind carried his words out into the sea, where the Revenant waited like a ghost ship eager to move.
Ash turned to his crew, his voice steady, filled with that quiet power that had begun to make the world whisper his name.
"Set course for Spider Miles, we don't want to wait for marines to come after us..."
He paused as he yawned lazily.
" Not really in a mood to fight right now, besides- the town is lively,we should leave it as it was.....right ?"
Zoro rolled his eyes ."whatever you say captain."
Medusa snorted but said nothing,while nami shook his head helplessly.
"Alright then ! Let's go !" Reina spoke while grinning in her chaotic energy.
As the ship's anchor rose and sails unfurled, Swallow Island's peace was swallowed by the night — leaving behind rumors, awe, and the lingering echo of a name the North Blue would soon fear.
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_______To be continued ________