Morning training ended in a disaster of dust clouds, cannonballs buried in the dirt, and four half-dead boys sprawled across the grass like fallen soldiers. Ravian lay on his back, chest rising and falling like he'd just survived a war.
"Two… weeks… of this…" he wheezed.
Ace staggered upright, wiping dirt off his face. "He's getting worse."
Sabo pushed up his glasses. "No. We're getting stronger, which means he throws harder."
Luffy flopped down on Ravian's stomach. "I'm hungry."
"Get off—!" Ravian shoved him aside weakly.
Mira appeared, carrying water jugs like they weighed nothing. She handed them out one by one. "Congratulations. You all look like death."
Ace took a long drink. "Thanks."
She shrugged. "Not a compliment."
Ravian sat up slowly, stretching his arms. His muscles didn't scream the way they did two weeks ago. He felt… lighter. Faster. Awake in a way that wasn't normal for him.
(Stats definitely went up… And Perception Trace lasts longer now. I can feel it.)
Luffy rolled onto his stomach, staring at the village road. "Hey… do you guys smell that?"
Ace sniffed. "Smoke?"
Sabo shook his head. "No. Alcohol. Strong stuff."
Ravian stood. "That's the bar. Makino doesn't open bottles this early."
The air thickened.
Something was wrong — even without Perception Trace.
He could feel tension humming through the island. No breeze. No insects. Even the trees felt like they were holding their breath.
Sabo frowned. "We should go check."
Ace already started walking. "Let's go."
Luffy ran ahead, full speed.
Ravian followed, a heaviness building in his chest.
---
The village looked normal at first. People going about their day, kids playing near the well, fishermen sorting nets.
Except the adults weren't smiling.
They were whispering.
Staring down the road toward Makino's bar.
Ravian quickened his pace.
Inside the bar, the air was thick with fear.
Makino stood stiff behind the counter, frozen in a polite smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Her hands trembled.
Across from her sat Higuma.
The scarred bandit dragged a dirty bottle across the counter. His men lounged around the room, legs kicked up, boots on tables.
"Another," he said calmly, though his tone held the threat of violence.
Makino nodded shakily and reached for another bottle. Ravian recognized her expression — the look of someone trying to keep the peace, trying not to trigger something worse.
Luffy pushed the door open.
The sound seemed too loud.
Every bandit turned to look.
Makino mouthed silently: Go.
But Luffy being Luffy…
He walked right in.
Makino tried again, voice barely above a whisper. "Luffy… not now."
Higuma raised an eyebrow. "This your kid?"
"No," Makino said quickly. "Just a regular—"
The cork of the bottle popped.
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Sake!"
He reached out.
Makino panicked. "Luffy, don't—!"
Luffy drank it.
Every bandit went quiet.
Higuma stared.
Then laughed. "A brat drinking before his mother says yes. Bold."
Makino tried to defuse it. "He's not my—"
Luffy made a face. "Bleh! This stuff tastes awful!"
Higuma's laughter stopped.
Dead silent.
Ravian entered right then, chest tight. He grabbed Luffy's shoulder. "You shouldn't be here."
Higuma sneered. "And who's this? Another brat?"
Ravian stood still. "Leave Makino alone."
Ace and Sabo slipped in behind them, tense. Mira stood at the doorway, eyes sharp.
One of the bandits cracked his knuckles. "These kids don't know who they're talkin' to."
Higuma rose from his seat slowly. "You brats think you're tough? You think you can disrespect—"
A glass shattered on the floor.
Everyone jumped.
Makino had dropped it.
Her hands shook violently now. "Please… just take the money and leave."
Higuma grinned, nasty and slow. "Money? Oh no, lady. This is about respect."
Ravian felt something spark in his chest — not anger. Instinct. Warning.
Perception Trace activated on its own.
The outlines sharpened.
The world layered with movement potential.
He saw Higuma step forward.
Saw Makino flinch before she even realized she would.
Saw the bandit on the right shift his weight.
Saw Luffy tense, ready to leap.
Saw Ace's shoulders rise.
Saw Sabo's fists curl.
Too many danger lines.
Too many sparks poised to ignite.
Ravian's heart raced.
Higuma leaned down toward Luffy. "Kids like you shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
Luffy glared up. "She was scared. I don't like when people scare Makino."
Higuma raised a hand.
Makino cried out. "Wait—!"
Ravian stepped in front of Luffy.
The bandit's hand paused inches from Ravian's face.
Ace and Sabo stiffened.
Mira's eyes sharpened.
Luffy blinked, confused but unmoving.
Ravian forced his voice steady. "If you hit him… you'll regret it."
Higuma snorted. "Oh? You gonna fight me, kid?"
"I'd rather not," Ravian said honestly. "But I won't move."
The bandits laughed.
Ravian didn't.
Perception Trace showed one more thing—fate threads tying tighter around the scene. The kind that didn't break without violence. The kind that changed stories.
Something big was happening.
Something unavoidable.
Higuma lowered his hand.
And smiled.
"Brave kids die first."
Ravian tensed—
—but the door behind them suddenly exploded open.
"WHAT'S THIS RUCKUS?!"
Garp stormed in, fists first, brain second.
Every bandit turned pale.
Higuma froze mid-smirk.
Luffy grinned. "Gramps!"
Ace sighed in visible relief.
Sabo exhaled shakily.
Ravian felt his legs return.
Garp cracked his knuckles. "Who wants to explain why my grandkids are near a group of losers?"
The bandits scrambled like startled chickens.
Higuma tried to play it cool. "W-We were just—"
Garp flexed.
A cannonball popped out of his coat pocket.
Higuma fainted.
Just dropped.
Makino collapsed into a chair, hands shaking as the tension bled out of her.
Ravian's pulse slowly steadied.
But even as Garp dragged the unconscious bandits out one by one…
Ravian felt the system whisper.
[Warning: Key Event Approaching]
[Timeline Acceleration Increasing]
He swallowed.
Because he knew one thing:
This wasn't the real event.
Just the echo before the storm.