Logue Town, the docks.
Ah Hua and the other two were moving goods box by box onto the Freedom.
Food, weapons, clothes… everything, and of course, the most was fresh water, and carrots.
To buy as many carrots as possible, Ah Hua and the other two had scoured the entire vegetable market of Logue Town.
And around them, a circle of Marines kept their distance.
This time, the Marines had learned their lesson and weren't raising their guns. Their captain was still fighting the second-in-command on the street!
It seemed like he was at a disadvantage.
Now, other than them, there wasn't a single civilian on the docks. The entire dock was sealed off by the Marines.
"Kakalaka!!"
"Can you three eat all these carrots you bought?"
Indigo stood by the ship, using ropes to help hoist the supplies. He looked at the deck full of carrots and laughed heartily.
"Anyone who didn't know would think we've raised a lot of rabbits on our ship!"
"Kakalaka!"
"Don't laugh," Ah Hua pushed his glasses up his nose, looking at the carrot basket in his arms and nodding with satisfaction.
"These are the treasures that will make us stronger!"
He couldn't wait to start his training with the carrots.
Since they were young, the three of them had wanted to train with Kong Tai, just like Kuina and Zoro.
When they were little, their poor physical condition prevented them from achieving it.
This had led to their current strength being described as trash.
But it was different now.
He jumped onto the ship, his eyes turning red with excitement as he looked at the mountain of carrots before him.
Thinking about how they would become stronger in the future, two rabbit ears involuntarily popped out on his head.
Then, in a puff of white smoke, he "poofed" and transformed into a plump, upright-walking rabbit.
He still couldn't control his Devil Fruit ability well, and strong emotions would cause him to involuntarily transform into a rabbit.
He couldn't even maintain a human-beast form.
"Hey!"
"What are you doing?" A Luo looked at Ah Hua, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. "Are you trying to sneak some food again!"
Ah Hua had already sneak-eaten a whole basket on the way.
If he and Ah Tao hadn't been watching, they felt this pile of carrots wouldn't have been enough for him in a single day.
Since eating the Devil Fruit, he and Ah Hua had instantly become gluttons. He, who usually ate the least, was now the biggest eater on the ship.
According to Kong Tai, they were just in the early stages of development.
The more they ate, the faster they grew.
"Kuina is still fighting!"
Ah Tao, carrying a bundle of wooden planks, stood by the ship, smoking and watching Kuina and Smoker still fighting.
This smoky man was indeed someone who guarded the largest Marine base in the East Blue, to be able to fight Kuina for this long.
He turned and propped the wooden planks against the ship's side, looking at the deck.
"Hey! You two, stop daydreaming and help out! The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can set sail when Kong Tai returns."
He said, shaking his head, the cigarette clamped in his hand. He flicked the ash with his index finger, gazing at the distant sea, a hint of excitement in his eyes.
"The Grand Line?"
"I'm truly looking forward to it!"
Just then, from the smoke-shrouded area at the main gate of Logue Town, came the sound of shattering steel.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Smoker's Jitte. After a prolonged battle, it could no longer withstand Kuina's famed sword, the "Wado Ichimonji," and had snapped in the middle.
"You lost."
Smoker tilted his head, looking at the sharp blade gleaming before his neck, and let out a soft breath.
He then dropped the broken Jitte in his right hand and spat out the mouthpiece of his cigar.
With trembling hands, he pulled a cigar from his chest and relit it.
He raised his head, looking at Kuina through the smoke, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Even though he knew he was destined to lose this battle, the moment of defeat still brought a flicker of unwillingness.
"What?"
"Still want to fight?"
Kuina frowned as Smoker remained silent for a long time.
"No, a loss is a loss. You may go!"
Smoker took a deep breath, stared at Kuina, and dispelled the surrounding smoke.
He then asked, "What is your purpose in going to the Grand Line? And who taught you the Six Powers of the Marines?"
Ding—!
Kuina sheathed her sword and slowly walked past Smoker.
"We're going to the Grand Line for adventure, of course. As for what you call the Six Powers of the Marines, I have no idea what you're talking about."
With that, she ignored Smoker and brushed past Tashigi, who was rushing towards them. Under the watchful eyes of a group of Marines, she calmly walked through the path they had cleared and headed for the Freedom.
"Colonel Smoker, are you alright!"
Tashigi reached Smoker's side and looked at him with concern.
"I'm fine."
Smoker glanced at Tashigi, then turned to look at Kuina's retreating back, his gaze sharpening.
"Adventure?"
He didn't know if Kuina was telling the truth, but he was sure that this group was different from ordinary pirates.
He wasn't sure if they were new to the sea and hadn't adapted, or if it was the Marines behind them guiding them, making them so unusual.
Without further thought, he took a puff of his cigar, exhaled a large smoke ring, and turned to look at a Marine walking towards him, saying.
"Do you know where 'Silver Hair' Kong Tai is?"
He had glanced at their ship earlier and hadn't seen Kong Tai.
"According to a colleague of Silver Hair, Silver Hair should be on the execution platform in the central square right now."
"The execution platform."
"Yes! It's on the execution platform."
The messenger Marine paused, then said, "After Silver Hair went to the 'Gol D. Roger' tavern to buy wine, he went straight to the central square and stayed on the execution platform until I got the news."
Smoker gazed in the direction of the central square, lost in thought for a moment.
The execution platform, Pirate King, Roger.
"Silver Hair Kong Tai, what is your true objective!"
"Hmm!"
As if summoned by his thoughts, Kong Tai appeared within his line of sight.
At the end of the street, a handsome man with silver hair, carrying a large wine barrel on his back, was gradually approaching.
The handsome man, his face flushed, staggered. Though he appeared to be moving slowly, he moved with incredible speed, appearing before Smoker in the blink of an eye.
Even after Kong Tai stood before him, the afterimages of his movement on the street hadn't yet dissipated.
"Hic…"
Kong Tai placed a hand on Smoker's shoulder and chuckled heartily.
"Smoky man, are you guys done fighting!"
"I thought you would be fighting for a long time!"
He glanced at the Jitte broken in half on the ground, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
"Hahahaha…"
"You fellow, you're too useless!" He kept patting Smoker's shoulder, then his tone turned serious.
"You can't uphold your ideals like this!"
"Wait another two years, and when the great events start flooding in, you'll be quickly eliminated."
Smoker stood there, smoking his cigar, feeling completely at ease.
His current condition was poor, blood still oozing from his chest, making him unable to resist Kong Tai at all.
Since he couldn't resist, he would endure it silently.
However, upon hearing the words "two years later," he couldn't help himself.
"Two years later?"
He looked at Kong Tai, his brow furrowed, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"Explain clearly, what major events will happen in two years."
"And why two years from now?"
"Uh…"
"Did I say something?"
A moment of clarity flashed in Kong Tai's eyes, then he returned to his dazed state, shaking his head and walking past Smoker.
He glanced at Tashigi, who was standing next to Smoker.
"And you, Ms. Tashigi, if you want to steadfastly pursue your ideals, you'll need to work hard!"
He gave Tashigi a thumbs-up.
"Otherwise, you'll be stuck in the East Blue forever with Smoky man, clinging to your ridiculous dream!"
"The future world won't always have people as accommodating as us!"
He shook his head and ambled past them, heading towards his companions who were already waiting for him at the bow of the ship.
After a few steps, his figure vanished, instantly appearing at the bow.
He then placed the large wine barrel from his back onto the deck, and with a posture like that of Ge You reclining, he instantly slumped onto a lounge chair.
"Hahahaha…"
"Let's set sail!"
"Companions, let's set sail for the Grand Line!"
"Ooh…!"
Ah Hua and the other two cheered loudly and quickly got to work.
Then, under the watchful eyes of countless Marines on the docks, the Freedom rapidly sailed towards the distant sea.
…