Sora stared at the Dreadnaught Sabre blocking their path. Drawing his blade, he slashed casually. A massive, crescent-shaped silver-gray arc tore through the galleon.
Boom, boom, boom!
The Dreadnaught Sabre split in half, seawater flooding the breach, dragging the ship under. A wave pushed the halves apart, clearing a path for the Pseudo-Merry.
Sheathing his sword, Sora reclined on his deck chair, grabbing a juice from the side table. Shaking it lightly, he sipped, then raised his right hand, shouting, "Alright, crew, hoist the sails!"
Ahua, Alo, and Ata sprang into action. Alo climbed the mast, unfurling the sail. A gust filled it, propelling the Pseudo-Merry through the gap in the wrecked ship.
Sora glanced indifferently at the pirates in the debris. If any woke in time, surviving without food or a ship, they'd be true sons of fate. Not everyone was Luffy, a Devil Fruit user who'd sailed in a barrel and lived.
Main character aura.
---
On the Pseudo-Merry's foredeck, Sora lounged under a blanket, reading today's paper. Beyond minor gossip, it was packed with pirate raids—daily news since the Great Pirate Era began. After a decade, he was tired of it.
Yet, piracy was surging, fueled by a new generation raised on tales of the Pirate King, all chasing the One Piece. As if they could find it. In a few years, the world's true protagonists would set sail, and the treasure awaited them.
Flipping pages, Sora froze. A headline blared: Another Island Falls from the Sky, Devastating Town.
Below, a report and photo.
Two nights ago, an island plummeted onto Corgi Island, obliterating its town. Nearby islands felt the tremors. No tsunami followed, thankfully.
The photo showed a corgi-shaped island, its center embedded with a smaller island. Ruined buildings hinted at a once-thriving town, now buried.
"Buried by an island. Talk about bad luck," Sora muttered. This world was wild, full of bizarre events.
He shook his head.
"Island…" Kuina, on the adjacent chair, sat up, intrigued. "Let me see, Sora."
"Here." Sora handed her the page, sighing. "The sea's crazy. One moment, they're eating hotpot, singing. The next, an island drops on them. Who do you even blame?"
Kuina scanned the paper, then frowned, lost in thought.
"What's up?" Sora asked softly.
"I've seen something like this before," she said.
"Seen it?"
"Yeah." Kuina's eyes lit up. "I remember now!"
Sora sat up, curious. "What?"
"Ten years ago, I saw a similar story," she said. "Father brought back a newspaper from a trip. It reported an island falling, destroying everything."
She looked at Sora, brow furrowed, voice low. "That was around when you arrived, right?"
"Oh, ten years back?" Sora nodded. He hadn't read papers then. "No wonder I missed it."
He sighed, smoothing her brow. "Natural disasters like this… nothing we can do. Hope everyone's okay."
He knew survival was unlikely but prayed anyway. The sea was merciless, even in East Blue. Perhaps a current had flung that island skyward, dropping it on Corgi Island.
East Blue was tame compared to the Grand Line, where weather and sea kings claimed most ships, not enemies.
Sora shook off the thought, smiling at Kuina. "Stop frowning. You'll get wrinkles early."
"No way! I'm sixteen, gorgeous as ever. Wrinkles are years off!" Kuina swatted his hand, her mood lifting. "You're a year older, though. You'll wrinkle first, old man."
"Old man? Then you're an old lady," Sora teased. "Ever heard the saying? Men age like fine wine. Lolis and maidens love a mature guy."
"Pfft, hahaha!" Kuina burst out laughing.
Sora's eyes softened, his smile warm. These disasters didn't concern them. No calamity or beast could halt their journey.
"Sora, a huge ship ahead! Looks like Baratie!" Alo shouted from the mast.
Sora set down his juice, shed the blanket, slipped on sandals, and stood. He walked to the bow, gazing at the horizon.
Noon's sun blurred the sea like steam. Through the haze, a fish-shaped ship emerged, its three-story deck painted sea-green, resembling a giant mackerel. Its sails were furled, a red-bordered flag with bold "BT" letters flapping atop the mast.
BT? Feels like an insult, Sora thought. The ship seemed anchored, operating in this area.
Closer, they saw a white navy ship and over ten small sailboats docked behind Baratie—likely merchant vessels.
Mooring the Pseudo-Merry beside the navy ship, they furled the sails and dropped anchor. Sailors on the navy vessel glanced at them briefly, unconcerned since they weren't pirates.
Baratie required a small boat to board. Lowering their dinghy, they rowed toward the sea restaurant.
(End of Chapter)