The Grand Line, the sea area south of Master Port.
On an unnamed deserted island, a tiny new fishing village was slowly taking shape.
Surprisingly, there were hardly any able-bodied young people among the villagers.
Instead, they were mostly the sick, the elderly, the wounded, and the disabled.
As the only young labor force in this new village, Aran was currently walking through a small forest outside the settlement, holding a short hatchet in his hand.
Following closely at his heels were three of his Slice-Slice Fruit clones.
His face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes shone with hopeful anticipation for a new life.
He had already built preliminary dwellings for his grandfather and the other villagers, and the few small boats they had left could serve as fishing vessels.
Though the village lacked young laborers, the older villagers had spent their entire lives as fishermen, and their experience alone was enough to keep them alive.
In this world, ordinary people like them possessed an incredible tenacity for life—so long as there was even a sliver of light, they could endure and survive.
“Looks like you’re doing pretty well.” Just as he was looking for suitable timber, a voice suddenly echoed behind him, sending a sharp jolt through his heart.
“Who’s there?!” Aran gripped the hatchet handle tightly, and his clones immediately turned toward the source of the sound.
A moment later, however, the vigilance in his eyes turned into overwhelming delight.
Sitting cross-legged on a nearby boulder was a man in a long robe, wearing a rooster mask.
And naturally, Aran could never forget that mask.
“Lord Rooster…
how…
how did you get here?!” he shouted in pleasant surprise.
“What kind of question is that?
Didn’t you give me the coordinates to this island yourself?” Rooster chuckled softly.
“Still, it’s quite impressive that you managed to find this place.
This island isn’t recorded on any nautical charts nearby.” “Yes,” Aran said quietly.
“Only our village knows about it.
Our old island was just to the north, and whenever we went out a bit farther to fish, we’d occasionally anchor here to rest.” Indeed, an unnamed island of this size was too small to develop, completely devoid of natural resources or supplies, and utterly worthless.
A kingdom like the Kingdom of Nismail wouldn’t even bother charting it, pirates and Marines had no interest in it, and no merchant ship would ever dock here.
Only coastal fishermen who owned nothing to their names would know such an island existed.
“I see…” Rooster nodded slightly upon hearing this.
He looked at Aran and said, “You handled the task I entrusted to you very well.
It was a huge help to me.” He had already noticed Aran’s pale complexion.
The reason wasn’t hard to guess—to complete Rooster’s request, Aran had sacrificed one of his Slice-Slice clones, detonating it alongside the Kingdom of Nismail merchant ship.
On top of that, he currently had another clone stationed inside Impel Down.
Although a clone wasn’t his actual body, its destruction still inflicted physical harm on the main body, and a fraction of the agony felt by a dying clone was transmitted back to him.
“No, I only made a tiny contribution,” Aran said, shaking his head.
His eyes burned with intense brightness.
“On the contrary, Lord Rooster, what you accomplished is truly unbelievable!” “Oh?” Under the mask, Rooster blinked in surprise.
“You know what I did?” “Yes!” Aran nodded vigorously.
“On the way here with my grandfather and the others, I placed a Slice-Slice clone on two intermediate islands along our route.” He scratched his head sheepishly.
“I originally did it to give us an early warning in case anyone came after us, but by pure coincidence, I heard news about you…” His expression grew wildly excited.
It was obvious that after everything he had suffered, he harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Kingdom of Nismail, the Marines, and the World Government as a whole.
Thus, learning that Rooster had stolen the Heavenly Tribute from the Kingdom of Nismail brought nothing but joy and exhilaration to his heart.
Only after reading the front-page headlines of the newspaper did he truly realize that his initial impression of Rooster hadn’t even scratched the surface.
The man wasn’t just an ordinary powerhouse; he was a top-tier combatant capable of effortlessly defeating Marine admirals and generals.
The photos of the four destroyed Marine bases and the reshaped landscape of the Great Arashi Forest had left Aran so stunned he couldn’t speak for a long time.
“So that’s how it is.” Rooster nodded softly.
Under the mask, Roy couldn’t help but marvel once again.
This kid, Aran, was remarkably intelligent and cautious.
“By the way, Lord Rooster, why did you come here today…?” Aran asked curiously.
“Nothing much.
I just came to check on your situation, and while I was at it…” Rooster gestured toward the ground beneath his feet.
Only then did Aran notice several large bundles sitting beneath the boulder Rooster was perched on.
Because the color of the wrapping matched the rock, and because he had been so shocked moments ago, he hadn’t noticed them until now.
“These contain food, fresh water, tools, medical supplies, and basic survival necessities,” Rooster said with a light chuckle.
“I figured you could use them.” Aran froze for a moment before delight broke across his features.
“Thank you, Lord Rooster…
I…
I really don’t know how to repay you.” Rooster waved his hand dismissively.
Even a giant child like Big Mom understood that there was honor and righteousness in the world of pirates, and Roy was no different.
Besides, after their last encounter, he had gained a solid understanding of Aran’s character and trusted him.
Right at that moment…
“Um…
Lord Rooster…” Aran hesitated, looking incredibly conflicted.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and blurted out, “Lord…
could you stay here for a while?” “…Hmm?” Rooster looked at him, puzzled.
Aran poured his heart out in a rush.
“If possible…
I…
I want to join the Twelve Zodiacs too!” “I know I’m not qualified right now because I’m too weak!
That’s why I want to get stronger!” “I’ll do anything to get stronger!” His eyes burned with a fierce determination and resolve far beyond his years.
Looking into his eyes, Rooster instantly understood his motivation.
“Because of your sister?” He certainly hadn’t forgotten Aran’s sister, Colly—a young girl who had been bought by a Celestial Dragon.
“Yes!” Aran nodded firmly, clenching his fists tightly.
“I’ve already asked Uncle Mandy to take care of my grandfather.
He’s a good man…
I have to go to the Sabaody Archipelago to find Colly.” “But I’m too weak.” His fingernails dug deep into his palms, nearly drawing blood.
Even after eating a Devil Fruit and gaining extraordinary powers, he was still far too weak.
He knew all too well that saving his sister with his current strength was a total impossibility.
So he wanted to grow stronger, no matter the cost.
“Just as I thought.” Rooster didn’t seem surprised at all.
Beneath the mask, Roy fell into thought.
Ultimately, he came to a conclusion: it actually seemed like a solid idea.
Aran was trustworthy, and as a user of the Slice-Slice Fruit, he possessed immense potential.
Furthermore, as an active Marine himself, Roy knew that the Marines and the World Government were currently conducting a frantic, desperate manhunt for Rooster.
In fact, even without Aran’s request, he had already planned on laying low as Rooster for a while to avoid the heat.
Although Rooster was just a clone, losing it permanently would still be a massive blow.
This tiny island fit his requirements for laying low perfectly.
And most importantly…
*The Human Auction House on the Sabaody Archipelago…
sounds like a place packed with money,* Roy mused internally.
Having weighed his options, Roy made his decision.
“I can stay here for a while and train you.” “As for joining our organization—if you become strong enough, I can submit an application on your behalf.” “However…” He looked at Aran, his tone carrying a calm, measuring weight.
“Are you truly prepared for this?
I’m a wanted fugitive.
Siding with me means making an enemy of the whole world.” Upon hearing this, Aran smiled instead.
“Regarding that, I’ve actually discussed it with everyone already.” He tightened his grip on his hatchet.
He could never forget the night they escaped Master Port, or the sight of the former slaves weeping uncontrollably aboard the small boats.
He could never forget the horrors recounted by the villagers about the inhuman abuse they suffered during their time in captivity.
The excruciating pain of losing loved ones, broken limbs, the stench of blood, the desperate wails of young girls…
They could never forget any of it, nor would they ever forgive.
“We are just ordinary people.
On our own, we don’t have the power to change anything or seek revenge.” He looked straight up at Rooster.
“But Lord Rooster—everyone is willing to believe in you.
If you plan to take on the world…
please, take us with you!”