“Report!” A Marine rushed into the flagship and saluted the corpulent admiral.
“The Straw Hat Pirates abandoned the girl, stole the Millennial Dragon, and escaped!” The overweight admiral kicked the soldier to the floor.
“Then what are you standing around for?!
Chase them!” His face twisted with greed.
“And Erik…
that fool found the Millennial Dragon and didn’t report it.
Is he planning to betray me?!” Meanwhile, aboard another Marine ship…
Erik stared at the raft carrying the fake dragon.
“After them!” “Yes, sir!” On the Going Merry, the atmosphere was much lighter now that their performance was over.
“They still haven’t figured it out!” Usopp laughed from the lookout.
“They’re chasing us with everything they’ve got!” Standing by the rail, Dazai watched the fake Ryuji lying on the raft.
The sea breeze fluttered his coat and swept back his slightly wavy hair, revealing the bandaged eye beneath his bangs.
“That’s only natural.” “No one has actually seen a Millennial Dragon before.” “People believe the first thing they see.” “Nami,” Dazai said.
“Let’s head for the place where the descendants originally lived.” “You know where it is?” Nami asked in surprise.
She had long since given up trying to understand how Dazai’s mind worked.
She simply trusted that he wasn’t leading them astray.
“I have a pretty good idea.” He pointed east.
“It should be that way.” Without hesitation, Nami turned the helm.
After sailing for some time, Luffy sat atop the sheep figurehead, squinting at the horizon.
As the Going Merry drew closer, he reached forward.
His finger suddenly pierced something invisible.
The ship sailed straight through it.
In an instant— They entered a raging storm.
“What happened?!” Nami struggled to keep the helm steady as violent winds and rain battered the ship.
“Looks like I was right.” Holding his hair in place against the gale, Dazai shouted, “Nami!
Our destination is straight ahead!” “Got it!” The Going Merry surged forward.
After weathering the storm, they finally emerged into calm waters.
At the center of the storm lay a secluded island, completely surrounded by a ring of violent weather.
“So that’s where it was hidden…” Nami stared in amazement.
The Going Merry anchored offshore.
The crew carried the fake dragon onto the island.
The island was deserted.
Crumbled buildings and enormous tree roots winding through abandoned streets hinted that people had once prospered here.
Eventually they arrived before a magnificent stone temple.
Its massive doors were tightly shut.
“How do we open this thing?” Usopp examined the entrance from every angle without finding a clue.
Dazai glanced at the thick roots spread across the island before looking at the plants growing up through cracks in the floor.
“…It’s hollow underneath.” “Luffy.” He pointed at the ground.
“Punch here.” “Okay!” Luffy stretched his arm far behind him.
“Gum-Gum…” His fist rocketed forward.
BOOM!
The stone floor shattered.
The ground collapsed beneath everyone’s feet, and they all tumbled into the chamber below.
“Oww…” Nami rubbed the bump on her head.
“Luffy!
Give us a warning next time!” Then she looked up.
The walls were covered in murals depicting the Millennial Dragons.
“So this is it…” Dazai quietly studied the ancient paintings.
Everything finally fell into place.
The murals showed the island’s people living peacefully alongside the dragons.
The dragons had been worshipped as sacred beings.
The temple had been built in their honor, and regular ceremonies were held here.
Nami looked from the murals to Dazai.
She couldn’t help wondering what kind of brain could piece all of this together.
“So…” Dazai mentally reviewed Grandpa Gordan’s story.
“I’ve got the timing.” “The Lost Island rises today.” “We’re going back.” “What?!” Usopp cried.
“We finally fooled the Marines, and now we’re going back?!” “Nami,” Dazai continued, “you understand now, don’t you?” She nodded.
“If the Lost Island rises today…
then Ryuji’s companions will arrive too.” “There’ll be no hiding it anymore.” “So before that…” Dazai’s eyes sharpened.
“We have one more enemy to deal with.” “Enemy?” Usopp spun around nervously.
“You mean Erik?” Zoro asked.
Dazai nodded.
“He’s obsessed with the dragon bones.” “If the island suddenly disappears, most people would retreat.” “But Erik’s greed—and his confidence in his own abilities—will drive him to follow us alone.” “Looks like you guessed right.” Blades of compressed wind suddenly slashed down from above.
Zoro instantly drew his swords and blocked them.
Standing atop the ruins was Erik.
“Luffy!” Dazai jumped onto the raft.
Usopp climbed aboard beside him.
Sanji scooped Nami into his arms and leaped aboard as well.
Without needing another explanation, Luffy stretched both arms upward, grabbed a stone pillar, and launched everyone—including Zoro and the raft—through the air.
Erik quickly jumped aside.
Before Zoro could even recover from Luffy’s usual transportation method, Erik attacked again.
Instinct took over.
Zoro immediately met him head-on.
“You guys go!” He planted himself in Erik’s path.
“We’ll catch up later.” Erik kissed the back of his hand with a smug grin.
“You think you can stop me?” Countless flying slashes merged into a raging tornado.
“Three Sword Style…” Zoro lowered his stance.
“Three Thousand Worlds!” Meanwhile…
The raft hurtled down the mountainside.
Luffy and Sanji smashed apart tree branches, fallen ruins, and every obstacle in their way.
The rough ground sent the raft bouncing violently.
Everyone clung on for dear life.
At last— Splash!
The raft crashed into the sea.
The crew quickly boarded the Going Merry and secured the fake dragon.
“Think Zoro’s okay?” Nami asked.
“That moss-head won’t lose.” Sanji answered confidently while taking a drag from his cigarette.
Usopp adjusted his goggles and searched the mountaintop.
“We can’t stay here much longer.” Dazai calculated the timing.
Separating Erik from the admiral had been the first step.
But the admiral’s fleet wouldn’t be far behind.
Unlike ordinary officers, that greedy commander wouldn’t hesitate to force his way through the storm.
“Luffy.” “Bring Zoro back.” Luffy stretched his arm toward the mountaintop and grabbed Zoro like a fishing line.
Moments later, the swordsman landed on deck.
He was covered in cuts and bruises.
Usopp immediately opened the first-aid kit and began bandaging him.
“How’d it go, Zoro?” Dazai crouched beside him.
Zoro smirked through the pain.
“He wasn’t much of a challenge.” “So you won.” Dazai smiled.
“Then let’s go.” The Going Merry sailed back through the storm with ease.
The moment they emerged— An enormous Marine fleet surrounded them.
Warships were linked together with heavy iron chains, trapping the Going Merry in the center.
“There are too many Marines!” Nami gasped.
“What do we do?” “We charge straight through!” Usopp declared.
“We don’t have another choice.” Dazai nodded.
“We’re heading back to the waters off Warship Island.” The Going Merry accelerated.
Cannons roared from every direction.
Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, and the others destroyed shell after shell before they could reach the ship.
Once they drew close enough, Luffy launched everyone onto the Marine vessels.
They tore through the enemy ships from the inside.
With every swing of his swords, Zoro severed another chain connecting the blockade.
The admiral could no longer sit still.
“Bring out the main cannon!” A gigantic cannon—far larger than all the others—was rolled onto the deck.
“Usopp!” Dazai shouted.
“Aim for the barrel!” “Leave it to me!” Usopp fired.
The cannonball flew perfectly into the muzzle.
BOOM!!
The massive cannon exploded before it could fire.
“Damn you!” The overweight admiral raged in frustration.
Watching him, Dazai couldn’t help feeling a trace of cold amusement.
In just a few months in this world, this was already the second time he had seen government officials abusing their authority for personal gain.
The World Government was rotten to its core.
The line separating Marines from pirates often felt like little more than a mask.
There were undoubtedly good people within its ranks…
…but corruption ran deep.
Some struggled to patch the cracks.
One day, however, the entire structure would inevitably collapse.
Still…
What does that have to do with me?
Dazai’s expression remained indifferent.
The Going Merry circled back toward Warship Island with the fake dragon in tow.
The villagers, still believing the Straw Hats had betrayed Apis, glared angrily.
“What are you doing back here?!” “Pirates are all the same!” “Get out of here!” Apis lowered her head.
Listening to everyone curse the people who had helped her hurt far more than being insulted herself.
Why had they come back?
Had something happened?
Beside her, Grandpa Gordan quietly observed her worried expression.
That doesn’t look like someone who was truly betrayed…
He began to suspect the truth.
“All right.” Dazai gave the signal.
“Leave it here.” With a flash of Zoro’s sword, the rope securing the fake dragon was cut.
The raft drifted away on the sea.
The Going Merry immediately sailed off.
The admiral’s eyes lit up.
“The dragon!” “Bring it aboard!” The Marines reluctantly obeyed.
After inspecting it, one trembling soldier hurried back.
“Report…” “It’s fake.” The admiral’s face turned scarlet.
“Fake?!” “Are you telling me we wasted all this time chasing a fake?!” The soldier swallowed.
“Yes, sir.” “It’s filled with nothing but leaves.” “Hahahaha!” Usopp burst into laughter.
“They finally figured it out!” Everyone else smiled as well.
Then— “They’re here.” Dazai looked toward the horizon.
A line of black silhouettes was approaching.
Apis followed his gaze.
Her eyes widened with joy.
“The dragons!” “So many Millennial Dragons!” “Ryuji…” “The Dragon’s Nest is rising!” Inside the cave, Ryuji sensed his companions.
Strength returned to his aging body one last time.
He spread his wings and roared.
His cry echoed across Warship Island.
“What was that?” The villagers looked around in confusion.
“It’s Ryuji!” “He’s better!” Apis shouted happily.
Ryuji soared into the sky to meet his companions.
Then— Warship Island began to shake.
A tremendous rumble echoed beneath the sea.
An enormous landmass slowly rose from the ocean.
Water poured from its cliffs, forming countless lakes.
The flock of Millennial Dragons descended one after another to rest.
Because the Marine fleet had followed the Going Merry directly over the rising island— The entire fleet was swallowed by the upheaval.
Only the admiral remained, stripped of his command.
Even then, greed still filled his eyes.
“The dragon bones…” “The dragon bones…” “That’s enough of that.” The Straw Hats had already come ashore.
Standing behind the admiral, Dazai looked at him with open disgust.
“He needs a reality check.” “Don’t thank me.” Sanji stretched lazily before delivering a powerful kick.
The several-hundred-pound admiral was launched into the distance.
“Ryuji…” Apis ran toward the old dragon.
She had been so happy to see him reunited with his family.
But Ryuji simply looked at her with gentle eyes.
He was saying goodbye.
“No…” “You said you’d recover once you returned to the Dragon’s Nest!” “Ryuji!” She cried as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry, Apis.” “The year I spent with you…” “…was happier than the thousand years I lived before it.” “Ryuji!!” Apis broke down in tears.
Dazai gently rested a hand on her head.
“Ryuji was happy.” “In the final journey of his life…” “He met you.” Then he pointed ahead.
“Look.” Apis looked up.
A tiny Millennial Dragon hatchling cracked open its egg.
A new life had arrived, gently replacing the sorrow left behind.
“Life and death…” “They’re both part of the same cycle.” Apis gazed into the hatchling’s eyes.
For just a moment…
She thought she saw Ryuji smiling back at her.
Wiping away her tears, she nodded.
“I understand.” Life was a relay passed from one generation to the next.
The Millennial Dragons continued preening their feathers, drinking from the lakes, and calling to one another as they welcomed the newborn hatchling.
The Straw Hat Pirates returned to the Going Merry.
Their business here was finished.
Ahead of them lay the Grand Line.
“Goodbye, Luffy!” “I’ll miss all of you!” Apis waved with all her strength as the ship sailed into the distance.
Now that the truth was known, the villagers stood beside her and silently watched the Straw Hat Pirates depart.
Ryuji…
I’ll protect this place—your home—for generations to come.
Goodbye…
my friends.
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