What lingered in Garp’s mind wasn’t the fate of the Lord of the Coast.
The sea beast itself was irrelevant.
What mattered was how it had been defeated.
Conqueror’s Haki.
Long after Ian’s ship had disappeared beyond the horizon, the Hero of the Marines remained standing on the dock.
Observation Haki.
Armament Haki.
Conqueror’s Haki.
All three.
And judging by what he had just witnessed, Ian wasn’t merely capable of using them—he wielded them with a frightening level of instinct.
Garp rubbed his forehead.
“What a waste…”
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
A talent like that should have been wearing a Marine coat.
Around him, the harbor was still in chaos.
“Wasn’t that traveler always drinking at Makino’s Tavern?”
“He took down the Lord of the Coast with a single look!”
“I thought he was just some wandering gentleman!”
“That’s terrifying!”
“How strong is he really?”
The rumors spread through Windmill Village like wildfire.
No one had expected the easygoing traveler to possess such overwhelming power.
Not even the villagers who knew him best.
Garp listened to the commotion in silence.
Then he looked one last time toward the distant sea.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Go see the world, Ian.”
The wind carried his words away.
Far beyond the harbor, Ian stood at the bow of his ship.
The unconscious Lord of the Coast floated in the distance, slowly disappearing behind the vessel.
A grin appeared on his face.
“Not bad.”
The test had exceeded his expectations.
Conqueror’s Haki felt remarkably natural.
As though it had always belonged to him.
As though it had merely been waiting to awaken.
The Legendary Navigator System had delivered once again.
“Worth the wait.”
The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and distant islands.
Ian glanced back toward the shrinking silhouette of Windmill Village.
Even from this distance, he could still make out the docks.
Makino stood near the harbor waving.
Several villagers waved alongside her.
Even Garp had raised a hand.
Though judging by his expression, the old Marine was probably still trying to figure out how to recruit him despite the fact that he was already sailing away.
Ian laughed.
“See you around, old man.”
Then he turned toward the endless blue ahead.
“System, where are we headed next?”
As always, the Legendary Navigator System offered no direct answer.
Instead, the ship continued forward.
Its sails billowed in the wind.
Its course guided by unseen currents and fate alike.
And so the next journey began.
The following days passed peacefully.
Ocean.
Sky.
Clouds.
An endless sea stretching to every horizon.
Ian spent much of his time becoming familiar with his newly awakened abilities.
Observation Haki.
Armament Haki.
Conqueror’s Haki.
Every day brought greater understanding.
Every day sharpened his control.
The sea made for an excellent training ground.
No interruptions.
No responsibilities.
Just the rhythm of the waves and the promise of distant shores.
Still, even a traveler could grow tired of staring at nothing but water.
So when land finally appeared on the horizon, Ian immediately sat upright.
“Well.”
A smile spread across his face.
“About time.”
The island slowly grew larger.
Rolling green hills.
Clusters of wooden buildings.
A quiet harbor.
A village nestled against the coastline.
Then a familiar notification appeared before him.
New Check-In Location Discovered
Shimotsuki Village
Current Progress: 0%
Location Notes:
A peaceful village renowned for its swordsmanship culture and welcoming residents.
Important Figures of Interest:
Koushirou — Hidden master of swordsmanship.
Roronoa Zoro — A young swordsman whose journey has only just begun.
Ian blinked.
Then blinked again.
“Shimotsuki Village?”
Now that was interesting.
Very interesting.
This wasn’t just any village.
This was where Roronoa Zoro had trained during his childhood.
The home of the man who would one day become one of the world’s greatest swordsmen.
And according to the system…
Koushirou was important as well.
Ian stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Looks like this check-in won’t be as simple as drinking with Makino.”
If Windmill Village had taught him anything, it was that progress came from engaging with the people who defined a place.
Experiencing their stories.
Understanding their lives.
Becoming part of the local rhythm.
Which meant he would almost certainly cross paths with both Koushirou and young Zoro.
“Interesting.”
The ship glided into the harbor.
A few minutes later, Ian stepped onto the dock and stretched.
The village was alive with late-afternoon activity.
Shopkeepers were packing away their goods.
Families strolled through the streets.
Children ran through the marketplace, laughing as they chased one another.
Compared to Windmill Village, the atmosphere felt different.
Not better.
Not worse.
Just different.
And that was exactly what Ian loved about traveling.
Every island had its own personality.
Its own stories.
Its own heartbeat.
Its own flavor.
Speaking of flavor…
His stomach growled.
“First things first.”
Food.
Then a drink.
Then adventure.
In that order.
Following the scent of grilled meat and alcohol, Ian soon found himself standing before a lively tavern near the village square.
He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
“Good evening.”
The bartender glanced up from behind the counter.
“A traveler?”
Ian smiled.
“That obvious?”
The man laughed.
“You’ve got sea salt on your coat and curiosity in your eyes.”
“Fair enough.”
Ian slid onto a stool.
“One bottle of your best.”
The bartender retrieved a bottle and set it on the counter.
As Ian poured himself a drink, the man asked casually,
“You here for the Isshin Dojo recruitment?”
Ian paused.
“The what?”
The bartender looked surprised.
“You didn’t come for Koushirou’s dojo?”
“Can’t say I did.”
“Well, that’s unusual.”
The bartender leaned against the counter.
“Lately we’ve had people coming from all over East Blue hoping to study swordsmanship.”
“Koushirou’s accepting students?”
“Trying to.”
The bartender chuckled.
“Getting accepted is another matter.”
Ian raised an eyebrow.
“Strict?”
“Very.”
The man lowered his voice dramatically.
“His standards are legendary.”
“Most applicants don’t last long.”
“That good?”
“Better.”
The bartender gestured toward a nearby window.
“His students are famous around here.”
“Some of them are monsters.”
Ian followed the direction of his finger.
Outside, near the edge of the square, a small figure was struggling to carry an oversized barrel nearly as large as he was.
Messy green hair.
A stubborn expression.
A body far too small for the task he was attempting.
And enough determination to challenge the entire world.
The sight was instantly recognizable.
Ian couldn’t help laughing.
“Well, would you look at that.”
The bartender glanced outside.
“You know the kid?”
“Not personally.”
Ian took a sip of his drink.
But his eyes remained fixed on the boy.
Roronoa Zoro.
Future pirate.
Future swordsman.
Future right-hand man of the future Pirate King.
At the moment, however…
He looked like a child who was losing an argument with a barrel.
The barrel won.
Zoro stumbled backward, nearly fell over, caught himself at the last second, and immediately resumed trying to move it.
As if defeat simply wasn’t an option.
Ian shook his head, amused.
Some things really never changed.
“Roronoa Zoro…”
The name felt oddly surreal.
Only a week ago, he’d been sharing farewell drinks with Garp in Windmill Village.
Now he was watching a young Zoro years before the beginning of his legend.
The future suddenly felt much closer than before.
A smile spread across Ian’s face.
The Legendary Navigator System rarely chose destinations without a reason.
And something told him that Shimotsuki Village was going to be far more interesting than it first appeared.