The morning air in the forest still carried a faint chill.
Sunlight filtered through gaps between the enormous leaves overhead, scattering patches of golden light across the moss-covered ground.
“Boss!
Boss!
Look what I found on that idiot noble’s ship!”
An excited, almost impatient voice shattered the peaceful morning.
Marcus came charging over like a gust of wind, proudly holding a sheathed sword high above his head.
The smug grin on his face was impossible to hide.
Sammy rubbed his sleepy eyes as he jumped down from one of the thick branches of a towering tree.
He had spent half the night drinking the wine they had seized from the Crown Pirates with Dorry and Brogy, and his head was still a little foggy.
“What is it…?” Sammy let out a long yawn, squeezing tears from the corners of his eyes.
“It’s way too early for all that yelling.”
“A sword!
One of the Fifty Skillful Grade Blades!”
Marcus presented it like a priceless treasure and carefully drew the blade halfway from its sheath.
The steel gleamed beneath the morning sunlight.
Near the guard, the forging pattern formed delicate overlapping layers that resembled falling cherry blossom petals.
Sammy knew next to nothing about swords, yet even he could tell at a glance that this one was extraordinary.
“If I’m not mistaken, this is the legendary Ran’ō!”
“A Skillful Grade Blade?”
Sammy scratched his messy black hair, which looked even worse after a night spent sleeping in a tree, and searched through his memories.
“Oh…
right.
I vaguely remember something about that.
There are only fifty of them in the world, aren’t there?
The Fifty Skillful Grade Blades or something like that?
Sounds impressive.”
He noticed the expectant look in Marcus’s eyes and casually waved a hand.
“What, were you planning to give it to me?
I don’t even use swords.
Keep it for yourself.
Your old blade got chipped when you hacked at that Triceratops last time anyway.”
“What?!
A Skillful Grade Blade?!”
A surprised voice suddenly cut into their conversation.
Cajero had somehow wandered over without them noticing.
As usual, he was dressed impeccably, although his coat was casually draped over one arm.
The instant he saw the sword in Marcus’s hands, his eyes locked onto it.
He quickly stepped closer for a better look.
“Damn!
It really is Ran’ō!” Cajero’s normally refined voice rose several pitches.
“Legend says that in the hands of a true master swordsman, its slashes become as unpredictable as cherry blossoms dancing in the wind!
I can’t believe a treasure like this was sitting in the collection of that North Blue noble…”
He shook his head in disgust.
“What a waste.
Giving a blade like this to that idiot was like throwing pearls before swine!”
The moment Marcus saw the look on Cajero’s face, he immediately snapped the sword back into its sheath and pulled it protectively against his chest.
“What are you looking at, Cajero?! This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
I’m warning you, this sword is MINE!”
Marcus pointed accusingly at him.
“Last time we divided the loot and picked out weapons, you’re a damn dual-wielder, so you grabbed TWO of the best swords before anyone else!
Then Alberto took another one, and I got stuck choosing from whatever you bastards left behind!”
He tightened his grip on Ran’ō.
“I finally found a Skillful Grade Blade for myself.
Nobody is taking this one from me!”
The more Marcus spoke, the more worked up he became.
Cajero looked offended by the way Marcus was guarding the sword as though he were a thief.
He stroked his neatly trimmed mustache and clicked his tongue sourly.
“Cheapskate.
I only wanted to look at it.
It’s not like I was going to steal it.”
His gaze immediately drifted back toward the sheath.
“Still…
Marcus, you lucky bastard.
Ran’ō…
Tsk, tsk.”
He claimed he had no intention of stealing it, yet the envy in his eyes looked hot enough to burn two holes straight through the scabbard.
Sammy watched his two officers bicker over a sword like children fighting over a new toy and couldn’t help laughing.
He stretched his arms overhead, his joints cracking loudly.
“All right, all right.
It’s just a sword.
Look at the two of you getting worked up over it.”
Sammy looked at Marcus.
“Ran’ō is yours.
Use it well, and don’t embarrass a famous blade by getting yourself killed with it.”
Then he paused and turned toward Cajero with a mischievous grin.
“As for you, Cajero…
if you like famous swords that much, keep your eyes open during our next fight.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and pick up a Great Grade Blade.
Hell, maybe even one of the Supreme Grade Blades.”
Cajero rolled his eyes.
“Boss, do you think famous swords are seashells lying around on a beach?
You can’t just bend down and pick one up whenever you feel like it.”
Despite his complaint, the envy in his eyes hadn’t faded in the slightest.
“There are only so many famous blades in the entire world.
Marcus really hit the jackpot this time.”
Marcus proudly fastened Ran’ō at the most comfortable position on his waist.
Then, after thinking about it, he deliberately adjusted the angle so the sword would be the first thing anyone noticed when they looked at him.
…
“BROTHER DORRY!
BROTHER BROGY!
WE’RE HEADING OUT!”
Sammy stood at the bow of the Swordfish and waved both arms toward the two mountain-like figures standing on the shore.
“If I ever get the chance to visit Elbaf, I’ll make sure to send your greetings to your friends and family back home!”
“Thanks, Sammy!
“GOOD—BYE—!”
The crew aboard the Swordfish joined in, shouting and waving toward the shore.
But Sammy wasn’t saying farewell only to the giants.
His gaze swept across the scattered members of several other pirate crews gathered along the beach.
“And to everyone from the Beat Pirates, Crown Pirates, Sky Whale Pirates, Twilight Pirates, Cormorant Pirates…
goodbye to all of you too!”
Sammy cupped his hands around his mouth.
“The Grand Line is huge!
Maybe fate will bring us together again someday!”
He had barely finished speaking when miserable cries filled with tears and resentment erupted from the shore.
“WAAAAH!
DAMN YOU, RIBERA SAMMY!
DON’T LEAVE YET!”
A former member of the Twilight Pirates pounded both fists against the ground as he sobbed uncontrollably.
“ONE MORE DAVY BACK FIGHT!
JUST ONE MORE!
I SWEAR I’LL WIN BOSS CAJERO BACK THIS TIME!!!”
His heartbreaking cries immediately triggered another round of wailing from several former crewmates whose captains had also been lost to the Jellyfish Pirates.
Meanwhile, a completely different scene was unfolding nearby.
Several pirates from various crews who had chosen to remain on Little Garden while waiting for their Log Poses to finish recording the island’s magnetic field were hugging one another and crying tears of joy.
“They’re finally leaving…”
“Thank God…
those monsters are finally gone…”
“This is only the SECOND island!
The Grand Line is terrifying!
I’m never going to the next island…”
“I want to go home…
I miss my mom…”
The despair and overwhelming relief on shore stood in sharp contrast to the soaring morale aboard the Swordfish.
“RAISE THE SAILS!” Sammy ordered, brimming with energy.
“WE’RE SETTING OUT!”
The enormous sails slowly rose beneath the crew’s practiced hands.
The Swordfish had remained anchored at Little Garden for an entire year, yet after countless repairs, modifications, and upgrades, the vessel looked stronger than ever.
Slowly, it pulled away from the island that had witnessed an entire year of their blood, sweat, tears, deaths, and growth.
Once again, the Jellyfish Pirates threw themselves into the unpredictable embrace of the Grand Line.
The bow sliced through the brilliant blue water, leaving a long trail of white foam behind them.
Aldo rested his spiked club across one shoulder and looked back at the miserable defeated pirates on the shore.
He snorted.
“What a bunch of pathetic losers.”
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